Strong Darkness

Caitlin Strong #6

by Jon Land

Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong returns in her most thrilling adventure yet
1883: Texas Ranger William Ray Strong teams up with Judge Roy Bean to track down the Old West’s first serial killer, who’s stitching a trail of death along the railroad lines slicing their way through Texas.

The Present: Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong finds herself pursuing another serial killer whose methods are eerily similar to the one pursued by her great-grandfather almost a century-and-a-half before.

But that’s just the beginning of her problems. The son of her boyfriend is nearly beaten to death at Brown University. The investigation leads back to Texas and to the Chinese high-tech company awarded the contract to build the US’s 5G network. Li Zhen, the company’s founder, counts that as the greatest achievement of his career, but it hides his true motivations—nothing less than China’s total domination of the United States.

His plan is backed by elements of the Chinese underworld. Up against an army at Li’s disposal, Caitlin blazes a violent trail across country and continent in search of secrets hidden in the past, but it’s a secret from the present that holds the key. Darkness is coming, and only Caitlin Strong can find the light before it’s too late.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Action, Suspense, Historical

364 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2014

About the author

Jon Land is an American author of thriller novels and a screenwriter. He graduated from Brown University in 1979 Phi Beta Kappa and Magna cum Laude. He often bases his novels and scripts on extensive travel and research as well as a twenty-five year career in martial arts. He is an associate member of the US Special Forces and is an emeritus board member the International Thriller Writers. John currently lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

Reviews

[Abibliofob · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just love it when we get a good story with lots of ancestor stories that connects with the modern times. This was one of the better books about our female gunfighter. Love these modern westerns.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another exciting entry in the Caitlin Strong series has her facing off against a Triad backed Chinese inventor with a plot to kill millions of Americans.

Caitlin, Cort Wesley and Paz have to be on top of their game to succeed in this one.

[David Dalton · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been a few years since I last read a Caitlin Strong thriller. I enjoy these stories and Jon Land is one of my favorite authors. I have the next book already on my Kindle and will get to it later this year. Lucky me, as there are now 12 books in this series. I got a ways to go.

Lots of action and exciting characters. Where in the world is a movie based on Caitlin?

I am always looking for team ups, so how about a thriller with Caitlyn, Jared, Blaine, and the Tyrant (with all their sidekicks)? Start the story in Texas and end up in Vegas!

[Casee Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong is back in Jon Land’s latest novel, Strong Darkness. Her sixth adventure finds Caitlin on the hunt for a serial killer murdering women in a copycat style that hits close to home: her great-grandfather, Ranger William Ray Strong, scoured the Texas rail lines for a killer with the same M.O. in 1883. Caitlin’s search leads her to Chinese billionaire Li Zhen, the head of a company manufacturing America’s 5G network, and to a young Chinese prostitute named Kai, a woman on the run with a mysterious agenda. As Caitlin tries to piece together the mystery and find the killer, she’ll have to race against time to stop a mass slaughter in the technology age.

Returning alongside Caitlin in this story are former outlaw Cort Wesley Masters, his sons Luke and Dylan, and philosophical ex-assassin Guillermo Paz. While Caitlin and her rag-tag group of hardcore peace-keepers hunt a serial killer in the age of technological cunning, the narrative jumps back to 19th century Texas where William Ray Strong works alongside the famous Judge Roy Bean to uncover a mirror-image mystery. As with the previous book in the series, last year’s Strong Rain Falling, Land expertly navigates the territory of history, balancing two sides of one intricate puzzle with aplomb. While the quick scenes – presented in short yet adrenaline-charged chapters – transition back and forth from Caitlin and Paz in Texas, Cort Wesley in New York City, and William Ray in 1883, the narrative guides the reader along seamlessly. The mystery of the present is made up of several storylines, making for a full novel in just the contemporary aspect alone, but adding to that the element of history gives the novel an even richer sense of adventure.

It doesn’t hurt that Land writes such disarming characters. Often quietly humorous, they’re smart and savvy, always with a strong sense of moral duty. Their unconventional quirks – Paz, the reformed Mexican killer; Cort Wesley, the straight-shooting felon – add to their charm in a way that makes them refreshing and far from feeling contrived. Although Land does a superb job crafting his intricate mysteries and bringing Texas past and present to vivid life, in the end it’s his characters who will stay with readers long after the final page has been turned. We show up for the characters, and we stay for the thrill ride. As for Caitlin, she comes to life from the pages with as much fire as ever, proving herself as one of the most memorable characters of the genre.

In Strong Darkness, the fast-paced energy of the action is matched by the expanse of the story, which touches on Chinese culture, American history, the harrowing world of human-trafficking, and the underbelly of the Internet all at once (some of which is terrifying when the reader discovers that it’s based on fact). It’s a lot of material, and Land handles it deftly, delivering an all-nighter of a story, complete with nail-biting suspense, blazing action scenes, and characters that we won’t soon forget.

(Review © Casee Marie, originally published on September 30, 2014 at LiteraryInklings.com. A copy of the book was provided for the purpose of review.)

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 star read

Strong men are usually referred to as a take-charge kind-of-guy, macho (in a good way), or a man's man. Strong women are not viewed so kindly and are generally called arrogant, demanding, bitches, or worse. Caitlin Strong doesn't care about the terminology used; she is a strong-willed, take-no-prisoners type of person that knows right from wrong, a formidable law officer, and she doesn't apologize for anything she does. Caitlin knows that life may not be all black-and-white, but she has a strong sense of justice and a duty to right any perceived wrongs. This quickly becomes evident when she uses a John Deere front loader to nudge a group of protesters at a funeral into a trench.

Strong Darkness is the sixth book in the Caitlin Strong series but the first one that I've read. Even though this was a new-to-me series, I was able to follow the characters and the plot without any difficulty. Mr. Land has this amazing ability to weave historical elements with contemporary themes into a highly plausible and enjoyable read. I wasn't quite sure how the storyline from 1883 with Judge Roy Bean and Caitlin's great-grandfather was going to play out, but it does play an integral role in the story. Past and present serial killers targeting the same types of women sounded a bit far-fetched, but again it works. It may sound trite to say that Strong Darkness was an engrossing read, but it captured my attention from the first page to the very last. I liked Caitlin Strong and admired her sense of justice and willingness to fight for what is right. Caitlin isn't perfect and it is her flaws, such as her quick temper, that made her into such a likeable, if not admirable, character to me. I enjoyed her interactions with her significant other, Cort Wesley Masters, her friend and guardian angel, Colonel Guillermo Paz, and even her boss, Captain Tepper.

Strong Darkness is more than just a thriller with good guys versus bad guys; it is a contemporary thriller with a historical component and a bad guy that's downright evil. Did I enjoy reading Strong Darkness? Yes! I loved the characters (good and bad), the action, and the storylines. How can you not like a story that includes a Chinese terrorist threat using technology, Judge Roy Bean, a college student in New England, a past and present serial killer in Texas, did I mention Judge Roy Bean, and a kick-ass heroine? Do the good guys win? If so, at what cost? Well I could tell you, but I'll just say this . . . read the book! Don't like reading books from a series? Don't worry, you can pick up this book and not feel you're missing too much from previous books in the series. Of course you should probably read all of the books in the series just to flesh out all of the background information. I can't wait to read all six books back-to-back.

[Nai Wang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caitlin Strong, what an amazing series this was. I binge read 9 books over the course of a month and loved every minute of it. A strong female protagonist with a Strong history and amusing side characters, I highly recommend this series to anyone looking for a fun western set in today’s timeline.

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

a good middle one in the series.
i didn't like the ending though.



i would like to see a story of Cort & his family in one of the past scenes.
also, jeez how much trouble can dylan get into?

i read the summaries for the next ones in the series and it looks like Luke will be featured in some.

yeah..yeah..i know it's fiction, but i wonder how much Luke & Dylan would have taken on their father's personality if he wasn't in their life. is it cort & caitlin's influence or would they have ended up there anyway???

[Martin Vallance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty much the same as the books before this one, still good to see how the characters are evolving

[Ted Cartier · Rating 5 out of 5]

jon land maintains his excellent series

[Victor Gentile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jon Land in his new book, “Strong Darkness” Book Six in the Caitlin Strong series published by Forge Books gives us a new adventure with Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong.

From the back cover: 1883: Texas Ranger William Ray Strong teams up with Judge Roy Bean to track down the Old West’s first serial killer, who’s stitching a trail of death along the railroad lines slicing their way through Texas.

The Present: Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong finds herself pursuing another serial killer whose methods are eerily similar to the one pursued by her great-grandfather almost a century-and-a-half before.

But that’s just the beginning of her problems. The son of her boyfriend is nearly beaten to death at Brown University. The investigation leads back to Texas and to the Chinese high-tech company awarded the contract to build the US’s 5G network. Li Zhen, the company’s founder, counts that as the greatest achievement of his career, but it hides his true motivations—nothing less than China’s total domination of the United States.

His plan is backed by elements of the Chinese underworld. Up against an army at Li’s disposal, Caitlin blazes a violent trail across country and continent in search of secrets hidden in the past, but it’s a secret from the present that holds the key. Darkness is coming, and only Caitlin Strong can find the light before it’s too late.

Let me start out by saying that I am a big fan of the adventures of Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong. Not only is she is a modern-day Texas Ranger but she has strong (sorry no pun intended) to her great-grandfather who also was a Texas Ranger so together this series is exciting. “Strong Darkness” is one huge action-packed thriller from page one. There is a serial killer that seems to be copying the serial killer that Caitlin’s Great-Grandfather tracked. And there is this international human trafficking network that preys on children and also a Chinese high-tech company that develops a 5G network to gain access to America’s greatest technological secrets. No need to drink coffee this is pure excitement and more than enough to keep you awake. Mr. Land obviously likes to tell a good story,and this one is as good as it gets. You will not be disappointed with “Strong Darkness”. It is a roaring adventure from start to finish.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Partners In Crime. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Cheryl Kravetz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jon Land is an extraordinarily talented writer and one of my very favorite authors. I absolutely devour his books and then re-read them to savor the wonderful story! I especially love his character Caitlin Strong, Texas Ranger. If you like Clive Cussler and Tom Clancy - and throw in a bit of Steve Berry - you will thoroughly enjoy Jon Land's books.
Caitlin's next adventure, Strong Darkness, is set to be released September 30 and I think this is one of Jon's best thrillers yet.
Strong Darkness opens in 1883 when Caitlin's great-grandfather, Texas Ranger William Ray Strong, joins forces with legendary Judge Roy Bean to track down the Old West’s first serial killer, as he weaves a bloody trail of death down the railroad lines being built across Texas. Switching back to present day, Caitlin realizes that the serial killer she has been chasing uses methods very similar to the one pursued by her great-grandfather almost a century-and-a-half before. He decapitates his victims and then sews the head back onto the body.
As Caitlin's investigation continues, her problems become personal when her boyfriend's son is seriously beaten nearly to death while attending Brown University. The evidence leads back to Texas and the Chinese high-tech company who holds a contract to build the 5G network in the United States. Li Zhen, the company's founder, thinks of this as the greatest achievement of his career. But he has underlying plans backed by elements of the Chinese underworld - China’s total domination of America. Up against an army at Li’s disposal, Caitlin sets out across the country searching for secrets that remain hidden in the past.


Discover Jon Land and lose yourself in Jon's fabulous imagination!!

[Cym Lowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strong Darkness is best-selling Jon Land at his triumphal best!

It is at the zenith of his remarkable story-telling skill. Unforgettable characters locked in battle with a Chinese monster deceiving our supposed defender, U.S. Homeland Security intent on controlling our elections, to open the U.S. communications network to Chinese zealots with their own object -- establishing a means of killing tens of millions American cell phone users with a key click.

Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong is on her game. The son of her fellow-traveler Cort Wesley is seduced by a beautiful Chinese porn star, bred to be an irresistible sex machine, with an agenda of her own. Cort Wesley responds with the assistance of Caitlin’s avenging angel Guilliermo Paz, another killing machine relentlessly seeking his own salvation.

You will not put this one down until you reach the finale in an avalanche of evil creatures.

Jon Land writes remarkable thrillers. Aside from clever context and engaging characters, he treats readers to an understanding of the emotions of these heroes as they confront evil and their own reality. He also connects Caitlin’s current Texas Ranger missions to those of her grandfather in the times of range warfare.

When you turn the last page, you will smile with expectation of a continuing saga of Caitlin, Cort Wesley, Guillermo and the boys, which Jon reports is on its way.

[T.W. Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This my second Jon Land book. The first I read last week, is in my top 5 of the year.

The two books couldn't be more different, in that the first we have a male hero with a military plot line. In this book we have a female heroine who's....wait for it.... a Texas Ranger!

Surprised right? Most tales of Texas Rangers I've ever seen or read featured the typical Clint Eastwood(esk) male lead character. Not so for this author.

As with the other book I seemed to have jump into the backend of the series but as in the first, I never felt that I was confused or missing some important back story and again as with the first I will now have to go back and read them all. A boon for author Jon Land but a serious hit for my wallet but if I'm going to spend my hard earned money then I want worth for it and in Mr. Land I sense that I will.

In this book I was introduced to Caitlin Strong, a Texas Ranger. There is a cast of supporting characters that both compliment Caitlin and are catalyst for her.

In this edition a series of seemingly unrelated crimes converge around murder, technology, the dark web, rogue spooks (of the government type), spooks (of the super natural type), human sex trafficking, throw in a dubious Chinese plot, and finally a century old serial killer will keep you turning pages until the wee hours.

If that doesn't peek your interest nothing else I say will, so do yourself a favor and pick it up.

[Carol Crigger · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the things I like best about Jon Land’s Caitlin Strong series, is the back-and-forth story between the 1883 Texas Rangers, and the present day Rangers. The continuity of the Strong family of Rangers, (with Caitlin the first female Ranger) as well as their connected case files, is well-represented here. This episode involves the intellectual theft of a reliable means of cross-country communication invented by a Chinese immigrant in 1883, to the present day creation of a 5G network by a secret Chinese triad determined to rule the world. That they plan to destroy civilization along with it ups the tension and increases the pace of action. Throw in the murder of Chinese prostitutes, both then and now, and the generational connection grows.

It seems to me the magic has faded somewhat between Caitlin and Cort Wesley Masters, her long-time boyfriend—how do they ever have time for love when someone is always trying to kill them?—but Caitlin’s relationship with the mysterious (a little woo-woo here) South American mercenary Paz is still going strong and developing. Strong Darkness is a fast-paced thriller packed with action and a steadily growing body count.

Oh yes, and the twist at the end will leave you wondering how you missed a tiny little detail, it seems so obvious.

[DP Lyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strong Darkness by Jon Land

Caitlin Strong is back. Boy is she ever. STRONG DARKNESS starts with a bang and never let’s up. With nods to the infamous Judge Roy Bean and her ancestor Texas Ranger William Ray Strong and settings as diverse as Texas and Rhode Island, Caitlin confronts forces that test her skills and threaten her life. As with each Caitlin Strong story, the writing is crisp, and moves with break-neck speed. Jon Land has always known his way around a thriller and this is an outstanding addition to this series. Read this one. Read all of them. You will no doubt become a Strong fan. STRONG DARKNESS is a wild ride. Highly recommended. 

DP Lyle, award-winning author of the Samantha Cody and Dub Walker thriller series

[Mark Rubinstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jon Land writes the absolutely best action scenes in the literary world. They're so visceral that as you read them, you can hear your own pulse thudding in your ears. And I'm not kidding. Caitlin Strong, a Texas Ranger, knows no fear. She's on the trail of a serial killer whose killing spree mimics that of a serial killer her grandfather and Judge Roy Bean tracked down 130 years earlier. With an incredible cast of recurring characters, the novel rockets along to a satisfying conclusion. A must read if you want to follow the exploits of this heroine who I would characterize as the female Jack Reacher.

Mark Rubinstein
Author of Mad Dog House, Mad Dog Justice and Love Gone Mad

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed all of the previous Caitlin Strong novels and this one was no exception.
Jon Land has a great talent for crafting a tale that throws you almost immediately into the story and doesn't let go.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants an edge of your seat thrill ride.
On a quick side note, in every Caitlin Strong book, you get two stories in one. There is always an episode, featuring one of Caitlin's ancestors, that ties in to what's happening in the book. I would very much like to see Jon Land tackle an all out Western novel at some point.

[Scott Noyes · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Texas Ranger in the Old West tracks a serial killer with a peculiar habit, while the railroad bosses make life miserable for Chinese immigrants. 130 years later, his great-granddaughter tracks another killer with the same habit. Could this killer also be plotting revenge against the United States for century old grievances?

Engaging plot, suspenseful mystery, intriguing parallels between the Old West and the modern day. I foresee a summer action blockbuster, complete with physics-defying bullets tumbling bodies end over end. The conclusion to the mystery seems tacked on.

[Michele bookloverforever · Rating 4 out of 5]

really, really good. a bit farfetched but good. I love Caitlin and her lover, Cort, and his oldest son, Dylan. even the morally questionable characters and villains are well drawn and complex, three dimensional. looking forward to the next one in this series from Mr Land. until next year, sir.

[Jayw]

Texas Ranger Caitlen Strong investigates a serial killer following the path of the west's 1st serial killer who was investigated by Caitlen's Texas Ranger great grandfather. Oh, and she needs to stop a terrorist plot to destroy the US too.

[Glen Saeger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one. I enjoy the connections between characters Caitlyn, Cort Wesley, Dylan, Luke, "Jones", and Captain Tepper. The only downside I am beginning to recognize is the repetitive storyline the writer seems to be using. I hope to read something new in the next one.

[Ray Palen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read my review on bookreporter.com this Friday.

[John Wintersteen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A three point five book. Good read. Well written.

[Barbara Villegas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the premise of this book,but the shoot out scenes were way overplayed.

[Tom Zanarini · Rating 1 out of 5]

All the Strong books are the same, take the easy way out. Take the $ and run. All that's missing is a lovable dog. But hey I read them anyway.

[Jack · Rating 1 out of 5]

Racist trash (confirmation of which can be found in the author's note). Predictable, derivative, clumsy. Not recommended.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could it happen?


As edge hanging as any......scary to think about.......what we don't know, who can we trust? This world isn't safe anymore