What do you think?
Rate this book
The Shutdown List
"Riveting and timely, . . . full of intriguing mysteries and characters who breathe with life and fire." —Gayle Lynds,
New York Times
bestselling author of
The Assassins
People are disappearing. Anita may be next.
Anita's life was shattered when her adult son was killed in a fire two years earlier. Now her husband has disappeared after leading a protest by climate activists, and she learns she is also in danger. She cuts her electronic ties and begins a perilous search for her husband, despite their rocky marriage, unaware he has kept a crucial secret from her.
Twists and turns, corruption, and betrayal abound in this fast-paced, conspiracy thriller. Anita must fight to stay alive while the stakes keep growing higher.
People are disappearing. Anita may be next.
Anita's life was shattered when her adult son was killed in a fire two years earlier. Now her husband has disappeared after leading a protest by climate activists, and she learns she is also in danger. She cuts her electronic ties and begins a perilous search for her husband, despite their rocky marriage, unaware he has kept a crucial secret from her.
Twists and turns, corruption, and betrayal abound in this fast-paced, conspiracy thriller. Anita must fight to stay alive while the stakes keep growing higher.
Audible Audio
Published February 18, 2025
31 people are currently reading
5160 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Dukett
2 books98 followersSharon Dukett is an award-winning author who writes thrillers and memoir. Her memoir, No Rules, won a gold medal in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards in Memoirs (Historical/Legacy), and was a finalist in several others.
She worked in information technology as a consultant, programmer and project manager in the private sector, and a deputy director in government, where she learned about the infinite possibilities of what could go wrong: a useful insight for thriller writing.
Sharon lives in Connecticut with her husband, within a short driving distance of her children and grandchildren.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3o0YRbX
Website: https://bit.ly/3tvD3qi
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3o60kxR
Instagram: https://bit.ly/2R7EXQy
She worked in information technology as a consultant, programmer and project manager in the private sector, and a deputy director in government, where she learned about the infinite possibilities of what could go wrong: a useful insight for thriller writing.
Sharon lives in Connecticut with her husband, within a short driving distance of her children and grandchildren.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3o0YRbX
Website: https://bit.ly/3tvD3qi
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3o60kxR
Instagram: https://bit.ly/2R7EXQy
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
June 18, 2024
In a somewhat dystopian future, a DC couple grieving the tragic loss of their adult son heads to a protest of oil-favoring environmental laws downtown. Julian, a professor at Gettysburg College, is arrested and taken into custody. In the fracas, a mysterious man hands his wife, Anita, a one-time tech exec, a list of names to contact for help to find him, and urges her to disappear. One of the contacts leads her to a bed and breakfast in Newport, RI, operated by a secretly brilliant physicist with a revolutionary idea for clean energy. But soon the bad guys, set in motion by an evil oil tycoon, close in. They want to eliminate both the energy idea and anyone associated with it. Soon Anita contends with a violent, ruthless private investigator intent on making a name for himself in this frightening new world.
It's the kind of book that’ll make you clean your carbon footprint! Not only are the ideals for a carbon-free world there, but the actions to make it happen are also clearer than I’ve ever seen. For me, these are common-sense, but I was happy to hear the movement get some attention and description. Anita and Paul (the B&B owner / scientist), among others, share their vision in a very natural way, through dialogue and action. Sure, there’s an agenda here, and yeah, if you’re not a “green” person, you probably don’t bother with this. But if you have even a small interest in environmentalism, this is your book.
The action is swift and non-stop. There’s something happening on just about every page, nothing lost in inner monologue or thought. Mostly it’s told from Anita’s POV, although we often get a look inside the bad guy’s heads. That’s not as strong a narrative, as to me they seemed not so realistic. But I liked Anita: she makes for a good underdog protagonist.
The plot and storyline are interesting, not often bogged down in explanation, a pitfall into which other science or spy books often fall. It’s clean, easy to understand, and there aren’t any loose ends to tie. I enjoyed the chase to find Julian and the attempts to break him out. That said, I came across several moments I found hard to believe. The PI (Mike) struck me as amateurish, and some of Anita’s choices stretched the imagination a smidge. I liked the ending, but there were aspects that drew an incredulous grin. Perhaps it’s unfair, as I compare it to the seamless, polished, veteran styles of Frederick Forsyth, John le Carré, Ken Follett, and Stieg Larsson(of the “Millenium” / The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series). But it has all the elements of a good thriller, and I ended with a REAL smile on my face, happy the story caught my interest for a few days.
The Shutdown List looks like Dukett’s first foray into this genre, and she gets points for an intense, intricate story, even with its minor flaws. It has all the edge-of-your seat action you want, while at the same time advocating for a cleaner, happier world. It makes for a great, quick, and fun beach read.
Thank you to NetGalley and SharKen Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. The Shutdown List is available June 18, 2024.
It's the kind of book that’ll make you clean your carbon footprint! Not only are the ideals for a carbon-free world there, but the actions to make it happen are also clearer than I’ve ever seen. For me, these are common-sense, but I was happy to hear the movement get some attention and description. Anita and Paul (the B&B owner / scientist), among others, share their vision in a very natural way, through dialogue and action. Sure, there’s an agenda here, and yeah, if you’re not a “green” person, you probably don’t bother with this. But if you have even a small interest in environmentalism, this is your book.
The action is swift and non-stop. There’s something happening on just about every page, nothing lost in inner monologue or thought. Mostly it’s told from Anita’s POV, although we often get a look inside the bad guy’s heads. That’s not as strong a narrative, as to me they seemed not so realistic. But I liked Anita: she makes for a good underdog protagonist.
The plot and storyline are interesting, not often bogged down in explanation, a pitfall into which other science or spy books often fall. It’s clean, easy to understand, and there aren’t any loose ends to tie. I enjoyed the chase to find Julian and the attempts to break him out. That said, I came across several moments I found hard to believe. The PI (Mike) struck me as amateurish, and some of Anita’s choices stretched the imagination a smidge. I liked the ending, but there were aspects that drew an incredulous grin. Perhaps it’s unfair, as I compare it to the seamless, polished, veteran styles of Frederick Forsyth, John le Carré, Ken Follett, and Stieg Larsson(of the “Millenium” / The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series). But it has all the elements of a good thriller, and I ended with a REAL smile on my face, happy the story caught my interest for a few days.
The Shutdown List looks like Dukett’s first foray into this genre, and she gets points for an intense, intricate story, even with its minor flaws. It has all the edge-of-your seat action you want, while at the same time advocating for a cleaner, happier world. It makes for a great, quick, and fun beach read.
Thank you to NetGalley and SharKen Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. The Shutdown List is available June 18, 2024.
June 11, 2024
Sharon Dukett, the Author of “THE SHUTDOWN LIST” has written a mind-blowing, exhilarating and captivating thriller. The genres for this well written novel are Mystery, Suspense, Political Thriller, Political Suspense Thriller, Conspiring Thriller, Psychological Thriller and Fiction. Sharon Dukett vividly describes the action, the landscape and scenery, and the dramatic characters. The characters can be described as complex, and complicated. In this intriguing thriller, there are betrayals, kidnapping, extortion, political cover-ups, stealing and theft, danger, and murder. There are twists and turns, corruption, deceit and lies. There are political activists involved in clean climate, and some that are fighting for control of oil and power. There is greed and unscrupulous behavior.
One of the female protagonists, Anita Forester, still in mourning for the loss of her son’s death two years before, witnesses her husband Julian being arrested during a protest for environmental causes, and clean air. As she becomes involved in the search for him, she encounters danger at every turn. Julian had kept significant secrets from Anita, and as she unravels them, she will have to fight for her life. I highly recommend this edgy and intense thriller for other readers.
One of the female protagonists, Anita Forester, still in mourning for the loss of her son’s death two years before, witnesses her husband Julian being arrested during a protest for environmental causes, and clean air. As she becomes involved in the search for him, she encounters danger at every turn. Julian had kept significant secrets from Anita, and as she unravels them, she will have to fight for her life. I highly recommend this edgy and intense thriller for other readers.
August 5, 2024
I had a really hard time getting into the plot. Even though the summary seemed very appealing, I found the execution lacking.
The characters seemed flat, dimensionless and not tangible. Anita, who is sold as a super-strong woman, wasn't exactly that in my eyes. Several points of conflict were dropped very quickly.
The plot itself is fairly predictable.
I couldn't wait to finish this book.
On the other hand, perhaps it would do well adapted as a film, with less focus on the characters' thoughts, which aren't very deep, and more on the kidnapping of climate activists and the tense chase with a hit man.
Thank you to Sharon Dukett, SharKen Publishing and NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
The characters seemed flat, dimensionless and not tangible. Anita, who is sold as a super-strong woman, wasn't exactly that in my eyes. Several points of conflict were dropped very quickly.
The plot itself is fairly predictable.
I couldn't wait to finish this book.
On the other hand, perhaps it would do well adapted as a film, with less focus on the characters' thoughts, which aren't very deep, and more on the kidnapping of climate activists and the tense chase with a hit man.
Thank you to Sharon Dukett, SharKen Publishing and NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
November 5, 2025
I wasn’t sure quite what to expect from this thriller, but i was intrigued by the idea of the politics and mega-business influence on the climate issue, and from the first couple of pages, the heroine Anita. She’s plunged into a potentially life-threatening situation without any idea of the trouble she’s in, or why. From there, a series of plot twists and setbacks kept me turning the pages. I started with the eBook and added the audiobook because I wanted to keep reading. I hope this is the first of many from this author…
July 30, 2024
Buckle up and prepare for a wild and thrilling ride!
Suspenseful, intriguing and fast-paced, an environmental thriller, with a fierce heroine that will keep you at the edge of your seat.
Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours for this tour invite.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝘂𝘁𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁 by Sharon Dukett, Author released June 18, 2024.
Suspenseful, intriguing and fast-paced, an environmental thriller, with a fierce heroine that will keep you at the edge of your seat.
Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours for this tour invite.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝘂𝘁𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁 by Sharon Dukett, Author released June 18, 2024.
June 17, 2024
The Shutdown List, a political thriller by Sharon Dukett, deserves a place of honor on your summer reading list, but you won’t need a rising thermometer to make your blood boil. The author has delivered a compelling environmental mystery that should speak to everyone as we endure the hottest year on record. Yet this is also a pounding political thriller taking us behind the scenes with power brokers at work both in and far out of the Beltway.
Lavish gifts, persuasion, manipulation, money tilting the political process towards the desires of the wealthiest – familiar tropes, both in fiction, in our current media consumption, and dwelling in our worst fears during an election year, are wrapped in a fresh twist as we learn what’s old doesn’t necessarily stay buried.
Stir this all with a protagonist who will burrow into your heart. Anita Forrester, still grieving the death of her adult son two years earlier and very believably wrestling with the silence and strain that is now her marriage, is nonetheless forced into action when her husband is kidnapped at a climate protest at the U.S. Capitol. Anita’s quest to understand his abduction implicates her in a plot far wider and deeper than she can, at first, comprehend. Her own life becomes endangered as the greed-fueled heat is turned up, both literally and politically. Makes your blood boil, indeed.
The Shutdown List provides a colorful and evocative cast of characters with stolid lifelong friends, interesting new friends, dreamy old lovers, questionable personalities, and duplicitous scoundrels with issues of their own. Sharon Dukett delivers deceptions, double crosses, and daring escapes as Anita’s search for her husband, and then for even larger answers, sweep her through Rhode Island, Boston, Vermont, Canada, and the dying coal fields of West Virginia where Anita finds herself willing to do whatever is required. The armchair traveler in me was especially titillated as the author also entertains us in Brazil and delivers a fascinating, instructive, and whirlwind trip through the world of Swiss banking. The pace is as relentless as Anita’s palpable anxiety.
What spoke to me most, however, was the interior journey author Sharon Dukett creates for Anita. The potentially paralyzing underlayer of grief for her lost son is all too real, yet even in a dissolving relationship, Anita must muster her own resources – in every way you could imagine – to stay free, alive, find her husband, and expose the monstrous plot revealed page by captivating page. Her character arc is a triumph.
This review is based on an Advance Review Copy which I then eagerly read twice. I highly recommend The Shutdown List, Sharon Dukett’s first novel after her stunning and award-winning memoir No Rules.
Lavish gifts, persuasion, manipulation, money tilting the political process towards the desires of the wealthiest – familiar tropes, both in fiction, in our current media consumption, and dwelling in our worst fears during an election year, are wrapped in a fresh twist as we learn what’s old doesn’t necessarily stay buried.
Stir this all with a protagonist who will burrow into your heart. Anita Forrester, still grieving the death of her adult son two years earlier and very believably wrestling with the silence and strain that is now her marriage, is nonetheless forced into action when her husband is kidnapped at a climate protest at the U.S. Capitol. Anita’s quest to understand his abduction implicates her in a plot far wider and deeper than she can, at first, comprehend. Her own life becomes endangered as the greed-fueled heat is turned up, both literally and politically. Makes your blood boil, indeed.
The Shutdown List provides a colorful and evocative cast of characters with stolid lifelong friends, interesting new friends, dreamy old lovers, questionable personalities, and duplicitous scoundrels with issues of their own. Sharon Dukett delivers deceptions, double crosses, and daring escapes as Anita’s search for her husband, and then for even larger answers, sweep her through Rhode Island, Boston, Vermont, Canada, and the dying coal fields of West Virginia where Anita finds herself willing to do whatever is required. The armchair traveler in me was especially titillated as the author also entertains us in Brazil and delivers a fascinating, instructive, and whirlwind trip through the world of Swiss banking. The pace is as relentless as Anita’s palpable anxiety.
What spoke to me most, however, was the interior journey author Sharon Dukett creates for Anita. The potentially paralyzing underlayer of grief for her lost son is all too real, yet even in a dissolving relationship, Anita must muster her own resources – in every way you could imagine – to stay free, alive, find her husband, and expose the monstrous plot revealed page by captivating page. Her character arc is a triumph.
This review is based on an Advance Review Copy which I then eagerly read twice. I highly recommend The Shutdown List, Sharon Dukett’s first novel after her stunning and award-winning memoir No Rules.
October 14, 2024
An intense game of cat and mouse drew me in quickly. Anita lost her son two years ago in a California wildfire. How do you ever come back from that depth of loss? Her marriage has suffered. Anita feels like she is living with a cardboard cutout of what used to be her husband, Julian. When Julian asks her to accompany him to a climate change rally in Washington DC. She jumps at the chance. This will be a turning point in their marriage. It is also a way they both can honor their son. The exact opposite happens, Julian disappears. The police say he has been released. However, Anita cannot find him or contact him. She is approached by a man that Juilian knows and is told to hide. What has Julian gotten himself wrapped up in?
This is a fast paced read that left my mouth hanging open. Climate change is the backdrop and who is for it and against it is very apparent. I loved that some of the book is set in Vermont. A few of the characters set me off a bit. Just a little too in your face, a little too much. However, the story kept pulling me in and the ending is so worth it. Thank you to Sharon Dukett and Thriller Book Lovers the Pulse for my #gifted copy.
This is a fast paced read that left my mouth hanging open. Climate change is the backdrop and who is for it and against it is very apparent. I loved that some of the book is set in Vermont. A few of the characters set me off a bit. Just a little too in your face, a little too much. However, the story kept pulling me in and the ending is so worth it. Thank you to Sharon Dukett and Thriller Book Lovers the Pulse for my #gifted copy.
June 19, 2024
A fast paced, full of twists and turns thriller that I could not put down. I read this in one sitting - and really enjoyed it!
Anita is mourning the loss of her marriage and the death of her son, Steven when she and her husband attend a rally in memory of their son. What follows is a journey that you cannot predict! This story follows multiple points of view- with all of the characters making you feel all emotions! I was rooting for Anita throughout the book and was pumped when she was able to persevere to the end!
I didn’t want this to end and am so glad & thankful for the advanced copy from NetGalley. An awesome read, great thriller that is absolutely worth recommending to other thriller/suspense lovers!
Anita is mourning the loss of her marriage and the death of her son, Steven when she and her husband attend a rally in memory of their son. What follows is a journey that you cannot predict! This story follows multiple points of view- with all of the characters making you feel all emotions! I was rooting for Anita throughout the book and was pumped when she was able to persevere to the end!
I didn’t want this to end and am so glad & thankful for the advanced copy from NetGalley. An awesome read, great thriller that is absolutely worth recommending to other thriller/suspense lovers!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2024
This is a fast paced political thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat all the way through!
Synopsis:
Anita Foster is a grieving mother whose life was shattered when her adult son was killed in a fire. When her husband , Julian, disappears after leading a protest relating to climate change, she is warned that she, too, is in danger. Her husband has left her with a plan to go into hiding, so she cuts her electronic ties and goes on the run, determined to find her husband despite their rocky marriage, unaware he has kept a crucial secret from her.
