Panic

Leopold Blake Thriller #2

by Nick Stephenson

ASIN B00BJ92J2I moved to the most recent edition

Swift. Silent. Deadly.

Leopold Blake, expert criminology consultant for the FBI, had his weekend all planned out – and it didn't involve dealing with a murdered senator, a high-profile kidnapping, and at least three near-death experiences.

Three politicians have been murdered in as many weeks, all expertly dispatched, and only Leopold can get to the bottom of it. Unfortunately, as all hell breaks loose on the streets of New York City, he soon finds himself the next target of a powerful enemy who wants him silenced. Permanently.

Against a backdrop of political corruption and murder, Leopold and his team must fight for their lives to uncover the truth before it’s too late.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Ebooks, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Amazon

286 pages, ebook

First published February 26, 2013

About the author

Nick Stephenson was born and raised in Cambridgeshire, England and will now refer to himself in the first person. My approach to writing is to hit hard, hit fast, and leave as few spelling errors as possible. I write thrillers, suspense novels, and the occasional witty postcard, all of which are designed to get your pulse pounding. Don’t let my headshot fool you – I’m actually full colour, on most days.

My books are a mixture of mystery, action, and humour. If you’re looking for a good place to start, take a look at my Leopold Blake series of thrillers, available now at www.noorosha.com/books and out soon on Amazon, Sony, Barnes & Noble, and the iTunes store.

Reviews

[Nick Stephenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

[comments from the author] I wrote Panic to best capture the essence of books I enjoy reading the most. Namely; flat-out pacing, plot twists a-plenty, pulse-pounding action, and a central mystery that will keep you guessing. I wanted to combine the brain-twists of a classic mystery with the excitement of an action thriller, and I’m very pleased with the results.

I hope you all enjoy.

[Judie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just think of the Energizer Bunny: He just keeps going and going and going.

Criminology consultant Leopold Blake and the others working on his case–his body guard, Jerome, and Police Sergeant Mary Jordan--could be the bunny’s models. Despite being knocked unconscious, beaten, shot, and otherwise put out of commission, they manage to wake up, get up, and continue chasing the bad guys.
The deaths of three state senators from different areas of the country, all appearing to be suicides, and the disappearance of the daughter of a fourth one bring out the competition between the local police departments, the FBI, and an independent consultant as they fight among each other as they try to get to the bottom of the cases. Blake is sure they are connected. The FBI and local police captain aren’t so sure.
The story moves along rapidly even if the actions don’t seem at all plausible. Nick Stephenson speaks out about politics, greed, and patriotism. “Today’s America was different. In earlier times, the country had fought itself free of tyranny and had forged an empire that spanned the entire globe. Perhaps not an empire in the traditional sense, but an empire of economics and political power that affected the lives of more than seven billion people. Today’s America was weak in comparison, left frail by the disease of corruption that went all the way to the White House. Crippled by the endless greed that had sucked the soul out of this once-great nation. A nation that millions of men had died fighting to protect.” The philosophy, though, seems to have been thrown in but not elaborated on sufficiently.
He continues, “You mean blackmail? I prefer the term financial persuasion. Besides, how is it different from accepting campaign donations from companies wanting to affect government policy?”
In addition to the quick recoveries, there are a couple other inconsistencies: At one point, Blake leaves a Columbia graduation. He is soon back on campus looking for a computer. He is concerned about all the students on campus and in classes. It seems to me that there are no classes the day of and days following graduation. The language of one character, a university professor, begins quite ungrammatically: “You ain’t students of mine and I got work to do.”
The book was a fast read, especially after I decided to skip the many, many gory fighting scenes.
PANIC was a free Amazon download.

[Craig McGray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buckle up, because Nick Stephenson has penned a thriller that speeds by at break-neck pace. Leopold Blake and his partner Jerome, have grabbed me by the throat and I can't wait to see what they have waiting for them in the rest of the series.

With precise blows, Stephenson creates fight scenes that had me clenching my jaw with tension. The twists and turns put into the story kept me guessing and it only took a couple of sittings before I turned the last page.

Solid character development, and obvious research, drew me in quickly while the pace of the story cracked along toward an exciting finish. I'm anxiously awaiting the next in the series.

[Debbie Oxier · Rating 4 out of 5]

I probably should have read Wanted first in order to better understand what Leopold "Leo" Blake referred to as his team. There is Jerome, his bodyguard. Jeremy's presence is necessary because Leo is extremely wealthy and he also spends most of his time fighting bad guys. Jerome can fight like nobody's business and also has an arsenal of weapons that would put most law enforcement agencies to shame. Then there is Mary. She actually works for the police department but there's a connection between her and Leo that I must have missed in the first book. They seem pretty chummy yet don't act anything like boyfriend and girlfriend or lovers for that matter.

When three United States senators are killed, their deaths made to look like suicides, Leo is asked to look into it. His investigative skills are top notch. Then we learn another senator's daughter has been kidnapped and the senator has specifically asked that Leo work the case. Of course, he assembles his "team".


I really enjoyed this story. Leo was very intelligent and that led him to look at things a little bit different than your normal everyday, run-of-the-mill investigators. In fact, the book had an almost Sherlock Holmes -ish feel to it. However, unlike a lot of Sherlock Holmes, there was a lot of action in this as well. Plenty of hand-to-hand combat and some nifty exploding devices I've never heard tell of before now. It was a little gory in a couple of places but I didn't find it to be enough to make me stop reading. The bad guys were mercenaries and believe me, they showed no "mercy" in the way they operated.

I really liked Leo. The man was tenacious, never backing down from a fight and never being intimidated by the circumstances. He often took on someone bigger in stature and with more physical skills than he possessed simply to protect his team. He was a brilliant strategist as well and came up with ideas that left the others wondering if he'd lost his mind. Even so, they trusted him enough to follow through with his plans.

Mary was something of an enigma. While she had ties to law enforcement and still had to answer to her superiors, she was willing to bend a little when it came to Leo. Her priority was to get the senator's daughter back alive and she was all for doing whatever it took to succeed, even if it meant they were outnumbered and outgunned (though not by much considering Jerome's cache of weaponry).

This was a very entertaining read although, as I said, I wasn't as familiar with the players as I might have been had I read Wanted first. Still, I learned enough about the characters to keep me reading and am now intrigued enough to want to read more. Plenty of action, plenty of suspense, and the true motive behind everything isn't revealed until the very end.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Waiting within the pages of 'Panic' there are some fascinating characters. I particularly liked the ever resourceful bodyguard Jerome who has strength and heart in equal measure... Well maybe just a little more strength. That man's a beast! One of the great things about the book is that even the support characters are given heart and purpose - I found Arthur hilarious!

This book definitely reminded me of Sherlock Holmes mixed with a generous helping of James Bond. As a reader I was instantly intrigued by the initial mystery of the matching murders and Leopold definitely has that Sherlock Holmes swagger: teasing his colleagues and keeping them, and us, dangling.

Vivid surroundings are established throughout and I found it really easy to picture the settings at every stage: the tense alleyway murders, the claustrophobic underground tunnels and the superior home of the politicians were great. Sometimes, for me, this slowed the pace of the mystery down a little too much and I felt like the settings sometimes took precedence over the plot.

Although this genre of fiction isn't an area I delve into regularly, this book was energetic and keeps you guessing right until the end.

I'd definitely recommend it if you are feeling like some adrenaline pumping action with a dose of spine-tingling mystery thrown in!

[Simon Jenner · Rating 4 out of 5]

With danger lurking around every corner, FBI consultant Leopold Blake fights for his life on way too many occasions as he tries to get to the bottom of a well-planned kidnapping and several high profile murders.

Leopold is an unusual but likeable character. He will do whatever it takes to see justice prevail and seems to have a sixth sense for clues that others miss. Jerome is his beast of a bodyguard, but after 20 years of service has become more of a sidekick and best friend. He is definitely the guy to have looking out for you in Leopold’s line of work. I would like to have learned more about Jerome's and Leopold’s antics in their 20 years together, as well as to see Leopold’s relationship with Mary (the Police Sergeant) developed further.

The opening chapter draws you in by providing a thought-provoking insight into a murder scene. What follows is action all the way, with plenty of plot twists and turns that propel the story along. Leopold finds himself in many life threatening predicaments in exciting settings, resulting in plenty of violent confrontations and well-choreographed fights against highly trained adversaries. I particularly enjoyed the high tech gadgets, although the final ‘bomb’ scene was a bit crazy albeit pulse-pounding. Overall it is an easy, entertaining read and the intriguing epilogue makes you want to pick up the next book.

[Jaideep Khanduja · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://booksmakelife.blogspot.in/2014...

Book Review: Panic by Nick Stephenson: An FBI Expert Becomes Murder Suspect

Panic: A Leopold Blake Thriller is written by Nick Stephenson in a very interesting manner that makes this murder mystery fiction a very engrossing read. Three top political leaders are murdered in a mysterious manner and the case goes to FBI expert Leopold Blake who has expertise in resolving such kind of complex cases. The cases which are of very high complexity and are thought to be very difficult to solve come to Leopold Blake last of all.

But while resolving this murder case there comes a situation when Leopold Blake appears to be one of the culprits.

[Kristi | Hidden Staircase | · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun novel. The main character Leopold Blake is a bit Sherlockian in his deduction skills. The book is full of action and there were some moments with eyeballs that made me pretty squeamish. Some of the situations they found themselves in got a bit over-the-top for me. Enjoyed the cast of characters and look forward to reading more about them. The mystery is solved...sort of. Definitely leads you on to the next book(s).

[Rashmi Pant · Rating 2 out of 5]

Leopold Blake is an extremely rich man. He as all the time in the world and can just "look" at a crime scene and "solve it". He has access to the latest, in technology in terms of weapons and kills with impunity. Fights break out, people are killed but no collateral damage and no witnesses found. Crimes scenes cleaned up and no evidence left. All this and he is just a police consultant! Well, please forgive me if i say, some logic would have been nice.

[Terry Parrish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. These books are so fast to read. Like the story and the conclusions of them, too. Now on to the next one.

[Icy Sedgwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know those books that you get so caught up in that you read 58% in one go, and then the next day almost miss your train stop because you're so engrossed?

This is one of those books.

[Namrata Ganti · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is the second in the Leopold Blake series and is a fast-paced thriller. There is an ongoing murder investigation and Blake is called in to consult. It is interesting to read about how his mind works and how he works with people. Being rich and having access to everything he wants, he sometimes takes advantage of his position and power! His bodyguard, Jeremy is a tough and interesting guy who ensures that he always has Blake's back. Bring in a police detective and a civilian, and the author gives us a random mix of people, who are unlikely to meet, let alone work together under normal circumstances.

Though the story flows very well and the plot is well thought out, at times it felt as though the deductions were too easy and that Blake doesn't have to put in too much effort to solve things. This makes it a little unrealistic to read about. However, putting this aside, the way the story is written is intriguing, making it difficult for the reader to figure out what is going on before the characters in the story do. The story has a lot of action, and adventure in it, with the characters racing against time to catch the culprit. The characters are mostly well developed, though at times they tend to behave in ways that might be difficult for the reader to relate to, but they are deep and complex overall.

As they race against the clock, so does the reader, as we turn page after page to quickly understand the plot and the meaning of the title "Panic". This book is definitely worth the read for those who love a good mystery thriller!

[Sieglinde · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three politicians have been murdered and now the daughter of a senator has been kidnapped during an attack in which more people died. Blake and Jordan investigate, track down who took the woman and why, and then uncover a more serious reason why she and her father had been targeted. Who was behind it all? Someone that Blake knows only too well.

[Tracey Billing · Rating 4 out of 5]

So good. Took me about 24 hours to finish this book, lucky I got the weekend to do nothing but lay around and read.
This book, the second Leopold Blake book I have read is just as fast paced and compelling as the first. I love that we get Jerome and Try back and what seems to be something of a repeat an extra civilian that helps them out.

[Ken · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good Read

A nice installment in the action genre. The plot keeps to a familiar formula and the pacing is good , characters are good of not a little too cookie cutter. The Rich detective goes back a long ways, the Shadow, Batman, the thin man , Myron Bolitar and etc,

It’s funny how trained military people never hit their targets in a shoot out. But hey it’s fiction.

[Mr Michael R Stevens]

Easy Reading

Not taxing but fairly fast paced with a slick storyline keep you engaged. The second in the series with a bit of a revelation in the epilogue I look forward to number three in the series.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

totally enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and engaging. The female cop was really week but the body guard and the main investigator came off as really smart and near supermen. Lots of great twists and turns.

[janis dunavant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast moving fun

Good character development
A good follow up to the first and I will read the others in the series. Interesting .

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good book

You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must say that Leopold Blake is a most unique character who falls into very crazy situations. Great story!

[dennis williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Panic Book 2

Very fast moving tale, that pits a professor against an assailant that has planned their moves to perfection. This keeps you reading to know what the outcomes will be.

[Anna Cabral · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book! Not my favourite genre, but if you love thrillers, you'll love it.

[Rishika S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Panic comes with a tagline of sorts - A Leopold Blake Thriller. There is only one problem with that though; the book isn't all that much of a thriller.

The good points of Panic include a more than decent story line, a good mix of characters, and some really detailed action sequences that leave you feeling like you're watching a movie. Unfortunately, even the good points couldn't really hold up the book or make it very thriller like.

While the story is not bad, it's not exactly innovative or out of the blue either. It's quite predictable and doesn't have enough oomph to be called a thriller. A mystery, maybe, or even crime fiction. People are dying and we need to know why, but that's not really enough to call it a thriller. The reason I'm harping on that particular point is because I picked up the book mainly because it was a crime thriller, which one of my favorite genres. And on that front, it was disappointing.

But, I got over it and decided to enjoy the book as a mystery, which worked to making it a better read. Overall, there's nothing too wrong with the book. But there are some things that come out glaring at you, one of which was the lack of character depth. Somehow, you read the book and look at everything from the various characters' perspectives, but don't really associate with them. This problem existed mainly with Blake himself.

The good thing about Blake was that he wasn't some sort of can-never-be-defeated protagonist. He has weaknesses, and that's why he has a bodyguard. But what skills he may lack in self defense, he makes up in logic and observation - or at least, he's supposed to. Blake is introduced in a Sherlock-esque manner, seeing that which the best law officials cannot. That is why he's an expert consultant. But then, he goes and makes the stupidest mistakes and lapses in judgment that even a rookie detective on his first case wouldn't. So while I have no problem with the fact that he needs his bodyguard for the action, has the best team that money can buy at his beck and call for all the techie stuff (instead of being a whiz kid at absolutely everything himself), and needs the assistance of a cop too, I simply cannot understand why he would mess up on the one front that's working for him. That, in my mind, is weak character development. You can't really take the one advantage your protagonist has and then conveniently forget all about it so that certain things can unfold, just to make the story move ahead. Stephenson could have found ten different ways to make the same thing happen without making it seem like his star's one strength came and went as it pleased. Convenience and luck don't really add much depth or interest to any story.

The remaining characters, while interesting, were not enough to keep you gripped at all times. Throw in some awkward moments of emotion that pop out randomly and without warning, and disappear just as quickly, and you have a pretty odd style of writing that doesn't aid in making the book enjoyable. The only parts that seem to have been written with a lot of dedication and interest are the action sequences. At one point though, that just got strenuous to read, especially given the lack of depth in too many other places.
But even with all those problems, here's the thing - the book, story, and writer have potential. And clearly, the book has been appreciated because Stephenson carried out the original plan of making Blake a recurring character. From what I've read, the characters get better as the stories progress. Panic ends with the hint (a really large one) of a sequel and a story that is connected. So, in spite of all that problems, I am going to read some of the other books in the series, because at the end of the day, it's not so bad that you want to never look at it again.
All in all, Panic has some things going for it and many against. It is fast paced and does move along well, even if it doesn't grip you from the get go and make you feel like you can't get up without finishing it. If you want to read a crime thriller with lots of twists and turns, a book that you just can't keep down, then this isn't the book for you. But if you like mysteries in general and just want a relatively easy read that you can go through without thinking too much and at your own pace, Panic is an option you can consider.

[Kelsey Ketch · Rating 2 out of 5]

At first, I was very intrigued by Panic, especially in the initial chapters. They were thrilling and engaging. I loved the introduction of the different characters. I even liked how Leopold proved himself an expert in the very first chapter, countering the doubt the police had over the homicide scene. Unfortunately, about half way through, the story lost my interest for several reasons.

The first reason was that Leopold had too much knowledge about… well… everything. It wasn’t that he was just an expert. He knew where all the right leads were, never hitting a dead end even once. He knew the right people to get him on the right track. He even knew when someone was dead without any real sign or evidence. It was like Leopold just always had the answer, making him an unbelievable character in my opinion. He should make some mistakes, follow some wrong leads, trust the wrong people… have some sort of flaw.

Second, everyone just went along with whatever Leopold did – especially Mary, who is an officer of NYPD. There should have been some resistance, some questioning of his methods since at times they were technically illegal. Mary should have challenged Leopold, put up some sort of fight, yet unlike the cop in the first chapter, she basically handed over the lead investigation to Leopold and stepped aside, letting him do whatever he pleased. Hardly anything like Kate in ABC’s Castle or even Inspector Lestrade from Sherlock Holmes.

Finally, this mystery, thriller had more physical struggles than mental, and as much as I love action, I felt it was a little overwhelming in this plot. Most of the time, it seemed like one fight after the next, causing it all to blur together. Not exactly my kind of action. And honestly, I would have preferred some more mental struggles, encrypted clues, or anything to challenge my mind as I read.

In all, if you are interested in pure action with a little mystery, then I would definitely recommend Panic as the perfect novel to read, but overall, this book just wasn’t my cup of tea.

For more book reviews, you can also visit my website over at Ketch’s Book Nook. Thank you.

[Heather Doughty · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book in this series that I have read. It is the last one I will read. Such a bummer because it was my summer reading project to read all of these books, but I cannot go on.

Much like Wanted, the story begins kind of in the middle. Yes, it draws the reader in. No, it never catches the read up. As I said in my review of Wanted, it's like joining a tv series half way through the first season. This book is like joining in Season 2. Yes, I know the character names, but that is all I know. Sadly, that is still I all I know after reading the book.

Here I am with all sorts of unanswered questions. Why is Leopold a contractor? How did he get to be a contractor and why? How did he get his training? How did he acquire his skills? How long has he been a contractor? What the heck is a contractor for the FBI? How did he develop a relationship with his bodyguard? How did he and Mary meet and what is their relationship? If Leopold works for the FBI, why is he also working with a NYC Detective?

I don't care to find out these answers. I wish I knew them at the end of the first book, and I expected to know them by the end of the 2nd book.

About this book, Panic: I found the scenes to be quite repetitive. Someone is after them. Shots are fired. Leopold gets grazed or hit. Someone winds up unconscious. Leopold takes 3 seconds to summon information from some person working for him. I also found a lot of repetitive wording such as sentences beginning with "Look..." and chapters ending with "I have a plan..." There is even a repetitive scene from Wanted: Leopold has low blood sugar because he forgot to eat, there is a gourmet kitchen handy, someone heats up take out, and everyone eats.

Sorry, Mr. Stephenson, but I just can't continue with this series. Best wishes to you.

[Nicko · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a good read but lost two stars for the following reasons:

1) The story reads like an 80's action flick. The mystery is really non-existent since you get to know the real bad guy early on into the book. Not much of a twist until the very end and it's not a twist: it's a cliffhanger that I am assuming sets the tone of the second book. Everything else is action. Unrealistic action. Another reviewer noted that Leopold Blake seems to be all-knowing / all-powerful and this rings true. There are no demons he has to deal with, no flaws, no nothing. He is Sherlock Holmes and the Terminator all at once. Honestly, I have no idea why he even has a bodyguard.

2) A lot of the story is left unexplained. Why isn't the FBI much more involved when the seriousness of the situation would clearly alert them to something sinister going on? How come the police response appears to be measured in hours instead of minutes? And when there is a life or death action scene where guns would certainly one-up the aggressors they are simply there to make the action scene become a gun fight since apparently the people in that universe know Gun-Katta.

Look, I can suspend disbelief but the narrative was not asking the reader to completely turn off their brain. I thought I was reading a mystery after all, a book where my brain would have to work in order to catch subtle clues and innuendos that would lead to the ultimate reveal. Alas, in that department this book falls short.

I would recommend this book as a casual read if you are looking for an action paced thriller. I liked it but it could have been better.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick Stephenson is a new read for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it. He moved things along quickly and kept you guessing. Woven in the story there was murder, mystery and humor. You can’t take it serious because the law enforcement wouldn’t have someone like the main character, Leopold Blake, get away with everything he did but it sure makes for good reading. I think Stephenson did a great job of developing all of the characters especially the main one Leopold Blake. Each of the characters were nicely developed along with all the scenes within the story. Some of it were very detailed in all the weapons used.

This book was about three murderers and a high-profile kidnapping. The police weren’t doing a great job on finding out who done it but Leopold Blake sets in and gets the ball moving. He and one of the NYC finest along with Leopold’s trusted bodyguard try to uncover the truth of what was going on with the murders and kidnapping before it was too late. Its setting also shows all the political corruption within the city.

I really enjoyed the book and it won’t be the last of Stephen’s books. I will now go back to read the first of A Private Investigator Series of Crime and Suspense Thrillers and look forward to reading them all.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Police consultant Leopold Blake is asked by police to look into the case of a US Senator who had committed suicide. The Senator was third Senator to die under odd circumstances. Leopold quickly points out it was murder pure and simple. Christina Logan, daughter of powerful Senator Logan is then kidnapped. Police Sergeant Mary Jordan is assigned the case. Leopold and his right hand / help with everything man Jerome team up with Mary. The story line has Leopold, Mary, and Jerome through some tough scraps. With several twists to the plot, the good guys have real trouble making headway on the case. The characters are defined pretty well, and with some depth. Plenty of action throughout book kept the story humming at a pretty good pace. Some nice dialog between the good guys kept the story lively as well. I'd recommend "Panic" by, Nick Stephenson for anyone that enjoys a quickly paced thriller. Was enjoyable to read, and the pages just flew. I gave it 4 stars out of 5. Did not go 5 stars because the ending left me saying- OH NO ! not like this !. Pick this one up for a good read. You'll not be disappointed.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm struggling to say that I liked this book, but I'm struggling to explain why. I think it's in the unanswered questions. Who exactly is Leopold Blake? Why does he have a bodyguard? What is his story? Why is he in the role that he is? The narrator frequently calls him "the consultant". What exactly does that mean? Is he a private eye? He's never really called that. Who is Mary? What is her relationship with Leopold? She seems to not care that Leopold breaks all kinds of laws in the interest of catching the bad guy, even though she's a cop and all his actions are mostly based on hunches. If those questions had been answered, I probably would have enjoyed the book alot more. I mean, yeah, there were a normal amount of convenient plot devices and the good guys always seemed to guess right and/or be in the right place at just the right time, but that's fine. It was good, it just wasn't great. Maybe I'm spoiled by the likes of Lee Child and Stephen Hunter and Jeff Deaver and David Baldacci and others. I may or may not read another Nick Stephenson book. It's too early to decide.

[Bert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first of the Leopold Blake mystery series novels. We have the protagonist as an independently wealthy criminalist/profiler/consultant who is called in to find the killer of three state senators and three young adults. He or she has also kidnapped the adult daughter of a United States Senator. Lots of enigmatic twists & turns, as slowly the connection between the events becomes more obvious. The author has skillful descriptions of physical challenges and confrontations, weapons systems, and the evil that sometimes lurks in the hearts of those seeking revenge and those obsessed with greed. Surprises. This genre is top-heavy with the work products of umpteen authors. Some are more successful than others at avoiding the pitfalls of predictability, redundancy, technical inaccuracies, plagarism, or blandness. I still want to read more of this author's series, a serious compliment since I'm finicky. Not a great book, but worthy of your time, just keep your expectations realistic.