Helpful Score: 1
I LOVED this book. It's the first from Steven James... man is he good! And it's the first in a series. Kept me guessing till the very end, I love that it was not predictable, and the excitement was there for almost every page. Here's an Amazon.com Review:
In this riveting thriller, the first of a planned trilogy, James (Story) introduces FBI agent Patrick Bowers. His professional specialty is environmental criminology, which attempts to track lawbreakers by analyzing the significance of the time and place at which the crime occurred. When corpses of young women start turning up near Asheville, N.C., Bowers is called in. The killer's MO is to tie a yellow ribbon in his victims' hair and leave a chess piece somewhere on the scene. Bowers begins to suspect that the governor of North Carolina, rumored to be the next Republican presidential contender, is somehow connected to the murders, and that a cult with links to Jonestown might also be involved. Making matters trickier, the special agent supervising Bowers turns out to be a longtime colleague with whom Bowers has some bad blood. Bowers, a recent widower with a surly teenage stepdaughter to raise, tries to keep his grief and parental confusion at bay so that he can focus on the case as the killer targets more innocent women. Christian faith makes a subtle appearance in the story and appears to be a theme that will be developed in future installments. A gripping plot and brisk pacing will win James some fans eager for his next offering.
In this riveting thriller, the first of a planned trilogy, James (Story) introduces FBI agent Patrick Bowers. His professional specialty is environmental criminology, which attempts to track lawbreakers by analyzing the significance of the time and place at which the crime occurred. When corpses of young women start turning up near Asheville, N.C., Bowers is called in. The killer's MO is to tie a yellow ribbon in his victims' hair and leave a chess piece somewhere on the scene. Bowers begins to suspect that the governor of North Carolina, rumored to be the next Republican presidential contender, is somehow connected to the murders, and that a cult with links to Jonestown might also be involved. Making matters trickier, the special agent supervising Bowers turns out to be a longtime colleague with whom Bowers has some bad blood. Bowers, a recent widower with a surly teenage stepdaughter to raise, tries to keep his grief and parental confusion at bay so that he can focus on the case as the killer targets more innocent women. Christian faith makes a subtle appearance in the story and appears to be a theme that will be developed in future installments. A gripping plot and brisk pacing will win James some fans eager for his next offering.
Helpful Score: 1
While this author is new, he is by far my favorite. From the first page to the last I just could not put this book down. Can't wait for the next one in this trilogy to come out!
very good 1st work--new author for me --well written --fast paced action
Riveting and fast-paced. Don't start it until you have time to finish.
The Pawn by Steven James is a great book. I had a hard time putting it down. I really like the author's writing style which is fast-paced and keeps your interest. It is refreshing to have a murder mystery without foul language. I am looking forward to reading the other books in the series.
totally awesome book. kept me up at night. everyone looking for a good thriller should read this book
1st in the Patrick Bowers series. I enjoyed this book. It had great characters and killers. The intricacies between the murders and the suspects kept me guessing. Pat is an interesting conflicted lead and his step daughter is in the background as he tries dealing with her and a recent death and trying to solve the murders. Rounding out the team is fellow agent Ralph and newcomer Lien-hua who work the case with Patrick. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series
Enjoyed very much - well written, interesting twists, will read the others in this series.
This is a real page turner, hard to put down, lots of action. A serial killer is taunting the FBI in North Carolina and a survivor of Jonestown is closing in on the Governor. Good read.