During her search, she rescues a hard-drive containing data that threatens the wealth and power of an influential fossil fuel billionaire—data he would kill to possess.
My thoughts:
I loved the timeliness of this environmental thriller with such a courageous FMC, with who happens to be in her mid fifties (Yay!). I also enjoyed seeing the fossil fuel billionaire’s POV and that even he had a more mature woman as his mistress. This is a book that will force you to think about environmental issues and the toll that greed takes on the planet. It is a compelling read with lots of action but still delivers a lot of emotional depth !
What I enjoyed:
Grabs you from the start
A strong FMC that was in her mid fifties (yay)
Other more mature characters
Lots of action
Fairly short chapters
Synopsis:
Anita Foster is a grieving mother whose life was shattered when her adult son was killed in a fire. When her husband , Julian, disappears after leading a protest relating to climate change, she is warned that she, too, is in danger. Her husband has left her with a plan to go into hiding, so she cuts her electronic ties and goes on the run, determined to find her husband despite their rocky marriage, unaware he has kept a crucial secret from her.
During her search, she rescues a hard-drive containing data that threatens the wealth and power of an influential fossil fuel billionaire—data he would kill to possess.
My thoughts:
I loved the timeliness of this environmental thriller with such a courageous FMC, with who happens to be in her mid fifties (Yay!). I also enjoyed seeing the fossil fuel billionaire’s POV and that even he had a more mature woman as his mistress. This is a book that will force you to think about environmental issues and the toll that greed takes on the planet. It is a compelling read with lots of action but still delivers a lot of emotional depth !
What I enjoyed:
Grabs you from the start
A strong FMC that was in her mid fifties (yay)
Other more mature characters
Lots of action
Fairly short chapters
Read
August 29, 2024The Shutdown List is an action-packed environmental thriller pitting climate activists against special interests in the fossil fuel industry. During a protest, Anita’s husband Julian is apprehended by police and a stranger warns Anita to flee for her safety. What follows is a twisty cat-and-mouse race against formidable opponents to find Julian. This fast-paced story is packed with political intrigue and corruption but also surprisingly deep emotion. If you enjoy a strong midlife FMC who courageously stands up against evil, this one may be for you!
October 25, 2024
I just finished this novel which was our (Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse) October Book Club Pick. It was an enjoyable, fast-paced environmental thriller full of intrigue, betrayal, lies, secrets, and corruption. There were some great action scenes that I could picture as I read the novel.
I liked that the main character was a middle-aged gutsy woman determined to save her family. I’m so happy to see more stories with older main characters driving the story.
I could easily see this being turned into a movie and I’ll be there for it with popcorn at the ready!
Thanks to Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse for putting this one on my radar. Thanks also to SharKen for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
I liked that the main character was a middle-aged gutsy woman determined to save her family. I’m so happy to see more stories with older main characters driving the story.
I could easily see this being turned into a movie and I’ll be there for it with popcorn at the ready!
Thanks to Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse for putting this one on my radar. Thanks also to SharKen for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
July 30, 2025
Read this in one gulp! The pacing, characters, and story are compelling and realistic.
August 1, 2024
I enjoyed this book. It kept me interested throughout the whole story and I liked the interaction each character had with each other. I liked that the story is "present" with what's going on in the world today that most people just don't want to think about or ignore. Thanks Sharon for a great story, I also enjoyed your first book No Rules. I recommend it!
May 4, 2024
This review is based on an advanced review copy of Sharon Dukett's novel.The Shutdown List is Dukett's first work of long fiction following up on her memoir, No Rules. Not many authors can make the jump from memoir to fiction and not too many writers can create a whole world of believable characters engaged in a thrilling story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Dukett accomplishes both. Her character development is so believable and vivid you begin to see her "people" out in the world and on the nightly news. Unusually poignant for a thriller, the story takes you on her protagonist's journey (both literal and figurative) to "find" her husband, abducted within the first few pages. A page turner and probably a movie one day.
September 23, 2024
📚 BOOK REVIEW 📚
The Shutdown List By Sharon Dukett
Publication Date: June 18, 2024
Publisher: SharKen Publishing
📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
📚MY REVIEW:
A timely read, The Shutdown List is a fast-paced action thriller that combines climate activism with political intrigue. Everybody at Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse has been so excited about this book being our Book Club Pick in the weeks ahead, and this one definitely lived up to the hype.
Told from multiple characters' perspectives, this one gave me such a comprehensive look at the motives behind the actions of both the good guys AND the bad guys, which I really enjoyed. From the beginning of the book, I got pulled into this story and I was riveted as I devoured this one in just one sitting.
There was definitely a lot going on in this book: climate change activists, big money oil magnates, unjust imprisonments, social activism, betrayals, intrigue, secrets, and even a little bit of a love story. This wasn't your everyday expected thriller - there were some interesting storylines that felt really well-timed with the current political climate in the United States. There were a lot of twists and turns too, which really kept this one moving at a quick pace. This book has all the markings to easily become the next big political action thriller on Netflix or the big screen.
If you enjoyed Robert Swartwood's Killing Room series, this book is for you! While the storyline is different, this one gave me similar vibes as I read it. If fast-paced, political action thrillers are your jam, you're gonna love this one too!! A huge thank you to Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse, NetGalley, and SharKen Publishing for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review. I'm looking forward to discussing this one in Book Club!!
#TheShutdownList #SharonDukett #thrillerbookloversthepulse #bookclub #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #ARC #bookreviews #bookrecommendations #bookrecs #thrilleraddict #actionthriller #booklover
The Shutdown List By Sharon Dukett
Publication Date: June 18, 2024
Publisher: SharKen Publishing
📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
📚MY REVIEW:
A timely read, The Shutdown List is a fast-paced action thriller that combines climate activism with political intrigue. Everybody at Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse has been so excited about this book being our Book Club Pick in the weeks ahead, and this one definitely lived up to the hype.
