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The New Bad Thing #1
The New Bad Thing
Crime thriller readers of ordinary-people-in-extraordinary-circumstances will enjoy this acclaimed new series – where espionage and mafia worlds collide with Seattle reporter, Teagan Penn. By award-winning author, Michael Ebner, a Kirkus Reviews ‘Best Books of the Year’ author.
“An entertaining page-turner that mixes punchy shootouts with resonant soul-searching. Ebner gives his characters rich back stories and complex motivations. Teagan proves to be an appealing hero with depth and determination – readers will enjoy rooting for her. GET IT. ” - Kirkus Reviews
“Ebner has crafted a fast-paced thriller with plenty of twists and turns that make it difficult to recognize fact from fiction.”
– San Francisco Book Review
“Intense thriller. An ending you will not see coming.” – Los Angeles Book Review
“Global terrorism, mafias and one woman running from her personal struggles to try and make a difference form this twisting action thriller. A good recommendation for fans of action, thrillers and espionage.” – LoveReading (UK)
"The excitement in this book starts right from the first chapter" – Chicago Book Review
“The next best thing its readers pick up. Engaging and exciting from the beginning. Teagan has no choice but to fight fire with fire.” – Portland Book Review
“A riveting story. Makes the reader feel they are on the edge of their seat, waiting to see what happens next.”
– Seattle Book Review
Teagan is successful in her own right but she’s not the crusader journalist she aspired to be back in college. She needs a personal distraction and decides to make a difference in the world to help others. When a foreign news story shocks her to the core, she takes matters into her own hands and starts a special project. But not everybody will be happy about her illegally funded venture. When Teagan travels to Paris to deal with a project setback, she wakes up in a luxury hotel in the middle of a terrorist siege. Or is it a planned attack on her life?
Like other survivors from the siege, she is taken to a local police station. Routine questioning turns to intense interrogation by an American–a European Counterterrorism agent–Robert Lexington. She is the only one in custody who has seen Roman in the last ten years. Teagan is persuaded by Lexington to help locate him–a high priority person of interest–and in return she will avoid the courts and military prison back home. What follows is a challenging personal journey for Teagan across Europe and America. She must draw on her experience as a skilled interviewer, improviser and investigator to find the ghost-like Roman for her family's survival.
“An entertaining page-turner that mixes punchy shootouts with resonant soul-searching. Ebner gives his characters rich back stories and complex motivations. Teagan proves to be an appealing hero with depth and determination – readers will enjoy rooting for her. GET IT. ” - Kirkus Reviews
“Ebner has crafted a fast-paced thriller with plenty of twists and turns that make it difficult to recognize fact from fiction.”
– San Francisco Book Review
“Intense thriller. An ending you will not see coming.” – Los Angeles Book Review
“Global terrorism, mafias and one woman running from her personal struggles to try and make a difference form this twisting action thriller. A good recommendation for fans of action, thrillers and espionage.” – LoveReading (UK)
"The excitement in this book starts right from the first chapter" – Chicago Book Review
“The next best thing its readers pick up. Engaging and exciting from the beginning. Teagan has no choice but to fight fire with fire.” – Portland Book Review
“A riveting story. Makes the reader feel they are on the edge of their seat, waiting to see what happens next.”
– Seattle Book Review
Teagan is successful in her own right but she’s not the crusader journalist she aspired to be back in college. She needs a personal distraction and decides to make a difference in the world to help others. When a foreign news story shocks her to the core, she takes matters into her own hands and starts a special project. But not everybody will be happy about her illegally funded venture. When Teagan travels to Paris to deal with a project setback, she wakes up in a luxury hotel in the middle of a terrorist siege. Or is it a planned attack on her life?
Like other survivors from the siege, she is taken to a local police station. Routine questioning turns to intense interrogation by an American–a European Counterterrorism agent–Robert Lexington. She is the only one in custody who has seen Roman in the last ten years. Teagan is persuaded by Lexington to help locate him–a high priority person of interest–and in return she will avoid the courts and military prison back home. What follows is a challenging personal journey for Teagan across Europe and America. She must draw on her experience as a skilled interviewer, improviser and investigator to find the ghost-like Roman for her family's survival.
237 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 28, 2023
81 people are currently reading
12822 people want to read
About the author
Michael Ebner
3 books517 followersMichael Ebner has been named a Kirkus Reviews 'Best Books of the Year' author and some of his books are currently in Hollywood film development. His new book is the crime thriller The New Bad Thing by Pen and Picture.
https://www.penandpicturepublishing.com
His next book will be Blood Fire (The New Bad Thing 2) coming in 2025.
https://www.penandpicturepublishing.com
His next book will be Blood Fire (The New Bad Thing 2) coming in 2025.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 234 reviews
September 19, 2023
Teagan and Todd had been trying to have a baby for some time, and the couple of miscarriages Teagan had had, depressed her. Continuing with treatment, she knew she needed distraction from her constant anxiety about a pregnancy - she was thirty seven years old, so not a lot of time left - so leaving Todd behind to his work, she headed to Paris to give aid to those who needed it - Project Rebound. Her absolute horror to wake up the following morning to terrorists killing the hotel guests, and anyone who got in their way, was the beginning of a new and terrifying time in her life.
