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Trial and Error
With Agent Sheldon’s fate still uncertain, Lever’s once again reminded that life doesn’t give out breaks, nor does it ever seem to give him a chance to catch his breath as he’s thrust back into the world that has always been home to him.
Trojan Horse may have caused the corruption inside the government to rise to the surface, and the Witch Hunts may have uprooted some of it, but there is a deeper darkness that still lurks beneath the surface. A darkness that’s been there longer than anyone’s realized, and goes far beyond the American border.
Attachments were a weakness a Deadlock could never afford to have, and Lever never expected to care about someone more than the mission, but that attachment might be the only thing keeping him afloat.
There are forces at work that aren’t quite ready to let Lever go as he finds himself in a fight for his very soul. No one said the road to redemption was easy, and Lever finds himself tested in ways he never dreamed.
Trojan Horse may have caused the corruption inside the government to rise to the surface, and the Witch Hunts may have uprooted some of it, but there is a deeper darkness that still lurks beneath the surface. A darkness that’s been there longer than anyone’s realized, and goes far beyond the American border.
Attachments were a weakness a Deadlock could never afford to have, and Lever never expected to care about someone more than the mission, but that attachment might be the only thing keeping him afloat.
There are forces at work that aren’t quite ready to let Lever go as he finds himself in a fight for his very soul. No one said the road to redemption was easy, and Lever finds himself tested in ways he never dreamed.
395 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2025
7 people want to read
About the author
P.D. Atkerson
63 books112 followersP.D. Atkerson is a homeschooled writer, living in Montana, who may or may not be a secret agent. She spends almost as much time in the worlds she creates as she does the real one.
When she’s not reporting the stories of her agents, she’s learning different languages, or traveling to different worlds through the portals of books.
She has a black belt in sarcasm and a master’s degree in useless facts.
If you're interested in reading any of her books for an honest review, just fill out the form here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FA...
When she’s not reporting the stories of her agents, she’s learning different languages, or traveling to different worlds through the portals of books.
She has a black belt in sarcasm and a master’s degree in useless facts.
If you're interested in reading any of her books for an honest review, just fill out the form here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FA...
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 31, 2025
"You sold your soul to the Devil a long time ago."
"Yeah? Well, Jesus bought it back."
Wow...just wow.
This is the book that permanently fixed a spot for Castling in my favorite series list.
The suspense, the sarcasm, the cErTaIn MoMeNt...
Lever has changed so much since Smoke Screen, and I am so here for it. His interactions with Peter were SO funny, and every way-too-short moment with Derek was SO SWEET.
The AMOUNT of plot threads that balanced through this entire series, and are finally all coming to play in this book...ack. The faith thread is also so strong and beautiful.
Definitely recommend this series.
CW: Lots of blood, fighting, and some death. Some pretty creepy characters with pretty creepy plans. A lot of Lever's past is referenced, and it's rough.
"Yeah? Well, Jesus bought it back."
Wow...just wow.
This is the book that permanently fixed a spot for Castling in my favorite series list.
The suspense, the sarcasm, the cErTaIn MoMeNt...
Lever has changed so much since Smoke Screen, and I am so here for it. His interactions with Peter were SO funny, and every way-too-short moment with Derek was SO SWEET.
The AMOUNT of plot threads that balanced through this entire series, and are finally all coming to play in this book...ack. The faith thread is also so strong and beautiful.
Definitely recommend this series.
CW: Lots of blood, fighting, and some death. Some pretty creepy characters with pretty creepy plans. A lot of Lever's past is referenced, and it's rough.
April 9, 2025
5+ stars (6/10 hearts). Am I obsessed? Yes. Yes, I am. Did I scream and gasp and throw the book down to walk it off and squeeze it to my heart and smile or laugh like a maniac? Also yes—yes I did.
This. was. perfect. It was everything I wanted to see. I was not at all sure how P.D. Atkerson would manage to pull off the redemption arc, BUT SHE NAILED IT. I absolutely loved how over and over again Lever(whose name, I just found out, is pronounced Lee-ver, by the way...) kept reminding himself how he had to face the consequences, accept the reactions of others based on his past actions, and actually CHANGE and act differently and SEE REDEMPTION AS AN OPTION FOR OTHERS AS WELL. It was gold. I can't get over how powerful and beautiful a message it is.
And I loved seeing Agent Gregson and his father again... and his mother, too! (I still hope for reconciliation there, and maybe a few more cameos, heh heh). And Derek + Lever + Megan had, of course, such a sweet relationship and I LOVE their decision and all I have to complain about is Ariel figured in only two lines. *cries*
And if you're worried that Lever changing means less humour, let me assure you the snark levels are UNMATCHED. But so is the anxiety and bad situations. I'm so ready to see A CERTAIN SOMEONE, like, you know, die... (or quit being a bad guy, I'm not picky).
The cliffhanger isn't as terrible as it could be (I shudder to think of it stopping at the actual climax) but the next book can't come fast enough. This book made me so unreasonably happy, y'all.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*
This. was. perfect. It was everything I wanted to see. I was not at all sure how P.D. Atkerson would manage to pull off the redemption arc, BUT SHE NAILED IT. I absolutely loved how over and over again Lever
And I loved seeing Agent Gregson and his father again... and his mother, too! (I still hope for reconciliation there, and maybe a few more cameos, heh heh). And Derek + Lever + Megan had, of course, such a sweet relationship and I LOVE their decision and all I have to complain about is Ariel figured in only two lines. *cries*
And if you're worried that Lever changing means less humour, let me assure you the snark levels are UNMATCHED. But so is the anxiety and bad situations. I'm so ready to see A CERTAIN SOMEONE, like, you know, die... (or quit being a bad guy, I'm not picky).
The cliffhanger isn't as terrible as it could be (I shudder to think of it stopping at the actual climax) but the next book can't come fast enough. This book made me so unreasonably happy, y'all.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*
March 3, 2025
OH MY!!! 😱 AM I BREATHING?!? *checks* *panics* NO!!! I’M NOT!!!! HOW CAN I POSSIBLY BREATHE AFTER THIS…THIS…EPIC CLIFF HANGER?!?!? I DON’T KNOW HOW I CAN POSSIBLY WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK!!!!!!
This is like…the MOST epic book of the series!!!! So far at least!! I am not sure what the next book will hold. 👀 probably more epicness. What other word is there to describe it?!?
I feel like I’ve fallen into the Roman era of medical history. 😳 You’ve done it this time. This is probably your best book. Maybe. I don’t know. 😂 BUT I LOVE AND HATE IT SO MUCH!!! But I def love it more. *nods*
This is like…the MOST epic book of the series!!!! So far at least!! I am not sure what the next book will hold. 👀 probably more epicness. What other word is there to describe it?!?
I feel like I’ve fallen into the Roman era of medical history. 😳 You’ve done it this time. This is probably your best book. Maybe. I don’t know. 😂 BUT I LOVE AND HATE IT SO MUCH!!! But I def love it more. *nods*
March 8, 2025
Wow. That was a lot. This book was probably really hard to pull off and I think it worked really well. The pacing wasn't as spot on as WoL and felt a little off, which left you floundering a little bit at the end when it felt like the climax hadn't come yet or had come way earlier. Honestly I think it could have just ended right after what felt like the real climax, but then again, we probably would have been mad at the author if it did. Sooo...I'm just counting it as we already got a bit of the next book and now we gotta wait for the rest, which is actually probably less of a cliffhanger somehow, just because it didn't climax into it? But yeah. Good job, P.D. This was a solid book. A whirlwind, but solid. Like...man. Yeah. *nods*
March 3, 2025
I love this book so much! I CANNOT wait to find out what happens next!!!
November 7, 2025
I love this series so much! Watching Lever figure out being a Christian was so cool, and I'm so excited for the rest of the series!!
April 15, 2025
Now what am I supposed to do with an ending like that?!
I thought Web of Lies was bad in the emotions department. Y'all, Trial and Error shredded me.
I don't know how P. D. Atkerson does it. Each book in this series just keeps getting better and better. Or worse, depending on your point of view. But seriously! What am I supposed to do with myself now?!
Lever is changed. Really and truly changed. Only problem is, nobody quite believes him, which is too bad, since he's still being hunted like the prey he's anything but. Ren keeps popping up too, but unfortunately, she's the least of Lever's problems when he's caught by his past . . . and forced to make the ultimate decision: regain his position as Deadlock's heir—or die.
The old Lever wouldn't have batted an eyelash.
But what will the new Lever do?
Buckle in and brace yourself as you find out in next installment of the greatest redemptive villain series since the apostle Paul.
I thought Web of Lies was bad in the emotions department. Y'all, Trial and Error shredded me.
I don't know how P. D. Atkerson does it. Each book in this series just keeps getting better and better. Or worse, depending on your point of view. But seriously! What am I supposed to do with myself now?!
Lever is changed. Really and truly changed. Only problem is, nobody quite believes him, which is too bad, since he's still being hunted like the prey he's anything but. Ren keeps popping up too, but unfortunately, she's the least of Lever's problems when he's caught by his past . . . and forced to make the ultimate decision: regain his position as Deadlock's heir—or die.
The old Lever wouldn't have batted an eyelash.
But what will the new Lever do?
Buckle in and brace yourself as you find out in next installment of the greatest redemptive villain series since the apostle Paul.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews