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Jonathan Grave #5

High Treason

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First Lady Anna Darmond has been kidnapped in a bloody gunfight. It's an unthinkable crime that, if revealed, could cause public panic, so hostage rescue specialist Jonathan Grave and his team must operate in absolute secrecy. But the mission is not all it seems. There are shadows in Mrs. Darmond's past. Cracks in the presidential marriage. Leaks in the country's critical shields of security. As Grave tracks the missing First Lady through a labyrinth of lies and murder, he confronts a traitor at the highest level of Washington power--and a devastating scheme to bring a nation to its knees. . .

560 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 30, 2013

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About the author

John Gilstrap

79 books1,213 followers
A little bit about my background... I've always been a closet-writer. As a kid, I lived for the opportunity to write short stories. I was the editor of my high school newspaper for a while (the Valor Dictus, Robinson High School, class of 1975), until I quit ("You can't fire me! I quit!") over a lofty First Amendment issue that seemed very important at the time. My goal, in fact, was to become a journalist in the vein of Woodward or Bernstein. Okay, I confess, I wanted to be Woodward; Robert Redford played him in the movie, and chicks really dug Robert Redford.

I graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1979, and armed with a degree in American history, I couldn't find a job. I ended up settling for a position with a little-noticed trade journal serving the construction industry. They called me the managing editor and they paid me food stamp wages. I hated it. About this time, I joined the Burke Volunteer Fire Department in Fairfax County, Virginia, if only to find relief from the boredom of my job. Running about a thousand calls my first year with the department, I was hooked, and the volunteer fire service became an important part of my life for the next 15 years. In the early eighties, hating my job, I went the way of all frustrated liberal arts undergrads—back to graduate school. Earning a Master of Science degree in safety engineering from the University of Southern California, I started down a whole new road. For the next decade and a half, I became an expert (don't you hate that word?) on explosives safety and hazardous waste. Meanwhile, I kept writing. I didn't tell anyone, of course, because, well, you just don't share artistic dreams with fellow engineers. They look at you funny.

My first novel, Nathan's Run, was in fact my fourth novel, and when it sold, it sold big. At a time in my life when things were going well—I was president of my own consulting firm—things were suddenly going very well. Warner Bros. bought the movie rights to Nathan's Run two days after the first book rights were sold, and as of this date, the novel has been translated and published in one form or another in over 20 countries. With Nathan's Run in the can, as it were, I thought I might finally be on to something, but I didn't quit my "day job" until after I sold the book and movie rights to my second novel, At All Costs. I figured that while one-in-a-row might be luck, two-in-a-row was a trend. So, I started writing full-time.

More novels followed, and then a few screenplays. I was living the dream.

But I really didn't like it much. I learned pretty quickly that when you're born a Type-A personality, those extrovert tendencies don't go away just because you're practicing a craft you love. In fact, after just a couple of years of dream fulfillment, I was pretty friggin' bored with the company of my imaginary friends, so I did something that I've never heard a full-time artist do before: I went back to a day job. At first, it was just a matter of reactivating my consulting business, but then, in 2004, I was handed my ideal Big-Boy Job (that's what my wife calls it) working as the director of safety for a trade association in Washington, DC.

And I continue to write. In 2006, Six Minutes to Freedom was published to considerable acclaim. My first (and probably last) foray into book-length non-fiction, SixMin tells the story of Kurt Muse, the only civilian of record ever rescued by the super-secret Delta Force. Thanks to Kurt's cooperation (he is co-author), I gained access to people and places that lifelong civilians like me should never see. The heroic warriors I met during that research turned out to be nothing like their movie stereotypes. These were not only gentlemen, but gentle men, who remained free of the kind of boasting and self-aggrandizement that I was expecting. They were supreme professionals, and very nice guys.

And through them I got the idea for my new series character, Jonathan Grave. He's fo

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5 stars
1,574 (44%)
4 stars
1,380 (38%)
3 stars
475 (13%)
2 stars
83 (2%)
1 star
27 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
Profile Image for Scott A. Miller.
631 reviews27 followers
August 10, 2020
It was a little slow at the beginning. The hardest competition for so many of these authors is their previous work. Gilstrap is so good that he has to swing for the fences every time now for me and connect. He’s become one of my favorites.

This one was different for Scorpion, Big Guy, Mother Hen and Wolverine. It was actually kind of shocking how they loosened their operational security. I wonder if we are seeing a change. The team was missing a member, Gunslinger, and maybe that’s one reason for falling short of 5 Stars. I wonder if she’ll be back? Also, where was Father Dom?

All in all, this is one of my favorite series. I look forward to the rest of them.
Profile Image for Freda Malone.
378 reviews66 followers
April 25, 2017
The First Lady being kidnapped was something that intrigued me from the start, until Jonathan Grave and his team reveal something almost fraudulent about her. Her son and grandson are then later kidnapped, enter 2 zealous reporters who find themselves 'involved', with no choice but to assist Jonathan and his team with the rescue.

I have to say, the story itself was unorthodox in such a way that I had trouble with my eyes. I couldn't resist rolling my eyes every time the First Lady was mentioned. THIS would never happen in real life, not by any stretch of the imagination, period. However, I did enjoy the plot and the rescue, even the setting, in Canada, an island of sorts with a newly built prison in the middle.

This particular paperback had a nice surprise at the ending. A short short story, about young Jonathan and his father at the academy Jonathan was attending and an altercation with the headmaster. I fell in love with the dad right then. I think I actually enjoyed the short story better than the novel about the First Lady. *eye roll* See? My eyes have a problem. *chuckling*

Profile Image for Jim A.
1,267 reviews82 followers
August 18, 2021
I've enjoyed the previous Jonathan Grave novels, but his one didn't quite measure up to the previous efforts. Reading some of the other reviews, after reading the book, I see I am not the only reader that felt that way.

This is a reread for me. My Goodreads diary shows I read this seven years ago. I don't remember much of it. It does contain several twists that I didn't see coming. But, not enough to change my overall rating.
Profile Image for Patrice Hoffman.
563 reviews280 followers
October 29, 2013
*Won Through a Goodreads Giveaway*

John Gilstrap has been on my radar for a long time because fellow readers have suggested that since I like high octane espionage thrillers, he should not be overlooked. Suffice it to say, these recommendations were true to form and I am more than thankful to whatever system found me suitable for winning this giveaway of John Gilstrap's High Treason.

High Treason is the 5th book in the Jonathan Grave series. Jonathan Grave and his team are who you send when someone is taken hostage and their return is of the highest importance. Grave is a former Special Forces officer and specialist in security turned Hostage rescue specialist. His team does whatever it takes to return their PC(precious cargo) to saftety. Enter his latest assignment.

Because of the sensitivity of the situation, Grave and his team are called in to find the FLOTUS. The FBI director Irene Rivers, an old friend and sometimes employer, inducts them into the search for the First Lady. Because, news of her kidnapping could destabilize the already weak economy and also cause some other secrets to be found out, this situation must be neutralized ASAP. Hesitantly, Grave agrees to find the FLOTUS.

High Treason barely allows the readers time to blink let alone allow it's characters breathe before they are on to the next situation. This approach is precisely why I love the brain-candy that are thrillers. The focus on action helps to mask the fact that there is a very thin storyline accompanied by even thinner characters. I don't mean that as a diss, sincerely. It's why movies of this same formula make less than stellar actors A-listers. It sells and I'm buying.

In some cases I feel like I haven't missed anything when starting a series anywhere except at the beginning. Reading No Mercy, at least, would have seemed benefitting because I have a lot of questions still. Why is our hero so rich? Who is this man? Where did he come from? Why's he so great at giving speeches? I mean, these speeches entice people who have never handled guns to find the inner ability to thwart mercenaries and thugs. I mean, who is this badass that is Jonathan Grave.

Ultimately, I did enjoy reading High Treason by John Gilstrap and plan on reading more. There's plenty of action, suspense, guns, and reasons for conspiracy theorists to always have new material. This political thriller should not be missed by fans of this series. Now I wonder who's out there making sure the secrets at the highest level of government stay just that, secret.
513 reviews4 followers
October 8, 2013
I love Jonathan Grave and his crew, but this book had me shaking my head. The only reason it gets 3 stars in my books is that the action scenes and the actual hostage rescue are simply awesome. Apart from that, it's lame-o! The "unbelievable" factor is a 10. The whole back-story is just ridiculous, and then to hit us with the FIRST LADY as accompanying them on their mission... well... at that point, I almost stopped reading.

As well, there are several important characters missing, although I did enjoy spending more time with Boxers. Irene Rivers is prominent and her actions are also just too unbelievable - even in a novel you should have SOME relation to how the FBI and U.S. government work. When you depart as much as Gilstrap did in this book, that fact becomes a constant irritant.

Gilstrap is a great writer. I love him. He should just try to make these books less "political" and stick with telling a good story.
Profile Image for Pat.
2,310 reviews501 followers
September 27, 2014
I've enjoyed most of the Jonathan Grave stories although I thought the previous one was the worst. Now this...it took ages to get into it, there were a lot of players and the plot was always a bit murky. And the editing - who writes "they didn't say a word, but when they spoke it was in Russian"? Lazy formulaic writing. Not his best by a long shot.
Profile Image for Suspense Magazine.
569 reviews90 followers
August 18, 2013
When you pick up a John Gilstrap novel one thing is always true, you are going to be entertained at a high rate of speed.
John’s latest book, “High Treason” starts off not with a bang but with an explosion. In true Gilstrap form, the reader is instantly immersed in action that doesn’t stop until the last word. When the First Lady of the United States, Anna Darmond is kidnapped, the tension begins to build when it looks more and more like an inside job.
Jonathan Grave is then thrust into an impossible situation having to know who he can trust and how high up the crime link goes. This is the fifth book in the Jonathan Grave series and very possibly the best. Putting John Gilstrap’s “High Treason” on your reading list is a must for every thriller fan.
Reviewed by John Raab for Suspense Magazine ■
Profile Image for Brian.
788 reviews1 follower
March 25, 2014
The first half of the book was wild and the implausibility high, but fun.Then for some reason the author did a 90 degree turn and be used his formulaic thriller methods to finish out the story. The story was almost silly. Mentioned were shooting down a passenger airliner (but nothing else) and fight with the Russians. A pot boiler that forgot to be edited and well developed. Although I do like John Gilstrap's writings - hopefully, his next novel will be more cogent - it was like reading two unrelated novellas as one book. In the present environment - having a first lady that was a former terrorist (not a spoiler - disclosed early in book) seemed to border on asinine.
Profile Image for Skip.
3,845 reviews585 followers
May 23, 2015
Weakest book of this series by far. The main characters continue to delight, but the plot was too far fetched: FLOTUS (First Lady) is out at a nightclub her Secret Service detail is gunned down and nobody knows what happened to her. Wolverine (Irene Rivers) and the White House Chief of Staff do not know who to trust. Enter Jonathan Grave, Boxers, Venice. FLOTUS joins them to rescue her family from a well-defended island stronghold. Her background story and persona is simply ridiculous. I really hope the next book is better.
Profile Image for Pierre Tassé (Enjoying Books).
598 reviews93 followers
June 19, 2020
The two stars is not for the writing but for the disrespect to the Canadians and Canadian defence. To think that you can do what Gilstrap wrote is preposterous. Had the story been housed somewhere else (not the Canadian's nation capital), in another country, I would have had no problem bumping up the stars. BUT this story, though we write and read fiction, has no stars from me.
Profile Image for Sbeam.
144 reviews
August 25, 2013
Really? You know when you read books that most of this stuff could never happen but you go along with the story. This one was just unbelievable for me. Just couldn't straight my imagination that far.
Profile Image for Alex is The Romance Fox.
1,461 reviews1,242 followers
October 13, 2014
This is a great series and whilst the 5th book was not as great as previous ones, it still managed to draw me in.

I am totally engaged with the characters - Jonathan Grave aka Scorpion is totally endearing.....super tough-alpha male with a heart  photo 666cfebb-3061-413c-a52c-7845e5b8c6d9_zps594521cf.png and Brian Van de Meulebroeke known as Boxers.. photo 7a7dce77b24c4e2aa032c295da1d8574_zps24497605.jpg ….hell, his credo…kill and ask questions later!!!!!

So, here we have the team called in by their good secret friend, Irene Rivers, head of FBI aka Wolverine to find the First Lady who has disappeared and feared being kidnapped by some really bad people…

The plot seems a bit far-fetched at times….a First Lady who happens to have some dark past…like she was a Russian terrorist in her youth and voila…is now at the White House…
 photo unbelievable_5th_element_zps1134a1c5.gif
Yes….it’s true…okay, it’s fiction we’re reading…don’t forget!!!

Witty dialogue, great characters…even if they seem not so real..Who cares….I like them.

So, onto the next adventure with these guys!!!!!
Profile Image for D.B. Reynolds.
Author 39 books2,366 followers
August 25, 2013
3.5 stars, mostly because I love the series. I look forward eagerly to every new installment of Jonathan "Digger" Grave, but High Treason was a rare misstep for John Gilstrap. Not because there wasn't plenty of action, because there was, but first of all, because the story rests on such an unlikely and unbelievable premise that it taints everything that comes after. And second, because I'm with Big Guy on this one, Digger compromises operational security to such an extent that it's hard to believe this is the Dig we've all come to know and love.

Again, I love this series and recommend it highly. This particular book just doesn't reflect the overall excellence of the series.
Profile Image for Shelly.
638 reviews30 followers
August 3, 2013
Jonathan Grave and Boxers are back, and in fine form as usual. There's plenty of action and political intrigue in this page-turner, and a well-developed cast of supporting characters (don't tell Venice she's "supporting" thought - she'll probably hack your computer and post embarrassing pictures of you all over the web).
4 reviews2 followers
July 20, 2013
Great read. Action packed thriller that will not disappoint
Profile Image for Abibliofob.
1,589 reviews104 followers
January 16, 2021
In this book the identities of our heroes are at risk for the first time. It is another well written story from a great author. I really liked the bonus story "Discipline"
Profile Image for Boomer.
394 reviews5 followers
September 22, 2022
High Treason is another fast paced over the top action thriller featuring hostage rescuer Jonathan Grave and his crew, taking on their biggest mission yet - the retrieval of the kidnapped First Lady. Although the story veers into silliness occasionally it's still a really fun ride.

As interesting as all this is, my only question after finishing this is what the heck happened to Gail Bonneville?? The previous book finished on a cliffhanger, having her critically injured but stable in hospital and a question mark over her future. One of the big appeals of getting this book was to see how that resolved.... yet she's never once mentioned. I find it bizarre that a character that was built up over four books, and was a love interest for the main character to boot just vanishes without a trace. It's too bad because I was really starting to like her, and her role as a moral compass of sorts for Grave was intriguing. If we had to lose a character, I'd much rather it'd have been the annoying know-it-all Venice - that is Ven-EE-chey - but no such luck. I think the series is worse off without her and I'll hold out hope for a return.
743 reviews1 follower
December 28, 2022
The president's wife is kidnapped and Scorpion and Big Guy are tasked to getting her back.... no one knows who , what and why? Was their some secret service agents that turned rogue... that was why no one can know that she was kidnapped and no real police presence. I found that side story of the First Lady being a former soviet terrorist a little unbelievable .... that no one dug up her background or that she had this on going affair. what kind of friendship did the President and his Chief of Staff have that spanned over 35 years that would allow for an affair to keep going? I missed the priest and Gunslinger and I did not understand how they could allow 2 reporters on the property... a property with children on it. Scorpion does not trust people but he trusted these 2 reporters with some very major secrets... did not make sense to me. I liked that Becky bailed from the mission at the end.. that seemed pretty realistic. The book was fast paced and again... littered with lots of dead bodies
1,632 reviews2 followers
September 11, 2017
I enjoy the Jonathan Graves series.

Some other reviewers thought the story line of High Treason implausible: hello, it's FICTION. It's no more implausible than MOST of fiction, especially some other genre's. And isn't that the point of fiction?

The High Treason story is entertaining and gripping. You feel the fear of the minor characters. You feel the intensity of the major characters. THAT'S what good fiction does!

If you are a fan of Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn, Lee Child, Stephen Coonts, John Connolly and/or F. Paul Wilson, who all have larger than life heroes with fantastical lives and missions, you will absolutely enjoy John Gilstrap's Jonathan Graves series... and his books that are not part of the series. I highly recommend them all.
242 reviews3 followers
April 8, 2021
Another winner by John Gilstrap. Yes, the plot is fairly far "over the top," but Gilstrap pulls it off by making it as real as a novel like this is going to get. Lots of "bad guy carnage," but I'm good with the bad guys getting theirs. And if I want real, then I'll read history books. This is a novel. Not just any novel---it's a thriller. It's not supposed to be perfectly real. I don't want perfectly real, because if the author doesn't step outside the lines of pure reality, the novel must be boring. Have you ever sat in a lawyer's office and listened to the legalese? That's real, and it'll put you to sleep. Make it into a novel and it'll die a horrible death.
Profile Image for Andrew.
814 reviews9 followers
May 24, 2018
I've loved all four of Gilstrap's previous novels, and I really wanted to love this one, too - but it ust didn't grab me. The plot - first lady kidnapped, Jonathan 'Digger' Grave called in to perform an off-the-books rescue - seemed excellent, and the opening chapters were great, but the more I read, the less I enjoyed. None of these types of thrillers are hugely believable, and I always remember going in that it's a novel not a work of history. But even so this one just seemed completely impossible. I'll read another Gilstrap novel soon, and see how he bounces back.
7 reviews1 follower
December 21, 2019
Sleeper cells, traitors, witness protection.... What constitutes "high treason"?

Gilstrap gives the reader another view of Scorpion and Big Guy -. a kindler, gentler view, if you will, of the two who respond to Wolverine's story of high-level espionage including kidnapping of the First Lady.

Is the treason at the highest levels of government, at the hands of long-embedded sleeper cells, at the hands of the fourth estate? The reader may go back and forth with their opinion, but the answer will surprise the reader with the depth of the intrigue.
Profile Image for Katie Komo.
387 reviews2 followers
April 15, 2022
Loved this book, almost completely.
…except what happened to Gail? I listened to the audiobook, so I can’t just skim back and look, but was she mentioned at all?!
Also- crunchy lib female reporter really got on my nerves. Props for writing about all sorts of perspectives, but man, she bugged me. -Very well written, I just didn’t care for the character.
I did find some elements of the plot to be so incredibly unbelievable that I just kinda ignored them, but it IS fiction. I felt like the ending was rushed and not as well developed, especially the part about the chief of staff.
133 reviews2 followers
June 25, 2023
I love this series and characters but…

As I read through this I kept getting the feeling I missed a large chunk of the story somewhere but it would be brought back round at some point (it is over 500 pages). I mean really? Having FLOTUS accompanying the two superstars on a rescue mission? That’s a bit much to chew on….even at the end I was left feeling I was missing some great revelations or a piece of the storyline. I don’t know maybe it’s me but this left me wanting answers or a better end. I will continue reading this series but definitely the most disappointing so far….
Profile Image for Todd.
2,226 reviews8 followers
August 8, 2020
The first lady likes to go out on her own to clubs. Well, alone with a detail of Secret Service agents. Unfortunately her detail is taken out and she is missing. Dig and Boxers are called in to find and rescue her if needed
Turns out she is a Russian expatriate with a past, and boy does it come back to bite her. Now Dig is on a recovery mission to rescue her son and grandson from Russians from her past
165 reviews
January 8, 2023
Yahoo...another extraordinary book by Mr. Gilstrap!

Recently, I had found out that Mr. Gilstrap had released many (if not all) of his Jonathan Grave's book. I am elated! I read 2 of his stories back to back. Now, I will continue to hope some of my favorite authors, who are not in Kindle Unlimited, will soon be in the program! The book was excellent. If you are looking for a read that is thrilling, check it out. Kudos again, for Mr. Gilstrap.
Profile Image for Jennifer Brown.
2,805 reviews97 followers
August 22, 2025
I'm having to listen to some of these books because I can't find paperbacks at my usual locations. I'm not a fan of the narrator (or maybe I just prefer to read this series?) and couldn't get into the story at first. The author uses a lot of descriptions for stuff I don't care about. When I read it, I HAVE to read about it...but when I listen, I zone out. Oh well...hopefully the next one will be better keeping me into it!
Profile Image for Bruce Raterink.
833 reviews32 followers
May 12, 2022
I love this action packed thriller series with Jonathan Grave. Great characters, fast paced plot, and the good guys always win. The plot of this particular book tipped over the edge of believability but the non stop action and creative banter between the characters made it a great read anyway. If you are new to the series I recommend starting with book one, No Mercy. Highly recommended
Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews

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