With Robert Lexington interrogating her at the local police station, it seemed he was after a person Teagan knew - Roman was wanted by every law enforcement agency around, and Teagan needed to help locate him. But could Teagan do what they wanted her to do? She needed Todd by her side, but there was more to it all than it seemed.
The New Bad Thing is the 1st in The New Bad Thing series by Michael Ebner which I was invited to read by Pen & Picture. Intense and gritty from the start, my only issue was the alternate long chapters (the past) written in italics. Of course there would be no italics in an audio book :) Action packed and complex, there was always a lot going on. Recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
With Robert Lexington interrogating her at the local police station, it seemed he was after a person Teagan knew - Roman was wanted by every law enforcement agency around, and Teagan needed to help locate him. But could Teagan do what they wanted her to do? She needed Todd by her side, but there was more to it all than it seemed.
The New Bad Thing is the 1st in The New Bad Thing series by Michael Ebner which I was invited to read by Pen & Picture. Intense and gritty from the start, my only issue was the alternate long chapters (the past) written in italics. Of course there would be no italics in an audio book :) Action packed and complex, there was always a lot going on. Recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
April 11, 2023
When the book starts Teagan is at a hotel in France and it’s being attacked by terrorists but when she calls her “friend “back in New York who she thinks is the only person who can help only to find out he was the one who sent the hit on her in the first place I thought there’s no way this book can get better Teagan doesn’t have a large family her mom left her dead after getting their life savings to a Ponzi scheme and then ran off with the man who introduced the Ponzi scheme to her so it’s just Teagan her dad her husband Todd and eventually their new baby Ellise so needless to say Teagan would do anything to protect anyone of them and eventually she’ll have to prove that. This book is toll from the past and the present and it all comes together to make for one action packed OMG filled story I didn’t give a detailed summary only because I don’t like reading reviews where they pretty much tell the whole story so I will just say if you like books with strong likable female leads then you will Love The New Bad Thing what Teagan goes through is every new mother‘s nightmare but the ending makes it worth it I truly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. I thought the narrator did a pretty good job and set a great tone for the book. I received it from NetGalley and a publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
May 16, 2024
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and definitely will not be the last!!! This thriller is a page turner from start to finish! I adore the main female character. She is strong and savvy and ready for anything life throws at her. This is the first book in the series and I cannot wait until this next book is in my hand!!!
September 19, 2023
The central figure here is a woman, Teagan. In her late thirties she’s desperate to have a child with her husband Todd, but fates have so far been against her. Looking to divert her focus, she’s decided that the actions of a terrorist group called K.I.L. offer her a short-term way of turning her attention to something other than her seeming inability to conceive. She’ll find a way of helping women kidnapped by this group in the Middle East. As a respected journalist she has some contacts and some knowledge that she feels will help her achieve this aim.
Told in non-chronological order, we’re treated to a series of events that are, at first, hard to fit together. Teagan is in a hotel where K.I.L. members are marauding through its corridors killing everyone they can find. Teagan is interviewing a reclusive man who wants her to write his life story. A dodgy C.I.A agent is seeing the bottom of a bottle of wine little too often as he laments his lot, seemingly stuck in Europe with little hope of returning to his family in America. A young man in Northern Italy starts to make his way through the ranks of a ruthless Mafia gang. So, just how do these elements link together?
There’s no doubt that Teagan holds the interest most prominently here. Attacked by a dog when she was young, she bears the scars on her face as witness to the event. This either works to offset and enhance her natural beauty or it casts a shadow that’s proves to be an ugly distraction to observers – both scenarios are presented here. She’s fearless in pursuit of her career goals and also in the face of physical danger, but she’s defenceless when it comes to facing the possibility of life without a child to love and care for. Consequently, her moods and her actions are unpredictable.
At heart there’s a good story here as the various threads eventually come together to present a semi-cohesive whole. But my reservations are twofold: firstly, I struggled to like or even believe in any of the major characters; secondly, I’m just not a fan of this jerky way of telling a story where events are overlaid or the timeframe is constantly switching. There’s a follow-up book already lined up for release and I’ll have do some thinking as to whether it’s one I’ll be adding to my bookshelf.
My thanks to the publisher Pen and Picture for providing a copy of the audiobook in return for an honest review.
Told in non-chronological order, we’re treated to a series of events that are, at first, hard to fit together. Teagan is in a hotel where K.I.L. members are marauding through its corridors killing everyone they can find. Teagan is interviewing a reclusive man who wants her to write his life story. A dodgy C.I.A agent is seeing the bottom of a bottle of wine little too often as he laments his lot, seemingly stuck in Europe with little hope of returning to his family in America. A young man in Northern Italy starts to make his way through the ranks of a ruthless Mafia gang. So, just how do these elements link together?
There’s no doubt that Teagan holds the interest most prominently here. Attacked by a dog when she was young, she bears the scars on her face as witness to the event. This either works to offset and enhance her natural beauty or it casts a shadow that’s proves to be an ugly distraction to observers – both scenarios are presented here. She’s fearless in pursuit of her career goals and also in the face of physical danger, but she’s defenceless when it comes to facing the possibility of life without a child to love and care for. Consequently, her moods and her actions are unpredictable.
At heart there’s a good story here as the various threads eventually come together to present a semi-cohesive whole. But my reservations are twofold: firstly, I struggled to like or even believe in any of the major characters; secondly, I’m just not a fan of this jerky way of telling a story where events are overlaid or the timeframe is constantly switching. There’s a follow-up book already lined up for release and I’ll have do some thinking as to whether it’s one I’ll be adding to my bookshelf.
My thanks to the publisher Pen and Picture for providing a copy of the audiobook in return for an honest review.
March 9, 2025
Thank you to netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for a review. It certainly was action packed it held my attention until the end. 3 stars 🌟 it was good.
November 21, 2023
Espionage, mafia and action packed - Yes please! This read like a movie.
Teagan and Todd are struggling to have a baby. After a few miscarriages and not feeling fulfilled with her job she decides to go to Paris and start her own project to help and rescue enslaved girls by a terrorist organisation called KIL.
Waking the next morning in her hotel, she awakens to the terrorists killing hotel guests and a new nightmare. Are they after her?
Told in past and present timelines, Ebner gives depth to our main characters and at times was quite emotional.
It’s fast paced, intense and edge of your seat writing. I cant wait to read the next instalment.
Many thanks to @netgalley and @penandpicture for and ALC 🎧
Teagan and Todd are struggling to have a baby. After a few miscarriages and not feeling fulfilled with her job she decides to go to Paris and start her own project to help and rescue enslaved girls by a terrorist organisation called KIL.
Waking the next morning in her hotel, she awakens to the terrorists killing hotel guests and a new nightmare. Are they after her?
Told in past and present timelines, Ebner gives depth to our main characters and at times was quite emotional.
It’s fast paced, intense and edge of your seat writing. I cant wait to read the next instalment.
Many thanks to @netgalley and @penandpicture for and ALC 🎧
July 24, 2023
This story focuses on heroes are in plain sight amongst us often been made through extreme tradergy or circumstance.
Loved the narrator even when describing extreme violence his voice control and tone were spot on. Attempts at ascens were good thankfully this wasnt needed too much.. The book burb tells what you need to know .its fill of action violence a complex heorine who becomes so in the end to get home. The opening of a series whi h kept me hooked throughtout. I loved tge ending but i was crying out for more. I gueese tgats hood writing as im invested in teegan and look firwatd to book 2.
Thank you net gallery and publisher for my arc audio
Loved the narrator even when describing extreme violence his voice control and tone were spot on. Attempts at ascens were good thankfully this wasnt needed too much.. The book burb tells what you need to know .its fill of action violence a complex heorine who becomes so in the end to get home. The opening of a series whi h kept me hooked throughtout. I loved tge ending but i was crying out for more. I gueese tgats hood writing as im invested in teegan and look firwatd to book 2.
Thank you net gallery and publisher for my arc audio
June 13, 2023
An entertaining, fast paced book with plenty of action throughout. The reluctant heroine main character proved to be very capable in dealing with a variety of complex situations.
I must also add the book had the potential for being a TV Series in the making!
I must also add the book had the potential for being a TV Series in the making!
March 13, 2024
The New Bad Thing
Written by Michael Ebner
Published by Pen and Picture
Release Date September 23, 2023
This definitely has it all, espionage, mystery, and family drama. Teagan and Todd have tried for sometime to have a baby only to experience sadness with miscarriage after miscarriage. Dealing with the loss Teagan decides to travel to Paris in hopes of helping out Project Rebound. In her thirties Teagan wants to help women who were kidnapped from their hometown in the Middle East. This will hopefully take her mind off of her inability to conceive and let Todd concentrate on his work back home.
The narration takes us from past to present and does so in a way that the reader can follow without losing sight of the story. Yet we learn that those who are close to Teagan actually are not as close as she thinks as it is her friend that puts a hit out on her to start with. This has a strong female lead, espionage, murder, and lots of drama that will keep the reader enthralled and entertained from the start. And the fact that this will be made into television will certainly have you wanting more and realizing that it will come. But at what cost?
5 HUGE STARS
Thank you to Ebner, the publisher, and Goodreads for giving me a copy to read for my unbiased and honest review.
Written by Michael Ebner
Published by Pen and Picture
Release Date September 23, 2023
This definitely has it all, espionage, mystery, and family drama. Teagan and Todd have tried for sometime to have a baby only to experience sadness with miscarriage after miscarriage. Dealing with the loss Teagan decides to travel to Paris in hopes of helping out Project Rebound. In her thirties Teagan wants to help women who were kidnapped from their hometown in the Middle East. This will hopefully take her mind off of her inability to conceive and let Todd concentrate on his work back home.
The narration takes us from past to present and does so in a way that the reader can follow without losing sight of the story. Yet we learn that those who are close to Teagan actually are not as close as she thinks as it is her friend that puts a hit out on her to start with. This has a strong female lead, espionage, murder, and lots of drama that will keep the reader enthralled and entertained from the start. And the fact that this will be made into television will certainly have you wanting more and realizing that it will come. But at what cost?
5 HUGE STARS
Thank you to Ebner, the publisher, and Goodreads for giving me a copy to read for my unbiased and honest review.
August 23, 2023
The new bad thing by Michael Ebner is quite a ride. It starts on a high and just continues getting higher and higher and higher. The story of Teagan and her husband Todd, trying to have a baby can be very emotional, as well as the fear that she lives through in meeting criminals from Italy and Europe. It turns out that she becomes quite a gunmoll and has to use that ability to save her child. This was a great book! It was fun to read, and clearly written. Every single word was a tableau in my mind, Michael Ebner is a wonderfully descriptive writer. It was a quick read, and I really liked it. I listened to the audiobook, and whoever the narrator was, did a fabulous job. Every word was clear and his diction and elocution were perfect. I look forward to more books in this terrific series. Thank you, Michael Ebner.
November 11, 2023
3.5 rounded up. Fast paced action packed story. Was fun to listen(the audiobook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley). Very well written story with complex heroine.
I liked that the story line is not truly chronological, the chapters jump back to the past and reveal interesting facts and events, which gives us hints to what is happening in the present.
I really like the character of the main heroine, Teagan, and enjoyed to follow her in her journey through the story; but I didn’t really pay attention to other major characters, they didn’t seem realistic to me.
I liked variety of the topics covered by the author: mafia, terrorism, fertility, marriage... The author put us to the edge to think how far person can go in order to survive, to save the loved ones.
Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for this audio book.
I liked that the story line is not truly chronological, the chapters jump back to the past and reveal interesting facts and events, which gives us hints to what is happening in the present.
I really like the character of the main heroine, Teagan, and enjoyed to follow her in her journey through the story; but I didn’t really pay attention to other major characters, they didn’t seem realistic to me.
I liked variety of the topics covered by the author: mafia, terrorism, fertility, marriage... The author put us to the edge to think how far person can go in order to survive, to save the loved ones.
Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for this audio book.
March 19, 2024
3.5 ⭐️ Relatively quick, day-long listen. Though I was hoping for a standalone novel with a recurring character (e.g., Benoit Blanc, Hercule Poirot, etc.), this series is connected; you can't listen to one without the other.
The backstory motivation leading Teagan to be wrapped up in the Italian Mafia felt a little long-winded, given that I assume the conflicts brought up in Book 1 will be resolved in Book 2. I also wasn't sure which plot line I should have been focusing on until the second half. At that point, I thought the action story was well done. Engaging and entertaining. I can already envision this as an action movie watched at home on a Friday night when you can't find anything else but also aren't mad you watched it once over.
Given the setup and how things evolved, I'm inclined to dive into Book 2 and see where the story is headed.
Thanks to Netgalley, Pen and Picture, Michael Ebner, and Braden Wright for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
The backstory motivation leading Teagan to be wrapped up in the Italian Mafia felt a little long-winded, given that I assume the conflicts brought up in Book 1 will be resolved in Book 2. I also wasn't sure which plot line I should have been focusing on until the second half. At that point, I thought the action story was well done. Engaging and entertaining. I can already envision this as an action movie watched at home on a Friday night when you can't find anything else but also aren't mad you watched it once over.
Given the setup and how things evolved, I'm inclined to dive into Book 2 and see where the story is headed.
Thanks to Netgalley, Pen and Picture, Michael Ebner, and Braden Wright for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 30, 2023
The New Bad Thing is a refreshing take on the espionage genre. I enjoyed the main character, Teagan. She is written and characterized realistically enough that I felt she was someone I knew personally by the time the book ended. Maybe because we’re both women, but her big personal “win” meant a lot to me after hearing about her struggle to get to that point. I hate reviews with spoilers so I won’t go in to detail about it! The plot is fast-paced and engaging; the action reads like a film. Ebner is an incredible author and I’m looking forward to reading the next book!