Told from multiple characters' perspectives, this one gave me such a comprehensive look at the motives behind the actions of both the good guys AND the bad guys, which I really enjoyed. From the beginning of the book, I got pulled into this story and I was riveted as I devoured this one in just one sitting.
There was definitely a lot going on in this book: climate change activists, big money oil magnates, unjust imprisonments, social activism, betrayals, intrigue, secrets, and even a little bit of a love story. This wasn't your everyday expected thriller - there were some interesting storylines that felt really well-timed with the current political climate in the United States. There were a lot of twists and turns too, which really kept this one moving at a quick pace. This book has all the markings to easily become the next big political action thriller on Netflix or the big screen.
If you enjoyed Robert Swartwood's Killing Room series, this book is for you! While the storyline is different, this one gave me similar vibes as I read it. If fast-paced, political action thrillers are your jam, you're gonna love this one too!! A huge thank you to Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse, NetGalley, and SharKen Publishing for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review. I'm looking forward to discussing this one in Book Club!!
#TheShutdownList #SharonDukett #thrillerbookloversthepulse #bookclub #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #ARC #bookreviews #bookrecommendations #bookrecs #thrilleraddict #actionthriller #booklover
April 27, 2024
What is the result when climate activism, evil forces, and a talented writer’s imagination come together?
An on-the-run thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat, with a relatable strong female protagonist determined to save her missing husband.
Anita’s husband is dragged away in front of her at a climate-change protest. But soon after, the police claim not to have him. Anita’s determined to get to the heart of the mystery and save him, but she’s also terrified. Especially when a stranger warns she's in danger too, and needs to hide, fast!
With her own life in danger, she follows the breadcrumbs her husband left, trying to understand who has him. She'll do everything possible to bring him back, traveling from the US to Switzerland and Canada. But the truth is more dangerous than she imagined.
With lots of twists you won't see coming, The Shutdown List takes us on an action-packed pulse-pounding journey, where the stakes just keep escalating for Anita. The author, Sharon Dukett, keeps us gripped right up to the ultimate showdown, where our fierce protagonist needs all the courage and new skills she’s learned.
I wish the bad guys” in this thriller were less credible, but the author portrays a set of forces of evil working behind the scenes to silence the truth who are entirely believable.
A thoroughly credible tale, with a kick-ass protagonist, determined to take on the bad-guys and get her husband back!
An on-the-run thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat, with a relatable strong female protagonist determined to save her missing husband.
Anita’s husband is dragged away in front of her at a climate-change protest. But soon after, the police claim not to have him. Anita’s determined to get to the heart of the mystery and save him, but she’s also terrified. Especially when a stranger warns she's in danger too, and needs to hide, fast!
With her own life in danger, she follows the breadcrumbs her husband left, trying to understand who has him. She'll do everything possible to bring him back, traveling from the US to Switzerland and Canada. But the truth is more dangerous than she imagined.
With lots of twists you won't see coming, The Shutdown List takes us on an action-packed pulse-pounding journey, where the stakes just keep escalating for Anita. The author, Sharon Dukett, keeps us gripped right up to the ultimate showdown, where our fierce protagonist needs all the courage and new skills she’s learned.
I wish the bad guys” in this thriller were less credible, but the author portrays a set of forces of evil working behind the scenes to silence the truth who are entirely believable.
A thoroughly credible tale, with a kick-ass protagonist, determined to take on the bad-guys and get her husband back!
June 19, 2024
A Fast paced climate crisis thriller
A grieving wife witnesses her deceitful husband’s kidnapping. Can she rescue him before they both end up dead?
Anita Forester worries her marriage is doomed. When the estranged couple attends a petroleum protest in Washington D.C., she witnesses her husband storm the United States Capitol.
Chasing after her him, Anita expects some answers. But the police tase him and shove him inside a van. Before she understands what’s happening, a mysterious man grabs her and says, “Run!” With her life now in danger, she’s told to spend the five thousand dollars her husband left on a place to hide.
As an oil tycoon tracks her every move, Anita fears her husband was murdered. When she receives a call from his phone number, an unfamiliar voice interrogates her about his activities. Confused by the man’s inquiries, and frustrated at not getting any clarity, she examines a cryptic email list her husband gave her, which includes an address in Rhode Island.
Anita takes the money and runs. With her life in danger, and a handful of murky clues, will she rescue her missing husband before a greedy magnate murders the planet, and kills them both?
The Shutdown List is a political thriller. If you devour fast-paced climate-crisis suspense novels, then you’ll love Sharon Duckett’s intriguing and relevant thrill-ride. Read The Shutdown List today and discover the choices Anita makes when pushed to her limits.
A grieving wife witnesses her deceitful husband’s kidnapping. Can she rescue him before they both end up dead?
Anita Forester worries her marriage is doomed. When the estranged couple attends a petroleum protest in Washington D.C., she witnesses her husband storm the United States Capitol.
Chasing after her him, Anita expects some answers. But the police tase him and shove him inside a van. Before she understands what’s happening, a mysterious man grabs her and says, “Run!” With her life now in danger, she’s told to spend the five thousand dollars her husband left on a place to hide.
As an oil tycoon tracks her every move, Anita fears her husband was murdered. When she receives a call from his phone number, an unfamiliar voice interrogates her about his activities. Confused by the man’s inquiries, and frustrated at not getting any clarity, she examines a cryptic email list her husband gave her, which includes an address in Rhode Island.
Anita takes the money and runs. With her life in danger, and a handful of murky clues, will she rescue her missing husband before a greedy magnate murders the planet, and kills them both?
The Shutdown List is a political thriller. If you devour fast-paced climate-crisis suspense novels, then you’ll love Sharon Duckett’s intriguing and relevant thrill-ride. Read The Shutdown List today and discover the choices Anita makes when pushed to her limits.
June 21, 2024
Opinião: É um livro interessante. Uma boa premissa, com um plano de fundo focado numa organização que pretende acabar com um grupo de ativistas do clima e investigadores, começando a fazer com que misteriosamente desapareçam pessoas uma por uma. Com jogos políticos, pessoas em fuga e outras tantas ameaçadas, Anita Forester vê-se envolvida numa situação na qual nunca pensou e terá que aprender a confiar se quer sobreviver e encontrar Julian o marido desaparecido. Gostei da narrativa e da forma como é conduzida pela autora e achei todo o enredo diferente e cativante.
Espero vir a ler mais desta autora sem dúvida!
ENG REVIEW: It's an interesting book. A good premise, with a background focused on an organization that intends to wipe out a group of climate activists and researchers, starting to mysteriously make people disappear one by one. With political games, people on the run and many others threatened, Anita Forester finds herself involved in a situation she never thought of and will have to learn to trust if she wants to survive and find Julian, her missing husband. I liked the narrative and the way it was conducted by the author and I found the entire plot different and captivating.
I definitely hope to read more from this author!
@bibliotecamil_insta
Espero vir a ler mais desta autora sem dúvida!
ENG REVIEW: It's an interesting book. A good premise, with a background focused on an organization that intends to wipe out a group of climate activists and researchers, starting to mysteriously make people disappear one by one. With political games, people on the run and many others threatened, Anita Forester finds herself involved in a situation she never thought of and will have to learn to trust if she wants to survive and find Julian, her missing husband. I liked the narrative and the way it was conducted by the author and I found the entire plot different and captivating.
I definitely hope to read more from this author!
@bibliotecamil_insta
September 26, 2024
The Shutdown List
Sharon Dukett
June 18, 2024
SharKen Publishing
Available Now on KU
The Shutdown List is an intense high stakes environmental thriller lead by our courageous heroine Anita. Her husband Julian was arrested at a climate change rally. The problem is, she can’t locate him at a jail so where is he? After losing her son, Anita will stop at nothing to find Julian and she is in unchartered territory.
Julian has left her breadcrumbs to figure out what to do and how to save him. Anita has no idea what Julian has gotten himself into and page by page, she never gives up, and continues to battle this learning curve with strength and tenacity.
Climate change, clean air, clean fuel, fossil fuels and other topics are in the news daily. The Shutdown List brings some of these issues to life for the reader and what is driving the fight between saving Earth, powering our planet and putting money in the right pockets. Someone has to fight for the plant and the little guy, but what the bad guys have to lose is far more important than climate pledges (or so they think).
If you are a fan of books that tackle subjects like this (I totally am), this would make a great faced paced thriller to add to your TBR.
Sharon Dukett
June 18, 2024
SharKen Publishing
Available Now on KU
The Shutdown List is an intense high stakes environmental thriller lead by our courageous heroine Anita. Her husband Julian was arrested at a climate change rally. The problem is, she can’t locate him at a jail so where is he? After losing her son, Anita will stop at nothing to find Julian and she is in unchartered territory.
Julian has left her breadcrumbs to figure out what to do and how to save him. Anita has no idea what Julian has gotten himself into and page by page, she never gives up, and continues to battle this learning curve with strength and tenacity.
Climate change, clean air, clean fuel, fossil fuels and other topics are in the news daily. The Shutdown List brings some of these issues to life for the reader and what is driving the fight between saving Earth, powering our planet and putting money in the right pockets. Someone has to fight for the plant and the little guy, but what the bad guys have to lose is far more important than climate pledges (or so they think).
If you are a fan of books that tackle subjects like this (I totally am), this would make a great faced paced thriller to add to your TBR.
March 1, 2025
What’s not to love about a quick-thinking fiftysomething female protagonist—especially one who’s willing to go head-to-head with corporate corruption to fight for her family and champion climate change? Author Sharon Dukett delivers all that in The Shutdown List, a fast-paced political thriller with twists and turns aplenty, along with a satisfying ending that doesn’t leave the reader hanging.
Anita is still mourning her son’s death, which occurred two years earlier. It’s caused a deep rift between her and her husband, who’s become almost a stranger. After she watches in shock as he’s arrested at a Washington protest, a stranger warns her that she's in danger, too, and needs to hide fast. When she comes upon a cryptic email list her husband left behind, she does find herself on a twisty journey where lives are at stake, including her husband’s. And her own.
The Shutdown List leads Anita down an action-packed path of family secrets, conspiracy, and betrayal. Her journey kept me guessing, and the fact that I read this during the Palisades fires and the freezing DC weather gave me the chills. Something about climate change in action…
I’ll stop there. If you want to learn where Anita’s journey takes her, you’ll have to discover it yourself.
Anita is still mourning her son’s death, which occurred two years earlier. It’s caused a deep rift between her and her husband, who’s become almost a stranger. After she watches in shock as he’s arrested at a Washington protest, a stranger warns her that she's in danger, too, and needs to hide fast. When she comes upon a cryptic email list her husband left behind, she does find herself on a twisty journey where lives are at stake, including her husband’s. And her own.
The Shutdown List leads Anita down an action-packed path of family secrets, conspiracy, and betrayal. Her journey kept me guessing, and the fact that I read this during the Palisades fires and the freezing DC weather gave me the chills. Something about climate change in action…
I’ll stop there. If you want to learn where Anita’s journey takes her, you’ll have to discover it yourself.
June 27, 2024
I am not sure what genre this fits. Sci fi? Dystopian? Definitely a thriller. Maybe a political thriller? I am not sure but I believe it might be in a world not very far off from the current one we live in.
It centers around clean energy, so if you are a believer that the world is the same it has always been, this book might not be for you. The book starts off at a slower pace as the players and situation are layed out, then ratchets up to a frenzied pace as the story unfolds.
The story and characters are vivid. The tension and frenzy are intense. I felt Anita’s grief over the loss of her son. She’s strong and clever as she works to solve what happened to her missing husband.
I did suspect some of the twists before they happened, but enjoyed Anita’s journey and growth through her heroics. I found her relatable and I was rooting from her right from the start. An ordinary women doing extraordinary things in the name of family.
There’s a little bit of cat and mouse and a whole lot of evil wrapped up in this fiction debut. I read this in a day and was in from the start. A great choice for a summer read.
It centers around clean energy, so if you are a believer that the world is the same it has always been, this book might not be for you. The book starts off at a slower pace as the players and situation are layed out, then ratchets up to a frenzied pace as the story unfolds.
The story and characters are vivid. The tension and frenzy are intense. I felt Anita’s grief over the loss of her son. She’s strong and clever as she works to solve what happened to her missing husband.
I did suspect some of the twists before they happened, but enjoyed Anita’s journey and growth through her heroics. I found her relatable and I was rooting from her right from the start. An ordinary women doing extraordinary things in the name of family.
There’s a little bit of cat and mouse and a whole lot of evil wrapped up in this fiction debut. I read this in a day and was in from the start. A great choice for a summer read.
July 10, 2024
In Sharon Dukett’s new thriller, THE SHUTDOWN LIST, she opens our eyes to the importance of climate change on our nation’s future and the world’s. What’s most impressive is that Dukett simply tells the story rather than preaching and then lets us form our own opinions.
In this suspenseful tale, Anita Forester hunts for her husband who vanished during a climate protest. Up against forces known and unknown and with little information to go on, Anita searches the globe. With her life and the lives of those she cares about, in mortal danger, determined and resourceful Anita stays laser-focused on her mission despite roadblocks and unexpected revelations about those she once trusted.
That Dukett chose this critical and controversial topic to demonstrate her writing chops will not surprise anyone who has read NO RULES. In that memoir, Dukett shares her personal coming-of-age story in the 1970s when she embraced the cultural movement of that time: feminism.
Whether you’re in the mood for a memoir or a thriller, Sharon Dukett is an author who should be on your LIST!
I received a copy of THE SHUTDOWN LIST from the publisher. This review reflects my honest, personal opinion.
In this suspenseful tale, Anita Forester hunts for her husband who vanished during a climate protest. Up against forces known and unknown and with little information to go on, Anita searches the globe. With her life and the lives of those she cares about, in mortal danger, determined and resourceful Anita stays laser-focused on her mission despite roadblocks and unexpected revelations about those she once trusted.
That Dukett chose this critical and controversial topic to demonstrate her writing chops will not surprise anyone who has read NO RULES. In that memoir, Dukett shares her personal coming-of-age story in the 1970s when she embraced the cultural movement of that time: feminism.
Whether you’re in the mood for a memoir or a thriller, Sharon Dukett is an author who should be on your LIST!
I received a copy of THE SHUTDOWN LIST from the publisher. This review reflects my honest, personal opinion.
June 26, 2024
The blurb from this story said it would was set against the backdrop of climate activism. It delivered on its genre indications of female protagonist, and political, conspiracy and suspense thriller.
The author had good pacing. She kept smartly revealing surprises throughout. I found her style very readable, and will consider future stories.
I did find the initial part of the story, at least to me, going to great lengths to starkly define the opposing sides in very black and white. This could cause some readers who feel themselves not in total agreement with the viewpoint of the protagonist’s opinion to sour before getting past the political part of the story into the suspenseful action in the last half of the book. The last half had several elements that I enjoy: globe hopping travel; narrow escapes; possibility of global chaos.
Strictly my opinion, but perhaps having a some more shades of grey in between the main characters might have bumped my rating higher.
I received an advanced copy through BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The author had good pacing. She kept smartly revealing surprises throughout. I found her style very readable, and will consider future stories.
I did find the initial part of the story, at least to me, going to great lengths to starkly define the opposing sides in very black and white. This could cause some readers who feel themselves not in total agreement with the viewpoint of the protagonist’s opinion to sour before getting past the political part of the story into the suspenseful action in the last half of the book. The last half had several elements that I enjoy: globe hopping travel; narrow escapes; possibility of global chaos.
Strictly my opinion, but perhaps having a some more shades of grey in between the main characters might have bumped my rating higher.
I received an advanced copy through BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 24, 2024
This was a thought-provoking and suspenseful crime / environmental thriller.
Set in the not-too-distant future, climate and ecological activism has turned deadly. Anita Forester has lost her son, and now her husband has been dragged away.
When Anita gains access to her husband’s hard drive containing data that others would be willing to kill for - she knows she is in danger and must find her husband before it’s too late.
I loved that this became a mission for Anita—we traveled with her throughout the world, and she did whatever it took. The large cast of characters made it exciting and colorful, including friends, old lovers, and villains alike.
I appreciated that there was no soapbox here. Even though climate change is the backdrop or motivator, the author lets the twisting, propulsive action do the heavy lifting.
I loved watching Anita’s incredible journey, and it kept me on my toes until the thrilling conclusion.
Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @sharon.dukett for a spot on tour and a gifted book.
Set in the not-too-distant future, climate and ecological activism has turned deadly. Anita Forester has lost her son, and now her husband has been dragged away.
When Anita gains access to her husband’s hard drive containing data that others would be willing to kill for - she knows she is in danger and must find her husband before it’s too late.
I loved that this became a mission for Anita—we traveled with her throughout the world, and she did whatever it took. The large cast of characters made it exciting and colorful, including friends, old lovers, and villains alike.
