Kill List: A Nick Lawrence Novel

Nick Lawrence #1

by Brian Christopher Shea

TO STOP A TERRORIST ATTACK, A VETERAN FBI AGENT MUST JOIN FORCES WITH A BANK ROBBER. "...quick-moving, exciting, and eventful..." ― Booklife Prize Critic’s Report FBI Special Agent Nick Lawrence has just transferred to the bank robbery unit based out of Connecticut’s New Haven field office. Near his breaking point after the recent death of his father, he makes the move to care for his aging mother. Declan Enright, a former police officer recently fired over a controversial shooting, has reached his own breaking point. Confronted with insurmountable financial burdens in the wake of his early termination, Declan is desperate for a way to provide for his wife and three daughters. Tapping into an elite skill set forged during his time as a Navy special warfare operator, and using the insider knowledge of a former police officer, Declan crosses the threshold and commits the perfect crime. Nick is assigned to the case, and begins closing in. But when a series of terrorist attacks rattles the nation, the two men find their fates intertwined. And the only way to prevent the next attack is to work together... BRIAN SHEA has served as both a military officer and law enforcement Detective. His authentic crime fiction novels have been enjoyed by countless readers around the world. His books are recommended for readers who enjoy Michael Connolly’s Harry Bosch, David Baldacci’s John Puller, or James Patterson’s Alex Cross. _______________________________________ Praise for KILL "Shea's background in law enforcement gives the well-researched book authenticity." ―The Williamson County Sun ________________________________________ What people are saying about Brian Shea and KILL ★★★★★ "Thought provoking and deliciously controversial." ★★★★★ "There's no fluff in this book. Every word pulls you toward the climax.” ★★★★★ "The world is no longer black and white, and this book shines a brighter light than most.” ★★★★★ “With an artful blend of thoughtful narration and deeply developed characters... Shea expertly weaves together a complex storyline that not only blurs the line between right and wrong - It totally annihilates it with a plot arc so captivating it's truly hard to put the book down."

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Audiobook, Mystery, Detective, Crime, Adventure

286 pages, Paperback

First published March 12, 2018

About the author

Author also writes under Brian Shea

BRIAN CHRISTOPHER SHEA has spent most of his adult life in service to his country and local community. He honorably served as an officer in the U.S. Navy. In his civilian life, he reached the rank of Detective and accrued ten years of law enforcement experience between Texas and Connecticut. Somewhere in the mix he spent five years as a fifth-grade school teacher. Brian’s myriad of life experience is woven into the tapestry of each character’s design. He resides in New England and is blessed with an amazing wife and three beautiful daughters.

Writing has always been a dream, but life seemed to find a way of interrupting. It wasn’t until recently that he dedicated time to this passion. His first book, The Camel’s Back, gave him a much-needed mental break from his work investigating atrocities against children. He allotted time in the morning each day. Usually waking at 5 to bang away on his manuscript. The second round of daily writing would occur after his children were asleep. He proved that working full-time and raising a family were no longer valid excuses to putting off his novel.

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved, respected and rooted for the two main characters. If you are a reader that demands that the line between right and wrong remain clear and defined, you may have some minor problems with this one. If you can see that sometimes the situation begs the line to be slightly blurred... then read on. You can tell that the author has had law enforcement experience or else was very close with someone that had, almost from the start of the book. My retired cop says it was "right on". Whatever the experience...it has obviously aided him in writing a believable police procedural with outstanding, and true situations and encounters between the suspects and the police. I don't think there are enough adjectives to describe this story, so I'll just choose "Fantastic". It's a sensational story in every possible way. Opps...another adjective.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much carnage to rate any higher. In addition, the ending is nothing to write home about. 5 of 10 stars

[Kathi Defranc · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a mixed up world we live in, where a former special operator, who became a highly skilled policeman gets fired when taking care of a dangerous situation perfectly..because the Chief of Police has a long-lasting beef with the man, over his own daughter being picked up for doing something illegal! Blacklisted and close to losing his home, this man,Declan Enright, feels caught between doing right and doing what he Needs to to take care of his wife and three young girls...Nick Lawrence is an FBI investigator following his own trek in the military, and moves to Connecticut to care for his Mom who has worsening dementia..Khaled is a man from Iraq, schooled in Boston and when Declan was working with the military, he acted as translator...A horrific bombing back then took away the only thing Khaled had, his daughter...Now he is on a revenge mission..To take what the soldiers in that group took from Him..
The circumstances in Life have these three men in the same area, and although each are doing what they have to do, there is a robbery, bombings and near death experiences that will have you breathless and quickly reading to find out what else happens!! Declan and Nick, along with his partner Izzy find that they must work together to stop an imminent threat, who is already several steps in front of them!!
A fast-paced, intense adventure with some skilled operators against their worst nightmare- a well-trained terrorist with high intelligence...A 5 STAR story, now I Need to Read More!!!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. I enjoyed the blending of the military and the law enforcement mindset. Despite the hardships that Declan faced and the one bad decision he made this book allowed for a twist that ultimately forgave him his indiscretion. Sure it’s not the most believable outcome but don’t we all love at least a partial happy ending. I mean certainly this wasn’t really a happy ending. The cat and mouse game throughout the second half of the book had me reading as fast as possible. Very entertaining and also very scary if you step back from the action and think about what was happening. I will definitely read more in this series.

[Rev Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chilling plot, frighteningly plausible. Excellent. The male characters were well developed. Yet, never have I read a book more in need of editing. Every page had a garbled sentence, a mistaken word choice, or typo. Implicating and implying are different words. Then and than mean different things. When we talk about the past, it should not be spelled passed. Naught and not are different words. These errors make a reader stumble and waste time sorting out intentions. Also, it is fine to explain military camaraderie, or special ops skills a few times, but not every few paragraphs. It becomes tedious and insulting. Readers skip those paragraphs after a while. Mr. Shea, I volunteer to edit your next one.

[Rich · Rating 1 out of 5]

I will start by saying he is a gifted writer lol. This book started his first series. I am currently reading his second series which is good. I was enjoying tis first book until I hit around the 22 percent mark and then stopped for good. It was a scene in this that was was light years beyond belief and it would have affected the rest of the story-I could not suspend reality that much it was a bridge too far. The editor should be slapped for letting that scene happen ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I am done with the first series lol. I have read the first three book of the second series and waiting for the last one. I would say give that series a spin.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This was a fascinating read. Not usually into books about FBI but this one caught my attention and kept me turning page past midnight last night. If this is Mr. Shea's first book, he has a great career ahead of him.

[Linda Rowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to put down

I read this book for in 2 days because I only put it down when I had to. I’m headed straight to Amazon for the next book in this series. I highly recommend this author.

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Something about the writing didn’t resonate with me. The author continually tells us the meaning behind the characters statements, or explains their intent, rather than letting those insights be revealed through dialogue. There was just too much of that. Good story, certain aspects stretch credulity, others are sadly on target. A decent read but not one I would recommend highly.

[stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I don't want to spoil the book because it WILL be a monthly read to us in a month or so, but will tell you that this could be whats going on now. People in other countries wanting to harm folks in other places, and Declan in the mix of all this. A few things that got to me in this book which I want to just not say until our monthly book read comes up. Very GoodRead…...

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great read. I wasn’t sure about a first novel, but wasn’t disappointed. It was a unique plot and entirely believable. I’ve just finished the last of the Nick Lawrence series...hoping for more, Brian.

[robert p. browning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Potentially a good character/series

I enjoyed the book, but am confused. I honestly was finished with the book and was pleased to have found the Declan Enright character. I went to the second book in the series before I realized that Nick is supposed to be the focal personality....really? The author is missing the boat here, or I am. Enright is by far the most interesting, most complex, most sympathetic character with infinite plot/storylines just waiting to be developed and explored. To me, Lawrence was a sidebar, a supporting character with minimal influence on the story. That said, I enjoyed the read. I just think the author has chosen the wrong hero for his series.

[Brent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this in the audible plus catalog, and I'm always on the lookout for a new mystery series so I figured why not. I think it was a pretty good debut mystery thriller. I liked the combination of terrorist attacks with a ticking clock, personal vendetta, and heist. The villain and action were quite good as well, and the investigation aspects were good.

There were definitely some problems as well. The main character was less interesting than the secondary character of Declan. The dialogue is a little stilted and doesn't always sound like a real conversation. The resolution was also slightly anticlimactic. The book could have used another 100 pages to build more tension and have a more fitting final showdown. That being said for a first book I've read way worse.

It left some questions open ended and sets up the series. I plan to continue.


As an aside the audiobook narration was quite good as well.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meet DeClan who is retired special ops, fired policeman and a man who will do anything for his family. Then you have Nick and Izzy who are with the FBI who do they all become friends. This book grabs you from the first page it's a story about a man that has a violent past but will do anything for his family. When his past comes back to haunt him what can he do to save his family. The author takes you right into the action and you like the good guys and at times the bad guys. The author's books are grabbed from several headlines and are not fantasy. The author takes many scenarios from and abroad and here in the Americas and weaves them into a story that should make everyone think. Everything is not what it seems to be. Would I recommend this book of course since it is a story that bonds people together under the strangest circumstances.

[Jim Crocker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give this one FIVE BIG STARS! The Camel’s Back explores themes of desperation, heartbreak and payback and what this does to a person. The tension builds and builds. Just when you think you got it all figured out, everything turns upside down in a stunning climax. Strap yourself in and hang onto your hat. Everything’s outta control!

Right now the Psychological Thrillers Reading Group is featuring The Camel's Back as our September Book of the Month. C'mon over and check out the discussion. Hey! Join our group and comment, too. See ya there. Follow the path right here to find us! http://botm.blackdogebooks.com/

Cheers!
JIM in MT
http://blackdogebooks.com/

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely well written and full of action and suspense. I thought that the characters were well developed and relatable. This book is very difficult to put down! Ive already started the second in the series.

[Emmalynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad, good police procedural to listen to during the day, fast paced, great characters, a hint of romance, characters you relate to even when you prefer not too. It’s a race against time to save family and country.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting and compelling read. Author Brian Shea delivers a non stop action thriller featuring a bank robbery, terrorists, and a cross country race that rarely allows the reader to catch his breath. I stumbled onto this author and series by sheer accident. Coming in at just over 340 pages (Kindle), I'd like to further explore this series. Protagonist Nick Lawrence is certainly not the typical FBI Agent. Complete with several personal problems, Lawrence partners well with Izzy Martinez. With former special forces superstar Declan Enright as a secondary protagonist this story sizzles. The bad guys are well fleshed and and compelling. With a sort of expected twist in it's conclusion I'm rating, "Kill List", a solid five stars out of a possible five stars. Check this one one. I'll keep up reading series to find out how well it goes.

[Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun fast book listen to on a car ride.

[Penelope Whites · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complex story that makes putting it down difficult.

[Steven Jr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I kept seeing advertisements for Brian Shea's Nick Lawrence novels. The author boasts impressive credentials: Navy veteran, seasoned law enforcement investigator, and then full time writer. I figured I had very little to lose and picked up the whole trilogy as a digital boxset, with the intent of reviewing each one individually and then coming up with an aggregate review for the boxset itself.

Kill List is...interesting. Plot wise, it presents as one thing, becomes another thing, and then really picks up momentum. It's billed a Nick Lawrence novel, but arguably the primary protagonist is Declan Enright, former Tier One Naval Special Warfare operator who was a respected police officer until a tragic night where his actions result in his being terminated. A desperate gambit to provide for his family starts a chain reaction of events that will not only place his family danger close to certain elements of his past, but will also rock the nation.

On the upside, Mr. Shea knows how to write a readable novel. I was invested in the plot and wanted to see how it concluded. I'd say his characterization of Lawrence and Enright were on point, and it touched on many hot button topics in a mature way that came about as mostly "journalistic, matter of fact" rather than "I'm thumping my chest about a topic," which is something many thriller authors fall victim to.

The downside...I'll summarize in one sentence, then include examples in the spoilers where applicable:
-Shea has picked up the bad habit of having character dialogue be for the benefit of the reader rather than explaining in the prose or having the reader do a little research.
The scene where CIA Jay asks Lawrence--a veteran of 3/75 Rangers--if he knows about DEVGRU was admittedly painful to read. Even more painful was when Izzy--an FBI special agent whose conditions of employment include maintaining a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information clearance--asks what a SCIF is. These were clearly written to explain to the reader what was going on, but in my opinion it is the worst way to explain it.

-While great lengths were taken to flesh out and humanize Lawrence, Enright, and the Translator, Izzy truly struck me as a stock character.
The repetition of how soothing Izzy was and how she was getting giddy over every barrel-chested pipe hitter was a point of contention. Her romance with Lawrence was predictable but not in a fashion where good hints were left.

-There was a lot of repetition in general. I think an editor could have cleaned that up. Most authors fall victim to that, especially in first books, but a good editor is the key.
The biggest offenders here were Nick getting jealous every time Izzy got school-girl giddy over a shooter, Izzy repeatedly being described as "calming", and a couple instances of almost verbatim the Translator wondering how his Sonia would be like as a teenager.

-The MP5 was referred to as an assault rifle. I know, this is petty, but c'mon!

I'm not trashing Shea. As I led off with, he knows how to write a readable novel. That I felt compelled to keep reading to the end despite the downsides is a testament to his readability.

That said, I did see room for improvement, and I do hope the next two novels show growth as a writer, because it's clear Shea has raw talent. I do want to see what's next in store for Nick Lawrence and Declan Enright. I definitely want to learn more about Izzy Martinez. There's plenty I want to know more about, and in that regard, Shea did a bang-up job with his debut work.

And despite my criticisms, I am looking forward to reading the next one.

[Cortez III · Rating 4 out of 5]

Multiple Straws Break in THE CAMEL'S BACK

Brian Christopher Shea's suspense/thriller novel, The Camel's Back, is appropriately titled. The three point of view characters in the story live on personal fault lines. Declan Enright, a former elite military operative turned police officer, lost his career in law enforcement over a controversial shooting. He struggles to make those cliche ends meet for his wife and three young daughters including an autistic child. Nick Lawrence holds a position as an FBI agent with an aging mother who fights oncoming dementia. He made a promise to his now deceased father to take care of his wife and battles the guilt associated with failing to deliver on that oath. Khaled, aka The Translator, served his country of Iraq and the U.S. military against their mutual enemies. American educated in Boston, he earned respect from his western colleagues. Until that fateful day, a bombing of their enemies produced collateral damage that killed Khaled's daughter Sonia. The Translator laid that tragedy at the feet of the U.S. military. With that setup, Shea spins his tale of suspense with stakes that ratchet up until the explosive finale.

Lawrence and FBI partner, Isabella 'Izzy' Martinez get called to Connecticut for a bank robbery that netted the criminal $87,000. As the local police and the FBI analyze the video footage, juxtaposed to that a bus explodes killing dozens. Declan on the scene saves Nick's life. Who stole the money? Who and why did the bus blow up? Shea makes it clear the culprits behind these crimes. The Camel's Back is a suspense/thriller tale, not a mystery; a how to catch 'em not a who done it.

Several more violent and horrific criminal offenses occur. As Nick, Izzy, Declan, the resources of the FBI, and former special forces operatives chip in, the group learns that The Seven, a mastermind terrorist organization takes credit for those offenses.

The Camel's Back's narrative energy rests squarely on this triangular setup of driven characters with clearly defined objectives. The actions taken were understandable but not necessarily agreeable to meet those objectives. Shea plants several nice twists throughout the story including the final showdown.

I do have some knocks with the story, however. The front cover declares the book 'A Nick Lawrence Novel.' To me the clear focus is Declan Enright and with that said, he probably won't be featured in future books. Oooh, I hope that's a wrong diagnosis. If so, Shea needs to start a series with Enright too! ( I only want 5% of the gross sales for the idea, Mr. Shea LOL.) The Camel's Back contains numerous profanities and some editing issues as well so beware. Three and a half stars.

[Michael Brennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shea effectively captures the difficult nuances that police officers have to face presently. There are four storylines, and my personal favorite is Declan‘s who struggles with more obligation after being let go from his police department for what was assessed as excessive force. My problem with Declan is that he fails to it knowledge that white privilege has brought them to the point of moral ambiguity. He shoots what turns out to be an innocent black man, is then fired from his department, and then chooses to commit a crime, which he seems to justify because he needs to feed his family, never truly taking ownership for his actions and yet has also justified his seeming abuse of power.

it’s a novel that tries to define good and evil with characters with major flaws that are equally in capable of doing good as doing evil, yet are distinguished by their desire for either good or evil, and the characters become heroes or villains based on their intentions rather than their actions.

[Heather Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly Recommend – Suspenseful, Heart-wrenching, and Intense

Heard about this suspense thriller from a friend and took a chance reading this first time author. Once I started I was hooked on the unpredictable story line, and could not put it down. The intermingled lives of these relatable characters operating in the gray zone called life, capture the genuine family struggles for those who run towards the gunfire or wear the stars facing forward. This is not a book to read once and never pick up again – it is a conversation starter. The Camel’s Back covers topics from war, friendship, loss, grief, stress, brotherhood, and the tough choices life throws at you to protect family and friends. Declan, the main character, is courageously persistent while “…often finding himself at the epicenter of disaster” as Brian Shea so honestly writes. Can’t wait to see where the characters go from here in his next book The Lion’s Mouth!

[Colleen Mattatall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was good! Very good!! Written by a guy in town who I have met and would consider a friend. The story is hard to swallow because the ‘psychological thriller’ aspect of it. It made me get up and make sure my doors were locked. The action scenes were very well done, at times I had to cover the bottom of the page while reading the top! Hang on to your hat!

The story ended abruptly and some of the suspense scenes could have been slower and more suspenseful with more detail but for a first novel, written in between parenting and policing I am wildly impressed.

[Karen Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Page Turner

I loved the story line. I was engrossed from beginning to end. I loved the characters and how they become a part of you while reading.

[Jim A · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better terrorist chase novels I've read recently. Involves an ex SEAL and the FBI chasing an Iraqi terrorist who is running around the U.S. causing havoc in an attempt to get even for the death of his daughter. A sub plot is the ex SEAL and his robbery from an armored bank truck in order to stave off financial ruin caused by his termination from the police force.

Worth the read if action thrillers with a couple of twists and red herrings are in your wheelhouse.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread 08/2021 review- I didn’t enjoy this as much as the first time, but I’m still going to give it 5 stars. Especially since I think it’s either because it hasn’t been long since I first read it, or because it’s me, not the book rn.

Original 01/2021 review- 5 pleased stars. OMG this was such a pleasant surprise!!!! 😁🤩😍👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[Thomas Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very good book, a real page turner. The characters were well developed, action was fast paced and it really held you to the story. This looks like the authors first book and I can’t wait for the next one.

[Maureen Partington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Camel's back

A really good story, it kept coming up with lots of new twists. Gripping from start to finish. Thank you.