November 15, 2023
Teagan is successful in her own right but she’s not the crusader journalist she aspired to be back in college. She needs a personal distraction and decides to make a difference in the world to help others. When a foreign news story shocks her to the core, she takes matters into her own hands and starts a special project. But not everybody will be happy about her illegally funded venture. When Teagan travels to Paris to deal with a project setback, she wakes up in a luxury hotel in the middle of a terrorist siege. Or is it a planned attack on her life?
Absolutely brilliant, I cannot say how much I enjoyed this book. Exceptional plot that takes you in from page one and does not let go. Fabulous characters, I am definitely now a huge fan of Teagan and am hoping there will be a much anticipated sequel to this story. If you are looking for plenty of action, suspence, twists and turns and excitement this is the book for you. Would give it more stars if I could, well done Mr Michael Ebner. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Absolutely brilliant, I cannot say how much I enjoyed this book. Exceptional plot that takes you in from page one and does not let go. Fabulous characters, I am definitely now a huge fan of Teagan and am hoping there will be a much anticipated sequel to this story. If you are looking for plenty of action, suspence, twists and turns and excitement this is the book for you. Would give it more stars if I could, well done Mr Michael Ebner. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 27, 2023
The New Bad Thing” is a novel that offers a fresh perspective on the espionage genre. The protagonist, Teagan, is a well-written and realistic character that I could relate to. Her personal triumphs were particularly meaningful to me, given the struggles she faced. I won’t spoil the plot, but I can say that it is fast-paced and engaging, with action scenes that read like a movie. Michael Ebner is an exceptional author, and I’m eagerly anticipating the next book in the series.
July 11, 2023
Wow!! This was a super fast-paced, around the world adventure full of action, conspiracy and excitement.
Teagan is a US journalist - one of the best! and has travelled the world interviewing superstars and gaining worldly knowledge throughout her career.
But all she and husband Todd want a is a baby. To make her family whole.
To take her mind off her main desire, she starts on a mission to save women and children from terrorist organisations.
While hosting a meeting for this organisation in a Paris hotel, they become the target of an attack by the terrorists and Teagan begins a whole journey that will again put her and her whole family at risk.
I wasn't sure about Teagan at first. The way she managed to act fast when attacked, made me wonder what she was hiding and why. Plus the fact that she'd lied to her husband about where she was going - so he didn't worry I guess - but made me somehow doubt her.
As the story develops we are given the background bit by bit and Teagan's past traumas help us to see why she acts the way she does.
She is a brilliant main character. Seemingly a reluctant heroine but is she really?
She's strong, determined, creative and certainly capable in many different situations - but will the final twist be too much.!?
There was so much happening in this the whole time that I literally couldn't put it down! Every time I needed to stop there's be another twist or another revaluation that meant I had to just read on.
The plot was really clever and I loved the slow release of information which meant that I was still forming opinions on characters right to the last page.
I think this is going to be one a series of books and I'm really excited to see where the journey takes us next.....
Teagan is a US journalist - one of the best! and has travelled the world interviewing superstars and gaining worldly knowledge throughout her career.
But all she and husband Todd want a is a baby. To make her family whole.
To take her mind off her main desire, she starts on a mission to save women and children from terrorist organisations.
While hosting a meeting for this organisation in a Paris hotel, they become the target of an attack by the terrorists and Teagan begins a whole journey that will again put her and her whole family at risk.
I wasn't sure about Teagan at first. The way she managed to act fast when attacked, made me wonder what she was hiding and why. Plus the fact that she'd lied to her husband about where she was going - so he didn't worry I guess - but made me somehow doubt her.
As the story develops we are given the background bit by bit and Teagan's past traumas help us to see why she acts the way she does.
She is a brilliant main character. Seemingly a reluctant heroine but is she really?
She's strong, determined, creative and certainly capable in many different situations - but will the final twist be too much.!?
There was so much happening in this the whole time that I literally couldn't put it down! Every time I needed to stop there's be another twist or another revaluation that meant I had to just read on.
The plot was really clever and I loved the slow release of information which meant that I was still forming opinions on characters right to the last page.
I think this is going to be one a series of books and I'm really excited to see where the journey takes us next.....
July 25, 2023
Frustrated and a little despondent, following a number of miscarriages, Teagan decides to set up a project seeking to rescue young girls taken from their homes as she's not sure she'll ever become a mother. While trying to set up Project Rebound, she brokers a partnership with Roman, a Mr Fixer character with a secret, dark past.
Having survived a terrorist attack while staying in a Parisian hotel (or at least an attack that KIL - the story's world renowned terrorist group - claim was carried out by them), Teagan is interrogated by Lexington, a US agent with a multitude of masters, including those who want to use Teagan's knowledge of Roman's movements to achieve their own aims.
A thrilling story which sees Teagan and her family become embroiled in a long running family feud which crosses a number of continents, I loved the multifaceted nature of the characters in this book. Having initially found Teagan a little cold, I found myself desperately hoping she could overcome all the odds faced, and regularly shared her joy and pain. Lexington too moves from being a character you think you can (and should) trust, to one you possibly should detest, albeit you can possibly understand the cause of some of his actions.
Interested to hear that there is another book in the 'series' coming later in the year, I am interested in checking it out, particularly if it has the same fast pace and interesting twists.
Having survived a terrorist attack while staying in a Parisian hotel (or at least an attack that KIL - the story's world renowned terrorist group - claim was carried out by them), Teagan is interrogated by Lexington, a US agent with a multitude of masters, including those who want to use Teagan's knowledge of Roman's movements to achieve their own aims.
A thrilling story which sees Teagan and her family become embroiled in a long running family feud which crosses a number of continents, I loved the multifaceted nature of the characters in this book. Having initially found Teagan a little cold, I found myself desperately hoping she could overcome all the odds faced, and regularly shared her joy and pain. Lexington too moves from being a character you think you can (and should) trust, to one you possibly should detest, albeit you can possibly understand the cause of some of his actions.
Interested to hear that there is another book in the 'series' coming later in the year, I am interested in checking it out, particularly if it has the same fast pace and interesting twists.
April 16, 2023
I had expected to like The New Bad Thing a lot. It has everything I usually enjoy in a novel—international settings, political intrigue, mysterious characters, and a fierce protagonist. Unfortunately, the plot lurched from one disconnected storyline to another and never coalesced into anything whole.
Teagan is a likable main character who starts off as a journalist and inadvertently becomes an asset for an Italian crime syndicate. The first third of the story features an Islamic terrorist organization but that plot is dropped and never returned to. Another long tangent featured Teagan’s backstory in Japan.
Thrown into the plot is a side story arc of Teagan and her husband Todd doing fertility treatments. The author uses the term “fell pregnant” repeatedly (as in “the first time Teagan fell pregnant”) and that irritated me. I have never heard that phrase in my life and I hope never to hear it again! Mr. Ebner, have you never had any conversations about pregnancy in your life at all?! A person gets pregnant or falls ill, never “falls pregnant.”
I’m giving this book 2.5 stars and I always round up.
Thank you NetGalley and Pen and Picture audio for the audio ARC in exchange for my opinion.
Teagan is a likable main character who starts off as a journalist and inadvertently becomes an asset for an Italian crime syndicate. The first third of the story features an Islamic terrorist organization but that plot is dropped and never returned to. Another long tangent featured Teagan’s backstory in Japan.
Thrown into the plot is a side story arc of Teagan and her husband Todd doing fertility treatments. The author uses the term “fell pregnant” repeatedly (as in “the first time Teagan fell pregnant”) and that irritated me. I have never heard that phrase in my life and I hope never to hear it again! Mr. Ebner, have you never had any conversations about pregnancy in your life at all?! A person gets pregnant or falls ill, never “falls pregnant.”
I’m giving this book 2.5 stars and I always round up.
Thank you NetGalley and Pen and Picture audio for the audio ARC in exchange for my opinion.
June 7, 2023
The New Bad Thing by Michael Ebner
Narrated by Braden Wright
Publisher: Pen and Picture
Genre: General Fiction (Adult), Mystery & Thrillers
Expected Publication Date: August 15, 2023
The New Bad Thing by Michael Ebner is a fascinating, thrill ride! This book had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. There was so much going on and it kept taking unexpected turns!
This book really asks the question "What would you do for your family? WOW!!!!
I really can't say enough about this book! I really hope the next book is released soon because I need more!!!
The narration by Braden Wright was fantastic!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Narrated by Braden Wright
Publisher: Pen and Picture
Genre: General Fiction (Adult), Mystery & Thrillers
Expected Publication Date: August 15, 2023
The New Bad Thing by Michael Ebner is a fascinating, thrill ride! This book had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. There was so much going on and it kept taking unexpected turns!
This book really asks the question "What would you do for your family? WOW!!!!
I really can't say enough about this book! I really hope the next book is released soon because I need more!!!
The narration by Braden Wright was fantastic!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 28, 2023
Tiegan is a journalist in Seattle that has allowed her to interview many superstars. However, there is one thing that Tiegan wants which is a family more than anything. To take her mind off her desire she starts an organization that has to remain off the radar because she’s saving woman and their children from terrorist. Her organization that she has started introduces her to a dangerous man and puts herself in danger. Tiegan wakes up in the middle of a terrorist attack at a Paris hotel that she’s staying at. At that moment her life starts to unravel and she has to fight for her life.