I appreciated that there was no soapbox here. Even though climate change is the backdrop or motivator, the author lets the twisting, propulsive action do the heavy lifting.
I loved watching Anita’s incredible journey, and it kept me on my toes until the thrilling conclusion.
Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @sharon.dukett for a spot on tour and a gifted book.
March 16, 2025
The story itself was fine, even though it was full of environmentalist propaganda.
I couldn’t stand Anita, though. She was whiny and selfish. And she got mad at her husband for lying to her about their son not being dead (enough to say she wanted a divorce) when she had sex with her old boyfriend and neglected to mention anything about that to Julian. If anyone wanted a divorce, it should have been him.
By the end of the book, I was just begging the bad guys to kill her. But no. She survives. And she laughs at the end of the book. That’s the “big” ending.
Totally anticlimactic, especially considering we don’t know if she’s going to give her marriage another chance or if she’s going to run away with the ex - who also lied to her, but she’s not as angry about that because somehow that was Julian’s fault too.
Perhaps there’s a sequel in the works, but I don’t look forward to reading it.
I couldn’t stand Anita, though. She was whiny and selfish. And she got mad at her husband for lying to her about their son not being dead (enough to say she wanted a divorce) when she had sex with her old boyfriend and neglected to mention anything about that to Julian. If anyone wanted a divorce, it should have been him.
By the end of the book, I was just begging the bad guys to kill her. But no. She survives. And she laughs at the end of the book. That’s the “big” ending.
Totally anticlimactic, especially considering we don’t know if she’s going to give her marriage another chance or if she’s going to run away with the ex - who also lied to her, but she’s not as angry about that because somehow that was Julian’s fault too.
Perhaps there’s a sequel in the works, but I don’t look forward to reading it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2024
Received as a review copy from Booksirens, this is an honest review. What a fiery, intense adventure this book is; a thought provoking story surrounding climate change and those fighting to give this fragile world a chance at the same time those destroying it all is their power and influence and they have no trouble silencing everyone that's stands on their way. Anita Forester has already suffered the tragic loss of her son in a haunting way but after finding out her husband's arrest has thrown him and others demanding a change from fossil fuels down a very dark rabbit hole; Anita becomes desperate to rescue him. The journey to getting Julian home gets Anita and those has to trust at the center of dangerous game; where secrets hold revelations that force people to make the toughest of choices... and live with the consequences.
A poignant masterpiece.
Highly recommended.
A poignant masterpiece.
Highly recommended.
May 15, 2024
Great book! I really loved this fast-paced suspense thriller. The story line had many twists and turns and kept surprising me until the very end.
The book is set in the near future where climate change has really started to cause problems with the weather and climate. Anita's husband is arrested and disappears during a protest in Washington. While trying to "find" her husband Anita uncovers a bigger conspiracy that threatens not only her life but possibly the entire planet. The premise of the book that American politicians are more interested in making money and are ignoring climate change is very believable and a scary possibility. The book is well written and has smooth transitions between the various characters point of view. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!
The book is set in the near future where climate change has really started to cause problems with the weather and climate. Anita's husband is arrested and disappears during a protest in Washington. While trying to "find" her husband Anita uncovers a bigger conspiracy that threatens not only her life but possibly the entire planet. The premise of the book that American politicians are more interested in making money and are ignoring climate change is very believable and a scary possibility. The book is well written and has smooth transitions between the various characters point of view. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!
May 7, 2024
Non-stop action in this well-written novel kept me engrossed throughout! This is an interesting premise (which could even be true today) where climate change has reached untenable proportions but American leadership has decided that fossil fuels are the way to go. It's a scary "what-if" that reminds all of us that silence is not an option. But it's not a treatise on social behaviour, it's a rollercoaster ride of action and reaction, as well as delving into moral dilemmas about personal choice. Whew! That's a lot ... but all well worth the read. The characters are real and fallible, and the plot unfolds well, in a style that's very easy to read as it switches between different points of view. My thanks to BookSirens for the opportunity to read it.
July 31, 2024
This was such a suspenseful, intense and mysterious book. A lot of things happens in this book. It kept me on the edge of my seat. Anita has lost her son Steven two years ago and she is still dealing with the trauma but now two years later when the unthinkable happens with Julian, it turns her life upside down. She is both heartbroken and devastated. Julian kept dark secrets from her. While all the unthinkable happenings, tangles her in danger, mystery and secrets. All the things not only destroys her peace but also brings her life at stake. She is determined to find her husband and bring herself out of this political web of secrets, mystery, conspiracy and crime. The revelations at the end were heartbreaking.
Thanks to the Author and Publisher
Thanks to the Author and Publisher
June 7, 2024
The Shutdown List
By Sharon Durkett
This book has everything from the seat of your pants thriller, action, and opens your eyes to Climate activism and the a lot of secrets. Anita Forester has only breadcrumbs to follow and cryptic clues left by her husband when he is arrested at a protest for climate change. She travel from Vermont, Canada, Switzerland and back to the US again trying to find her husband and the detention center he's in. There old lovers and secrets but this book will have you looking at what if....and the dedicated folks fighting for a better planet.
Thank you to Victory Editing Net Galley Co-op and the author for producing a very thought provoking book.
By Sharon Durkett
This book has everything from the seat of your pants thriller, action, and opens your eyes to Climate activism and the a lot of secrets. Anita Forester has only breadcrumbs to follow and cryptic clues left by her husband when he is arrested at a protest for climate change. She travel from Vermont, Canada, Switzerland and back to the US again trying to find her husband and the detention center he's in. There old lovers and secrets but this book will have you looking at what if....and the dedicated folks fighting for a better planet.
Thank you to Victory Editing Net Galley Co-op and the author for producing a very thought provoking book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews