Tag: Chanticleer Book Reviews

  • BLACK AUTUMN by Jeff Kirkham and Jason Ross – Post Apocalyptic America, Thriller/Suspense, Military

    BLACK AUTUMN by Jeff Kirkham and Jason Ross – Post Apocalyptic America, Thriller/Suspense, Military

    Imagine what would happen if a handful of unrelated mistakes, errors in communications, misguided actions, and natural disasters sparked a worldwide tragedy, an apocalypse… Would you be ready to handle the fallout?

    Here’s the story of a rogue nuke in the wrong hands explosively starting a Black Autumn, as authored by Jeff Kirkham and Jason Ross. Like other post-apocalyptic literature, it’s the people who don’t survive the initial explosion who may be the lucky ones. But those who follow the Ross/Kirkham way of life have an edge. A most vital edge in surviving and thriving in this new world order.

    Jason Ross and Jeff Kirkham cast themselves as characters in the book: Jeff, a highly- experienced American Special Forces operative, and Jason Ross as the well-prepared owner of the expansive Ross Homestead property. In the novel, they organize a group of families who have spent years preparing for the possibility of a tragic event requiring sustained emergency survival. Some members of the group view their membership in the group as a social activity, with the possibility of a cataclysmic event as improbable. Others, however, understand such an event is not just plausible but probable, and any chance of survival will fall to those who are well prepared.

    This book begins with separate, spontaneous and unrelated, terror-filled actions on the world scene. These actions have unintended and catastrophic consequences. These families must now work together in earnest, in primitive circumstances, to forge any sort of a future.

    But like most post-apocalyptic novels, there are the “haves” and “have-nots.” Masses of unprepared and desperate people on the outside threaten to steal Homestead’s provisions, and they will do anything to get their hands on even a morsel. Likewise, the local governments beg Ross and Kirkham to enter into negotiations for supplies under the threat of moving in and taking what they want.

    Tactical planning and confrontations are detailed, fascinating, and deadly. But this book goes beyond the maneuvers and weaponry, exposing the fragility of human emotions and endurance. Complex loyalties and relationships are tested, with thought-provoking debates over the most important questions surrounding life and death.

    In case you think this is a survivalist guide disguised as a novel, think again. From the first page to the last, readers will step into a world that is currently not their own, but perhaps, may be one fateful day.

    These authors live what they write. Jeff Kirkham served nearly three decades as a Green Beret and is the proverbial brains behind ReadyMan’s survival tools and products. Co-author Jason Ross has dedicated twenty years to mastering preparedness in raising sustainable crops, composting, shooting, small squad tactics, solar power, and animal husbandry. In other words, these guys know from what they speak.

    Black Autumn could be a revelation of what is to come. The catalysts of the novel are based on scenarios much of our population may scoff at, but others, foresee as a certainty. Whatever side of the fence you fall on, Black Autumn is a chilling portrayal of humankind’s possible future, and one that readers will not easily be able to put down without asking, “Am I ready?”

  • The MOVING BLADE by Michael Pronko – Police Procedural, Thriller/Suspense, Japanese Mystery

    The MOVING BLADE by Michael Pronko – Police Procedural, Thriller/Suspense, Japanese Mystery

    Global Thriller Grand Prize Winner Badge for The Moving Blade

     

     

    The Moving Blade by Michael Pronko won GRAND PRIZE in the CIBA 2018 Global Thriller Awards for Lab Lit and High Stakes Thrillers!

    What exactly was Bernard Mattson up to when he committed seppuku* at his Tokyo home – or, was it murder? This is just one of many questions Michael Pronko incites in readers in his latest novel, The Moving Blade.

    Another set of questions: What was so important about Mattson’s collection of rare Japanese shunga—centuries-old erotic art—that someone ransacked the house for it while his family attended his funeral? Or was it all about the significant role that the elderly Mattson had in formulating, then turning against, the SOFA** agreements, and the book he intended to publish about the unfairness of the agreements to Japan today?

    This is a rich serving of a thriller, a well-cooked and tasty sukiyaki of a novel, written by an American who knows Japan well. He does the magic trick of giving us his Japan with little compromise—the Tokyo settings, subtle cultural difference, and, most exquisitely, the food—always ensuring his U.S. readers understand and accept shunga, ikizukuri, oyasumi-nasai, and meishi as easily as we understand hot dogs and Mom’s apple pie.

    The Moving Blade does more than most procedural crime novels; this one is enriched by carefully drawn portraits of both political and cultural differences between Western and Eastern culture. It outlines without proselytizing the concerns of a range of Japanese citizens with the SOFA agreements. But if you think this book is more political than action, think again. The ongoing appearance of Japanese swords are given proper attention to their historical, social and monetary value, as well as their appearance in a killing that is best explained as ritualistic slice ‘n dice.

    Hiroshi Shimizu, the Tokyo police detective with an American education is the lead character among a rich cast of Japanese and American men and women. His interior monologues about his career, a few women in his life, and the investigation aren’t quite as dark as thrillers from Scandinavia, but this is Japan, and he dishes out enough angst to make us care about who he is and what he does.

    Most novels about contemporary Japan seem to be written by Japanese writers and translated into English. One of the accomplishments of this book is its distinctly American style that communicates Japanese life with equal clarity. And while some characters play the part of stock players, understand this, The Moving Blade delivers a solid punch to the gut (make that a well-placed thrust of a wakizashi sword) that readers look for in other-worldly thrillers.

    This is the second book in Pronko’s series with Detective Hiroshi Shimizu, in a planned series of five books: the first, The Last Train, was published in 2017.

    *Seppuku (hari-kiri): 1: ritual suicide by disembowelment practiced by the Japanese samurai or formerly decreed by a court in lieu of the death penalty; 2: SUICIDE: Merriman-Webster online dictionary.

    **SOFA refers to the binding arbitration between Japan and the U.S. following World War II allowing the U.S. to establish permanent military bases governed by American laws

     

     

     

     

    “A rich serving of a thriller, The Moving Blade is a well-cooked and tasty sukiyaki of a novel, written by an American who knows Japan well.” – Chanticleer Reviews

  • COUNTENANCE by Joy Ross Davis – Ghosts, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

    COUNTENANCE by Joy Ross Davis – Ghosts, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

    Nealy Monaghan’s Aunt Sylvie is an author of several cookbooks with a large fan following – and some very different kinds of recipes in Joy Ross Davis’ Countenance.

    Lately, life has taken some terrifying turns, but Nealy remembers that as a young girl, she had been happiest at The Playhouse Inn, an unusual B&B nestled in Tennessee and run by her famous aunt, Sylvie Wolcott.

    When the worst happens, it’s that happiness she turns to for comfort, trust, and guidance. Right now, Nealy needs to grieve. She needs to rest. Which may be hard to do since Aunt Sylvie has a delicious secret ingredient she slips into every recipe. Something’s going on in that big kitchen – something more than good eats – and it’s up to Nealy to figure it out.

    Benton, the handsome all-around groundskeeper, and LuLu, the very talented Irish wolfhound, keep Nealy company as she works to understand the Inn, its history, and just what her future holds—as well as her past. The revealing answers surprise both her and everyone around her, as the truth really will set them free.

    Davis does a solid job of presenting some details with a “bang!” and yet engaging the reader with short chapters and a sense of mystery. Her writing style makes it very easy to lose oneself in the read. In other words, this book is hard to put down.

    Davis also excels at sensory details. When Nealy is cold, for example, the iciness is easy to feel. When Sylvie cooks, her dishes are described with a mouth-watering appeal. Natural and unnatural elements come into focus with equal appeal, until the reader can feel the warmth of a polished piece of wood, or hear the music of wind chimes.

    In almost gothic fashion, the steep cliff by the inn lends a sense of real danger, while the old building itself has problems all its own. Davis pays attention to detail and description, adding nuance and atmosphere to her settings in place and time.

    Countenance will engage the reader with an unexpected melding of the senses. Religious and philosophical ideas are brought forth in epic battles of Good versus Evil in the most unexpected places –  even in Aunt Sylvie’s sunny kitchen!

     

  • Dracul by J.D. Barker, Dacre Stoker – Vampires, Gothic, Occult, #Dracul

    Dracul by J.D. Barker, Dacre Stoker – Vampires, Gothic, Occult, #Dracul

    The brilliant gothic horror story, Dracul, awaits those who crave novels that quicken hearts and cause sleepless nights. One would swear it is from the horror master himself, Bram Stoker, who penned the legendary Dracula.

    Dracul is ripped from the pages of Bram Stoker’s diary, along with those of his sister Matilda’s, and brother Thornley’s. Much like Dracula, multiple narrators push the story forward with their individual perspectives and points of view. Inch by inch the reader is pulled in until it is impossible to go back. Such is the lure of Dracul by J. D. Barker, and Dacre Stoker

    The story opens with a sickly, seven-year-old Bram, who has been chronically ill since birth and frequently near death. He is confined to an attic room under the care of his nanny, Ellen Crone. His nanny dotes on Bram, but she has a disturbing habit of disappearing frequently, sometimes for days on end without explanation or apologies upon return.

    During one of her absences, Bram’s health takes a downward turn. Near death, his desperate parents summon the family doctor who bleeds a barely conscious Bram with leeches. When Nanny Ellen returns and sees Bram pale and fading fast, she shoos everyone from the room and shuts the door. In the morning, the leeches are gone, the illness has passed, and Bram feels a vigor and strength he has never known.

    Afterward, a conversation between Bram and his sister turns to Nanny Ellen and her odd absences, how her appearance seems to change dramatically from day to day, and how neither one of them have seen her eat or drink⸺anything. Soon their curiosity overtakes them, and they begin to snoop. The next day, Nanny Ellen is gone along with all of her possessions.

    To discover what happened to their beloved nanny, and who she really is, sets the Stokers on a path to encounter the sanguinary Dracula. Their lives are forever changed.

    This harrowing pursuit of the truth is beautifully rendered horror with palpable tension and suspense, drawing the reader ever closer to the edge of terrifying darkness.

    Deftly written in a classic 19th-century gothic style, Dracul resonates with power-rich prose that adds to the atmosphere and the construct of the story. A modern masterpiece, Dracul is everything horror can and should be. It doesn’t rely on gore, but rather captivating storytelling. And yet, the terror and intrigue are unrelenting.

    This novel belongs in the lexicon of all things vampire.

    Dracul is the inception of the iconic dark love story that compels and terrifies us. Our advice? Close your windows. Lock your doors. Turn the lights on. Place a silver crucifix around your neck, and make sure to have a few sharp wooden stakes nearby. In other words, prepare yourself for a transfixing journey into the diabolically delicious world of Dracul ⸺ if you dare.

    Dracul is also available in hardcover and audiobook.

    #Dracul

     

  • The MONROE DECISION by Patrick Clark – Spies & Politics, Terrorism, Thriller

    The MONROE DECISION by Patrick Clark – Spies & Politics, Terrorism, Thriller

    As a treaty expert for the Department of State, Aaron Monroe travels the world extensively, unquestioned and unsuspected. This allows him to efficiently fulfill his orders. You see, in reality, Monroe is an undercover operative for the covert arm of the US Council for Homeland Defense. He is the best at what he does—taking out targets, sanitizing scenes, and scooting away undetected.

    On holiday in Italy with Sarah, his wealthy, beautiful, Eurasian girlfriend, he abandons her in Venice for one day to keep an appointment in Trieste. A final “go” from his handler in Washington D.C. and Aaron tracks his targets, an al Qaeda and ISIS financier and a senior ISIS commander, to a decrepit villa in one of the city’s oldest areas.

    While clearing the building, after gaining entry and eliminating these men, Aaron finds an office equipped with multiple closed-circuit TV screens monitoring four locked, basement rooms. Three are crowded with young teenaged girls and one with pre-teen boys.

    Now what? A quick call to his handler, a decision—leave the captives for the police to find— sanitize the scene and get out undiscovered. During the cleaning process, Aaron finds a ledger written in what appears to be Arabic in the deceased financier’s satchel. As the ledger may contain valuable information, he slings the satchel over his shoulder and poof! He’s out of there.

    At Sarah’s insistence, Aaron relents and allows her into his shadow world. They trek around Europe and the United States, seeking to expose the international human trafficking ring that kidnapped those children to sell as unsullied brides for ISIS fighters and suicide bomber trainees.

    This dangerous quest takes them into the highest echelons of government and industry, where the lust for power and wealth supersedes human decency and democratic ideals. Ultimately, Monroe is forced to question whom he can truly trust and, perhaps more importantly, if anyone really has his back.

    The Monroe Decision explores relatively uncharted territory within the thriller genre. Clark uses socio-political facts and incidents from today’s headlines and accurate, detailed descriptions of familiar and exotic locations to create a mesmerizing yarn, replete with assassination, romance, betrayal and the triumph of good over evil.

    Clark offers no downtime for his readers: plot, characters, atmosphere, setting, and pacing coalesce into a smooth, captivating read that’s hard to put down. Our advice? Clear your calendar, turn off the phone, lock the door, and enjoy.   

     

  • DO NOT ASSUME by Elaine Williams Crockett – Spy Thriller, Political, Mystery Suspense

    DO NOT ASSUME by Elaine Williams Crockett – Spy Thriller, Political, Mystery Suspense

    While attending a swanky Washington DC party for the District’s movers and shakers, Federal Judge Warren Alexander notices a Jaguar approaching the mansion amid the darkness with the barrel of a rifle protruding from the driver’s window. Up the hill, Senator Tom Marriner has just arrived surrounded by a Secret Service detail as he exits an armored van. Seconds later, a bomb is discovered in the van’s gas tank, the timer counting down, 13, 12 …

    The senator, shielded from behind by Secret Service agents, scurries down the hill away from the mansion, toward the gunman. It’s a trap. Alexander sprints for the Jaguar to intercede. The van explodes. The senator and his protection detail are thrown to the lawn. The Jaguar races off. Alexander finds the senator dead, a single gunshot to his chest.

    Alexander, a former profiler with fifteen years of FBI experience insinuates himself into the case. Why was the senator shot, and by whom? He soon learns the assassinated senator, as head of the Judiciary Committee, had put Alexander’s name forward to replace a retiring Supreme Court justice. He eventually realizes the motivation for the senator’s assassination may have its roots in an unsolved rape and murder of a teenage girl forty years before in the small town of Grey Lake, Maine, and involved some of the most powerful names in Washington.

    When it is uncovered that the murder weapon used to kill Senator Marriner was a rifle owned by Judge Alexander and that Alexander’s wife had recently threatened the senator’s life, the judge realizes the aftermath of the assassination, and the plot behind it may have the power to destroy both his family and career.

    Elaine Williams Crockett is a talented author with an engaging style. The story has more twists than an angry rattlesnake, which will make it hard for mystery lovers and those who favor political intrigue to put it down or get a decent night’s sleep. Crockett’s characters are well fleshed out, interesting, and believable. The novel contains mild violence, though nothing overly graphic.

    As mentioned earlier, Elaine Williams Crockett is a talented author who has the ability to be a rising star in this genre dominated by Lee Child, Vince Flynn, and Michael Connelly. She’s on my watch-list and I look forward to reading her work in the future.

    Do Not Assume won 1st Place for Crockett in the 2016 CLUE Awards.

     

     

     

  • STRIKING BLIND: A Sorrel Janes Mystery by Lonna Enox – Mystery, Thriller/Suspense, Female Detective

    STRIKING BLIND: A Sorrel Janes Mystery by Lonna Enox – Mystery, Thriller/Suspense, Female Detective

    All Sorrel Janes wants to do is vanish. And for a while, she does just that.

    As a former television crime reporter in Houston, Sorrel is surrounded by danger, but after her husband’s murder by a drug cartel, she flees her life of minor stardom, changes her name, and moves to the usually quiet town of Saddle Gap, New Mexico.

    After opening a small shop selling consigned crafts and beginning a career as a nature photographer, Sorrel thinks she finally has what she wants most: a peaceful life. It doesn’t hurt that she’s caught the eye of handsome sheriff’s deputy Chris Reed, either. But when an old photograph from her days as a reporter shows up on a body found murdered “cartel-style,” she is suddenly thrust back into her old life. Soon the violence spreads. She receives a mysterious package, and though she fears for her fragile new existence, her curiosity won’t let her rest until she knows the truth about her connection to the victim. This adventure, however, may be more than she can handle.

    Striking Blind has a depth of characters that please and intrigue. Even characters not featured in the main storyline have significant development. From Teri, Sorrel’s pregnant best friend and star employee to the murder victim in the prologue, characters have extensive backstories, creating round, believable personas that enhance the featured mystery. As Chris Reed points out, Sorrel, like her equine namesake, is stubborn and feisty, the trademark of a great protagonist and detective.

    The extensive history given in the previous two novels won’t be overwhelming if this is the reader’s first experience with the series. With the descriptions of Sorrel’s everyday-life, her inability to cook and her cantankerous cats, the reader feels a real connection to Sorrel. Persistence and curiosity make her a believable former reporter and a victim unwilling to stand still while someone threatens her and her new life.

    Lovers of romance and paranormal won’t be disappointed either. The flirty banter and interaction with hunky cop Chris Reed make for a pleasant distraction in the action, and with the promise of more romance to come, readers will want to continue this series. To add supernatural flavor, Sorrel is commanded by a dream entity to help the “weeping child,” and though she never fully finds the answer to this midnight task, it haunts her until the end.

    From the gruesome death in a mysterious cave at the opening until the very end, this edge-of-your-seat mystery will keep readers following the Sorrel Janes Mysteries series just as the lead character follows every clue – to the end.

    Striking Blind by Lonna Enox won 1st Place in the 2016 CLUE Awards.

     

     

  • RIKKI and the ROCKET TWINS DISCOVER the SOLAR SYSTEM by Kneko Burney – Children’s Book, Science & Nature, How-it-Works

    RIKKI and the ROCKET TWINS DISCOVER the SOLAR SYSTEM by Kneko Burney – Children’s Book, Science & Nature, How-it-Works

    Rikki and the Rocket Twins Discovering the Solar System is a fun exploration of space for children ages three to eight. Written by Kneko Burney and with graphic illustrations by Adriana Patricia De La Roche and Zoe Williams Sticka, this full-color picture book follows the dream adventures of Rikki and her new friends the rocket twins as they explore the entire solar system.

    Rikki is a naturally curious girl who wonders about all kinds of things. When the story begins, she is busy imagining what may be beyond the clouds and as she gets ready for bed that evening, Rikki’s mom gives her two of her own childhood toys—Tikki and Timbo. Rikki quickly falls asleep and thus begins her exploration of the solar system, with Tikki and Timbo by her side. Together the three of them learn about the sun as well as each of the planets, all the way from Mercury to the dwarf planets Pluto and Eris.

    The sun and the planets all get their own two-page spread with educational and concise information young children will be sure to understand. Sizes, temperatures, and other facts about the planets are all compared to things on earth. There are questions throughout, such as, “Would you like to live on Mars one day?” that will keep young listeners actively involved in the story. One excellent strength of this book is that it can be catered to the age/attention span of the child. Just the main text can be read to little ones with short attention spans, or more detailed information can be given to older children with the text boxes included in the graphics.

    Rikki and the Rocket Twins is done with full-page, computer-generated color illustrations reminiscent of current popular children’s television shows. This short, educational picture book is entirely up to date in its information and is sure to appeal to today’s families. Rikki is a young, multiracial girl, whose mom encourages her to learn and explore. This is sure to be an excellent bedtime book as Rikki herself is getting ready for bed. Young listeners may even be more eager to go to sleep to begin their own adventures. One can dream, right?

    Kneko Burney’s book won 1st Place in the 2016 LITTLE PEEPS Awards!

     

  • The BLACKBIRD by Kristy McCaffrey – Western, Historical, Romance

    The BLACKBIRD by Kristy McCaffrey – Western, Historical, Romance

    An historical sensual romance set in the rustic Arizona territory of the late 1800s, the fourth in the Kristy McCaffrey’s Winds of the West series, The Blackbird hits the mark.   It brings together two tortured souls who also have deep insights and gifts that may help them find their way to each other.

    Tess Carlisle is a spirited but wounded young woman who suffered an assault by one of the men in her father’s gang that left her leg wounded and her soul scarred. Tess’s life was already tough when she began to ride with her father and his band of bounty hunters. She lived with her alcoholic mother and her beloved Abuela (grandmother) until the two older women died in a house fire, brought on by her mother’s depression and drinking. Tess has the ability to tell stories, a gift she learned from her grandmother and Tess knows this ability ties her spirit to the greater world. She sends word to Cale Walker, a man who used to ride with her bounty hunter father, to help her find Hank Carlisle, to find out answers to why her papa would allow one of his men to assault her and then abandon her.

    Cale Walker joined Hank with his band of bounty hunters after a stint in the Army until he had a falling out with Hank over the ruthlessness of some of the other members “methods.”  On his way from leaving Hank, Cale was attacked by a mountain lion and rescued by an Apache tribe, such as those that Hank and Cale hunted. During Cale’s time with a tribe of the Nednai, he learned their healing ways and became a di-yan (medicine man). Cale also has unresolved issues with Hank.

    Cale and Tess are introduced to each other at the very beginning of the novel, when Cale arrives at Tom and Mary Simms’ home, having been summoned there by a letter from his half-sister, who also is Mary’s half-sister. Yes, there are a lot of names that are mentioned at the beginning of this story, and, as the fourth in a series, reading the first one helps set all the other characters in their proper place.

    When Cale and Tess meet, there is an instant connection, one that Tess tries hard to ignore given her past, and one that Cale wants to suppress, because of the wounded spirit he senses in Tess. He wants to protect and help her. As they travel together to find Hank, Tess and Cale are wary of the growing feelings between them. It’s an unforgiving land, and they are both unsure who to trust, including themselves. When Tess is hurt in a fall during an attack, Cale finds his way to Vern, a rancher in the Dragoons where Tess allows Cale to use his healing knowledge to help her leg get strong, and she nurtures a wounded blackbird, aware of its connection to her, wounded and in a cage to heal, but wanting to be free. Can Cale bring her the same kind of healing?

    Blackbird is a sensual romance and has all the aspects one might expect for the genre –  and receives high marks as being a keenly written historical novel. The author’s attention to historical detail is evident in the use of traditional Apache terms and realism of the time. Tess’s storytelling ability and memories of her grandmother also add to the flavor of the novel as she sprinkles her stories and conversation with Spanish phrases. But it is the story of two wounded hearts finding each other in the hardscrabble environment of Arizona during the time of Geronimo that makes The Blackbird go beyond “romance.”

    The storyline is so engaging and intense, it is difficult to put down. The description of the Arizona desert, such as the otherworldly look the Dragoon Mountains, as well as the brutality of both the bounty hunters and some native war parties, show the realities of what life was like during those time, for both the settlers and those Apache tribes that wanted to live at peace without government interference.

    The Blackbird by Kristy McCaffrey won First Place in the 2015 LARAMIE Awards!

     

  • PURGE ON THE POTOMAC, Volume 3 of the Patriot Series by David Thomas Roberts – Political, Spy, Thriller/Suspense

    PURGE ON THE POTOMAC, Volume 3 of the Patriot Series by David Thomas Roberts – Political, Spy, Thriller/Suspense

    When the U.S. is threatened from within, help comes from within in David Thomas Roberts’ political thriller featuring the Texas Rangers and their leader Pops Younger in a pitched war against the establishment.

    In a generation or so from now, the U.S. has its first female president, Annabelle Bartlett, a politically savvy left-winger who has come to the office after the attempted impeachment of her predecessor, Tyrell Johnson. The impeachment proceedings and the dirty tricks that provoked it, cause a mighty stir in Texas. When several stalwart Texas heroes are murdered, a battle between the feds and the Texas Rangers heats up. The Rangers win. Secession is in the air, and it’s clear that President Bartlett will only make matters worse.

    As Texas Ranger Commandant Pops Younger, a grizzled die-hard known for his Stetson hat, Wrangler denims, and handlebar mustache, often repeats, “Texans may forgive, but they don’t forget.” And sometimes, as in this case, if things go too far, they may not forgive either. In league with ex-Navy Seal and former CIA operative Zach Turner, Younger will trace the corruption he is sure he smells in the U.S. body politic all the way to the top.

    Suspicious election tactics aside, President Bartlett is an intelligent adversary who chooses political gain over democratic functioning. When a conservative Supreme Court justice mysteriously drowns while on vacation to be replaced by a corrupt Bartlett appointee, straight talkers and straight shooter Younger and Turner have had enough. The ground will shift under Bartlett’s feet, and a significant defector from her ranks will make Younger’s case unshakeable.

    Describing himself as a “serial entrepreneur,” Roberts offers a highly complicated plot that begins at the Viet Nam Memorial in Washington, D.C. and ends there, amidst the carnage that began in earnest when Bartlett took on the Texans.

    Roberts’ twisted tale is filled with motifs that seem almost like the new normal in the current American political life: rumors of rigged elections, Russian involvement, a power-hungry leadership, and the failure of moderates to act for a just cause ─ all for the sake of staying in office.

    Purge on the Potomac is the third book in The Patriot series by David Thomas Roberts, focusing on the grit and ethics of men like Younger and highlighting the dogged sense of independence that Texans, in general, seem to exude. A few glimpses of the characters’ private lives and tenderer feelings give emotional tone to this hard-edged and sometimes violent saga.