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Painter of the Damned (Painted Souls Book 2) by Rob Samborn

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Painter of the Damned (Painted Souls Book 2) by Rob Samborn
Genre – Historical, Thriller
Page Count – 377
Cover Designer – David Ter-Avanesyan

A soul mate trapped in purgatory.

Dangerous alliances.

The quest for ultimate power.

After escaping Venice with their lives, Nick & Julia O’Connor have one goal: return home so they can end their nightmare vacation. But before they reach the American consulate, they’re captured by Interpol and returned to Venice.

Behind Nick’s detention is Salvatore della Porta, the corrupt head of an ancient, enigmatic order that controls Paradise, Tintoretto’s Renaissance masterpiece that’s also a purgatory for thousands of souls—including Nick’s soul mate from the 16th century.

Della Porta believes Nick’s previous life knows the location of a book lost to the ages. This mysterious manuscript will bring him world-changing power—or topple the order.

As Nick’s link to the past consumes him, it’s up to Julia to save her husband and crush della Porta. But with friends in short supply, she must enlist Carlo Zuccaro, unaware the young artist is the order’s new Painter and warden of the damned.

Don’t miss the standalone follow-up to Rob Samborn’s award-winning, bestselling debut The Prisoner of Paradise!

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Click here to view the Book Trailer for Painter of the Damned (Painted Souls Book 2) by Rob Samborn

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Rob Samborn is the award-winning and bestselling author of The Prisoner of Paradise and The Swordsman of Venice. In addition to being a novelist, Rob is a screenwriter, entrepreneur and avid traveler. He’s been to forty countries, lived in five of them and studied nine languages. As a restless spirit who can’t remember the last time he was bored, Rob is on a quest to explore the intricacies of our world and try his hand at a multitude of crafts; he’s also an accomplished artist and musician, as well as a budding furniture maker. A native New Yorker who lived in Los Angeles for twenty years, he now makes his home in Denver with his wife, daughter and dog. For more information visit www.robsamborn.com.

Author Interview with Rob Samborn

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Bycatch by Alexander Blevens – Review by Jerricka Brown

BycatchBycatch by Alexander Blevens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book surprised me. I am not into books based in the south really. But I enjoyed this one. It made me remember my time spent in Mississippi. The author kept you wanting more. The close attention to detail and the feelings expressed through words painted a picture in my mind. I highly recommend this book.

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Bycatch by Alexander Blevens – Review by Lucy Machard

BycatchBycatch by Alexander Blevens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is a riveting tale of justice, forgiveness, and how old wounds affect us more than we know. As someone who loves history, sometimes it’s easy to forget that people were part of making that history and that their lives were impacted so deeply from it. This book follows the story of two Vietnam vets and their children, and does a great job of showing the cost of generational wounds. I absolutely loved this book, it sucked me in and pulled me under and I just couldn’t put it down. I look forward to reading more books by this author!

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Bycatch by Alexander Blevens – Review by Megan Pesek

BycatchBycatch by Alexander Blevens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rex though he had escaped his past, until he ran into the man whose life was forever changed by Rex’s actions in Vietnam. Over the course of a few decades, Rex has every chance to make amends with Captain Nguyen. Rex is a Mississippi shrimper, an absent father, and a drunk. Only when Rex’s sons are caught up in sinking a shrimp boat and drowning a man is Rex confronted with his past. Rex can’t change the past, but can he make amends with his past in hopes of a brighter future?

Blevens catches the reader from the very beginning and never quits reeling them in. Bycatch gives the reader a glimpse into the Gulf Coast shrimping industry after the Vietnam War. It’s a story of family, forgiveness, and growth.

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Bycatch by Alexander Blevens – Review by Breanne Christian

BycatchBycatch by Alexander Blevens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Bycatch follows the paths of many people following the Vietnam War. Some are Vietnam Veterans, others are shrimpers, while others are Vietnam Veterans turned into shrimpers. Mystery after mystery and tragedy after tragedy unfold and with a tough relationship between Americans and Vietnamese, who is to blame? Especially when one of the tragedies involves a South Vietnamese Veteran? Alexander Blevens takes you through the minds and eyes of each of his characters, while answers are sought.
Bycatch is an amazing read full of relatable characters and feelings. It did get a little confusing at times jumping from one person’s viewpoint to another, but it is still a 5-star read. I could not put it down.
If you are looking for a post-Vietnam War story that focuses on the tensions between the Vietnamese and Americans after the war, but is mixed with action and mystery, look no further. Bycatch is a quick read that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

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Operation Blackbird (Brass Compass Series Book 2) by Ellen Butler – Review by Ashley Cooper Hammontree

Operation BlackbirdOperation Blackbird by Ellen Butler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Operation Blackbird is a thrilling adventure sequence, similar yet vastly separate to its partner story The Brass Compass. Following the intelligent Miriam who struggles with war nerves from gut wrenching memories of the war, and Jake Devlin, an old friend from her past that brings more than Miriam was expecting to the table. The pair go through their own battles of the mind as they venture through secrecy involving the KGB many years following the destruction of WWII, as well as rescuing each other from past secrets and kidnapping. The amount of historical pieces that went into this story was phenomenal, such as the detail regarding the trauma and severe reality of the effect from the Iron Curtain. I fell into the depths so quickly, it was hard to escape with them! I could not put this book down, and I’m thinking I’ll have to reread it again and again. I’m really hoping Ellen Butler keeps this espionage series going, because my heart can not keep up with only two!!

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The Intruders by Brett McKay – Review by Ashley Westerman

The IntrudersThe Intruders by Brett McKay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a great thriller. I enjoyed all of it. I could not put this book down. It hooked me from the beginning and kept me interested the entire time. Something new for me was the author notes, I enjoyed them, it made me feel like I got to know more about the author.

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Brass Compass (Brass Compass Series Book 1) by Ellen Butler – Review by Ashley Cooper Hammontree

The Brass CompassThe Brass Compass by Ellen Butler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh my goodness, Lily St. James is an absolutely stunning and brave woman. This brave and courageous hero did so many risky things in the face of the Nazi soliders. Following the death of her beloved mother, she continued the mission she was given, and never gave up to escape Germany. This WWII story of Lily is packed full of twists and turns that are based on true events from actual heros facing horrible Nazi decisions and actions. Incredibe novel.

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Bycatch by Alexander Blevens – Review by Betsy Melano

BycatchBycatch by Alexander Blevens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A debut novel about two soldiers who met when they were fighting in the war against the Veit cong. Captain Nguyen Duc Dong happened to catch Airman Rex Thompson stealing money provided to the South Vietnamese Army but didn’t press charges against Airman Thompson. Captain Dong felt he had a good reason to let the Airman go. What effect this decision has on the two men over the years was intriguing

The story is well written and I could understand the point of view of the two main characters. The descriptions of Vietnam and Mississippi add to the backdrop of this story both in beautiful and tragic points.

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Bycatch by Alexander Blevens – Review by Desiree Ottinger

BycatchBycatch by Alexander Blevens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rex Thompson is a man that just can’t seem to make good choices and stick with them. He is a soldier that can’t seem to get behind the war he is fighting in, and so takes an opportunity that is presented to steal money. He’s caught by a Vietnamese officer that is conflicted in how he should handle the situation. When it isn’t reported, Rex thinks he gets away with it. Fast forward years later and he’s now a fisherman hoping to do right by his two sons. However, as his bad choices catch up with him, he can’t seem to find his way out of the bottom of a bottle long enough to teach his sons how to live life the right way. When he loses his boat, he disappears for 8 months. His sons try to make sense of their purpose of life without the boat they’ve basically grown-up working. When Rex shows back up in town a changed, sober man, he finds out that his old boat was scuttled, and a man was killed on it because of it. That man is none other than the Vietnamese Officer that didn’t report him all those years ago. As the murder investigation progresses, his family comes forward with past information that could show motive for the murder. Can Rex come to terms with his past offense and how it affected the officer? Can his family forgive Rex for his past? Will his sons be able to make better choices than their father?

This was such an enthralling book to read. I have read about the Vietnam war in history, but this gave a whole other insight as to how it was over there. What caught my attention was their struggle in getting here and starting over. The story was well written, and the characters were down to earth and believable.

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Operation Blackbird (Brass Compass Series Book 2) by Ellen Butler – Review by Kerry Baker

Operation BlackbirdOperation Blackbird by Ellen Butler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is the companion book to the Brass Compass and is just as good. It is set in the Cold War and really seems to capture the feel of that era, the challenges and the extremes. I thought the characters were brilliant. They are strong and interesting, really contributing to the overall storyline.
The author has developed the story well. She takes the reader on a journey, keeping you in touch with the characters every step of the way. I really felt like I become involved in this book and I thoroughly enjoyed. I can’t wait to see if more is to come.

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Operation Blackbird (Brass Compass Series Book 2) by Ellen Butler – Review by Dawn Daughenbaugh

Operation BlackbirdOperation Blackbird by Ellen Butler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Stars
Operation Blackbird (Brass Compass Series Book 2) by Ellen Butler

Operation Blackbird is the second book in the Brass Compass Series and is a wonderfully written Historical Thriller that will take you on quite the adventure. Im a huge fan of this author and her style of writing and attention to detail along with fully developed characters that make the story come to life. I always feel like I’m right there with them trying to figure out what is going to happen next. This is about Miriam and she’s a CIA operative during the Cold War and the latest assignment has her in a race against time especially considering there is more than one life at stake. I don’t want to give to much away. I highly recommend reading this book to find out what happens next. I promise its worth the time. I can’t wait to read more from this Author.

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Operation Blackbird (Brass Compass Series Book 2) by Ellen Butler – Review by Julie Johnson

Operation BlackbirdOperation Blackbird by Ellen Butler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a riveting follow up to The Brass Compass in which CIA operative Miriam Becker is doing all she can to prevent WWIII. The setting is East Berlin and the KGB is crawling all over the place. It’s her job to rescue a rocket scientist and get out of East Berlin without being detected. She knows that one wrong move can change the outcome of this mission and possibly history itself.

This is another great read with very historically accurate references! I enjoy this author’s writing style and how she chooses strong female leads in her stories. This is a true page turner filled with a lot of action, some romance, and a story for the ages.

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Brass Compass by Ellen Butler – Review by Julie Johnson

The Brass CompassThe Brass Compass by Ellen Butler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I enjoy a good WWII novel and this one did not disappoint. Ellen Butler is a new-to-me author and I look forward to more of her work!

Lily Saint James has lived a life of privilege being able to attend the best schools and receive proper training in how to be a lady. Her father’s job has allowed much of this to happen. It’s Lily’s senior year and she’s excited to be able to finish school and be back home with her parents and possibly start searching for a proper suitor. When her mother becomes very ill after an extended stay in Africa, Lily travels to reach her but she’s too late. This absolutely crushes Lily and has her desiring to enter into service to her country, but in a more back door way.

Lily becomes an OSS agent and finds herself in the middle Germany, which she needs to escape, but not before gathering as much intel as possible.

This book is exciting, full of action, a little bit of romance, and great historically accurate references. I found this book very enjoyable and will be reading book 2 next!

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Operation Blackbird (Brass Compass Series Book 2) by Ellen Butler – Review by Lorrene Huisman

Operation BlackbirdOperation Blackbird by Ellen Butler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book seriously held you from the start to the very end. I could not let go. The book was full of intrigue, as well being intelligently written by the author!

I love historical reads and books that are to do with women who have intelligence and are in a profession that may be given more like lit to men, such as spies. Loved how the author wrote this story and made all come to life. Miriam was a wonderful lead character. Strong minded and bad ass. I loved how she was searching for the truth and to prevent what could cause many casualties. The book gripped me, it was epic, and very much an intense read. I was blown away, literally! A great read I devoured and loved!

Fantastic read and very much a fantastic as well as, creative author as well. I could not have asked for more, it was perfect with every word and every turn of danger! Highly recommend! A must read for sure!

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Operation Blackbird (Brass Compass Series Book 2) by Ellen Butler – Review by Kerry Carr

Operation BlackbirdOperation Blackbird by Ellen Butler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow where to start with this story. I don’t think I’ve ever ready a spy story that has historical references before and I was a bit worried that I wouldn’t enjoy it or understand it but boy was I wrong.
I was gripped from the very first page. The author’s writing and the characters created were so engaging that I kept me reading till the end. With so many twists and turns, a lot of deception and the feeling of never knowing who you can trust it definately makes this book a page turner.
The link to historical events added a sense of realism to the story which makes the book even more interesting and gripping.
I love the character writing and the fact that there are women spies that are just as dangerous and good at the job as the men.
The whole plot of saving someone and helping a family escape without bring detected or killed made this a fast paced action adventure which you just can’t put down. I will definately look to read more from this author.

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Operation Blackbird (Brass Compass Series Book #2) by Ellen Butler – Review by Angela Hayes

Operation BlackbirdOperation Blackbird by Ellen Butler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

4 Stars

 

Operation Blackbird is the thrilling companion novel to The Brass Compass by Ellen Butler.
This time we follow Miriam, a CIA operative, working during the height of the cold war. Her assignment sees her in a race against time, with more than one life hanging in the balance, as she endeavouring to outsmart the KGB, and complete her mission successfully. What happens makes for a gripping read.
If you love well-woven, tense, and intriguing historical stories full of dramatic action, then this is definitely the book for you. This historical fiction will keep you flipping the pages as you follow all the knife-edge developments, action, adventure, danger, tension, espionage, challenges, intrigue, and much more.
Well worth your time to read!
Happy Reading…

Thank you, Ellen Butler!

 

Reviewed by @angelahayes

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The Brass Compass (Brass Compass Series Book #1) by Ellen Butler – Review by Angela Hayes

The Brass CompassThe Brass Compass by Ellen Butler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

4 Stars

 

The Brass Compass by Ellen Butler is an engrossing and thought-provoking historical fiction story full of action, adventure, drama, danger, tension, WWII, war, spies, and is inspired by true events.
This spy thriller has been skilfully woven by Ms. Butler and made for a great read. An American spy gathering intelligence for the allied forces finds herself on the run trying to make it out of Germany to the safety of the allied front. What happens makes for an exciting read.
Happy Reading…

Thank you, Ellen Butler!

 

Reviewed by @angelahayes

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Operation Blackbird (Brass Compass Series Book 2) by Ellen Butler – Review by Jenni Bishop, October 2022

Operation BlackbirdOperation Blackbird by Ellen Butler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Operation Blackbird is another intense historical thriller by bestselling author Ellen Butler. It is a companion novel to The Brass Compass which is a great read both of which are steeped with historical facts. Ellen writes strong female characters in deadly and dangerous situations trying to right wrongs. This one takes place in the Cold War. A terrible time when the KGB were prevalent. A time when a lot of horrors were witnessed and a time when one does not want to find themselves caught behind the Iron Curtain.

In this book we follow we follow Mirriam who works for the CIA her task is to help a scientist defect from a communist Russia. But things go awry and to save her life another is put at risk.

I found myself totally immersed in this tale where life and death are at the whim of others. Lost in a journey that is dangerous and the tension pops of the page.

If you love fictional stories about the Cold War then this is a story that I recommend reading.

Reviewed by @jennadb

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Bycatch by Alexander Blevens – Review by Carrie Reed

BycatchBycatch by Alexander Blevens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow! This was such a ride. It took a minute for me to get into the story, but once I did I was lost. I hate how much hate there was and still is for different races, I know the times were different back during the Vietnam war, but we still see it today. I could feel through the story that Rex had regrets from him time in the war, and the things he did, especially when it concerns Dung. Meeting each other again years later in Biloxi but never speaking to each other, I just know they left many things unsaid between them. If Rex maybe had been a more attentive father, Jake and Pigeon may not have ended up the way they did. My mind was blown at finding out what they do, and then also in the end when Jake is being chased. I can’t say I feel bad for how him and Pigeon end up, karma sucks, and that’s what you get and all that. Dung did not deserve anything that happened to him, and his family didn’t deserve the months of grieving trying to figure out how he passed. Excellent read!

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Operation Blackbird (Brass Compass Series Book 2) by Ellen Butler – Review by Bobbi Wagner

Operation BlackbirdOperation Blackbird by Ellen Butler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed reading this historical adventure story. This is the second book in this series which I enjoyed just as much as the first. This is a well written story where the characters take you on an adventure of spies. An adventure where you don’t know who to trust and a determination to complete the mission. I enjoyed how the author used details to bring the story to life. The characters not only pulled you in from the start but kept me engaged to the end. The twists and turns had me turning pages fast just to see what would happen next. There is great growth of the plot which makes the story easy and entertaining to read. I really enjoyed the characters and what they brought to the story. I highly recommend this book.

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Review by @bjwagner

Operation Blackbird (Brass Compass Series Book 2) by Ellen Butler

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Operation Blackbird (Brass Compass Series Book 2) by Ellen Butler
Genre – Historical Thriller
Page Count – 300

A companion to the internationally bestselling novel, The Brass Compass, Operation Blackbird takes the reader on a spy adventure from South America to Europe during a time when the yoke of Communism is tightening the reins on an unwilling people.

————— 

October, 1952. The war is over, but for CIA officer Miriam Becker, memories of the horrors she witnessed remain jagged in her mind. While vacationing in Argentina, recovering from a mission that nearly killed her, she’s seeing more ghosts from the past than the sights. 

When a longtime family friend and fellow operative, Jake Devlin, tracks her down, Miriam is forced to push everything to the back of her mind for the next mission: help a highly prized and heavily guarded rocket scientist defect from Russian-controlled East Berlin—right out from under the KGB’s nose. 

Well aware that one wrong move could spark World War III, Miriam, Jake, and the team plan their strategy to the last detail. But when a betrayal brings everything crashing down, Jake’s quick thinking creates the diversion to get Miriam out alive—but leaves him trapped behind the Iron Curtain. 

Unsure of whom she can trust, Miriam must complete the mission by relying on contacts outside of the agency, even though her heart longs to return to East Berlin to rescue the man who is the last link to her to her troubled past … before the KGB gets to him first.

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Click here to view the Book Trailer for Operation Blackbird (Brass Compass Series Book 2) by Ellen Butler

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Ellen Butler is the internationally bestselling author of historical spy novel, The Brass Compass. The Brass Compass has won multiple awards for historical fiction including the Indie Reader Discovery Award, and a Readers’ Favorite Award. Her fascination for historical spy fiction stemmed from her grandfather’s role as a cryptographer during WWII. Butler is also the author of the bestselling Karina Cardinal mystery series. When she’s not writing, Butler enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and home decorating.

Author Interview with Ellen Butler

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The Intruders by Brett McKay – Review by Shannen Kern

The IntrudersThe Intruders by Brett McKay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely love the way Brett McKay writes. He includes author’s notes at the end of each chapter which I’ve never seen any author do. I enjoyed reading them along with the rest of the book, and the flow of the story was amazing.

Dex is tired of his job as a car-salesman, and that was even before he saw a creepy man there. The sight of this stranger set off every instinctual alarm Dex had, but since he seemed to vanish, he tried to forget about it. He receives a mysterious package, but he shrugs it off until he and his family were kidnapped. Will Dex be able to save his family, or will they all perish together?

This book was a non-stop thrill ride trying to figure out what was happening. It is extremely fast-paced and I hope to hear more from this author. I highly recommend this book especially if you like supernatural thrillers!

Reviewed by @shannlynn

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The Intruders by Brett McKay – Review by Stephanie Nicole

The IntrudersThe Intruders by Brett McKay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This fast paced sci-fi mystery was intense, and had me on the edge of my seat for most of the book. While the character development was minimal I still felt like I got to know our characters well. The plot was original, well thought out, will keep you guessing through most of the novel. Personally I have never read anything by this author and normally I stay clear or the sci-fi but this one really opened up my mind. I will definitely be looking for more from this author.

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The Intruders by Brett McKay – Review by Cindy Rushin

The IntrudersThe Intruders by Brett McKay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was so good. Dex’s story had so many twists and turns it was nonstop action. I even liked the author commentary that was after each chapter as it gave me some insight into the inner workings of the author as he developed this amazing story. This story was jam packed with adventure and drama. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys paranormal stories with some bite.

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The Intruders by Brett McKay – Review by Shea Gilkerson 10/25/22

The IntrudersThe Intruders by Brett McKay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dex is a used car salesman, just waiting for a better job to come along. However, his wife and kids need him and he will continue his unfulfilling job to provide for them until a better one comes along. One night, while checking the lot, Dex meets a silver eyed man. That same evening, he gets a delivery on his doorstep and everything changes from here.

Dex and his family are kidnapped by intruders and end up in a bunker, with Dex begins being tortured for the answers to some very strange questions. When he can’t answer them, they figure they’ve gotten the wrong man, but now that they’ve kidnapped the family already, they need to just kill them.
The rest of the story is a race for Dex to save his family and figure out the secret behind the strange delivery before anyone catches up with them.

The descriptions in this book are excellent and keep you enthralled and flipping the pages. The solidness of Dex and his dedication to his family makes for a great read, but not in a way that makes it predictable. Twists and turns at every corner. The author includes notes at the end of each chapter, which I really enjoyed. It was nice seeing how one thing led to another in his head.

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The Intruders by Brett McKay – Review by Tausha Treadway

The IntrudersThe Intruders by Brett McKay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Intruders by Brett McKay. Oh yall….this book was amazing. It’s my favorite genre which is thriller mysteries. Its the story of Dex who is a used car salesman. He has a pretty normal life, he quit a higher paying job so that he could spend more time with his family. One night him and his wife and kids are kidnapped after their house is broken into. Dex has never seen these people before but they know everything about him and his life. Trying to make his family more comfortable he makes a deal with them that he will tell them everything he knows if they will take care of his family. Its still not enough. These silver eyed people are everywhere and they are kidnapping people all over. When Dex’s family is able to escape with the help of a friend they are basically on the run. When you start this book you better buckle up because it is a fast paced read until you are finished kind of book. I loved it!

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The Intruders by Brett McKay – Review by Mary Espinoza

The IntrudersThe Intruders by Brett McKay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Whoa! Who knew that a book written about a used car salesman could be so entertaining? I truly mean it when I say…what a book!! This was an intense, thrilling, terrifying story! Brett had such spectacular descriptions of everything, so much detail made the book that much better. The fighting scenes were extremely detailed, it was amazing the thought process that went into the way he explained how someone was hurt. Dex (the main character) goes from plain ol’ used car salesman to a badass! The plot, characters, all of it…truly amazing! Also, the way that Brett included his author notes after each chapter and didn’t spoil anything about the plot was AWESOME! I don’t think I have ever read a book that the author took time to include their notes! This was my first book by Brett, and I’ll definitely be checking out some of his other books. I love page turners and books that I can’t put down, and this was definitely one of those type of books!

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Mary Espinoza

October 2022

The Intruders by Brett McKay – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

The IntrudersThe Intruders by Brett McKay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dex is a used car salesman who works hard to make ends meet to support his wife Reagan and their two sons. Although he hates his job, he chooses to make the most of it until something better comes along. Dex’s life seems normal until him and his family are suddenly kidnapped by strangers in the middle of the night. They are taken to an underground bunker and Dex is tortured and asked questions that he is unable to answer. When he cannot answer the questions, his kidnappers decide that Dex is of no use to them, and they now intend to kill Dex and his entire family.

Dex must act quickly to save himself and his family before it is too late. As Dex struggles to save his family from these vicious killers his entire life is changed. Not only is he fighting pure evil but in doing so he uncovers the terrifying truth that there is something far more sinister at work. Dex discovers that there are supernatural beings hiding amongst us and they intend to take over the world. The problem is that these beings are hiding amongst us in plain sight disguised as normal people. So, who can Dex trust to save him and his family?

I was completely blown away by this book and how well written it was. The author does an amazing job of capturing the reader’s attention from the first few pages which makes the book impossible to put down. The characters were well developed, and each scene was written in so much detail that it makes the reader feel as though they are there. Not only were the scenes written vividly but the author did a superb job of capturing each moment of action and suspense in a remarkable manner that few authors are able to do. The character of Dex develops throughout the book and as you read you learn more about him and what he can and will do to save his family from the danger that surrounds them wherever they go. The action is explosive and non-stop throughout as Dex, his family, and friends are on the run trying to save themselves and the world as they know it. I especially loved the author’s notes and thoughts written at the end of each chapter. I found it unique and interesting to read what his thoughts were while writing each scene. I cannot recommend this book enough and look forward to reading more from this brilliant and talented author!

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The Intruders by Brett McKay – Review by Mandy Kneale

The IntrudersThe Intruders by Brett McKay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dex is a struggling used car salesman just trying to make ends meet when he and his family are abducted by a group of armed men in the night. Even when they torture Dex he can think of no reason why he and his family have been targeted. When their captors assume they have to wrong guy, Dex and his family are marked for execution. They must escape the underground bunker and work out what is going on – who are they? And who did they think Dex was?

This was great! The pacing was perfect and the supernatural elements showed such creativity. Dex was such a likeable character. I was really invested in his family’s safety. All of the characters were written so well that they came to life and had me gasping when the intensity increased. Really enjoyed the action throughout and was satisfied with the ending.

If you enjoy a bit of action and badassery, then this is worth your time!

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