Tuesday, August 3, 2010

The Bishop by Steven James



It's been a long, long time since I've been this thrilled with a novel. I put Steven James at the top of my 'must read' list of suspense/crime thrillers when "The Pawn" released, and he has never, ever disappointed me.

With "The Bishop", he has blown me away! No one writes suspense like Steven James...no one. And this one kicks off with the bang of all bangs!

FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers is back, and his life is more complicated than ever. His relationship with his step-daughter, Tessa, is finally smoothing out to a level he can at least live with. Trouble is, she's hiding something from him that could blow their relationship sky-high.

Agent Bowers is the best at what he does...but he's about to be stretched to his limits by a pair of criminals that kill for the thrill....and who love to be watched. These are some of the most creative and brutal murder scenes I've ever read...so these novels aren't for the faint of heart.

Can Agent Bowers uncover the identities of this mind-blowing pair before more have to die? How far will this murderous duo go to get their thrills? And will Tessa's secret come to light before her relationship with Patrick is ruined beyond repair...or before she ends up in danger herself?

Steven James ratchets up the standard of suspenseful writing with each novel. He has proven himself a master of detail and foreshadowing...and he can leave a rabbit trail that will take you on a joyous hunt until the very end...then fool you into thinking you know...

...when only Patrick Bowers knows the truth. And he's not telling! I'd love the opportunity to pick author Steven James' brain one day...his mind must be a fascinating place!

Something else I love about the 'Patrick Bowers Thrillers' is each can be read as a stand-alone. Each case is contained within the massive pages of the book (he writes such long, juicy novels---yeah!). BUT, a continuous thread weaves throughout each book, making the entire series richer if you begin at the beginning and stay faithful until the end...

...which (yeah!) "The Bishop" isn't the end...we get to look forward to "The Queen" in 2011 (oh, such a long, long wait for me!). I really cannot say a negative thing about this wonderful, gritty, realistic series. Hands down, this is my favorite of all time.

So, I'm giving "The Bishop" the Golden Bookmark for Authentic Suspense Writing, and voting it "Best Suspense of 2010". I'm also giving it a chess set as a charm...make sure you move first with "The Pawn"...then decide what to do with "The Rook" next...with "The Knight" poised for action....and make your next attack with "The Bishop".

My HUGE thanks to Donna Hausler for my copy...eternal gratitude, my friend! "The Bishop" is available from Revell...what are you waiting for??

Happy Reading!

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

My favorite genre is suspense/thriller but I've never read anything from this author.

Your review has made me decide to check his books out.

Anonymous said...

OH MAN!!! He is my favorite author!! I just read that he has four books still in this series to come out. A prologe (not sure of the title), The Queen, The King, and Checkmate!!