Thank you #NetGalley for the advance copy
Thank you #NetGalley for the advance copy
July 15, 2023
I seriously loved this! This would make an amazing movie! It kept me constantly on my toes. I listened to the audiobook, and the story telling was great. It had the perfect amount, in my opinion, of action and emotions that make a thriller type book an enjoyable read. The narrator kept reminding me of the lead actor in the series You. Now, I’m sitting here just wanting to know what happens next to Ellis & his momma, ugh!
August 23, 2023
Espionage usually isn’t my cup of tea, but I truly enjoyed this book. I loved the MC Teagan. This book was action packed, fast paced and took us across various continents. The character development throughout was great! I’m looking forward to book two!
Thank you Net Galley and Pen and Picture for this advanced copy in extreme for my honest and voluntary review.
Thank you Net Galley and Pen and Picture for this advanced copy in extreme for my honest and voluntary review.
September 9, 2023
4.5 action packed stars!
This was SUPER intense from the first sentence and didn’t let up the entire time. There was SO much going on - sooo many moving pieces, people, and events - this one will need your full attention!
The New Bad Thing from Michael Ebner hooked me immediately as the novel opens with a Seattle reporter, Teagan, in a Paris hotel that is under attack from the terrorist group K.I.L.
Alternating between past and present, we learn Teagan is needing a distraction after a recent miscarriage. Her focus lands on helping young women escape the terrorist group K.I.L. Previously Teagan is well known as a reporter celebrities are comfortable with because she doesn’t seek out salacious details about their lives. Because of her well-known connections, she wants to reach out to Roman, someone who is involved in “Project Rebound” which is devoted to rescuing girls recruited against their will to join terrorists organizations. In a strange turn of events, while Teagan is visiting Roman to ask for his help with her new found crusade, he asks her to be a ghost writer for his autobiography.
As Teagan heads to Europe, everything she thinks she knows is turned upside down as she finds herself in a Paris hotel under attack. She also seems be the target of the attack. Is it due to her desire to help rescue girls and find out who is responsible for it or has Roman deceived her and offered her on a plate as an offering?
I was hooked and couldn’t stop reading! This action-packed, international espionage based game of cat and mouse is not my normal genre but I am so thankful for NetGalley, Pen and Picture Publishing, and Michael Ebner for allowing me the opportunity to listen to this! I can’t wait to continue the series!
This was SUPER intense from the first sentence and didn’t let up the entire time. There was SO much going on - sooo many moving pieces, people, and events - this one will need your full attention!
The New Bad Thing from Michael Ebner hooked me immediately as the novel opens with a Seattle reporter, Teagan, in a Paris hotel that is under attack from the terrorist group K.I.L.
Alternating between past and present, we learn Teagan is needing a distraction after a recent miscarriage. Her focus lands on helping young women escape the terrorist group K.I.L. Previously Teagan is well known as a reporter celebrities are comfortable with because she doesn’t seek out salacious details about their lives. Because of her well-known connections, she wants to reach out to Roman, someone who is involved in “Project Rebound” which is devoted to rescuing girls recruited against their will to join terrorists organizations. In a strange turn of events, while Teagan is visiting Roman to ask for his help with her new found crusade, he asks her to be a ghost writer for his autobiography.
As Teagan heads to Europe, everything she thinks she knows is turned upside down as she finds herself in a Paris hotel under attack. She also seems be the target of the attack. Is it due to her desire to help rescue girls and find out who is responsible for it or has Roman deceived her and offered her on a plate as an offering?
I was hooked and couldn’t stop reading! This action-packed, international espionage based game of cat and mouse is not my normal genre but I am so thankful for NetGalley, Pen and Picture Publishing, and Michael Ebner for allowing me the opportunity to listen to this! I can’t wait to continue the series!
June 12, 2023
#TheNewBadThing is a wild ride from Seattle, Washington to Paris and on to secret hideouts in the hills of Italy and Teagan Penn is driving! She's a dynamic and determined protagonist who gets caught up in way more than she ever signed on for. Teagan's original entry into this wild ride was launched out of the purest intentions: to support Middle Eastern girls who were being kidnapped by KIL-- a nefarious, shadowy terrorist organization -- by funding a project which would rescue these girls from peril. From there you'll have to read (or listen to a well-narrated audiobook) to see how wildly things spin out of control as CIA counter-terrorist agents, the Italian mafia, and KIL all intertwine to put Teagan (and her family) in mortal danger. This is the beginning of a New Bad Thing series and Teagan is a compelling and dynamic main character. THANKS to #NetGalley for the ARC. Looking forward to the next installment -- Blood Fire (Michael Ebner).
March 24, 2024
"The New Bad Thing" audiobook was a great listening experience that I thoroughly enjoyed. Braden Wright's narration was excellent; he brought the characters to life in a way that kept me fully engaged throughout the entire book.
The story revolves around Teegan, a complex and compelling heroine, as she navigates a world filled with action and suspense. Michael Ebner's storytelling skillfully blends adrenaline-pumping moments with quieter, character-driven scenes, creating a well-rounded narrative. While the ending provided closure, it also left me eagerly anticipating the next installment. I'm excited to see where Teegan's journey takes her next.
Thank you to NetGalley & Pen and Picture for this ALC in exchange for my unbiased review.
The story revolves around Teegan, a complex and compelling heroine, as she navigates a world filled with action and suspense. Michael Ebner's storytelling skillfully blends adrenaline-pumping moments with quieter, character-driven scenes, creating a well-rounded narrative. While the ending provided closure, it also left me eagerly anticipating the next installment. I'm excited to see where Teegan's journey takes her next.
Thank you to NetGalley & Pen and Picture for this ALC in exchange for my unbiased review.
May 25, 2023
Danger, desperation, hope, devisitation. Called to meet the needs of women, deceived by another, causes Teagen Penn to take on a mission that endangers herself and her family.
The narrator was very soothing with great character distinction, varying fluctuations for dramatic effect and effective pace. Very enjoyable.
Overall, the book was action packed, exciting, and a definite page-turner. I loved the mystery of not knowing what happens next. Props to Michael Ebner.
I recommend this book to mystery/thriller lovers and adult fiction lovers.
Thank you to NetGalley, Goodreads and Pen and Picture publishing for allowing me to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.
The narrator was very soothing with great character distinction, varying fluctuations for dramatic effect and effective pace. Very enjoyable.
Overall, the book was action packed, exciting, and a definite page-turner. I loved the mystery of not knowing what happens next. Props to Michael Ebner.
I recommend this book to mystery/thriller lovers and adult fiction lovers.
Thank you to NetGalley, Goodreads and Pen and Picture publishing for allowing me to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.
August 10, 2023
The Next Best Thing is a fast paced & intense, action packed thriller.
Seattle reporter, Teagen Penn, starts working on a story and suddenly she finds herself caught up in something big and her life quickly becomes unrecognizable…
Criss-crossing the globe, she becomes drawn into a world previously unimaginable to her. She finds herself in a position where she’s forced to defend herself, forced to do things and become a person that makes her unrecognisable to her former self. There’s no borders or boundaries stopping her from doing what needs to be done…
This is the first book in the series & I’m really excited to see where the next book (Blood Fire) takes us!
Seattle reporter, Teagen Penn, starts working on a story and suddenly she finds herself caught up in something big and her life quickly becomes unrecognizable…
Criss-crossing the globe, she becomes drawn into a world previously unimaginable to her. She finds herself in a position where she’s forced to defend herself, forced to do things and become a person that makes her unrecognisable to her former self. There’s no borders or boundaries stopping her from doing what needs to be done…
This is the first book in the series & I’m really excited to see where the next book (Blood Fire) takes us!
August 29, 2023
I'd rate this as a solid 4.5 stars.
The New Bad Thing is the first book I've read/listened to by Michael Ebner. This is a very action packed novel. The main character, Teagan, finds herself in a current situation that could be life or death. The plot focuses on the present circumstances and then will flashback to past events that lead to a situation happening in another country. This book covers topics from Mafia involvement, terrorism, conmen, saving "stolen" girls, marriage, & just plain survival. In the end, how far will a person go to save themselves & their family.
Trigger Warning - Some may find the infertility struggle a TW.
*Thanks to NetGalley for my advanced copy.
The New Bad Thing is the first book I've read/listened to by Michael Ebner. This is a very action packed novel. The main character, Teagan, finds herself in a current situation that could be life or death. The plot focuses on the present circumstances and then will flashback to past events that lead to a situation happening in another country. This book covers topics from Mafia involvement, terrorism, conmen, saving "stolen" girls, marriage, & just plain survival. In the end, how far will a person go to save themselves & their family.
Trigger Warning - Some may find the infertility struggle a TW.
*Thanks to NetGalley for my advanced copy.
September 20, 2023
This is an exciting and original new crime series and I was pulled in from the first chapter. Teagan is a complex MC and I stayed for the ride to see what she is made of. Lots of twists, flashbacks and exotic scenery. I love Italy and this book made me want to take another trip (without the bad guys of course). Interested to see where the series is heading and what new bad things await Teagan.
September 14, 2023
This wasn't for me, I ended up just skimming most of it to be honest. You really need to suspend belief for this one and that's fine since its a fiction after all. Its super jumpy though with multiple timelines and doesn't seem to flow very well. It just feels forced and like things are just thrown in as an afterthought rather than being left for the reader to discover organically.
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