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The Long Game
The Long Game is a dark and twisty crime thriller that follows Detective Inspector Michael Dack as he hunts for the people behind a series of disappearances and murders of young girls in London. The story widens fast. What begins as a grim investigation becomes a deep dive into trafficking, corruption, and the awful truth that some monsters hide behind polished shoes and important titles. The book moves through police politics, secret operations, and terrible betrayals, all while pushing Dack into situations that test every part of him.
The writing is punchy and quick, and it doesn’t waste time easing into a scene. It throws you in, cold water to the face. Sometimes the dialogue hit hard and felt real. Other times, it came across a bit theatrical, like people knew they were standing under a spotlight. Still, the energy made it fun. I loved the way tension simmered through even the quieter chapters. I could almost feel the weight on Dack’s shoulders. I caught myself clenching my jaw more than once.
I’ll be honest, though. The book made me uneasy at points. Not because of the writing, but because of the subject matter. It pushes you into rooms you don’t want to imagine. It shows people who feel frighteningly believable in their cruelty. I admired that the story didn’t shy away from horror or emotion. The pacing kept me reading faster than I expected. The emotional gut punches landed, especially whenever the victims came into focus.
The Long Game hits with the same gritty punch as thrillers like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Reacher series, but it dives even deeper into the shadows where power, corruption, and human cruelty collide. I’d recommend The Long Game to readers who enjoy crime fiction with grit, speed, and a healthy dose of anger at the world. If you like stories where the hero crawls through darkness to drag the truth into the light, this one will keep you turning pages.
Pages 304 | ASIN : B0DYYZ3NY1
Perceived Predictability
Inheriting Karma follows a man hiding in plain sight whose cover is blown, sending his life into chaos and forcing him to scramble to hold it all together with the least amount of casualties. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The question itself holds the key to my answer. I’m the type of guy who needs a challenge. Predictable outcomes send me packing from the story. I write how I feel, so having a man hiding in plain sight with a perceived predictability lets me shock the reader.
I thank you for your review; it truly nails my intention when writing stories. It’s no secret that my series is not for everyone. Characters who die in the first book are still big participants in follow-ups. For the reader, they are tasked with trying to follow the depth of karma each actor’s actions create.
What inspired your characters’ interactions and backstories?
Growing up, I didn’t have to go far for what I now call Safari Hunts. Challenging Karma was meant as a one-off, keep a last promise to my mom. So many family traits make up the characters. Mam’s boob magnet eyes, Francois’ inventing new dishes and making everyone try it, Ray’s never buying new clothes, and love of pickles.
Backstories are a blend of daydreaming, people-watching, and engagement. When my tenth draft of Challenging Karma shocked my mom into trying to talk me out of using its ending, I knew I had a formula that I couldn’t change.
By nature, I’m a puzzle solver; even playing cards, it has to be a strategic game or I get bored (any bridge players who can help educate)? Even now, I have to slow down because I write an interaction that leads to a fifth, sixth, or even seventh book storyline. For example, lawyer Charlene Reece was supposed to die in Surviving Karma then a daydream brought her story to a new level. Her Karma story really expands in Reciprocating Karma, coming out later this month.
How do you balance story development with shocking plot twists? Or can they be the same thing?
For me, the story takes the reader so many miles down a path only to reach a time when the puzzle hits a three-pronged crossroads. Again, your reviewer nailed it when he said he had to go back to adjust his thoughts. So far, the twists exist on these three paths: believe what you think you read, go back to change your thinking, or go forward with expected outcomes.
The twist, although meant to shock, is a kind of progression of events that fills a lot of our current news cycles. Serial Killers in #1. A wrongfully convicted prisoner seeks payback in #2. Criminal organizations use public events to further their goals in #3. And #4, where a vigilante will seek retribution for the deaths of loved ones.
The premise, “Walk in another’s shoes,” is how I try to develop the story. Hence, the need for a comedic slowdown, weird encounter, or stubborn quirk. I want unique characters that readers can relate to. Reciprocating Karma introduces Carlee. Her sports story is one such lighter moment. But even while writing it, I could picture my wife actually living that experience (before she married a sports nut, of course).
I hope the series continues in other books. If so, where will the story take readers?
Beta readers for #4, Reciprocating Karma compare it to a movie that has caused many a conversation about whether it’s a Christmas movie or a thriller during the holiday season. It comes out in the next few weeks, so readers will have to pick a side. Yes, there’s a shock, but its subtitle causes a self-review of one’s own life.
The future in my Karma world has at least two more shocks to provide. In fact, both #5 and #6 are ripping through pages (I handwrite every first draft). But with Karma being such a wide open source of inspiration, seven will start filling dreams soon.
Author Links: Goodreads | X (Twitter) | Website | Amazon
Runs parallel to the soon to be released crossover book #4 ‘Reciprocating Karma!’
One oversight is all it took to turn hunters against him. Legal documents record his real name as Wilson O’Reilly instead of Forrest Clay, but his involvement with Ricky Topin going rogue brightens the already dual personality spotlight. Two criminal accomplices vie for attention over the one true love Wilson has ever experienced, a cop.
Once word spread of his link to Topin’s murderous rage, hiding in plain sight no longer became a possibility. Or just maybe? A boss to one, partner to another, and enemy to the third person, O’Reilly weaves his circumstances toward a solution. Although for him to walk the streets again, past friends may die, organizations receive new leadership, and cops become targets.
Although fluid, the first seed planted is to use his onetime lovers, position against her. A simple warning of an assassination attempt piques interest until the offspring of a former gangster ‘Inherits Karma’ from his father. One kill shot setting the stage for O’Reilly to regain the blessings of freedom.
Stuck in quicksand, law enforcement takes the case, international. Thrilling mind games culminate in a three-minute window, where survival becomes a scene of chaos.
The Nature of Our Existence
Have You Seen Him follows a weary public defender who discovers a missing-person ad bearing his childhood face and a stranger’s name, leading him to unravel a buried past, a vanished family, and secrets hidden by his adoptive father. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Soon after we meet the book’s main character, David, he’s sifting through his mail and sees a missing child ad with his own face. The inspiration for the book is a scenario somewhat similar to that—I was sorting my mail and saw an ad for a child who went missing when he was 10. The computer-progressed image showed him at 40 years old. I thought about how this boy’s family had been searching for three decades, never giving up trying to find him. The faces haunted me. I tore it out and carried it around in my bag for a while, then sat down to write a story about it.
Was the character’s backstory something you always had, or did it develop as you were writing?
When I first began this story, I was in the process of reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, a nonfiction book that chronicles actual events in medical science. I took a few facts from that book and created a “what if” scenario—imagining what would have happened if a number of things had played out differently than what actually occurred in the true story. The backstory developed organically from there.
Do you think there’s a single moment in everyone’s life, maybe not as traumatic, that is life-changing?
I do think that at some point in life we each come to some wise realization—about ourselves, our purpose, the nature of our existence—that deeply impacts us and points the way forward. It could be as simple as a brief encounter with a wise stranger, an event that forces us to rise to the occasion, or even a long, winding journey to trusting in our own strength. I believe we each have key moments that, in retrospect, put us on a certain path to finding out who we really are. In his quest to find his true family, amidst all the action and adventure, David deals with all of the above.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
Have You Seen Him is the first in a trilogy, so it’s back to my notebook to work on the second installment. Readers say the ending is satisfying, but I also left a few questions open, so it’s pen to page to see what happens next with these characters! The goal for this new book is fall of 2026!
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Amazon
For David Byrdsong, life is a series of daily obligations. An attorney, he lacks both ambition and the ability to commit to a long-term relationship with his girlfriend, Gayle. Abandoned by his family at an airport when he was eleven, he learned to blunt his feelings, despite his subsequent adoption by a loving couple.
Until one day, when David discovers his own face in a missing child ad. Suddenly driven to uncover the truth about his past, he is forced to tap into his inner strength as he encounters corporate conspiracies, murdered bystanders, and distressing suspicions about the only family he’s ever really trusted. David enlists Gayle’s help—and the help of an unlikely stranger with secrets of his own—as he attempts to find his true family, whoever they are.
Thrilling, exploratory, and propulsive, Have You Seen Him is a story of lost identity, dangerous secrets, and a deeply personal pursuit of the truth.
Deeper Truths
The Copper Scroll follows Joshua “Masa” Bennett, a young archaeologist whose quest for ancient secrets in Jordan entangles him in a dangerous struggle of faith, identity, and survival. What first drew you to the legend of the Copper Scroll, and how did it evolve into your novel?
I’ve been deeply immersed in researching Biblical history, from books to Hillsdale College classes. But I realized that my own pursuit of knowledge — while meaningful — would be rather dull to put straight on the page. I wanted to create something that could both entertain and motivate readers to seek truth for themselves. The Copper Scroll itself reads like a treasure map, hinting at hidden items and locations. That inspired me to craft a story where following those clues isn’t just an adventure for the characters, but also a way for readers to encounter deeper truths as the mystery unfolds.
Masa’s search feels both adventurous and personal. How much of his struggle with faith and belonging mirrors your own experiences?
Masa’s journey is very much a reflection of my own. His search for truth mirrors the knowledge I’ve pursued both through study and through life experiences. I spent years crossing the globe in the military, especially throughout the Middle East, and I witnessed how people everywhere chase life, death, faith, and family in unique ways. Those experiences left me with a deep respect for how culture and belief shape identity. In The Copper Scroll, I wanted to bring that perspective to life, connecting the historical events of the Bible with the very human struggles of belonging and purpose that transcend time and place.
The novel is rich with sensory detail, from food to city sounds. How did you research or immerse yourself in those environments?
In the Army, I experienced some of the most extreme environments on the planet. I once spent a night in a snow cave during cold-weather training where the temperature dropped to -59 degrees. Later, in Saudi Arabia, I stood in 125-degree heat with the wind hitting me like the blast of a hair dryer. Those physical extremes stay with you, but so do the everyday details—walking through markets and bazaars, hearing the sounds, smelling the food, seeing the colors and crowds. When I write, I draw directly from those memories. That way, the scenes in The Copper Scroll aren’t just imagined—they’re lived, and I hope readers can feel that authenticity in every setting.
The story balances history, suspense, and emotional resonance. Which of those elements came most naturally to you, and which was the hardest to craft?
The hardest part to capture was the emotion. Some of the feelings in the book come directly from my own experiences or from stories shared among veterans, and others I drew from watching how my wife responds to life’s challenges. Translating those emotions onto the page in a way that feels authentic was a real challenge.
The easiest part was the suspense and action. Writing the clashes between the Templars, ISIS, and Mossad was so much fun that I actually had to pull back at times. I also really wanted to highlight the relationship between the Rabbi and the Priest, showing how mutual respect can remain even while they challenge each other to look deeper into their own beliefs.
My biggest focus, though, was making sure the story stayed entertaining while also being clean and consistent with my values. I worked hard to deliver a thrilling story free of unnecessary profanity or messages that undermine the natural order. A few early readers pointed out places where language slipped through, and I’m grateful for that feedback, it helped me stay true to my promise of writing clean, exciting, and faith-rooted adventure.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
At the center of it all is the Copper Scroll, a cryptic Dead Sea artifact rumored to hold clues to an ancient treasure buried deep in the Judean desert. But Joshua soon learns it’s no ordinary scroll.
Hidden symbols, coded phrases, and whispers of a “shepherd’s path” point to something far more significant and far more dangerous.
As the clues mount, so do the warnings. A silent observer in the library. A cryptic priest with a knowing smile. A message slipped into Joshua’s backpack: The shepherd’s path is not for the faint-hearted.
A cryptic priest and a rabbi jump in to help understand uncovered information. As Mossad agents, Templar knights, and ISIS operatives close in, Joshua and his allies race to unravel the truth. But who seeks to unearth it, and who will kill to keep it buried?
Rich in historical intrigue and driven by sharp, character-centered suspense, The Copper Scroll is a gripping archaeological thriller where ancient secrets refuse to stay buried and the journey to find them could change everything.
Patterns of Finance and War
Prophets Of War follows a young financial advisor who stumbles onto a horrifying truth: his own father has created a shadowy business empire that bankrolls Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I didn’t sit down one day and decide, ‘I’m going to write a novel.’ Prophets of War came to me gradually, one breadcrumb at a time. For about a year, I carried around the seed of an idea for a compelling story, but it wasn’t until I was working on my Master’s thesis about the origins of national debt that I had my ‘aha’ moment. A thousand years ago, European monarchs borrowed from banks to wage profitable wars — and in many ways, that was the birth of public debt. I began connecting those historical dots to more recent examples and realized I wanted to explore the idea of war as a business model. The Russian invasion of Ukraine became a natural setting, especially since so many of the mechanics — shell companies, offshore secrecy, private military contractors — are real-world systems.
From there, tone became just as important as plot. When I finally read The Wolf of Wall Street (after seeing the film multiple times), I loved its darkly funny, irreverent voice and knew I wanted to channel some of that energy. Tom Wolfe’s Bonfire of the Vanities was another stylistic touchstone. So the book grew out of both history and literature — from centuries-old patterns of finance and war to the sharp, satirical voices of modern storytelling.
What inspired your characters’ interactions and backstories?
Alex is probably the most personal character — he’s a reflection of me, but exaggerated. I gave him many of the same questions I’ve wrestled with in my own life, then pushed them further to see how far they could go under pressure. The other characters came from a mix of real experiences and public figures I’ve studied. Some are composites — Lena, for example, was inspired by several real women, but I wanted her to embody duality: someone magnetic and vulnerable, yet someone you can never fully trust. Devil Bill, on the other hand, was meant to be the incarnation of corruption and power without conscience. And Langston was my chance to write a parody president — larger than life, full of contradictions, but all too familiar.
Some events in the book were chillingly similar to real-life events. Did you take any inspiration from real life when developing this book?
Absolutely — I drew inspiration from real events, but Prophets of War is still very much a work of fiction. You can’t write about finance, politics, or war without noticing the patterns that repeat throughout history. Shell companies, corruption, shadow networks — these things are in the news all the time, but fiction gives me the freedom to connect the dots in ways that journalism can’t. My goal wasn’t to retell any specific headline, but to create a story that feels uncomfortably close to the world we live in. Readers should come away thinking, ‘This could happen… maybe it already is.’ But at the end of the day, it’s still a novel — a thriller built to both entertain and provoke thought
Will there be a follow-up novel to this story? If so, what aspects of the story will the next book cover?
I’ve been asked that a few times now, which is exciting in itself. I do have ideas for where the story could go next. If Prophets of War is about uncovering the financial machinery behind conflict, then the follow-up might explore how those same hidden networks shape politics — through propaganda, dark money, and campaign donations where no one really knows who’s footing the bill. I could see a storyline where a presidential candidate is backed entirely by the business of war. That said, whether I actually write it will depend on how this first book resonates with readers. If there’s demand for more, I’d consider it.
There will also be a podcast coming out soon that you can listen to. I am featured on Read, Beat (…And Repeat) on Spotify but it has not come out yet. It will be posted to my website once it’s live.
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | Facebook | Website | X (Twitter) | Amazon
When Alex Morgan, a rising star in wealth management, stumbles onto a trail of cryptic financial clues, he doesn’t just uncover corruption—he unmasks a global conspiracy.
Behind the headlines of the war in Ukraine lies something far more chilling: a private empire of shell companies, black-market trades, and political operatives turning global conflict into personal profit.
The deeper Alex digs, the more dangerous the truth becomes. His own father may be at the center of the scheme. His mentors may be funding both sides of the battlefield. And the woman he trusts most might be the key to it all—or the final betrayal.
From Caribbean tax havens to Wall Street boardrooms to shadowy Zoom calls between oligarchs and ex-presidents, Prophets of War is a pulse-pounding political thriller that rips into the machinery of modern power. Inspired by real systems, real tactics, and real moral failures, it asks a question no one wants answered:
What if the next world war is already on the balance sheet?
The Hope Not Plot: A Novel of Churchill’s Final Farewell
From the very first chapter, The Hope Not Plot swept me into a moment in history that I thought I already understood. But author David R. Stokes brings it to life in a way that feels fresh and immediate. The book opens on the eve of Winston Churchill’s death and quickly builds a riveting narrative that blends fact and fiction with surprising grace. As the British government prepares for the looming farewell of one of its greatest statesmen, the novel introduces a shadowy plot that threatens not only Churchill’s legacy but international stability. It’s part historical drama, part espionage thriller, and part quiet tribute to the man at the center of it all.
The writing is cinematic. Every room, every face, every foggy London street corner is drawn so clearly I could almost hear the hush of the crowd gathered outside Churchill’s home. Stokes has a gift for pacing. The dialogue is believable and loaded with character, whether it’s the gruff authority of Prime Minister Wilson or the nervy conscience of David Ormsby-Gore. There’s also something haunting about how he weaves in the paranoia and geopolitics of the Cold War without turning it into a lecture. It felt smart without being smug. The emotional weight hit me hardest in the quiet moments like Churchill’s final appearance at the window, the whispered memories of wartime sacrifice, the reluctant plotting in smoke-filled rooms.
But what really stayed with me was the central idea behind it all. The way a death, especially a death this big, can send ripples far beyond grief. Stokes plays with that idea masterfully. Churchill becomes not just a man, but a symbol of greatness, of tradition, of defiance, and everyone around him must figure out what to do when that symbol fades. The sense of loss is personal and political, and it made me think a lot about how we handle the passing of giants in our own time.
I’d recommend The Hope Not Plot to anyone who loves historical fiction with teeth. If you’re into John le Carré or Alan Furst, you’ll feel right at home. It’s also a solid pick for readers who want more than just facts, they want the heartbeat behind the headlines. It’s a book that respects history but isn’t afraid to imagine the “what ifs.” Smart, moving, and genuinely thrilling.
Pages: 410 | ASIN : B0FJZYXJL1
The Devil In Fine Print
The Devil in Fine Print, the first book in The Cipher Conspiracy series by Jhani Mills, is a genre-blending thriller that stitches together high-stakes conspiracy, speculative science, and personal legacy. At its center is Elias Maddox, a brilliant but reluctant author whose bestselling novel, The Gravity Cipher, seems to mirror a terrifying hidden truth more than mere fiction. When patterns from his book begin echoing in reality, Elias finds himself on the run, tangled in a centuries-old secret society, the Order of Thael, that manipulates power through hidden clauses and engineered silence. With the help of investigative journalist Jessa Kade and his twin brother Drake, Elias must decide whether unearthing the truth is worth the cost of his family and possibly the world.
The writing, especially in the prologue and early chapters, is haunting and lyrical. Mills knows how to wield tension like a scalpel, and every line feels soaked in dread, urgency, or both. The language is sharp without being overdone, and the pacing is a tightrope walk between action and revelation. Some parts had me flipping pages like a madman, while others made me pause and just sit with it. Mills’s biggest strength is how she plays with ambiguity, never quite letting you know what’s real, what’s imagined, or what’s been buried so deep we forgot it ever existed. And that ambiguity? It lingers. In a good, itchy way.
I felt something for the characters. Elias isn’t your typical reluctant hero. He’s fragile, sometimes maddeningly hesitant, but never false. And Jessa? She’s brilliant, sharp, curious, and relentless, without being a trope. Their dynamic had real weight, built on mutual recognition rather than forced romance or plot convenience. I did think some of the science jargon in the middle dipped a little too far into “decoder ring needed” territory, especially in Drake’s storyline. But even that had a payoff once the themes began to echo through history, family, and fate, but not every thread is fully tied off by the end.
The Devil in Fine Print left me stirred up. It’s a smart, shadowy read that lives in the gray areas—between fiction and truth, control and freedom, inheritance and rebellion. I’d recommend it to readers who like their thrillers dense with mystery and meaning, especially fans of Dan Brown, Neal Stephenson, or even Silo-era Hugh Howey. It’s not always comfortable, but that’s the point. If you’ve ever looked at a contract or a government headline and felt a flicker of unease—this book is calling your name.
Pages: 325 | ASIN : B0F3BGHTHN
Deception’s Edge
From the very first chapter, Deception’s Edge plunges you into a world that fuses action, espionage, faith, and deep personal trauma into a globe-spanning narrative. The story follows Blade Broussard, a knife-throwing performer with a haunted past, and a covert brotherhood known as the Soldati di Cristo, as they navigate an escalating series of violent confrontations and spiritual reckonings. Across cities like New Orleans, Rome, and Pyongyang, Potter weaves together a story that pits characters against ruthless regimes, their own inner demons, and a ticking clock that adds weight to every decision.
I found myself torn in the best possible way while reading this book. On one hand, the writing is brisk, full of punchy dialogue and vivid action that reads like a cinematic thriller. On the other hand, there are deeply reflective moments, grief, redemption, and hard-won faith that give the story emotional muscle. What impressed me most was Potter’s ability to bring out the complexity in her characters. Blade isn’t just a revenge-driven protagonist; she’s deeply flawed, grieving, sometimes reckless, but always inching toward growth. And Chase, who starts out as a bit of a mystery, becomes a steady heartbeat in the chaos, a man whose convictions give the plot real weight. Potter doesn’t just throw her characters into wild situations; she lets them break, rebuild, and wrestle with truth.
With a cast this large and subplots this layered, I sometimes struggled to keep track of shifting motivations, especially across the international set pieces. The story juggled many threads, action, espionage, faith-based conflict, and interpersonal drama. But I can’t deny that even when the plot got tangled, the emotional stakes stayed strong. The writing has heart, and that matters more to me than perfect pacing.
Deception’s Edge surprised me. It’s not just another thriller. It’s part Jason Bourne, part missionary story, part personal redemption arc. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys high-octane action with soul. It’s especially a good fit for readers who appreciate stories that ask hard questions about faith, forgiveness, and how we move forward when everything’s been taken from us. If you want a thriller with grit and grace, give this one a shot.
LITERARY TITAN 