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Jack Davis Mystery #3
No Way Out
When Things Don't Add Up. . .
Meeting ex-FBI agent Jack Davis in the middle of a shootout is the best thing that could have happened to Veronica "Roni" Chase. But Jack has no idea how deep--and how deadly--his involvement with the mysterious young bookkeeper will get. The pretty accountant may be able to pull a trigger as well as she manipulates a spreadsheet, but her talents may add up to zero if a killer gets their way. As Jack follows Roni into a lethal web of deceit, years in the making, the only thing that might save them--time--is running out. . .
Praise for Joel Goldman
"Locked and loaded and full of the blood of character and the gritty detail that make up the truth. . .I loved it." --Michael Connelly (Shakedown)
"Fast, furious and thoroughly enjoyable, THE LAST WITNESS is classic, and classy. . .filled with great characters and sharp, stylish writing."
--Jeffery Deaver
Meeting ex-FBI agent Jack Davis in the middle of a shootout is the best thing that could have happened to Veronica "Roni" Chase. But Jack has no idea how deep--and how deadly--his involvement with the mysterious young bookkeeper will get. The pretty accountant may be able to pull a trigger as well as she manipulates a spreadsheet, but her talents may add up to zero if a killer gets their way. As Jack follows Roni into a lethal web of deceit, years in the making, the only thing that might save them--time--is running out. . .
Praise for Joel Goldman
"Locked and loaded and full of the blood of character and the gritty detail that make up the truth. . .I loved it." --Michael Connelly (Shakedown)
"Fast, furious and thoroughly enjoyable, THE LAST WITNESS is classic, and classy. . .filled with great characters and sharp, stylish writing."
--Jeffery Deaver
448 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 19, 2010
390 people are currently reading
473 people want to read
About the author
Joel Goldman
34 books280 followersJoel Goldman is the Edgar and Shamus nominated author of four thriller series.
His first series features Lou Mason, a trial lawyer willing to dive into the dark water to save his clients.
Joel's second series introduces former FBI Special Agent Jack Davis who has a movement disorder that makes him shake when he should shoot.Joel has a unique perspective on Jack's condition since he lives with the same disorder.
Alex Stone headlines Joel's third series. She's a public defender who applies her own code of justice when the system gets it wrong.
Joel's fourth series goes international with Cassie Ireland and Jake Carter. She's a modern day Robin Hood and he's a professional poker player. They join forces to bring down the rich and powerful.
Joel lives with his wife and two dogs in Leawood, KS, a suburb of Kansas City, MO.
Series:
* Lou Mason Mystery
* Jack Davis Mystery
* Alex Stone Mystery
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
December 18, 2017
Another good story!!
And it seems I'm getting better at figuring stuff out because this time, I got at least some of it right, lol!!
Warning if reading about small children being missing is a hard limit for you. Not the whole case revolves around them but some of it.
And it seems I'm getting better at figuring stuff out because this time, I got at least some of it right, lol!!
Warning if reading about small children being missing is a hard limit for you. Not the whole case revolves around them but some of it.
November 28, 2016
Second time around, still outstanding.
Read all the Jack Davis thrillers, this one was read about three years ago, I recommend this series to everybody. This can be read alone, but if you read them form the beginning you'll know Jack and people around him better. This story is about three families, financial difficulties made them loose their homes and businesses. Gun trafficking from Kansas City to Mexican cartel called Nuestra Familia, mothers two generation raising their babies alone. Child pedophilia, murders and questionable FBI agent, missing children. Jack suffering medical condition doctors calls it Tic, like Tourette syndrome, but Jack is crusader, he does his best and knows that moon isn't pink.
