Closure

Jack Randall #1

by Randall Wood, Thomas Hale (Illustrator)

A lawyer is shot in a suburban Florida community setting off a nationwide manhunt for an elusive killer. Special Agent Jack Randall finds himself appointed to track down the shooter. Not by his superiors, but by the killer himself.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Ebooks, Amazon, Suspense

396 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5* Beginning each chapter of Closure, the author states how many prison inmates are held in each state along with the number of repeat offenders; very high numbers. Two vigilantes are ready to remove some of the criminals walking the street as free men instead of serving a long prison sentence with no chance of parole. Sam and his brother-in-law Paul are sick of the justice system and have their first target already in their sights, a high priced lawyer who has aided far too many criminals escape their much deserved life sentences. Sam has been well trained as a top notch sniper specialist, never misses his targets and can kill with one shot right through the brain stem causing instant death. Author Randall Wood has written a fast paced story, strong characters with excellent dialogue keeping the reader well entertained.

[Tulay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

This book is about American justice system, and system especially in this troubled times shows no sign of changing. Lawyers and politicians are crippled the system.
Each chapter starts alphabetically listed states and how many are in their prisons, and how many are repeated offenders. Average about 2/3 of them are repeated offenders. Sam lost his wife and daughter to repeat drunk driver, decided to do something about the legal system, hoping to bring this issue out to open.

[Una Tiers · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable but tediously long read. A quarter of the way through the book, the pace was crawling. The writing is clear, the unveiling of the motive good. The medical portion was unnecessary and caused me to skim. The victims were stereotypes. Cell phones don't have dial tones.

[Jim A · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll get the spoiler out of the way right away. In the first few chapters there are numerous references to Randall’s work on a case involving the Russian Mafia, gaining him favor with the Deputy Director of the FBI. As this is Book 1 of the series, I expected there would be some explanation or elaboration. Wrong. Nothing. Maybe the author was setting up to fill in that back story later in the series, or setting the stage for a prequel later on. Anyway, for those who choose to read this series, don’t wait for the back story.

The book is a pretty good FBI procedural, searching for an assassin. The killer will probably gain the reader’s empathy (he did mine) because he kills bad guys or people who have gamed the system. He also is undergoing chemo between killings.

While not important to the story, the author also goes into a lot of detail as EMTs try to save the life of one of the victims.

I will certainly be picking up the next book in the series, Pestilence.

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the premise and was looking for a gripping suspense. Overall, it's a good read but there is filler sprinkled throughout which didn't need to be there. It slowed the plot down.

My Rating: 3 stars

[Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have had 4 stars if edited down by a few thousand words, particularly towards the end! Still, free on iBooks.

[Lorrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been reading this book in fits and spurts, partially because I was trying to get through other books, and partly because this book is so damn tedious to read. If I wanted to read a Wikipedia article or a technical manual, I would have gone to Wikipedia or opened a tech manual. EVERYTHING in this book that has a description is done to the nth degree, which is annoying as all hell. The research should NEVER overshadow the plot. It should enhance it. Add realism and believability, not BECOME the plot. It should be apparent that research was done, but DON'T dump it on us in HUGE blocks of text. I wish I was joking that I was finding 3-4 screen paragraphs (I'm reading this on my Kobo) in this book, but it's true.

And despite all this information dumping, there are still a ton of errors that should never have happened. Like an inmate having shoes with laces -- nope, because they could be used as a noose or a garrotte. Like an FBI investigator 'borrowing' a laptop -- nope, because of encryption issues. Like a criminal being brought to the front door of a courthouse in a normal squad car from the jail -- nope, because they would be brought in a windowless van that would park at a basement entrance (ironically to prevent the exact thing that will happen to Ping). Like Ping stalling his trial for 19 years -- nope, because the sixth amendment actually exists, and it would have been forced through by now, one way or another. Like referring to a head-shot as center-mass -- nope, a head shot is a head shot, center-mass is torso, where all the vital organs are. Like a dial tone on a cell phone -- nope, they don't have a dial tone. Would you copy a full hard drive onto discs -- nope, you would copy it (a novel concept, I know) to another harddrive or a server.

[Paul Fussner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting story with lots going on.

It took me three days to read this book only because I had to sleep and eat, I was hooked from page one.
The author went to great lengths with his research while covering several different topics and stores at once. If you like edge of your seat mysteries you'll be hooked by page two, being the fanatical person that I am I couldn't stop myself from googling a lot of the medical terminology used by this author, to say I was impressed with the level of accuracy I found as the storyline line progressed would be an understatement. Reading this book will be a good use of your time. I'm purchasing Jack Randall #2 as soon as I complete this review.

[Msjodi777 · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent story

Was not sure about this one when I started because the author is new to me, but you have to give new authors a chance, right?

Have to admit to being pleasantly surprised. I was sucked into the story very quickly, and really started to like the "bad" guy. Only had a couple of problems with the plot, but they were minor, and pretty much just a personal quirk, so not really important. All in all, a good read. I have already purchased the next one in the series. <><

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and gripping. Really had me hooked from the first page with a tight plot, well-drawn characters and excitement all the way. I look forward to trying more from Randall Wood and highly recommend "Closure".

[Sandybfl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story!

This was a good story, and well written. Unfortunately I think the editor got tired, and missed a lot in the second half of the book. I will definitely read the next in the series.

[Agamonee Barbaruah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun reading. Very masculine somehow, though I would keep a window open for all those women who love to know how a bomb or gun or other such things are made of or work. Those portions, I skipped. They kind of stalled my trail of thought.

Otherwise, pretty pacy and fun

[Brock]

Personal response: I think that Closure by Randall Wood is awesome because the way the story plays out is amazing and the action is exciting. This book has just the right amount of action. I like how the author describes the sniper scenes. It includes great details.


Plot: This book is about an assassin named Sam who leaves behind dead bodies with a very disgusting sign. The book first starts out with him lying on a bluff in a ghillie suit in a really rich neighborhood. He is waiting for a lawyer to stop at the traffic lights. He is planning to take a shot at the lawyer. The assassin has already killed 50 people and this lawyer will be his 51st kill. The assassin shoots the lawyer in the head. The lawyer is extremely famous. The FBI starts looking for the assassin. The FBI warns the entire country about the assassin calling him a terrorist. Jack Randall is an FBI agent in charge of locating the assassin. Jack Randall is given a letter that the assassin left on his last kill. He learns that the assassin is killing for revenge. He also finds out that Sam is dying. Jack Randall allows Sam to escape because he is going to die anyway. The FBI is not happy with Jack Randall’s decision.


Characterization: Jack Randall is the FBI agent that is looking for the assassin. Jack seems like a hard-working guy with no home life. Jack did not like Sam in the beginning of the book. He wants to capture him. He changes his feelings and lets Sam escape in the end.
The assassin, Sam, looks like an ordinary guy but is very deadly. He kills people who use their power to control others. He is dying so he feels he does not have anything to lose by seeking revenge.

Setting: The book takes place from the deserts of Nevada to New York City. Jack Randall goes to every state in between Nevada and New York trailing the assassin. He finds the clues left on the disgusting bodies by Sam. This book also took place in modern time because there are cell phones and modern weapons. The setting is important to the plot because Jack Randall has to travel where the clues lead him.

Recommendation: I recommend this book to males because it has action and they can relate to the main characters. I recommend this to ages 16 and up because of the graphics content and some profanity. I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 because it keeps the reader on their feet with action

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay now I have ANOTHER favorite author!!!!! This book by Randall Wood is absolutely fantastic. Could give Jack Reacher a run for his money any time! I LOVE the characters, they are so realistic. I enjoy so much the sniper thrillers - especially when a sniper is working for the good! (Why don't they just let him keep going? Why do the FBI have to go after him? Huh? Never mind, I know, I know).
This is a page turner extraordinaire. I mean, right up to the last page. Even to the last page of the epilogue. Even to the last page of the author's Bio! Awwwwww, and the author has a Great Dane puppy. How could I not love him? (Bet it is a big dog now).

I cannot highly enough recommend this book! If I had a thesaurus handy I would add even more superlatives, but alas, I left the thesaurus somewhere.....

[Judy Churchill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well thought out, thrilling FBI story. It kept me reading long after lights should have been out. I fell for Jack, the protagonist, but became equally fond and sympathetic to Sam, Jack's former sniper instructor. These men shared a heartwarming history, which helped lead them to a decent ending. Since this is the first book in a series I will have to read the rest.

[Graham Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

I've had this book for a while now. I wish that I'd read it earlier. I truly enjoyed the storyline and the interaction between Jack's staff. I think that this may be my next author to collect in full.

