Book Reviews: Dark Spies by Matthew Dunn; and Dog Beach by John Fusco

Brief reviews of two excellent thrillers:

Dark Spies (Spycatcher #4) by Matthew Dunn
To be published October 7, 2014; William Morrow

I've enjoyed all Dunn's Spycatcher thrillers. The action is superb though a bit violent in parts but the plot is excellent. 

Intelligence operative Will Cochrane is hunted by his former bosses, the CIA, for having disobeyed orders on a mission, even though he did so to save the life of another CIA operative under fire.  There is more going on, however, and Will is determined to find out what, as he risks his life to get back incognito to Washington D.C. and the mysterious Project Ferryman files. 

I rated this 4.5 stars on goodreads
I received a review ARC/galley from the publisher. 

Dog Beach by John Fusco
Published September 9th 2014 by Touchstone
Genre: action, thriller

Story of an aging Hong Kong stuntman being chased by the Chinese triads in California reminds me of Jackie Chan, who could play the part if this were a film. This thriller set in Malibu is written by a screenwriter who has written the sequel to "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

I rated this 4 stars on goodreads. 
I received a review ARC/galley  from the publisher.

Dog Beach by John Fusco: First Chapter

 First Chapter, First Paragraph is hosted by Bibliophile By the Sea. 

Dog Beach

Prologue 

He is running, eight stories up on a rusted crossbeam, when he feels it, that thing entering his bloodstream, the rush he secretly calls the Creature. The timer on the explosives - 280 pounds of M112 demolition charges - is beeping down the count.....(continues)

Chapter 1: Palm Springs, Magic Hour 

 Louie Mo sat in the passenger seat, peering through tinted aviators at the big hotel. The car, a beat-up Chevy Impala, smelled of cigarettes, aftershave, and a Supreme Croissant. 

"Shit, this mother's hot," Dutch caid, clawing the Styrofoam cup. "If I spilled it on me, I could sue Jack in the Box for ten mill."  

Louie glanced at her, the girl he usually just called Driver, but his mind was still fixed on the Marriott. "Too many people sue," he said in his broken English. 

I used the opening of the Prologue and the First Chapter to give you a better sense of the novel and where it might be going. I like that it's set in Palm Springs, Ca., a place I'd love to be, when it's not too hot.

Publisher's book description: Leaving a successful career as a stunt double in Hong Kong to escape the Chinese mafia, Louie Mo makes his living in Los Angeles as a hired knee-breaker. When Troy, an aspiring director, agrees to direct a film for producer Avi Ghazaryan, Avi's sketchy investors hire Louie to scare Troy into finishing their movie. Troy recognizes Louie Mo as the stunt man he once was, though older and with more aches and pains, and begs Louie to take the lead role in a movie. 

For Louie Mo, this chance at redemption might be his last. As his past catches up with him, he teams up with Troy to avoid the bad guys and pull off an impossible film of epic proportions. A fast-paced thrill ride, equal parts dark satire and action novel.

 Based on the opening paragraphs and the book description, would you read on?

Sunday Salon: Mid-August Books

Welcome to the Sunday Salon where bloggers share their reading each week.Visit The Sunday Post hosted by The Caffeinated Bookreviewer; Also visit It's Monday: What Are You Reading hosted by Book Journey, and Mailbox Monday each week.

My granddaughter has shifted her focus from all things My Little Pony to all things Frozen. Just sent off lots of Disney picture books, coloring books, and stickers, with the story and theme. Hope that will make her birthday a lot of fun. Am on the lookout for the t-shirts.

Goodreads is down right now, so here are some amazon links to books, mostly thrillers or mysteries,  recently added to my TBR:

Last Winter We Parted

Dog Beach

Blood Lake

Deadly Bonds

Lola Montez Starts a Revolution

Click on the covers and/or titles beneath the pictures to see the book descriptions.








Currently reading:

Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami

What books have you added to your desk and what are you reading this week?