Read all the Jack Davis thrillers, this one was read about three years ago, I recommend this series to everybody. This can be read alone, but if you read them form the beginning you'll know Jack and people around him better. This story is about three families, financial difficulties made them loose their homes and businesses. Gun trafficking from Kansas City to Mexican cartel called Nuestra Familia, mothers two generation raising their babies alone. Child pedophilia, murders and questionable FBI agent, missing children. Jack suffering medical condition doctors calls it Tic, like Tourette syndrome, but Jack is crusader, he does his best and knows that moon isn't pink.
December 15, 2016
Another well written tale from Joel Goldman. Goldman intertwines a good tale with enough action to keep the reader turning the pages. And, as with all well written mystery novels, there are some twists that will keep the reader guessing.
September 12, 2010
No Way Out is a fun, action-packed book that was full of suspense. It reminded me of some of my favorite action flicks and I could definitely see this one on the big screen. When you're looking for adventure, pick up Joel's book.
February 10, 2017
Joel Goldman knows how to tell a story. This new Jack Davis mystery is great as a read-alone, but uses characters from earlier books. The style of writing creates suspense and draws the reader in. The characters themselves are each a masterpiece, fitting into the story as pieces of a puzzle. Suspense and danger dog Jack Davis as he deals with his personal issues, and works perplexing cases. Figuring out the bad guys is next to impossible as people are killed with little clues as to motives and perpetrators. The characters are extremely realistic and fit well into personal experience. The story wraps up with twists you don't see coming. Another great book!
February 21, 2011
No Way Out by Joel Goldman is a cross between a thriller and a crime novel. It’s the third in the series starring ex-FBI agent Jack Davis.
Like all protagonists, Jack Davis has his flaw or Achilles Heel. Unlike a lot of lead characters, though, his is a doozie. With the FBI for 25 years, he didn’t retire or quit under a cloud. He quit because he developed what he calls “the shakes.” Often without warning and often when things get “hairy,” he begins to shake. He can’t control it and it often drops him to his knees. That doesn’t stop him, though. It does, however, put him in some precarious situations.
This case involves gun dealers being robbed and, in the latest incident, killed. He ends up investigating. Jack has more than just his shakes to deal with. His ex-wife lives with him while she deals with terminal cancer. The woman who often drives him is his past lover. When he doesn’t have someone to drive him, he rides the city bus. And when someone else might give up, he keeps going.
By the end, he solves the case. What he loses, though, is both painful and life-changing. And the chances are you won’t see the killer coming.
I give No Way Out by Joel Goldman a rating of Hel-of-a-Writer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FTC Disclaimer: I received No Way Out from Kaye Publicity. Getting a free copy of this book in no way influenced my review. No Way Out has a lot of characters. So many that I got a bit lost at times, but that was the fault of my lack of big chunks of time to read. It also had a most compelling main character. He’s driven by his own demons and past mistakes. He has what would seem to be an insurmountable flaw. When he develops the shakes and crashes to one knee, he pulls himself up, and you the reader, with him. His dying wife does not have a huge role in the book, but she is never far from your mind. Eldon, the gun dealer who is killed coming home from a gun show, stays in your head. It is the characters who inhabit Jack Davis’ world that stick in your memory.
Like all protagonists, Jack Davis has his flaw or Achilles Heel. Unlike a lot of lead characters, though, his is a doozie. With the FBI for 25 years, he didn’t retire or quit under a cloud. He quit because he developed what he calls “the shakes.” Often without warning and often when things get “hairy,” he begins to shake. He can’t control it and it often drops him to his knees. That doesn’t stop him, though. It does, however, put him in some precarious situations.
This case involves gun dealers being robbed and, in the latest incident, killed. He ends up investigating. Jack has more than just his shakes to deal with. His ex-wife lives with him while she deals with terminal cancer. The woman who often drives him is his past lover. When he doesn’t have someone to drive him, he rides the city bus. And when someone else might give up, he keeps going.
By the end, he solves the case. What he loses, though, is both painful and life-changing. And the chances are you won’t see the killer coming.
