Revenge

Travis Mays #1

by Mark Young

When a trained killer threatens ex-cop Travis Mays—and those Travis loves—he finds a skilled adversary and an unexpected fight. After a high stakes gamble ends in personal tragedy, Travis walks away from years of training and a highly successful law enforcement career. Determined never to look back, he starts a new life and a new career, teaching criminology at the university and building a cabin in the idyllic Idaho Mountains. He hires a beautiful river guide, Jessie White Eagle from the Nez Perce tribe, to guide him safely down the Lochsa. The turbulence of the whitewater, however, is just the beginning of his troubles. Travis finds himself in the crosshairs of a killer—calling himself Creasy—bent on revenge. This fast-paced thriller takes readers on a wild ride down Idaho’s whitewater rivers, along the historic Lolo Trails once tread by the Nez Perce nation, and onto the city streets of California. Tighten your helmet. This ride never stops until the last shot is fired and the final body falls.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Fiction, Murder Mystery, Mystery Thriller

248 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 11, 2011

About the author

Mark Young is a former police officer with the Santa Rosa Police Department in California for twenty-six years; an award-winning journalist; and a Vietnam combat veteran. He served with several law enforcement task force operations, including the presidential Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force targeting major drug traffickers, and the federal Organized Crime Task Force charged with identifying and prosecuting prison gang leaders. He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his family. Visit www.MarkYoungBooks.com for more information about Mark Young and his writing. Readers may also connect with him at http://hookembookem.blogspot.com/ where mystery readers, writers and law enforcement connect.

Reviews

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Check out my blog for more reviews:
http://historicalfictionobsession.blo...


One of the reasons I'm happy that I finally started this book blog, and that I'm getting more and more review requests by authors I've never heard of, is because I am reading a lot of novels that I never would have looked twice at. I have never been interested in crime, mystery, or suspense novels, but by accepting review requests I've realized what I have been missing out on by not expanding my reading to a wider variety of genres before now.


I really did like REVENGE: A Travis Mays Novel. I'm not going to say it's one of the best books I've ever read, but it did keep my interest piqued, and for the most part I had no clue what was going to happen next or who the killer was throughout the novel.


Travis Mays was a well-rounded character who had a lot of depth, and who I was immediately rooting for as a reader. Creasy was obviously the bad guy from the start, who was mysterious until the last half of the book when Travis and others starting putting things together. I really enjoyed Frank White Eagle and Jessie White Eagle. I wish that Jessie would have had more depth as a character. I think that she could have been a heroine of her own in this novel, but it seemed like she fell into the typical female role in suspense/cop drama books, in that she was bull-headed, had to be included in everything, and inevitably ended up getting herself into situations where she needed to be rescued. Also, I kept wondering when there would be some kind of physical connection between Jessie and Travis. It was obvious that there was something there, but they never so much as kissed. I'm not talking about a passionate sex scene, but something to break the sexual tension up a little would have been nice!


Another thing that bothered me a little bit was the fact that these people were so accommodating of Travis. He wasn't well known at all in this small town in Idaho, but after Tommy White Eagle (Frank's son) was murdered, they put all their trust in him because of his stellar background as a cop. Even when the people found out that Travis was actually the one who had inadvertently brought all the problems to this town, and that Tommy's murder was in a way connected to him, they still stood by and rallied around him. If it had been me, I would be keeping my distance from a guy who all of a sudden had a lot of connections to his past life ending up dead! Also, a small thing that bothered me was that there were a few editing errors throughout the ebook. It probably had to do with the book not being a finished copy, and the errors weren't so pervasive that they distracted me, but there were enough that I noticed and highlighted them.


I did like the different twists that happened towards the end of the book. You would think the book was about to be over, and everything solved, and all of a sudden someone else would end up dead, and you would realize there was another criminal out there with Travis in their crosshairs! It did get a little ridiculous in the last couple of chapters, because it seemed like Travis kept putting himself in bad situations and ending up with a gun to his head. I kept thinking, "He's supposed to be a great cop??" Also, at the end when the the "bad guy" had the upper hand, they started giving the whole story about why they killed certain people, and their motive for what they were doing; it just struck me as a little cliche. It seems that in all cop dramas, the criminal has a gun pointed at the cops head, or is about to kill someone, and then they start going on about why they did what they did, and telling the person the reason they have to die.


I know it seems like I had a lot of negative things to say about this book, but it's not that I didn't like it, I think that it's just not a genre that I am very familiar with or that I necessarily am drawn to. I know people who absolutely love crime and mystery books, and while I enjoyed reading this book; books about police and murder-suspense just really aren't my "cup of tea."


All in all it was definitely a page turner. I read the book in two days because I couldn't put it down. I wanted to know who the killer was, and I wanted to the characters to solve the case! I also was shocked several times by how things turned out. If you happen to be a fan of crime/mystery/police/suspense novels, then by all means get this book, because it is for you, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys this type of suspense novel.


I would give this book 3.5 out of 5 Stars.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Building his cabin near the Clearwater River in Idaho, Travis Mays hoped for solitude, peace…renewal. A cleansing of his soul. Yeah, right. And just how does an ex-cop wash the darkness from his past when he holds himself responsible for the brutal death of the woman he loved?

He doesn’t. Can’t.

Not immersing himself in the criminology classes he teaches at Washington State University. Or plunging headlong into the bracing white water rafting he’s enlisted guide Jessie White Eagle to help him conquer. Certainly not getting himself caught up in another homicide investigation.

Travis Mays bade good riddance to police work five years ago. He lives the simple life now. No worries, no attachments. Other than his dog, Sam. Part wolf, part mutt. Part crazy.

But here he is—and there’s sweet, tough Jessie. Grieving the death of her brother, Tommy, a lawyer whose clients ran the gamut from members of the Nez Perce tribe with their troubles over water rights to the glitzy Whitewater Casino.

Tommy White Eagle’s body, feet together, arms outstretched as if crucified, was discovered on a boulder-strewn slope. Three bullet wounds, one to the head. Why? He was one of the good guys, or so it seems. Talented attorney, loving brother, reliable son.

Where does an ex-cop who counted on a permanent detour from his “old” life begin to help Jessie and her father, Frank, the Nez Perce police chief?

In Revenge: A Travis Mays Novel, author Mark Young invites the reader to accompany Travis on his journey of newfound love, cold-blooded murder, baffling clues, vengeance and resolution…with enough probable baddies to fill a clubhouse—or a casino.

Is the killer Joseph Baptiste, the hot-headed Nez Perce deputy and Jessie’s former lover? Could it be Special Agent Clay Lafata, FBI? Or maybe McPeters at the University? Hey, there are no spoilers in this review. You have to read the book.

MarkYoung deftly flexes his writing muscles as he moves Travis Mays from one clue, one possible and dangerous suspect, to the next. The author’s background in law enforcement adds credence to his protagonist. His vivid descriptions place readers in the moment, while believable dialogue and the depth of his main characters hold them there.

As with all good mysteries, Revenge: A Travis Mays Novel provides the readers ample twists and turns, and doesn’t ease up until the surprise ending. My one complaint with this novel is that there seems, at times, too many characters. I found myself trying to place them, to remember who was who and who did what. But that in no way, diminishes how well-crafted this novel is. I give Revenge: A Travis Mays Novel four stars and predict it is the start of a riveting series with a well-earned following. I look forward to the next installment.

Revenge: A Travis Mays Novel is available through Amazon (in both paperback and Kindle) and other fine booksellers. Author Mark Young was a police officer with the Santa Rosa Police Department in California for twenty-six years. He’s an award-winning journalist and a Vietnam combat veteran. Readers can learn more about him and his future projects at www.MarkYoungBooks.com

[Nike Chillemi · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want a surprise ending, as in one you really can’t figure out no matter how your try — even if you create charts and graphs — then Mark Young’s debut novel, REVENGE is for you!

Travis Mays, a former northern California police detective now teaching criminology in college, is trying to escape his painful past. The guilt of having sent Michelle Scarborough, a beautiful snitch to her death — the woman he loved.

Five years later when visiting his weekend/summer cabin on the Lochsa River in Idaho he meets up with feisty Jessie White Eagle, a Nez Perce white-water rafting guide whose brother Tommy has gone missing. She pleads and Travis gets roped into helping with the case. And thus, the reader plunges headlong into a story with a multi-faceted plot. One that will keep the pages turning.

Author Mark Young does well with character descriptions. I loved the one of Frank White Eagle, Jessie’s dad and the Nez Perce police chief…”his face seemed weathered by life without too much erosion.” The chief is one of the few Christians in the novel and he represents the faith well.

Tribal deputy, Baptiste, had a chip on his shoulder. Clay Lafata, a FBI special agent with jurisdiction issues, is running what turns into a murder investigation when Thomas White Eagle, Esq.’s body is found. Either one of these two lawmen could be playing both sides of the fence and could’ve passed information to the killer that puts Tommy’s friend on the run.

Travis is unexpectedly called back to Washington State University, where he teaches, because there’s going to be a security audit of the campus and the college higher ups want him to meet with John Ares, the school’s new security consultant. Ares, who moves with the agility of a cat, raises Travis’s hackles.

Just when I thought I had things figured out, another twist is thrown into the mix. Out of the blue, an old northern California police associate and an FBI special agent show up at WSU to warn Travis somebody might be out to kill him. As it turns out Frank Lafata was the FBI supervisor who insisted Michelle Scarborough go back into the criminal cartel to get more information resulting in her murder. Being a former lawman, Mark Young pays special attention to accuracy in presenting police procedure. Something I appreciate in a crime fiction novel.

The novel is primarily one of suspense, but there is a subtheme of romance. I love the way Travis catches himself thinking about Jessie, having to admit she’s disturbing his well-arranged life, pulling him out of hiding, and that most of the time she’s mad at him.

Creasy is one of a wall of aliases the killer uses as he takes out, one-by-one, everyone associated with that painful event in Travis’s past…the case in which the beautiful snitch died. Last on his hit list if Travis Mays. He wants Travis to pay dearly for his past sins.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

After an incident five years ago, Travis Mays hangs up his police uniform and relocates to the Idaho Mountains. There Travis teaches at the university on the topic of criminology. Travis hires Jessie White Eagle to guide him down the river. It seems that no matter where Travis escapes to, he can not escape trouble. Jessie’s brother, Tommy is missing. Jessie’s father is the police chief. He asks Travis for his assistance. It seems that with Travis’s past comes an enemy who is stalking him. Who will survive this cat and mouse hunt?

Revenge: A Travis Mays Novel is the first in this series featuring ex-cop, Travis Mays. Mr. Young does know how to write a good book. Travis is a nice main character. He is sharp, not afraid to speak his mind, and gets the job done. The story moved at a steady pace in the beginning. There was a lot of dialogue going on between the characters. Luckily, the story line moved faster soon afterwards. Mr. Young describes things in detail that it is like walking in Travis’s shoes. This helped as I was reading this book on the computer and if a book is not interesting, I would not give up my time to sit in front of a computer screen to read it. Revenge is sweet with Travis Mays and Mr. Young!

[Sharon Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the better mystery/thrillers I've read for awhile. Good character development, fast pace and tightly plotted. Good sense of the setting, obvious knowledge of Native American background and law enforcement as well as western water rights problems, which often does not happen with books set in the modern west. Since I lived most of my life in that general kind of setting, errors in location/character/background will turn me off a book very quickly. It was not detailed, but what was there was done well.

My only criticism of the book, a mild one, is that I'm not sure the motivation for the final 'bad guy' was well developed or particularly adequate, seemed just a little contrived. But a very minor flaw for a very impressive first book.

[Deborah Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review

Excellent book. Could have used a bit more proofreading. The end was a little bit of a let down. Didn't quite get the Christian angle. Should have been more thoroughly expanded.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 3 out of 5]

First Line: Raindrops splattered the windshield as Travis Mays raised his binoculars.

When an investigation goes horribly wrong, Travis Mays walks away from a highly successful law enforcement career and builds a new life. Now a professor of criminology at a university in Washington state, he likes to spend time in the cabin he built in the mountains of Idaho. Travis is even learning the fine art of kayaking from river guide Jessie White Eagle of the Nez Perce tribe. But when Jessie's brother goes missing and Travis is asked to help with the investigation, he finds himself in the crosshairs of a killer bent on revenge.

Many of you may take a look at my rating and think that I didn't care for the book. You would be wrong. I did. Although the book really doesn't have anything new in terms of plot, writing or characterization, it did hold my interest throughout. How? Because author Mark Young has given us multiple perpetrators with multiple objectives. I had my mind set on one bad guy, but the more pages I turned, the more I thought, "Now, wait a second...." Once my curiosity was fully engaged, I was hooked.

"His stern struck a submerged rock, jamming the bow forward, burying him in a shallow grave of water. He fought to right himself, but the current corkscrewed him into its depths and he lost his balance. Roaring sheets of water buried him, pounding his head with icy fists. For what seemed like an eternity he remained trapped beneath the surface as near-freezing currents burned his skin."


A strong feature of the book is its setting in the mountains of Idaho, white water kayaking on its rivers, and the Nez Perce heritage of two secondary characters-- but I did feel that if the kayaking and Nez Perce heritage had been beefed up and had become more integral parts of the story, the book would have been even stronger.

Travis has a canine companion named Sam, which leads me to something that's almost becoming a pet peeve. Having had many canine companions of my own, I am attuned to how animals react to the people around me. When an animal in the book I'm reading reacts strangely to a new character, I immediately know that character is a bad guy. This undoubtedly isn't true for people who don't live with pets and aren't familiar with their ways, but it is to me and takes away some of the enjoyment of reading the book for me. On the other hand, Sam isn't portrayed as Super Dog, and that I do like.

When all is said and done, there is a lot to like about Revenge, and I'm looking forward to more stories about Travis Mays.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the woman Travis Mays cares about is murdered, he blames himself and gives up his career as a detective. He moves to Idaho, to a cabin along a river where he is completely disconnected ~ no phone, no pager, no computer. But when Travis decides to take a kayaking lesson on the river with Jesse White Eagle, a beautiful Nez Perce guide, he suddenly finds himself right in the middle of a new case that he was destined to be a part of.

In Revenge: A Travis Mays Novel, Mark Young weaves a thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end. Jesse convinces Travis to help her father, who is the Nez Perce police chief, find her missing brother. What he doesn't realize is that Tommy's disappearance is linked to his own past, despite the fact that they've never met. Someone is out for revenge, and Travis is the real target.

This was a fast-paced novel, full of suspense. It was hard to know who was really good, who was really bad and how everyone was connected. It took a while to figure out who the guy who called himself Creasy really was. [As a fan of the film Man on Fire, I enjoyed the use of this character name.] And it took until the end to figure out how all the other characters were involved in the storyline. Every time I thought I knew what was going on, Young would throw in another twist!

I enjoyed the way the characters were developed, particularly Travis. And it was quite interesting to learn about the Nez Perce tribe through Jesse and her father, Frank, as well as the issues surrounding casinos, religion and other topics within the Native American culture. I also loved the descriptions of the river and the land where this story took place. I have a beautiful picture in my mind of that river and it makes me want to travel to Idaho now to see it in person!

The only thing I did struggle with is the ending. And since I don't like to include spoilers in my reviews, I don't want to say much. I just felt like there was a bit too much going on in the end, and some of it seemed rather unrealistic. I'm not sure how else to say it without giving too much away. But overall, I really enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend it to anyone who's looking for a well-written mystery with some interesting characters and lots of twists.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please note: I read in Feb. 2012 from a free copy provided by the author. It was not exchanged for a review, but I wrote one anyway.

My Synopsis: Travis Mays worked for the Santa Rosa police department in California – he was one of the their best investigators. Then he became involved with Michele Scarborough, one of his confidential informants, and when she is murdered, something breaks inside of him. He turns in his badge, moves to the Pacific Northwest – where he splits his time between WSU in Pullman, WA and a cabin he builds in the Idaho mountains. He teaches criminology, and keeps his heart safe from any further damage. Until, that is, he meets Jessie White Eagle. When her brother goes missing, and then ends up dead, Jessie convinces Travis to help her and her father, who is the chief of police of the Nez Pierce tribal police, find out who killed Tommy White Eagle, and why. Then more people start to die – and they all seem to be related back to Travis’ last case with the Santa Rosa PD – to Michele Scarborough. Who is killing people, and why? Is Travis next … or last?

My Thoughts: This is quite an entertaining little suspense/thriller, full of twists and turns. I kept thinking I had figured out who it was, then kept being shown the error of my own thought processes – that kept me guessing! This author provides sufficient character and plot development to keep the story fresh and interesting, without allowing it to be bogged down with excessive details. A good, solid tale of psychological suspense, murder and intrigue.

[melydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Travis Mays walks away from his life in the police force after a sting operation ends in tragedy. He moves from central California to middle-of-nowhere Idaho, where he teaches criminology at a Washington university to fund his life as a recluse in a small cabin. One day he signs up for kayaking lessons; his guide is the lovely Jessie White Eagle, a Native American of the Nez Perce tribe whose brother has recently gone missing. What follows is a rather twisty tale of murder and deception. I understood the killer’s beef with Mays, but a whole lot of plot hangs on the chance meeting between Mays and White Eagle. If Mays hadn’t signed up for those lessons that day, quite a bit of this story would not have happened. Anyway, I enjoyed this one more than I’d expected, zipping through chapters with ease. It helps that the author has experience both as a cop and a journalist. Sure, I didn’t know what all the lingo and acronyms meant, but I gleaned enough from context that it didn’t distract me, and indeed added to the realism. My only real complaint was how much difficulty I had keeping the various characters straight. There are a lot of players here and all of them are interconnected, often in convoluted ways. I also wish there was more information on the Nez Perce, though instilling an interest in further learning is never a bad thing in the book. All in all, if you’re looking for a decent thriller, this is worth picking up.

[Shanella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just when you thought you figured it all out, you’re thrown for a twist.

Revenge follows ex-detective, Travis May. As bodies keep piling up the clues all seem to point to the case that caused Travis to leave the force. As they rush to figure out who the killer is, Travis is faced with the ghosts of his past.

I loved this story from the beginning. First off, I love a good mystery and Revenge delivered on that. Even though I thought I had it all figured out, the author threw a curve ball in the end and added a completely different layer that I did not see coming. I had to read the sentence a few times to confirm that my eyes were not playing tricks on me.

Secondly, Revenge is one of the few self-published novels that I found refreshing to read. Sometimes, self-published books are littered with mistakes and continuity errors - possibly due to lack of proper editing - however, Revenge read as though it had a good editor. I did notice two things, but they were so minor I got past them without being pulled out of the narrative.

Finally, I enjoyed the way the narrative moved from one point of view to the next. You got to see the killer’s moves without revealing too much for you to know who the killer is, at least until it was necessary. Revenge is a great book to read if you have a hankering for a mystery.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was contacted by Mark Young who found me at the Goodreads website. He asked if I would read and review his book. I gladly told him I would. Thank you so much Mr. Young for sending me your book to review! It was excellent!

Travis is teaching at a University but gets asked to help out with a murder investigation. He doesn't want to get involved. He is a former cop and didn't want to go back into that that field. Things happened that made him change careers. Even though he doesn't want to be a part of the investigation, Jessie and her father beg him to help.

Revenge was self-published by Mark Young. It was written well and the characters were well thought out. I really felt connected to them while I was reading. The editing was also excellent. I never had a spot in the story where I felt confused about what was going on. This story came so alive for me that I really could see it made into a movie. For some reason, I kept picturing Clint Eastwood in my mind as Travis!

I could tell that Mark Young knows exactly what he is talking about and knows the police business! I could also tell that he did a lot of research! The story involves water rights and the Nez Perce. The story was believable, and it had me glued to the pages (well....to my Kindle!) from beginning to end! I never knew what was going to happen next! I definitely recommend Revenge!

[Kim (Wistfulskimmies Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of an ex-detective haunted by the decisions of his past. He is now a professor of criminology living in virtual seclusion in a cabin in the woods on a Native American reservation. Now the past is creeping up on him and threatening those he loves and holds dear.

This moved along at a slow pace but never flagged. The story unfolded at a steady rate. There was always plenty going on as we learned more about the development of the back story of Travis' past as the story went on. I loved the background into the Perce Nez tribe. The author was very descriptive about the area and the rivers that surrounded it, I felt I was there with them. The last quarter of the book picked up pace and delivered a rocket of a climax. I was on the edge of my seat turning the pages to find out what happened!

This was a great read full of suspense and mystery and enough going on to keep readers interested.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to review.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel was hard for me to rate. On my own scale it would be somewhere between a 3 and 4 star rating. The first 75% of the novel moved quickly and the last quarter kind of dragged. I do appreciate he avoided one of the traps that annoys me about the genre - characters doing things that a physically improbable. As this is the first in his series about the main character - Travis Mays - he sets the back story for him. He does create characters you can care about.

I did have a problem with the villains. They just didn't do things that seemed realistic to me. This was part of my problem with the last part of the story and made it less enjoyable.

One of my personal bugaboos was the numerous grammatical errors and other editing errors. Spell check can only catch misspellings - not the wrong word.

I liked the Pacific Northwest setting - very different from North Carolina.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Travis Mays is a former cop, turned college Professor. He is teaching criminology in Washington State and living in a cabin he built in Idaho weekends. He turned in his badge because a woman he cared about, a CI, was murdered when sent back into a situation where he did not want her. Jessie White Eagle is a river scout and guide whose father is the local Indian Police Chief. She brings Travis into the case when her brother disappears. The plot encompasses a Casino, snipers, academia, procedural police work and a whole series of antagonists. It is well developed and well written and will hold the readers attention. The outdoor portions of the story alone make it worth reading.

[Lynnette Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

3/12/11 Just downloaded a sample at Smashwords~Love the sound of the synopsis!

3/15/11 As FDR would say GRAND!
Michelle was more than a confidential informant (CI) and then she was gone and Travis, still haunted by nightmares, was starting all over. Now he spends most of his time either at the cabin he built on the Clearwater River, Idaho or teaching criminology at the University.

For five years he’s stayed away from police work. Now Jessie White Eagle’s brother’s body has been found on federal lands.

[A Book Vacation · Rating 4 out of 5]

Random thoughts prior to full review.

Long, long, long, but good. Very well done, though a little choppy in terms of transitions here and there. Overall, the story was a great mystery and the characters were all very likable. I figured out who the main killers were fairly early on, but even so, it was still great. I think it could have been shorter though. There were about three times that I thought the novel was about finished only to find I still had a ways to go.

[Avid Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great suspense book!! I am usually good at knowing who the bad guy is, and why they are bad in any given novel, yet this one kept me guessing until the very end. The technical information was fascinating and it kept me up at night, as I could not put it down. Great author! I can't wait until his next book comes out.

[Jeannie Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a very good book. I like suspense and this one definitely has a lot of anxious uncertainly about what may or may not happen. The places in the book are accurately described and actually do exist. Mark did a great job of keeping readers from figuring out who the bad guy is. Good job, Mark!

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though an indie author, Mark Young makes an average everyday Joe blend in well with his more-than-average surroundings. Only $2.50 on amazon.com! Definitely worth it! Looking forward to his next O'rourke novel. Off The Grid was definitely a great book & possibly a better read than Revenge. I'm keeping this guy in my sights. (Pun intended).

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book and it started out quite well. But the plot was overwrought with implausible connections obviously manufactured to make it more complex. And then the climax was ruined with one of those scream-at-the-tv moments where the characters cannot see what is so obviously in front of them. Still a decent read, just not a fave.

[SimyCat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book. Characters were done well. The author made me see the scenery in the book. The story held my interest and has turns and twists. I would label this book a thriller and who done it. It held my interest and kept me turning the pages. A truly good read. I would recommend and look forward to reading more from this author. Great book/story.

[Paula Wiseman · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, I am really out of practice reading police books. :-) Mark has delivered a great debut, with an intricate, multi-layered plot. (Keep up with the details!) I loved his hero, Travis Mays and the unique setting and cultural backdrop that almost became a character itself.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was able to get this book free on my kindle and was very impressed with it..Will definitely be reading more books by this author..The book was a very well written,suspenseful mystery/thriller..Highly recommend it!!

[Donna Huber · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a great introduction to what possibly is a series. The characters were likeable and the action wasn't too predictable. I did figure it out with about 30 pages or so to go. Full review at Girl Who Reads .

[Melanie Melancon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revenge

If a story is one that I can't wait to get back to, that story is a five star story. Revenge is one of those. The plot is believable, the characters are likeable, and the action is non-stop. This is a roller coaster ride with a truly surprising ending.

[Kelly Gressley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the suspense in the book.

[Gerald Nusbaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

1st book that I read from Mark Young. Revenge is a Travis May mystery. I read this book in 4 days, unable to put down. I will look for more books by this author.

[Ty Mathison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many unexpected twists and turns. A page turner. Good reads.

[Natalie Cobb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story line and characters. Loved the twists and turns that kept me guessing.