[Twobchelm · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting book that keeps you turning pages.
Two friends end up on opposite ends of the law
Each having reasons for their actions. I can certainly
Understand the feelings of both men.

[Judyspadoni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good thriller. Interesting plot.

[Stace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sam is a man on a mission. He believes that the world is corrupt and that the criminals in the world are getting an easy ride. There are too many criminals getting away with doing their deeds and then being let off. He feels that the American government is not doing its job properly and stopping these criminals from re offending once caught.

Using his army training, he decides that he’s going to bring retribution for the American people.

He has compiled a list of targets, criminals and their associates who have helped them escape justice.

He has one problem though, he’s sick and getting sicker. He is finding each of his missions harder than the one before, but he knows he must go through with his plan. It’s what he needs to do for his family.

Jack Randall is an FBI agent. When he is assigned a case of a lawyer being shot, he doesn't understand why, until they show him the letter. A letter address just to him. It had been left near the charred remains of a gun and clothes used by the shooter. The letter explains why the killer is killing and that there will be more.

It is up to Jack and his dedicated team, including his ex girlfriend to find this person before they kill again. They underestimate their killer though and are shocked at how quickly the killer’s targets are being killed.

Now a race has begun. Can Sam complete his list before being caught or becoming too ill to finish it? Can Jack identify and find the killer before they have an epidemic on their hands, whilst at the same time as trying to stop copycat killers?

Review

This is the first book in the Jack Randall series. Jack is ex-military and uses all of his training to help catch his killer. He is smart, logical and caring, but there is something about this killer than he can’t quite put his finger on.

Sam is a man on a mission, he has been through tremendous grief and pain and now is extremely sick. He feels that the only thing left in his life is to do what the law is unable to do; kill those that are getting away with their crimes, or those that are abetting them.

I couldn't choose a side, as Jack is this warm character, who is trying to do the best for everyone. He is the law, and although he understands why his killer is killing, he still must catch them and bring them to justice. He has great faith in his team and is working around the clock, but knows his loyalty to the job is putting a strain on his marriage.

Sam isn't portrayed as the ‘bad guy’. From the first hit, you’re with Sam. You get to hear the targets background story and why Sam feels they need to be brought to his justice. I felt this longing for Sam to get a clean away and not be caught, but feared that once he had completed his last hit, being caught is what he wanted.

When you find out the reason why Sam is ticking off his targets, you understand why. You’re with Sam as he pulls the trigger as well as at his hospital appointments in periods of intense pain, when his illness is taking over his body.

Hearing Sam’s back story brought it all home and I felt sorry for a guy who has been so let down by the ‘system’, that he thought he had nowhere else to turn to, except to use his skills and take justice into his own hands.

The book is written in the third person so we get to see and feel everyone’s emotions throughout the book, but its mainly Sam and Jack’s that the plot follows.

I did enjoy the book, but I found myself stopping and starting. There wasn't that urge like with most books that I have read, to find out ‘what happened next’ and carry on reading until I knew.

It was towards the end though that I really struggled with the book. I needed to know what was going to happen to Sam, whether he would complete his list, be caught, or would his illness catch up with him first? But I started skipping out sections, especially a couple of chapters where we had paramedics working on a one of Sam’s targets. I felt personally that it didn't add to the storyline.

I'm not sure at this moment whether I would read any more in the series. I do like the character, Jack, but I want more excitement in a thriller. I want that urge to need to know what’s happening next and why, and be shocked at some of the twists, but I didn't notice any twists in this book.

It’s a shame because I loved the plot and all the facts that you learn throughout the book. I loved the way it was written, up to the last few chapters, and it’s those last few that spoiled it for me.

Saying that though, I am still glad that I read it. I just wanted more action, excitement and to be surprised now and again.

Seeing as it’s the first in a series, I'm hoping that the intensity and drama pick up in the other books.

[Chaitalee Ghosalkar · Rating 3 out of 5]

One thing that stands out in closure is the attention to detail. It begins with the first kill the antagonist of the story makes, is visible through the listing of number of repeat offenders in all states of America, and also showcases itself through the way the investigation unfolds.

This is a story about a terminally ill killer Sam with a vengeance, and an FBI agent Randall hunting him down. That they both share a past is revealed later on, but doesn't really add to the story.

Each victim is selected in advance, but the final details of the kill are planned last minute. That Sam is able to breeze through the crime scene effortlessly becomes hard to digest at a later stage.

But it is the author's strong point that turns out to be his Achilles heel. At times, the author is so consumed by the detailing that he indulges way too much than he should be. Case in point being a rescue operation of a character after he is shot by Sam. Pages are wasted on the scene; something that could have easily been done away with a couple of sentences, or paragraphs at most.

The research and effort put into the book is evident. I wish it would have translated into a gripping tale. Alas, it falls short over there.

[Angus Mcfarlane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure why this was being given away free on iTunes. Perhaps the thriller fiction market is well filled with established writers whose persistent output prevents new entries. Because this read well enough to have been worth parting with some cash. The good guy is not in question, but the bad guy has a good case to argue, creating a basis to the chase which ensues. For the most part, the plot moves steadily - oscillating between the two main men - with an even pace on the action scenes that promotes understanding for the most part rather than adrenalin. The investigation lacks the gradual revelation of crime fiction since this is made apparent early on. The only bit I didn't enjoy was the medical diagnosis and procedure toward the end. while it seemed to show off the authors knowledge of emergency response (and a shout for paramedics for the job they do), but jarred with the plot over a character of secondary importance.

Normally I enjoy mulling over the themes a story explore in a review like this. But the main gist is better left to the unwinding of the plot by those who read it for themselves. Which I think is well worth the while.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a quick read. The story moved well, and I enjoyed it. One interesting thing is that I noticed I had more connection with the "bad guy" than Jack Randall, who is supposed to be the star of the show. Sure, the bad guy is a sympathetic character, both for what he's doing (although I don't agree with his actions, if this were real life) and because of a few personal factors I won't mention here, for fear of spoiling anything. Still, while this is the first of a series, and likely meant to set up Jack Randall for his future adventures, I felt like there needed to be more to illuminate the man who is supposed to be the hero.

Also, this may seem nitpicking to some, but Mr. Wood needs a better editor (maybe a got one for future books in the series?). The number of misspellings in the book was distracting--grade school stuff, too, like "then" instead of "than." Marriot instead of Marriott. There were lots of them, but I didn't keep a list. Still, a halfway decent editor should have cleaned this up.

[Carmen S. Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not understand the title until near the end.

A well written book from both perspectives. It's not common in a mystery, to find yourself loyal to both the killer and the representative of the law. it was not so much that I wanted either side to win, I just did not want either side to loose. Lots of procedure explained clearly. I enjoy the character Jack Randall. If Wood writes more, I will read them. Good stuff!

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast-paced, rollercoaster ride of a book!

This was a free Kindle book for me. That being said, it is my first exposure to this author, but not my last! This was well-written and kept me the on the edge of my seat! The writer's knowledge of his subject material, coupled with great character development keeps the reader focused right to the end.

[vmt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very suspenseful, kept me wrapped up in the story until the very end!

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Orlando, FL. 200 meters was about the normal range.
Theodore Carlton Addicot (Tort lawyer) wouldn’t be doing any more cases ever again.
FBI Deputy Director Mark Deacon (Jack’s boss) wanted to know if FBI SA Jack Randall (husband, minor criminology) got the fax he sent.

FBI SA Larry (U of Michigan; psychology), FBI SA Dave & FBI SA Sydney “Syd” Lewis (U of Tennessee, Jack ex-wife) would accompany FBI SA Randall.
FBI SAC Mel Dexter (Orlando) & Chief Sanchez (Orlando PD) were there to greet the bunch.
FBI SA Dave was assigned to do the background checks on the victim.
Theodore owns 4 houses, a cattle ranch, 2 boats, a Gulfstream 5 jet, & is worth $350 million.
He was also going through divorce #4.
50 yards away what was left of a Remington 308 had been found.
Deputy Chief of Staff Charlie Parker & Senator John Harper (GA-R) were discussing the Presidents new gun bill.
Like all of them before this 1 was ludicrous.
Kalamazoo, MI. Paul (brother-in-law) drove Sam (cancer, assassin, retired US Army) to the West Michigan Cancer Center.
Kristin (nurse) & Dr. Maher (retired US Army) were seeing to his treatment.
Las Vegas, NV. Tropicana hotel/casino. Sam (Russell) had arrived.
The MGM Grand hotel/casino & Garden Arena was a boxing was across the street with a title boxing match about to start.
Phil (hobby store owner, retired USAF) took care of what Sam needed.
Junior Mayfield (heavyweight champion of the world) told media it is his last fight.
Luther, Mooky, JJ, & “Profit” were headed to the Cheetahs strip bar.
Sam was right behind them. He watched as Profit’s car had went through the car wash.
His mission was accomplished.
Old school dynamite had been used on the car/5 occupants.
FBI SA Larry, FBI SA Dave, FBI SA Lewis, & FBI SA Randall had arrived on the crime scene.
FBI SA Stacie Shaw (NV., college BFF, U of Tennessee) greeted the FBI bunch.
Orange County, CA. courthouse. Officer Leo Lehman was escorting Leonard Ping (Chinese, U of Georgia; biology, serial killer 12 murders) to court for his trial.

Leonard had 3 guards around him.
740 yards from target.
BANG!
He won’t be going to court anymore.
Collateral damage, an officer was hit in the leg but is still alive & on the way to ER.
TJ Olson (A/A, former pro baseball player) was doing autograph signing at the Germain Arena & all the proceeds go to the Ft. Myers United Way.
The Renaissance Golf Club will match the amount + a round of golf with the celebrity.
Mr. Gudobba (aka Sam) was speaking with Kristy Barrett (real estate broker) about a couple of condo’s.
TJ & Ben were on the golf course.
BANG! TJ was down.
Grand Dragon Thomas M. Curtis (Christian Identity Movement, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, CA.) was about to lead his next big rally.

FBI SA Larry, FBI SA Dave, FBI SA Lewis, & FBI SA Randall had all arrived.
Sam was there also.
BOOM! Thomas R. Curtis was loaded into the ambulance.
7 members of Tennessee White Pride, & 1 police officer, all with had minor injuries.
Anthony Tasone v the State of New York, on count 1, how do you find?
Jack & Paul were at the Kalamazoo County prison.
John Hoskins (head of the Secret Service) warned the President there was a need to be alarmed.
The state of the union speech was finally over.

BANG! BANG! The President was on the floor of the limo.
It was only firecrackers.
Later, Senator Harper (GA) had died.
Danny (Washington Post reporter) ask Paul to do?

Warning: This book contains extremely graphic adult content, violence, or expletive language &/or uncensored sexually explicit material which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive or have potential adverse psychological effects on the reader.

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.

A very awesome book cover, & great font/writing style. A very well written political thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great political thriller movie, or better yet a mini TV series. Avery easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free Tension Book works; EbookStage; Smashwords; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons (Washburn)

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a prominent lawyer is shot while waiting at a suburban stop sign it sets off a nation-wide manhunt for an elusive killer. Special Agent Jack Randall of the FBI finds himself appointed to track down and stop the shooter. Not by his superiors, but by the killer himself.

As more bodies fall the shooter takes his message to the press, earning the support of the public with his choice of targets and confounding the FBI at every turn. From the desert of Nevada to the urban jungle of New York City, Jack and his team follow the trail of bodies and haunting messages left behind by the killer. With the pressure to find him mounting on Jack, the assassin’s crimes grow bolder, and his message more sinister and closer to home.

The different twists and turns in the book make for an easy, interesting read. The author gets carried away with excessive descriptions of preparation for kills and procedures to investigate the murders. At the front of each chapter, there is the number of persons in prison by state and the number of repeat prisoners. Startling the number of repeats for each state. While I certainly don't condone vigilante killers, it does make me wonder if there are better ways to manage the prison populations.

[Tommy Muncie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Closure is the sort of book I’ve taken a pass on over the last few years, but after reading it I found myself wondering why. That’s the first good thing I can say about it: it rekindled my interest in fast-paced suspense novels involving law enforcement and the military and set in the real world - something I really hadn’t expected would happen any time soon. So how did it do it? Unlike the book’s title itself, one word doesn’t sum it up. One word doesn’t really sum Closure up either, or any of the ideas in it. So let’s open the file...

Closure is the kind of book where the scene changing and pacing make it feel more like a film. It’s a fast read partly thanks to this kind of cinematic montage, but with the added bonus of there being time to take in the details of every scene as well - a combination of fast pace and slow motion. In the middle of crime scene investigations the reader gets the same kind of appreciation and ‘attention to detail’ that the police and the CSI team get. The descriptions of the preparation and executions of sniper assassinations are riveting. The gaps in between the action are like getting an education in weaponry, technology and tactics on both sides of the law. It wasn’t simply the ‘Can they catch him?’ suspense that kept me reading Closure. The devil was always in the details. At no point did I feel like the details were replacing the story though, the way they sometimes do in TV shows like CSI or books where the author knows a lot about the subject matter but gets too carried away with it.

After reading a little about the author it was obvious that Randall Wood is a highly effective writer when it comes to using his own background and filtering the details down to what’s necessary and what will drive the story. Few debut novels I’ve seen even from well known authors are as concise and selective as this. If I want to compare authors, Patricia Cornwall is the one who really comes to mind here, although rather than focusing on autopsy or medical details, Closure is more grounded in weaponry and technology. Although for the record, I did cringe at one familiar line involving pathologists and patients who don’t speak, but this was the only time I reached for the highlight feature in anger throughout the book. Only in the last quarter of the story did I think that some of the detail was a little heavy and weighing the pace down (no specifics to avoid spoilers) but this didn’t stop me wanting to reach the end.

Where this book didn’t excel for me was dialogue. It was all very run of the mill and typical talk between crime teams throughout, and even in the more reflective moments I didn’t find myself highlighting any great one-liners or those little moments where I sometimes get the ‘Wish I’d thought of that’ vibe. This didn’t hinder the book, but it’s the one thing I usually enjoy that was missing.

Apart from the two main characters, Sam and Jack, there wasn’t the character depth I normally like in book of this length, but if I’m honest this is a personal preference rendered irrelevant by how much fun I had reading Closure, and I never picked up it expecting a deep insight into the human condition anyway. It’s a book that delivers what the cover and synopsis promised.

It’s also the kind of book that could keep me immersed for hours at a time (I read at a slow pace and don’t like skimming), and what I’m really taking away from it is that although a lot of characters served a function rather than being fully rounded people, Closure did manage to be serious and reflective at times without getting too bogged down in philosophy or psychological analysis - a pit many writers fall into no matter what their genre. Politics did come out to play a number of times but Randall Wood as the author avoided any kind of political preaching or side-picking through his subject matter, leaving it to me as the reader to make up my own mind. In the end, perhaps the irony of the title is that there are no firm conclusions about some questions apart from those the reader might decide on.

If there is one big message in this book then I’m still trying to work out exactly what it is, and maybe that’s the point: it explores a number of ideas effectively while using the central plot of the FBI trying to catch a killer as a focus point for all of it. If you like reading books where you question who the bad guys really are then this is a read for you. Closure is the sort of suspense read where you can think you’re getting into familiar territory with a predictable conclusion only to have something different happen. In the middle there are two particularly good sections with ‘loaded lines’ where I thought I could guess the rest of the book, but kept reading because the skill behind the first half of the book made me sure I would be proven wrong. Cat and mouse games with the reader are a kind of mirror to what’s happening on the page. I loved all that, and I’d go back for more in other books by the same author.

It’s been a while since I’ve read these authors but I’m willing to put this down anyway: if you get on with the likes of Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum or Frederick Forsyth, give this book a try. Apart from perhaps Clancy’s writing, Closure has a more modern authorial style with less padding. As far as the police and the FBI went, and the people with business backrounds like Jack Randall, I found myself reminded of early Eric Lustbader (the novels under his own name, before continuing the Bourne books) but without the Japenese background or the ultra-violence. Action is well described and gory detail certainly given in Closure, but it’s more the bottom-end of the R rating (or a ‘15’ if you’re in the UK.) If you’re this kind of reader, check this book out.

If you’re an author looking to hone your craft or indeed just take a lesson in first class presentation, hooking the reader, making the story the main focus and maintaining effective pacing, get a copy of this book.

[Don · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too much garbage

More of a liberal political statement than a novel. Regardless of the half truths and lies woven into the timeline of this book, the fact remains that the right of o purchase and bear arms is protected by the second amendment. If democrats don't like it, then amend the constitution. Quit writing stupid books and filling with lies to try to back door the process. The author even has a republican congressman act like a gun nut, then threaten him with opposition, and finally bribe him to support Chicago style gun laws for the nation. And we all know how that is working out for Chicago. The author ends up having the congressman murdered by the vigilante killer and all is right with the world. Ludicrous story from the start and got even more stagnated as the story slowly unfolded. Do not buy this book or any other by the author since he is a leftist that is only promoting a cause.