I give No Way Out by Joel Goldman a rating of Hel-of-a-Writer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FTC Disclaimer: I received No Way Out from Kaye Publicity. Getting a free copy of this book in no way influenced my review. No Way Out has a lot of characters. So many that I got a bit lost at times, but that was the fault of my lack of big chunks of time to read. It also had a most compelling main character. He’s driven by his own demons and past mistakes. He has what would seem to be an insurmountable flaw. When he develops the shakes and crashes to one knee, he pulls himself up, and you the reader, with him. His dying wife does not have a huge role in the book, but she is never far from your mind. Eldon, the gun dealer who is killed coming home from a gun show, stays in your head. It is the characters who inhabit Jack Davis’ world that stick in your memory.
October 25, 2014
A great read from beginning to end. Looking forward to Goldman's next novel!
October 14, 2014
Good series - I never figure out the bad guy!!
August 23, 2017
Former FBI agent Jack Davis has a disorder that causes his body to spasm and tic uncontrollably when ever it wants, usually when he's tired or stressed. At lunch discussing missing children he's trying to help find, he witnesses a man at a nearby table shoot & kill his wife and the 3rd person at the table (Roni) shoots him in self-defense. Jack verifies the self-defense. But the man is shot & killed at the hospital. And holy cow, it just goes from there. I had trouble keeping some of the characters straight because there were so many players: the policeman, the police negotiator, the separated parents of the missing children (she is convinced he killed them, and he's not saying anything to anyone), the neighbor & son who raised money to hire Jack's friend to find the children, the 3 families of men who are intertwined with Roni and her mother & grandmother, the ATF agent, and on & on it goes. It was a good plot and a well-written story, but wow! I'll try to find the first book in the series - I like the author's style.
January 10, 2020
Much too convoluted.
SPOILERS!
My least favorite of the series. Far too many twists and turns, suppositions, and unanswered questions. Did they ever find the boy’s body? Who knows... There were too many people introduced in this story to keep track of without building their identities up, only to have the story neatly wrapped up in the last four pages. In the end, unsatisfying.
SPOILERS!
My least favorite of the series. Far too many twists and turns, suppositions, and unanswered questions. Did they ever find the boy’s body? Who knows... There were too many people introduced in this story to keep track of without building their identities up, only to have the story neatly wrapped up in the last four pages. In the end, unsatisfying.
January 9, 2018
This is the final book in this series. I liked it but I didn't love it. I do like Joel Goldman's writing style so will look for more of his work. I really liked the main character in this series - Jack Davis, and I liked some of the other characters, namely Lucy and Joy. I didn't like Kate too much, which might explain why I didn't love this book.
February 19, 2023
Throughly intoxicating!
I couldn't put this book down. I read the whole book in one day. Superb character developement while weaving several plots together and adding philosophical truths to the mixture. No super heros, but very realistic characters. I highly recommend both this book and this author.
I couldn't put this book down. I read the whole book in one day. Superb character developement while weaving several plots together and adding philosophical truths to the mixture. No super heros, but very realistic characters. I highly recommend both this book and this author.
January 31, 2017
Intense!
This has been my favorite Joel Goldman so far! When he started wrapping up the plot, I couldn't believe how it all came together! Gotta see if I've got the next one downloaded yet!
This has been my favorite Joel Goldman so far! When he started wrapping up the plot, I couldn't believe how it all came together! Gotta see if I've got the next one downloaded yet!
February 6, 2017
Jack Davis was great again. The storyline was good. Lots of twists and turns. I figured it out early but I still second guessed myself. Was a great mystery. Loved the characters. I like how Lucy and Simon played bigger parts. Really like the author
July 23, 2017
Great Author
Lou Mason and Jack Davis are great characters in very well written stories. I can't wait to read about Alex Stone. I will be reading Joel Goldman books as soon as he publishes them.
Lou Mason and Jack Davis are great characters in very well written stories. I can't wait to read about Alex Stone. I will be reading Joel Goldman books as soon as he publishes them.
