“You remember the other night, in the bus, when you were telling me about how the whole world comes alive when you’re up on that stage?
Well, this is my stage.”
On the third stop of a nationwide stadium tour designed to skyrocket Blaze and her band into superstardom, the unthinkable happens. The guard posted outside of her dressing room vanishes without a trace, and in his place, a bloodstained knife pins a single, chilling note.
You’ve been warned.
In the aftermath of the incident, Blaze’s management team faces a difficult decision. The guard’s body was never found, and no one has any idea who could be behind it—or what message they’re trying to send.
Ignoring it entirely and risking the lives of everyone associated isn’t an option, but neither is going to the police and jeopardizing the entire tour over what could be nothing more than a hoax.
Backed into a corner, they choose a third option. They make a call to the wilds of Montana, where Ham has been dealing with her own incident—one that still lingers at the front of her mind as she reluctantly boards a flight, immersing herself in the chaos of life on the road.
A new city and venue every night. A constant battle to ensure Blaze’s safety while she’s onstage. An unrelenting search for answers about what really happened outside that dressing room. Was it a cruel prank? Or something far more sinister?
Most importantly, is one of the tens of thousands of screaming fans packed in tight every night responsible? Or are they merely a diversion for someone else waiting to make their move…
I originally hail from the midwest, growing up in the heart of farm country, and still consider it, along with West Tennessee, my co-home. Between the two, I have a firm belief that football is the greatest of all past-times, sweet tea is really the only acceptable beverage for any occasion, there is not an event on earth that either gym shorts or boots can't be worn to, and that Dairy Queen is the best restaurant on the planet. Further, southern accents are a highly likeable feature on most everybody, English bulldogs sit atop the critter hierarchy, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with a Saturday night spent catfishing at the lake.
Since leaving the midwest I've been to college in New England, grad school in the Rockies, and lived in over a dozen different cities ranging from DC to Honolulu along the way. Each and every one of these experiences has shaped who I am at this point, a fact I hope is expressed in my writing. I have developed enormous affinity for locales and people of every size and shape, and even if I never figure out a way to properly convey them on paper, I am very much grateful for their presence in my life.
To sum it up, I asked a very good friend recently how they would describe me for something like this. Their response: "Plagued by realism and trained by experiences/education to be a pessimist, you somehow remain above all else an active dreamer." While I can't say those are the exact words I would choose, I can't say they're wrong. I travel, live in different places, try new foods, meet all kinds of different people, and above all else stay curious to a fault.
Here's hoping it continues to provide us all with some pretty good stories...
I am new to the Ham universe. I have to say I am thoroughly impressed. Time and time again I read a book by Dustin Stevens and I am so enamored of the way he can weave a story. he goes back and forth from one point of view to another and enabling the reader to keep up. This story does not disappoint. The story is woven in such a way that it keeps the reader turning the pages. Highly recommend.
If you are familiar with HAM, then this is a no brainer.
Blaze is a worthy inclusion in the HAM series, chock full of all the elements of why you love this series—righteous intriguing mission coupled with extreme violence told in can’t-put-it-down thrilling urgency.
You are compelled to read it—no choice. You know that’s true.
In a nice variation, HAM is hired as personal protection for an up-and-coming rock star who has received a dangerous threat to her life of unknown origin, putting her in the customary role of protecting the innocent from malevolent forces.
This also forces HAM into the uncomfortable, if not entirely unfamiliar, position of investigator as she must find both the identity and motive of the perpetrator.
If this is your introduction to HAM, you will be captivated by this entirely unique character. She is essentially the Terminator—without the pithy catchphrase. And on the side of Good in this ongoing, very human, epic battle of Good versus Evil. Protecting the innocent from the ravages of Evil is her calling, both personally and professionally.
Once she is locked in on her target, there is nothing—not personal safety, expense, or potential consequences that will move her off her mission. She will execute her mission—execute with extreme prejudice, as the saying goes.
Whether utilizing an array of firearms, battling hand-to-hand (with or without stabbing weapons or items of opportunity), or her signature combat tomahawk, the blood, sweat, internal organs, and appendages will be flying. Heads will literally roll.
Think John Wick with a cooler haircut.
As with many of Dustin Stevens novels, this is a tale of two families—biological and makeshift. The Good (makeshift) brought together by common interest and shared morality, the Evil (biological) corrupted by circumstance of tradition, class warfare, greed, power, and other societal ills.
Ultimately, you will somehow find yourself emotionally vested. There is a subtle underlying progression in which, by the conclusion, will surprisingly find yourself fully engaged—without any cheap manipulation.
Whether HAM is an old friend, or this is your initial introduction, Blaze is a fantastic thrill ride of intrigue and mayhem. Full of interesting and sometime colorful characters, the underlying emotional connection underscores the proceedings resulting in a fully satisfying read.
Ham, with one M, is back! Followers of Dustin Stevens’ Ham series will not be disappointed. Well crafted plot, strong characters, concert tours & roadies, an evil villain, and Ham - doing what Ham does best.
Stevens succeeds at keeping this series fresh by having missions and plots turn on a dime. Nothing is as it seems and before Ham can dispatch the bad guy, she must find the bad guy. Stevens has crafted some unique challenges for his protagonist. Coming into the Blaze assignment hot off a false alarm at her enclave Ham must sort through a box of conflicting stories and agendas. Quickly.
Ham has been tasked to do protection and security for a rock star - Blaze - amidst a whirlwind concert tour. Readers will enjoy the blend of sleuthing and action. Unique as well is Ham’s working through being forced to interact - hourly - with the personalities that make the traveling show. Quite a change-up for Ham to being on the edge to being on stage - and blending in. Ham has been introduced as a marketing consultant for the tour - and no one bats an eye.
Blaze is the rock star getting the proverbial ‘big break’ as the opening act. Her handlers continue to put her at risk as they keep her in the dark trying to protect her. Ham, with her low tolerance for nonsense, has some fiery interactions. Readers that are also concert goers will get a major toofer here. Media coverage of music industry shenanigans and rivalries make Blaze all the more engaging. Ham’s prime directive is to remove evil so that the rest of us can live our lives without undue harm. Ham again comes through for us! Great read.
Another thriller in the Ham series from Dustin Stevens! I've always enjoyed the kick ass, no B.S. character Ham represents, and this newest volume doesn't disappoint.
Yet Ham continues to evolve by being put in a more nuanced, less straight-forward situation in this book, requiring her to use as much wit as brawn to figure it out compared to the earlier books. That's a good thing in my book!
Having to protect an up and coming rock star from an implicit threat, Ham has to go against the grain to blend in with personality types she would normally shy away from. As the plot begins to thicken, we can feel the tension clearly in all the characters, through the word pictures Stevens is so adept at painting, side by side with the compelling plot elements he develops throughout.
I highly recommend Blaze! It's easy to start off with this book, but I'd go back and read the earlier volumes to get a sense of how far Ham has come throughout the series.
I just finished the most recent entry in the Ham series by Dustin Stevens as an ARC reader. Ham, an awesome and mysterious woman with a heavy military background and a wild Mohawk cut is called out by her boss Mikey, equally murky military past, to provide “security” for an up-and-coming band and its star Blaze. Little does she know, the request for security did not mention a presumed murder of the guard posted at Blaze’s room, and increasingly violent threats to the Band, reasons unclear. Ham now assumes a new role as not only security, but investigator as she does what she does best: hunt down and eliminate the bad guys, using any of many skills she possesses: handgun, combat knife and her trademark tomahawk. Do NOT get in the way of that thing! The book takes off slowly, building to a frantic pace as Ham and her duffel bag of tools race towards a confrontation with who is really behind the deadly threats against Blaze. Enjoy, but don’t read before bed!
Another fantastic read by Dustin Stevens! The Ham books are always exhilarating page-turners, and this one does not disappoint! Ham’s latest job for Mikey leads to all kinds of trouble, and Ham must decide whether to continue the assignment or head back north to be with Glenda and the girls at their new location. With very limited information provided by the client, Ham must keenly observe what is happening and figure out who is involved. The plot involving the thrill of seeing a hot new musical artist who is topping the charts is relatable no matter the reader’s age. We are treated to wildly descriptive physical situations involving Ham as she interacts with friendlies and foes. Ham’s determination to keep everyone safe is one of her core values which is again prominent in this latest Ham adventure. Can’t wait to see what’s next for this badass lady!
Wow! Dustin Stevens launches The New Ham novel Wth a Blaze
Ham is hired to protect the nationwide popular singing star Blaze on the third stop of their planned concert tour. And her action begins that very night when a posted guard disappears and a note is left with pinned by a bloody knife: "You've been warned!"
Han is kept on her toes protecting Blaze during the next couple of cities as the tour continues eastward. And it's difficult because Ham is constantly on Stage with Blaze during each concert in front of thousands of yelling fans.
Follow Ham as she must continually protect Blaze during these concerts; does her best to uncover the source of the mysterious note; and who is trying prevent Blaze from safely completing the next concert! Mr. Stevens has provided you with one great page-turning action-filled adventure!
Another Fantastic Ham Action Thriller!going to be outside of her comfort zone
I love this Author and I love the Characters.
Ham, what can we say about Ham! Every woman secretly wants to be her. In this book she is going to be outside of her comfort zone, so hang on to your hat and get ready for the twists and turns, they are coming. Ham will not be behind in the shadows, she is front and center, yes, traveling with a band. You have to read this one for yourselves to figure out the who, what, and why of this gripping story. I wonder how many of you are going to read this in one sitting? It truly is that good, you are really going to want to know what is on the next page and in the next chapter. I don't want to say too much, I hate spoilers so grab it and read it for yourself. I am sure you will love it as much as I did.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to travel with a "up and coming super star" and Her band? Ham found out the challenges and pitfalls of joining the security detail for just that. Blaze was an extremely talented singer and showman who found herself and her band in a dangerous situation that had nothing to do with her. Someone was trying to send a message, and Blaze was caught up in it. Ham is a unique, highly trained operative and was sent to add an additional level of security and determine what the situation actually was. This adventure is entirely different from the other Ham books. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend reading it.
I throughly enjoyed this latest Steven’s novel. The plot line centers around a young singing star, Blaze, like Taylor Swift in her early days who is starting a series of concerts in various cities. However, a gangster and his son get involved over money issues and try to do harm to the new star. Ham is brought in to protect Blaze, uncover the bad guys and do what she does best. As in previous Ham books, the author does a fantastic job of describing how Ham reacts to the many life threatening scenes presented. The action is never ending and I couldn’t wait to see the end results. It was one of those cases where I couldn’t put it down. If you are a fan of a bit of a mystery combined with ongoing action, you’ll like Blaze.
Blaze is rocketing into stardom with this tour, but there's more going on than she knows.
When a security guard disappears and a bloody knife pinning down threat is found, the choices are slim. Tell the police and risk stopping the tour and Blaze's meteoric rise to stardom or call in some unconventional protection. Blaze's cousin and manager, Bristol, decides on unconventional, and the die cast.
Cue Ham, she joins the tour as a marketing manager from the record company and quickly realizes she's bitten off a big bite. Too many opportunities for disaster and she's spread thin. Ham is again a force to be reckoned with in this thiller. Couldn't put it down for a second!
Dustin Stevens never disappoints and this book is a really great read. Vacation and Ham just don’t fit in the same sentence…she is relaxing with family and gets the call. Next thing you know she is on the move to join of all things a band that is on tour. Ham blends (well as much as she can blend anywhere) in on security detail for Blaze an up and coming singer. Enter the super fan, a dead body, a warning, the road manager and Esai Garcia and his cronies. Dustin does a great job weaving everything together with Ham following the leads at breakneck speed to solve where the treats are coming from. Recommend reading this book.
Justin Stevens Does it again! Another well written seat of the pants novel featuring the ass kicking Ham. This is a book you will not want to put down. Ham is put into a situation in which she has no experience with, life on the road with a rock & roll star. How to protect her charge in stadium after stadium would be difficult for most, but not Ham. She expertly analyses every situation and takes action when needed. This was a great read and a book you will not want to put down. A must read!
I think this is my favorite Ham book by far! The characters are so interesting and intriguing. Blaze herself, is a wonderful role model for young women everywhere. I love the comparisons of her hair to her name!
This book is just a little bit different, and it kept me entertained and thrilled the entire way. I really enjoyed the unique setting and background for this particular novel. As always, there is a righteous mission, with Ham leading the way to right the wrongs. You can’t go wrong reading this one, and you will enjoy every moment of the ride!
I enjoy this author’s work. The Ham novels I find refreshing and prefer them. Ham is always being sent in to interesting situations. This novel did not provide much new for Ham’s usual behavior and skill set. She operates as she always does. What I liked: the characters, especially seeing Blaze in her glory; the insights into a big tour for a rising star. What I didn’t like: the repetitive word choice that is throughout all of Steven’s novels; the misuse of adjectives; typos and wrong words. Overall I would recommend this series but start at the beginning.
I really enjoyed Blaze. It was a longer novel than most of his books but I like longer novels. Blaze is off on a summer tour when the trouble begins. She has an opportunity that she really wants to pursue as her career is taking off...then the trouble begins. Ham comes along and things begin to unravel. I won't crash your party by releasing too much information but this book is a great read. I would characterize Dustin Stevens as a master author. He does a wonderful job of introducing his characters and then weaving them together in a story. You can't go wrong with this HAM novel!!!
As usual this one hits that Ham spot. Realistically written about life on the road as a musician.
I hope this is not the ens of Ham, Mikey and Frost. There’s so much more to mine here with their story’s. Perhaps not just a backstory in reference to the relationship she and Mikey have, but a true telling of how they got started. Beginning with the ending of their time spent in the sandbox, from returning home and setting up Mikey’s support to Ham trying to wipe out her nightmares with her fists and tomahawk.
Can Ham actually "blend in"? In the world of Rock & Roll, she can! She will have to, to protect her star client. This book blasts you into that world, and life on the road. Ham is met with one obstacle after another, from how to spell her name to avoiding danger. This was a fun read and keeps you turning the page as fast as possible. Definitely a hard to put down book! I highly recommend reading this installment of the Ham series. 5 stars and 2 thumbs up!
I am a big fan of Dustin Stevens. He has a talent to weave a captivating story. I am relatively new to the Ham series. I need to go back to the beginning just to see how the characters develop. Having said that the books read extremely well as stand alone. This story centre's around an up and coming rock star and her brush with organized crime. It is a wild and exciting ride with sub plots to keep you guessing on how it all goes together.
If you are looking for an adventure that you don’t see every day, you’ve found it in the Dustin Stevens book: Blaze- a Ham novel. Ham is such an interesting character who exhibits righteousness, toughness, empathy, as well as a kick-butt attitude. Expecting the unexpected will be the main theme throughout Ham’s journey to find the culprit responsible for all of the heartache, killing, and fear throughout the sojourn of a rising star, Blaze, on tour. Don’t miss this! You can’t put it down!
Loved the book, I can't get enough Ham! Another great adventure that centers around Ham, think Sarah Conner, but she's not saving the future, only her family, friends and Blaze, the rising new singer and band that just started their first BIG TOUR. Ham's strengths and abilities are impressive.
Following along with her as she fights to protect others feels realistic (is it? I don't know, but it feels like it!) And Loved hearing how the new homestead is progressing and about Ham's family.
Very realistic and interesting characters. Fast-paced plot that kept me thoroughly engaged throughout. Suspenseful and thrilling! Enjoyed every page of it!
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
This is my first Ham book and I highly recommend it. Ham has a job to protect the lead singer in a rising in popularity rock band on tour. I couldn’t put the book down so read far into the night. Excellent storyline and believable characters. Plenty of action. I shall try to read more Ham books. Well done Dustin.
I so love these books about HAM with1 M. She is just such a bad a##. I want to be her but just for a bit as I don't want to do the running. Ha. Truly though her books are one of my favorites, I look forward to reading them. I'm putting them up there with JD Wards Black Dagger Brotherhood Series, which says alot.
Ham is strong, caring, bad ass. Her unique style and professionalism leads to an interesting story of protection and caring for someone in trouble. Her qualities of no fear, thoughtful strategic planning, and genuine caring are her someone you always want in your corner.
Another great book!! I am so impressed with Dustin Stevens, he's amazing. The Ham series is really good - I'm very attached. The little clues given, if you pay attention, you often realize things before the reveal. This is a great storyline with really great characters. Leaves you wanting more!
A Glock is handy but a Tomahawk? Better yet when in the hands of Ham with one M. Exciting, intense, and gripping, the action never stops - so take a deep breath and keep reading. Dustin knows how to keep the adrenaline flowing. Highly Recommended.
Ham is called to help protect Blaze, a rock star because she was threatened. The Ham series is always an action-packed thriller. Blaze is on tour and moves from city to city, so the police have not been notified. Ham takes on a number of threats to protect Blaze. A novel that is hard to put down.
As can be expected with Ham, there is an abundance of action. Faced with an obscure warning note and unexplained attacks on members of the concert tour, Ham digs deep to uncover the plot. It’s a nail biting story you won’t want to put down.
Ham takes you into the underbelly of world of musical tours and does disappoint. As with all Dustin’s stories, the characters are woven together in such a way to keep the reader engaged and not guessing the next plot twist! It was nice to see Glenda’s girls get spoiled!