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Sean O'Brien #4

The Black Bullet

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Glenda Lawson believes her husband was the only U.S. serviceman shot and killed on American soil during World War II. But in 1945, investigators ruled that Billy Lawson died in a “mugging turned ugly.”

In 2013, Sean O’Brien, learning the ropes of commercial fishing, gets his anchor caught on something underwater. He discovers a German U-boat partially buried in sand, and inside is a frightening cargo. The media pick up the story, and a 35-year-old woman who has a haunting tale, visits O’Brien. Her grandfather, Billy Lawson, was fishing one night on a Florida beach when he saw something very disturbing.

THE BLACK BULLET is a thriller that combines an unsolved murder from 1945 to a modern-day discovery connected to America’s entry into nuclear weapons, the Manhattan Project.

The last thing Sean O’Brien wants is to investigate a sixty-seven-year-old murder. But Billy Lawson’s granddaughter and his cancer-stricken widow are desperate for closure. For O’Brien to bring it to them he has to pry the lid off a secret buried with the Manhattan Project. It’s information that got Billy Lawson killed, and O’Brien soon learns the old murder and his new discovery at the bottom of the sea are inextricably knotted. O’Brien is thrust into a world where nothing is as it appears, and everything is riding on a secret Billy Lawson took to his grave.

472 pages, ebook

First published December 18, 2012

558 people are currently reading
918 people want to read

About the author

Tom Lowe

27 books241 followers

Tom Lowe's latest novel is THE ALIBI. It's the 18th book in the Sean O'Brien series. The mystery-thriller novels are published in the following order: A FALSE DAWN, THE 24th LETTER, THE BUTTERFLY FOREST, THE BLACK BULLET, BLOOD OF CAIN, BLACK RIVER, CEMETERY ROAD, A MURDER OF CROWS, DRAGONFLY, THE ORCHID KEEPER, MERMAID, FLASH OF GOLD, INVISIBLE, THE WHITE DRAGON, THE FOUNTAIN, JUSTICE, GYPSY TEARS, and THE ALIBI. The Sean O'Brien books can be read in any order.

The Elizabeth Monroe novels are psychological thrillers. There are three books, including WRATH, THE CONFESSION. and ALTERED STATE.

The Paul Marcus books are international thrillers. There are three novels in the series. They are: DESTINY, THE JEFFERSON PROPHECY, and THE POPPY SCORE.

Tom has written two novels about love lost and found. They are: MIDNIGHT'S WHISPERER and THE PAINTER. MIDNIGHT'S WHISPERER won the coveted 2021 Spur Award from the Western Writers of America.

Tom is an award-winning screenwriter and filmmaker. As he writes his books, Tom draws from his travels around the world and his background as a print and broadcast journalist. Tom is a sailor and SCUBA diver. He lives with his wife, Keri, in Florida.

To subscribe to Tom Lowe's newsletter for new release information, updates and more, please visit Tom's website, tomlowebooks.com

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5 stars
568 (43%)
4 stars
450 (34%)
3 stars
221 (16%)
2 stars
49 (3%)
1 star
18 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
Profile Image for Will Decker.
Author 23 books17 followers
July 22, 2013
Tom Lowe is getting his act together; in some respects...
The editing has improved dramatically, no longer being the distraction that it was. However, as much as I love his style and manner of writing, I found a tad too much of this latest story stretching beyond the point of believable. Face it, if a WWII sub were discovered off the coast of Florida containing nuclear material, a civilian would not be involved in the retrieval, storage, or any other aspect once reported. Period. But that aside, it is fiction and it is well written. The story moves along at a good clip keeping you right on the edge of your seat right up til the ending. I am looking forward to reading his next novel in the series, Blood of Cain. Good work!
Profile Image for Renee.
1,397 reviews222 followers
June 29, 2017
Intriguing mystery. Action-packed thriller. WW II tie-in. As a former special forces sniper, who's still grieving his dead wife, and is also a guy trying to be an ordinary, everyday man but one who--once he attracts danger--never backs down, sacrifices reputation & goes against the status quo to save lives & of course, is irristible to women---Sean O'Brien's a main character to root for with a fun, Greek-accented sidekick, unusual dog & wise mentor. A talented narrator brings the characters to life. Entertaining. (Strong language)

Kindle Unlimited
Profile Image for David Freas.
Author 2 books33 followers
April 3, 2014
Lowe gets better with each book in his Sean O’Brien series.

Freeing his anchor from a sunken WWII U-boat sets Sean O’Brien on a quest to solve an almost seventy-year-old murder and stop a modern day horror.

The Black Bullet has short chapters and lots of action in a plot with twists and turns galore. Just when the reader thinks he’s seen the last one and is lined up for a straight shot at the climax, Lowe puts in another one.

One word of warning: If you don’t like high body counts in your novels, this book isn’t for you.

But I’ll keep reading Tom Lowe’s books as long as he keeps writing them and turning out first class efforts like this one.
Profile Image for wally.
3,661 reviews5 followers
January 30, 2013
2nd from lowe for me. the 1st another sean o'brien story, The Butterfly Forest...i think the 3rd sean o'brien story...and since these aren't labelled w/a number, i don't believe they need be read first to last...i haven't read the 1st two.

i'm at the 63%-mark on the kindle...and i read a preview of this story in the butterfly forest

the black bullet, 2012...december

an acknowledgments 1st-off...about german u-boats that patrolled america's shores...two came ashore, one in new york the other in florida...the author thanks a number of people, including the reader.

a dedication: for my father, thomas m. lowe, a world war ii verteran who served america well.

a quote: "there are children playing in the streets who could solve some of my top problems in physics, because they have modes of sensory perception that i lost long ago."
--robert oppenheimer ("father of the atomic bomb")

story begins:
may 19, 1945
billy lawson smelled it before he saw it. something was out there. beyond the breakers and hidden in the veil of night. when the silhouette appeared, he wasn't sure it was really there. clouds smothered a three-quarter moon over the ocean, and the image, a hundred yards off shore, faded to black. the breeze let billy know it was near. the odor of diesel fumes, salt and baitfish blew across the surface of the ocean--a ghost wind delivering something felt but obscured in the dark.


typing that out now, after having read a scene in the story about remote viewing, i'm intrigued by what else might be coming in the story, after reading the quote and this first paragraph.

like the butterfly forest, the black bullet...which i'm wondering if it is a reference to a submarine...they're fast and they're black and they never come back...as has been said in today's modern navy...or, i assume they're still saying it, maybe all that has changed, too.

...where was i? anyway, like the other story i read, this one is coupled w/an event from the past--in this case, a german submarine that billy saw while fishing in florida. billy witnesses events but he is killed at the phone booth where he speaks to his wife, an older woman now, one seeking closure after the discovery of a sunken submarine by sean o'brien, retired miami cop, out w/his friend and fishing mentor nick cronus and recently hired help, jason canfield.

the anchor of the jupiter, o'brien's boat, is caught on an obstruction below and after several dives, one by nick who discovers the broken sub...and skeletons...and another dive by sean and nick to free the anchor, a dive that reveals that the sub was carrying history-changing contents...circumstance and coincidence happen and the story takes off.

time place scene settings
*may 19, 1945, matanzas inlet, between flagler beach and st. augustine, florida
*the 250-yr-old fort matanzas, an old spanish fort (i've actually been there...thick thick walls...cold and damp, even for florida)
*a1a bait n' tackle shop/ phone booth
*rattlesnake island...part of the geography of above, south of the fort
*florida, present day
*the tiki bar
*the marine office
*ponce marina...where o'brien's jupiter is moored
*an old house on the banks of the st. john's river, o'brien's
*u-236...the german submarine (there's a sub, u-505 at chicago's science and industry museum, you're ever out and about)


update, finished, 2 feb 13, saturday afternoon, 12:09 p.m. e.s.t.
a thriller, emphasis on the thrill, a real page-turner the further the story progressed. and no, the black bullet is not a submarine...the reader can discover the answer to that mystery, one of many herein.

fans of travis mcgee would probably like this. i thought i read more than the one john d macdonald story in my "books"...i know i read several stories from Matthew Bracken, whose stories are very-much influenced by the travis mcgee stories from macdonald, as i suspect lowe is/was influenced by same...one i read recently, The Deep Blue Good-by: A Travis McGee Novel, w/some of the same kind of elements in this story...florida...a boat...etc...minor similarities.

what i wish i saw more of in sean o'brien is the kind of character present in travis mcgee in the aforementioned story. while travis is opinionated, his thoughts on the page throughout, sean o'brien holds his cards close to his chest...he is very level-headed, not easily perturbed...all fine qualities...but i wanted to see more emotion from him...that, emotion...that came to the front toward story's end, evident with the words he used...a few cuss words, may it do ya fine...but i wanted to see what o'brien would bleed for...what he is passionate about.

true, his wife died of cancer awhile back...i think perhaps one of the first two stories that i did not read may shed more light on why he is no longer miami-dade homocide...and...i think had he shown his self, as travis mcgee does in the deep blue good-by, if he exposed those things that make him tick...i'd have given this 5-stars...easy...i had it marked 5-stars initially, but these thoughts about o'brien were present in my other lowe read...they are present in this one...so...

the indexes below are not complete, as yet...dunno if i return to finish them...or to make them more complete, or not.

characters
*billy lawson/1945, wounded soldier in the states from europe...in florida...witnesses events that are reopened in present day
*glenda, his pregnant wife
*four germans...two others, asian
*someone hiding behind dunes & palmettos approached the men
*sean o'brien, 6'2", mid-40s, former miami homocide detective, starting a charter fishing business
*sherri, his deceased wife
*max...female dachshund w/sean, named maxine by sherri, believes she's a labrador
*ol' joe...marina tom cat
*maggie canfield, early 40s
*jason canfield, her son, only ten when the father was killed on the uss cole, one of seventeen, a sophomore at florida state university, gets a job working on jupiter
*nick cronus, a greek w/a mop of curly black hair, showing o'brien the ropes of fishing
*dave collins, buddy of o'brien, ex-spook i think, ex some service, anyway, or maybe still active...has connections at any rate
*an elderly couple, neighbors of o'brien's

Profile Image for Dorothy.
147 reviews12 followers
January 26, 2024
Fast pace, action packed, and tied into one of the World's darkest moments, The Black Bullet follows the story of ex-detective (and aparently ex-military as well) now fisherman, Sean O'Brien as he and a friend accidentally make the find of the century off the coast of Florida. This is a very simplified synopsis, of course. Past and present collide as an old German U-Boat, a murder from '45, and the discovery of uranium spark a modern-day terroristic threat.

This is the first book I've read in this series and overall I really enjoyed it. I would have given it a higher rating but the flow and the punctuation, and handful of grammatical errors were distracting. I might read more, in time, and if I have time. Would reccomend, just be prepared for errors that jolt you out of immersion.
Profile Image for Stacy.
915 reviews17 followers
August 13, 2017
Sean. Dude. It's pretty simple. You find a foreign submarine along the American coastline, you call someone and tell them about it.

You don't hide the GPS. You don't bring up U235. You don't mislead the government. You don't fall in love (in a completely non-romantic, role model sort of way) with an old, old friend's son. You don't evade spies and other non-US groups. You google the number for whatever acronym strikes your fancy (FBI, CIA, NSA, USN), call them, tell them what you found, then go back to work and maybe enjoy 15 minutes of fame on the local news. That's it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for mugginsuknow.
36 reviews
May 19, 2017
this author is very good with words. His descriptions color my thoughts and feelings as the story unfolds. I was immediately drawn into the book. Its action, adventure, family and friends all wrapped together. His female friend may have been a tad whiny/pathetic, but the other characters where very good. I love a story that doesn't copy everything I've read before. The scene with the shark was very interesting.
Profile Image for Elaine Donadio.
Author 17 books7 followers
September 3, 2017
Really enjoyed this book. It kept my interest throughout. Some weak writing ex. two or three repetitions of the same conversations and facts within pages of each other and some misuses of words like as "taught as a tightrope" to paraphrase. Putting these elements aside, the plot was realistic and I couldn't guess the identity of the mole because of the red herrings that were thrown in. It shows how situations can be manipulated when people at the top have their own agendas.
Profile Image for Bobirley Adams.
154 reviews4 followers
May 16, 2017
Written So Well Felt Like Characters Were Real

I enjoy a story that is so well written that the dialogue felt as if I was listening to real conversation.

The action scenes were well written and made my pulse quicken more and more as the action increased more and more.

I highly recommend this book!
Profile Image for Penny Post.
523 reviews
April 30, 2018
The 4th in the Sean O'Brien series and a bit far fetched. But, it is a great mystery while Sean tries to find the kidnapped son of an old flame. Adventure, intrigue and of course humor and Sean's beloved Max. In this book, Nick is teaching Sean to become a charter fisherman. However, it isn't fish they catch ... another wild chase to an unbelievable ending.
Profile Image for Susan.
1,455 reviews
May 26, 2018
The Black Bullet is the fourth book in the Seam O'Brien series. While this is part of a series, you can read this as a standalone. There is violence. This book wasn't my favorite in the series and the plot stretches the imagination a bit. There are so many directions the author could have taken with this story and this one didn't work for me.
921 reviews11 followers
January 6, 2020
Another suspenseful thriller!

Just great writing in this series! I have enjoyed every book. All are different, crazy, suspenseful, thrillers that keep you up until you finish. Sean O'Brien seems too good to be true, but he and his buddies make every story worth reading. Onto the fifth book!
11 reviews
May 19, 2017
I really enjoyed this one. There is a little historical background that made it easy to believe and not made of "whole cloth". It could have happened the way it's written. The action is fast and you won't figure this one out in advance.
30 reviews
May 28, 2017
Thrill ride

This might have been the best e-book I've read this year.
Loved the way everything tied together. Strong characters and heart story. Can't wait to read more Tom Lowe offerings.
Profile Image for Becki Lewis.
9 reviews2 followers
August 1, 2017
Excellent novel

Lots of excitement, twists and intrigue. Loved every minute of it. Characters development was fleshed out pretty well. Main character has backstory the makes you want to know more.
424 reviews
July 15, 2018
Decent Read

I almost put this one down after a few chapters but all of a sudden it became interesting. Don’t skip the beginning it’s important to the story and then enjoy meeting theFBI, CIA ,atomic weapons and terrorists
122 reviews
August 24, 2018
Another great read by Tom Lowe!

I am now hooked on this series of books. This book gives you pause as to what could happen in this country. I love the characters in this book and in the series.
1,507 reviews7 followers
November 10, 2018
The Black Bullet

There isn't much to say because I've already said it for the last three books . This is a great series . The suspense is all the way till the very end . These are books you can't put down . I highly recommend this book and series.
Profile Image for Jeffrey Burger.
Author 15 books41 followers
December 15, 2018
Thoroughly enjoyable

Tom Lowe knows how to paint with words like an artist with brush & canvas. Interesting weave of history and intrigue, felt well researched - a mix of detective, spy, and action.
Profile Image for Sandy Adams.
403 reviews4 followers
November 8, 2019
Another terrific story!

However 4.5 stars for editing errors.
A veteran was killed right after the end of WW2....mugging or out and out murder? Why should it matter now? A sunken German sub off Florida's coast....why? And what was it carrying?
Profile Image for Charlotte Walker.
11 reviews9 followers
Read
April 15, 2020
THe 4th installment of Tom Lowe's Sean O'Brien series. Mr. Lowe manages to find thrilling adventures for Sean & his pals, and this one is no different. This one has a nice historical fiction thread that my Social Studies Teacher heart found delightful.
4 reviews
May 17, 2017
Page turner

An imaginative thriller which really got me think8ng.... what if? I was able to suspend disbelief and teally enjoy the book.
521 reviews8 followers
May 17, 2017
Good read

Liked it a lot, good writing and worth your time. First one I have read and recommend it. Think I will read the whole series if I can find the time this summer.
Profile Image for Kevin.
630 reviews10 followers
May 20, 2017
This turned out better than expected. I really thought being free like this that it may be just average. I enjoyed the story and it was a fairly quick read.
Profile Image for IMHO.
709 reviews3 followers
May 25, 2017
A GOOD READ.
Sean O'Brien solves a mystery and unmasked a traitor,
that has been hidden for over 60 years....
Profile Image for Scooby Doo.
880 reviews
June 11, 2017
DNF: 15%
Interesting premise, but the characters seemed cartoonish, or stereotypes.
Profile Image for Matthew Low.
25 reviews1 follower
December 1, 2017
Enthralling read, picked it up for free from BookBub. Will definitely read (and pay for!) the earlier books on the series now.

Great style, great characters and captivating plot.
619 reviews7 followers
May 11, 2018
Great read!

I liked this book, well written, lots of action, combines Florida, Nazi sub, Manhatten project, and oh so much more!
413 reviews2 followers
May 17, 2018
GREAT!

What a great book! Loved the whole thing from page 1. Well done. Did not stop, to think, or do laundry.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews

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