September 10, 2017
I enjoyed this kne, my first from this author. I thought the flawed detective was different enough to appeal and the stoy was complex enough to stay interesting. I will probably pick up more books in the series.
January 21, 2019
No Way Out
I have read this book twice and both time I have enjoy the twist and turns. The way the story is tied together is brilliant. This book can be read alone but there is more depth when read in the correct sequence
I have read this book twice and both time I have enjoy the twist and turns. The way the story is tied together is brilliant. This book can be read alone but there is more depth when read in the correct sequence
May 25, 2019
Intriguing all the way through,
Sometimes difficult to follow I had to go back a number of times but written in such a way that kept me reading several times per day whenever I could
Sometimes difficult to follow I had to go back a number of times but written in such a way that kept me reading several times per day whenever I could
June 3, 2017
Goldman
This guy is great, Jack is Columbo on steriods,Love it. Going for number four now, to see if it gets any better!
This guy is great, Jack is Columbo on steriods,Love it. Going for number four now, to see if it gets any better!
August 16, 2017
Good series
I have enjoyed every book in the Jack Davis series.. unpredictAble ending. Hope he will write another one on Jack Davis.
I have enjoyed every book in the Jack Davis series.. unpredictAble ending. Hope he will write another one on Jack Davis.
October 16, 2017
This was my first Jack Davis mystery. I liked that it kept me guessing to the end. I certainly will read other books in this series later as Jack Davis is a believable character. A good, fast read!
April 17, 2018
No Way Out
Great book. Joel Goldman is a genius.
Teach book I read from him I am more impressed.
Lots of excitement in the chase.
Great book. Joel Goldman is a genius.
Teach book I read from him I am more impressed.
Lots of excitement in the chase.
March 15, 2020
Best book I’ve read so far!!!!! And I’ve read plenty of books!
Loved it! The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat! I will definitely be reading more books from this author!
Loved it! The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat! I will definitely be reading more books from this author!
September 16, 2022
Great story. Convoluted plot! Great characters too. I'm looking forward to reading another one! Though there are a couple of series, I will still read the Jack Davis series first.
April 23, 2024
Good story
February 1, 2025
I really enjoy these books.. I wish they were a longer series. The characters are so well developed it is like meeting with old friends!
September 30, 2016
Good read.
Recommend all three books in the series. Good reading. Great characters and plots keep you interested till the end. Good writer.
Recommend all three books in the series. Good reading. Great characters and plots keep you interested till the end. Good writer.
November 23, 2016
Most of Joel Goldman’s “No Way Out” was tightly written. I was impressed by the way he continued to have Jack Davis repeatedly sift through the clues and summarize the possibilities. With two cases going on at the same time, this would appear to require concentration from both Jack and the author. There were a few stumbles that bothered me, though. A quick rundown, without spoilers:
As previously stated, the writing was excellent. Conversations between characters were natural, and the tough detective theme wove throughout the entire novel. Mr. Goldman planted clues for us to see, and Jack would put them together at various times and lead us down the different avenues of potential outcomes. Most impressive was the use of micro-expressions in the story, described accurately and not as a trick or a tool that worked all the time (especially without a baseline). Definitely a five star effort in this area.
The plot was entertaining, and the novel was hard to set down. The author continually presented plausible clues, only to have Jack and company destroy the theories and set off in another direction. The one blip (which possibly could have been a major issue) concerned the gun used by Roni when she shot her client (this happens on page 22, so not really a spoiler). I found it difficult to believe the gun would have been returned to her as quickly as described, and when its importance was emphasized later in the book, the author lost some credibility points with me. There were certainly other options how this could have been handled (I hesitate to explain more because I don’t want to move into spoiler mode). However, this was the only problem I had with the entire story, so not a reason to recommend to anyone to not read this book.
Characterizations were excellent, and told in an entertaining manner. Like most detectives in current novels, Jack has a disability he must deal with. This tiresome plot device is used effectively in “No Way Out,” or at least blended into Jack’s personality with enough skill that it did not turn into a detrimental element.
The ending came together neatly, and all the unraveled strings were brought together and made whole. While I thought the ending was slightly convenient, overall I was happy with the book and would recommend it to anyone who likes this genre.
One huge negative was the horrible editing. I am assuming this only happened if read on a Kindle. Indentations for no reason, paragraphs chopped up and extended down the page, and shorter paragraphs jammed all together into one. If not for the high quality of the author’s writing, I would have stopped reading. It is possible to get through the book, though the editing issue is distracting. I didn’t remove any stars for the editing, keeping the star rating based on the author’s work.
As previously stated, the writing was excellent. Conversations between characters were natural, and the tough detective theme wove throughout the entire novel. Mr. Goldman planted clues for us to see, and Jack would put them together at various times and lead us down the different avenues of potential outcomes. Most impressive was the use of micro-expressions in the story, described accurately and not as a trick or a tool that worked all the time (especially without a baseline). Definitely a five star effort in this area.
The plot was entertaining, and the novel was hard to set down. The author continually presented plausible clues, only to have Jack and company destroy the theories and set off in another direction. The one blip (which possibly could have been a major issue) concerned the gun used by Roni when she shot her client (this happens on page 22, so not really a spoiler). I found it difficult to believe the gun would have been returned to her as quickly as described, and when its importance was emphasized later in the book, the author lost some credibility points with me. There were certainly other options how this could have been handled (I hesitate to explain more because I don’t want to move into spoiler mode). However, this was the only problem I had with the entire story, so not a reason to recommend to anyone to not read this book.
Characterizations were excellent, and told in an entertaining manner. Like most detectives in current novels, Jack has a disability he must deal with. This tiresome plot device is used effectively in “No Way Out,” or at least blended into Jack’s personality with enough skill that it did not turn into a detrimental element.
The ending came together neatly, and all the unraveled strings were brought together and made whole. While I thought the ending was slightly convenient, overall I was happy with the book and would recommend it to anyone who likes this genre.
One huge negative was the horrible editing. I am assuming this only happened if read on a Kindle. Indentations for no reason, paragraphs chopped up and extended down the page, and shorter paragraphs jammed all together into one. If not for the high quality of the author’s writing, I would have stopped reading. It is possible to get through the book, though the editing issue is distracting. I didn’t remove any stars for the editing, keeping the star rating based on the author’s work.
February 15, 2017
What a cast of characters and a crime thriller should be
Wow. I was right that I needed to read this book straight after finishing Dead Man. I just found in the Jack Davis stories a new crime writer to follow. If one loves Patterson's "Alex Cross" then going to love Goldman's writing. He knows how to bring his caste of characters to life and take the reader on the journey. Another night sleep gone because once started couldn't stop reading
Wow. I was right that I needed to read this book straight after finishing Dead Man. I just found in the Jack Davis stories a new crime writer to follow. If one loves Patterson's "Alex Cross" then going to love Goldman's writing. He knows how to bring his caste of characters to life and take the reader on the journey. Another night sleep gone because once started couldn't stop reading
February 21, 2017
I'm a fan of authors Harlan Coben, Michael Connelly, and Joseph Wambaugh. I had never read a novel by Joel Goldman so I was hoping that I could add him to my list of favorite authors. That didn't happen. No Way Out did NOT meet my expectation. The beginning was interesting, but after the first couple of chapters, the story-line got muddied and unrealistic. I persevered and finished the novel, but I highly doubt I'd read another novel by Mr. Goldman.
No Way Out reminded me of the writing style of Lee Child. I'm not a fan of Lee Child, but if you are, you might like Joel Goldman's novels.
No Way Out reminded me of the writing style of Lee Child. I'm not a fan of Lee Child, but if you are, you might like Joel Goldman's novels.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews