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Talons
Golden eagles fly a thousand miles from their natural habitat and appear over Long Island skies. The beautiful but lethal raptors inexplicably attack, kill, and disappear. All the victims have one thing in common and the search for a master falconer with a hit list begins. But following the trail leads investigator Jesse Brockett exactly where the killer wants him. W.G. Griffiths brings a second award winning novel to bookstore shelves. TALONS has already been named as Winner at the The London Book Festival, The Paris Book Festival, The Los Angeles Book Festival, The Hollywood Book Festival and The New York Book Festival. True to form, Griffiths keeps readers on the edge of their seats in this spine tingling tale of suspense.
352 pages, Paperback
First published August 29, 2011
5 people want to read
About the author
W.G. Griffiths
11 books11 followersW. G. Griffiths was born and raised on Long Island and currently resides there and on a horse farm in New Hampshire. He has written several books, including Malchus, Driven, The Road to Forgiveness, Takedown (the sequel to Driiven) and Stingers, optioned for film. He has recently completed the novel version of Talons, a mystery thriller, and is currently working on Angel of Death, an action thriller.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 18, 2012
Reviewed on Hearts On Fire... http://heartsonfirereviews.com/
I enjoyed this thriller very much and although it was penned by W. G. Griffiths it read very much like the two of Feliz Faber's two falcon books. Jesse Brockett is an investigator for Harbor Insurance Company currently tasked with the job of finding the truth behind a billion dollar claim made by Michael Tseng. Tseng's company has reputedly claimed to have created an amazing new microchip that will turn the tech world on its ear. Unfortunately all of the microchips have been mysteriously stolen along with all of the blueprints and manufacturing data. Jesse is teamed up with the beautiful Angela Perez who also works for Harbor Insurance. They have thirty days to prove fraud in the suspicious theft or Harbor will have to pay out. None likes insurance companies thinking that they charge too much and pay out too little so Harbor has a good number of enemies. There is a chemistry between Jesse and Angela but before they can even begin their investigation, they are attacked by a golden eagle. Jesse's best friend is killed by the immense bird but the bird is not native to the Long Island, N.Y. area. Jesse is severely injured in the attack which puts him in the hospital. A retired employee of Harbor is killed on a golf course by a golden eagle which baffles the police and causes the falconers in the area to close ranks. Jesse and Angela's investigation is set back even though Jesse is determined to get back on it. Due to his attraction to Angela, Jesse's attention is divided between the Tseng investigation and the eagle attacks which seem to be centered on Harbor employees. The three plot lines, the Tseng investigation, Jesse and Angela's growing romance and the golden eagle murders were woven together beautifully and flowed throughout the book almost flawlessly. The author put a tremendous amount of research into this story to keep all the facts in line. I liked the characters Jesse and Angela and their easy flirting and joking. Some of the physical things that Jesse did in the story were impossible to believe with the extensive injuries that he received in the attack as the story covered a little over a week's time. I also got somewhat bored by what I perceived to be superfluous information and events which took place in the story. The surprise ending left just enough dangling for a sequel. The story was definitely worth the read and I recommend the book to anyone who enjoys a good thriller.
I enjoyed this thriller very much and although it was penned by W. G. Griffiths it read very much like the two of Feliz Faber's two falcon books. Jesse Brockett is an investigator for Harbor Insurance Company currently tasked with the job of finding the truth behind a billion dollar claim made by Michael Tseng. Tseng's company has reputedly claimed to have created an amazing new microchip that will turn the tech world on its ear. Unfortunately all of the microchips have been mysteriously stolen along with all of the blueprints and manufacturing data. Jesse is teamed up with the beautiful Angela Perez who also works for Harbor Insurance. They have thirty days to prove fraud in the suspicious theft or Harbor will have to pay out. None likes insurance companies thinking that they charge too much and pay out too little so Harbor has a good number of enemies. There is a chemistry between Jesse and Angela but before they can even begin their investigation, they are attacked by a golden eagle. Jesse's best friend is killed by the immense bird but the bird is not native to the Long Island, N.Y. area. Jesse is severely injured in the attack which puts him in the hospital. A retired employee of Harbor is killed on a golf course by a golden eagle which baffles the police and causes the falconers in the area to close ranks. Jesse and Angela's investigation is set back even though Jesse is determined to get back on it. Due to his attraction to Angela, Jesse's attention is divided between the Tseng investigation and the eagle attacks which seem to be centered on Harbor employees. The three plot lines, the Tseng investigation, Jesse and Angela's growing romance and the golden eagle murders were woven together beautifully and flowed throughout the book almost flawlessly. The author put a tremendous amount of research into this story to keep all the facts in line. I liked the characters Jesse and Angela and their easy flirting and joking. Some of the physical things that Jesse did in the story were impossible to believe with the extensive injuries that he received in the attack as the story covered a little over a week's time. I also got somewhat bored by what I perceived to be superfluous information and events which took place in the story. The surprise ending left just enough dangling for a sequel. The story was definitely worth the read and I recommend the book to anyone who enjoys a good thriller.
September 12, 2012
When Jesse Brockett, an insurance investigator for Harbor Insurance Company gets a call that a major client has been burgled, his suspicions are aroused. The client is Tseng Computer Company, and the owner is the inventor of the Omega Chip, a cutting edge technology leader that promises to change the world forever. The problem is, the thieves managed to steal all the new chips. Amazingly enough, they were that good. Michael Tseng is claiming a billion dollar insurance payout. If Jesse can prove insurance fraud, he gets a very nice bonus.
Around the same time, several golden eagles are spotted on Long Island, a thousand miles from their natural habitat. Suddenly the magnificent raptors begin attacking seemingly random victims. They kill with horrific expertise and quickly disappear, reminiscent of the great white in Jaws, only from the sky. This baffles the experts as well as the police. Golden eagles, though deadly, have never been known to attack humans. The world of falconry is small, highly specialized, and comprises dedicated trainers. Someone would have to be an especially gifted falconer to train an eagle to kill a human, and also to target specific humans. Even more unusual is the fact that so far, all attacks have been on employees of the Harbor Insurance Company. Soon other precise attacks remove the random freak accident theory and feed the idea that the eagles are somehow trained and on a specific mission.
What a different kind of a thriller! Author W.G. Griffiths has a masterly touch when it comes to creating tension. This unusual and clever plot unfolds slowly at first, creating different threads in the tapestry of the story. Seemingly unrelated people and incidents begin coming together as Jesse makes the connections. The author has done a huge amount of research, making a very credible theory of these magnificent and imposing birds as killing machines. This is an intriguing blend of an ancient sport with modern technology. I enjoyed the characters’ development and interaction and found this an extremely satisfying book. Highly recommended.
First Reviewed for Readers Favorite
Around the same time, several golden eagles are spotted on Long Island, a thousand miles from their natural habitat. Suddenly the magnificent raptors begin attacking seemingly random victims. They kill with horrific expertise and quickly disappear, reminiscent of the great white in Jaws, only from the sky. This baffles the experts as well as the police. Golden eagles, though deadly, have never been known to attack humans. The world of falconry is small, highly specialized, and comprises dedicated trainers. Someone would have to be an especially gifted falconer to train an eagle to kill a human, and also to target specific humans. Even more unusual is the fact that so far, all attacks have been on employees of the Harbor Insurance Company. Soon other precise attacks remove the random freak accident theory and feed the idea that the eagles are somehow trained and on a specific mission.
What a different kind of a thriller! Author W.G. Griffiths has a masterly touch when it comes to creating tension. This unusual and clever plot unfolds slowly at first, creating different threads in the tapestry of the story. Seemingly unrelated people and incidents begin coming together as Jesse makes the connections. The author has done a huge amount of research, making a very credible theory of these magnificent and imposing birds as killing machines. This is an intriguing blend of an ancient sport with modern technology. I enjoyed the characters’ development and interaction and found this an extremely satisfying book. Highly recommended.
First Reviewed for Readers Favorite
September 23, 2012
This is a great suspenseful story with its own twists and mysteries. I found Talons a fresh kind of tale that will delight many lovers of birds of pray. It is an interesting and well-researched mystery tale with a touch of romance. Talons is a very creative and interesting novel that will keep you hooked to the end. This novel has all the ingredients for a great story. Dead people, murders, police, an insurance investigator, bad guys, and the cute girl are all there.
Jesse and Angela work in the same insurance company. One day they get together with a couple of friends to have fun at the beach. Everything goes swell because Jesse likes Angela and his friends click with Angela’s friend instantaneously. On their way home, an eagle starts to follow them. Not knowing why, they keep an eye on the bird of pray. Their instincts prove right when the eagle dives toward their car, more specifically toward Angela. In their mad dash to escape from it, Angela crashes the car into a tree. Jesse flies out, crash-landing a few feet from the car. When his best friend, Tommy, runs from the car to see how he is, the eagle swoops down to kill him. Now this is weird, I know, but it gets weirder when another man, somewhat connected with the insurance company, is killed by another eagle—and this one has a partner. Is it a coincidence or murder? That is what the police are working on. Will they find the culprit before they all die?
I would recommend Talons for readers from young adults to adults alike. It has some unnecessary swear words but they are few and far between. It could use a light editing to make the story move faster.
Jesse and Angela work in the same insurance company. One day they get together with a couple of friends to have fun at the beach. Everything goes swell because Jesse likes Angela and his friends click with Angela’s friend instantaneously. On their way home, an eagle starts to follow them. Not knowing why, they keep an eye on the bird of pray. Their instincts prove right when the eagle dives toward their car, more specifically toward Angela. In their mad dash to escape from it, Angela crashes the car into a tree. Jesse flies out, crash-landing a few feet from the car. When his best friend, Tommy, runs from the car to see how he is, the eagle swoops down to kill him. Now this is weird, I know, but it gets weirder when another man, somewhat connected with the insurance company, is killed by another eagle—and this one has a partner. Is it a coincidence or murder? That is what the police are working on. Will they find the culprit before they all die?
I would recommend Talons for readers from young adults to adults alike. It has some unnecessary swear words but they are few and far between. It could use a light editing to make the story move faster.
September 4, 2012
If you're looking for a thriller that's different -- this is it. Scariest thing since Hitchcock's "The Birds".
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews