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J.J. McCall Series #3
The Shadow Synicate
REVENGE IS A DANGEROUS GAME WHEN IT PITS THE ITALIAN MAFIA AGAINST DEADLY RUSSIAN SPIES
The FBI and Italian Mafia make strange bedfellows when a vicious Russian Organized crime figure, operating at the behest of Russian Intelligence, lands in The Big Apple. The henchman, infamously known as Mashkov, avenges the death of slain a Russian sleeper agent and accidentally hits the son of an Italian crime boss, sending J.J. and Task Force Phantom Hunter to the streets of New York.
They step dead into a burgeoning war between the Russians and Italians, while trying to dismantle the financial hub of a deadly spy syndicate working in the shadows.
Meanwhile, CIA Case Officer Grayson “Six” Chance lands in Moscow to capture a fugitive American with stolen White House intelligence before he sells it to Russian Intelligence—putting Six in a moral dilemma he may not be prepared to handle.
And when J.J. finally learns the truth surrounding her mother's death in the line of duty, her life may never be the same.
If you enjoy this book, you will love Book 1--The Bigot List (A J.J. McCall Novel) and Book 2 -- Situation Critical (A J.J. McCall Novel).
The FBI and Italian Mafia make strange bedfellows when a vicious Russian Organized crime figure, operating at the behest of Russian Intelligence, lands in The Big Apple. The henchman, infamously known as Mashkov, avenges the death of slain a Russian sleeper agent and accidentally hits the son of an Italian crime boss, sending J.J. and Task Force Phantom Hunter to the streets of New York.
They step dead into a burgeoning war between the Russians and Italians, while trying to dismantle the financial hub of a deadly spy syndicate working in the shadows.
Meanwhile, CIA Case Officer Grayson “Six” Chance lands in Moscow to capture a fugitive American with stolen White House intelligence before he sells it to Russian Intelligence—putting Six in a moral dilemma he may not be prepared to handle.
And when J.J. finally learns the truth surrounding her mother's death in the line of duty, her life may never be the same.
If you enjoy this book, you will love Book 1--The Bigot List (A J.J. McCall Novel) and Book 2 -- Situation Critical (A J.J. McCall Novel).
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 7, 2014
2 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
About the author
S.D. Skye
8 books134 followersS.D. Skye, an award-winning author and former Intelligence Operations Specialist/Analyst in the FBI's counterintelligence program, supported many high-profile cases during her 12-year tenure at the Bureau. She grew up in a law enforcement family. Her father left Air Force Intelligence to become a Metropolitan Police Officer in D.C. Her brother followed in her father's footsteps, serving as a DC police officer. Her mother worked for the FBI--at headquarters under J. Edgar Hoover. And Skye followed in her mother's footsteps, spending 12 years at FBI Headquarters, serving as an analyst supporting cases ranging from La Cosa Nostra to art theft to Russian counterintelligence.
Skye spent the latter years of her intelligence career serving as a senior intelligence analyst/editor with the DIA, the Joint Chiefs of Staff J2 (Director of Intelligence), U.S. Coast Guard Intelligence, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. So it seems almost inevitable that once the writing bug struck, she would author a series featuring a female FBI Special Agent involved in the world of spying and espionage with a splash of the mafia.
Skye is a native Washingtonian (D.C.) and professed nerd-girl who loves all things Star Trek, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Big Bang Theory. She's a member of Romance Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, the Maryland Writers Association, and Sisters in Crime and lives to write novels, especially those involving 3-letter agencies and Beltway intrigue. Skye left her 20+ years in the intelligence business and now lives in the Washington suburbs with her son and works with a contractor. She is hard at work on the next installment of the series which promises to be a jaw dropper!
Skye spent the latter years of her intelligence career serving as a senior intelligence analyst/editor with the DIA, the Joint Chiefs of Staff J2 (Director of Intelligence), U.S. Coast Guard Intelligence, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. So it seems almost inevitable that once the writing bug struck, she would author a series featuring a female FBI Special Agent involved in the world of spying and espionage with a splash of the mafia.
Skye is a native Washingtonian (D.C.) and professed nerd-girl who loves all things Star Trek, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Big Bang Theory. She's a member of Romance Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, the Maryland Writers Association, and Sisters in Crime and lives to write novels, especially those involving 3-letter agencies and Beltway intrigue. Skye left her 20+ years in the intelligence business and now lives in the Washington suburbs with her son and works with a contractor. She is hard at work on the next installment of the series which promises to be a jaw dropper!
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 16, 2015
Time is of the Essence
J.J. McCall is back in S.D. Skye’s third installment, “The Shadow Syndicate,” (formerly “A No Good Itch”) doing what she does best – catch spies. This time she has more than chasing spies on her plate. With the death of a Russian Intelligence Officer in the previous novel, Agent J.J. McCall and her partner/lover Tony find themselves in New York and death possibly around the corner for both of them. Also, always on her mind are lingering thoughts and questions about her mother. Will she get any closer to the truth?
Skye does a great job of positioning the plot elements for maximum impact. Though a lot to grasp at times, the entire J.J. McCall series is well-written and I absolutely love the premise of her gift/curse. Her characters are richly detailed.
“The Shadow Syndicate” captured my attention. I was drawn in from the beginning and can easily recommend it to anyone who loves a good thriller/mystery.
Reviewed by: Toni
J.J. McCall is back in S.D. Skye’s third installment, “The Shadow Syndicate,” (formerly “A No Good Itch”) doing what she does best – catch spies. This time she has more than chasing spies on her plate. With the death of a Russian Intelligence Officer in the previous novel, Agent J.J. McCall and her partner/lover Tony find themselves in New York and death possibly around the corner for both of them. Also, always on her mind are lingering thoughts and questions about her mother. Will she get any closer to the truth?
Skye does a great job of positioning the plot elements for maximum impact. Though a lot to grasp at times, the entire J.J. McCall series is well-written and I absolutely love the premise of her gift/curse. Her characters are richly detailed.
“The Shadow Syndicate” captured my attention. I was drawn in from the beginning and can easily recommend it to anyone who loves a good thriller/mystery.
Reviewed by: Toni
January 12, 2015
This it the best J.J. McCall episode yet. FBI, Russian Intelligence, New York Mafia, CIA, Russian spies escaping with state secrets, other spies trying to escape from Russia, J.J.'s torrid love interests (past and present) all stirred together create an intense page turning story.
S.D. Skye writes like she knows the ins and outs of the espionage services. The dialog is exquisite--down and dirty and poetic by turns.
I advise you not to purchase this book if you value your spare time. It will eat into it significantly.
S.D. Skye writes like she knows the ins and outs of the espionage services. The dialog is exquisite--down and dirty and poetic by turns.
I advise you not to purchase this book if you value your spare time. It will eat into it significantly.
January 10, 2015
I thought it was a pretty good book. I am not used to this kind of book. It was enjoyable to read.
February 19, 2015
>Review - A No Good Itch -
>I received this anthology from the authors and from Paranormal Romance and Authors that Rock. I am an independent reviewer. This is the third J.J. McCall novel in the FBI Espionage Series and ends in a cliffhanger. Biggest cliff ever.
>J.J. and Tony are FBI agents and lovers. They are once again embroiled in an investigation involving the Russian mob and the Italian mafia. Tony is a son of said mafioso, but decided at an early age to work on the side of right, causing a rift in his family. J.J. is a total alpha female with a strange ability to actually detect lies. Her skin begins itching if she is told lies.
>There are so many characters in his book. I joined the series at book 3, so it took a bit until I could get all the agencies and characters straight in my mind. Thankfully, the author included a cast of characters and a listing of terms to help out. I would suggest reading the books in order, but it isn't impossible to read this book as a stand alone and still enjoy it.
>I wouldn't classify this book as a romance, but more as an action thriller. There is so much action it is hard to put down. The plot occurs in NY and overseas in Russia. Six is a US operative in Russia on a mission that will eventually mesh with J.J.'s. He is also J.J.'s ex. Both Six and Tony screw up bad and need to win J.J. back. I love the fact that J.J. really doesn't need either of them. For once, the female is the stronger of the characters. The plot is so intricate, I can't imagine the outlining for this book.
>I was only bothered by one fact that kept popping up. The fact itself didn't bother me, but the fact it was mentioned over and over, as if it made a difference really bothered me. What is this fact mentioned ad nauseum? The fact that J.J. is African American. Why does this matter? I know a point was made with Tony's very Italian family, that he would never settle down with a black woman. The truth is an Italian mafia family wouldn't allow one of their sons to settle down with a non-Italian woman, never mind her skin color. At no time was her skin color an issue. Sure she infiltrates a mansion with an all Jamaican women's cleaning crew, but that could still happen if the author changed the cleaning crew to all Chinese female or all Polish female. I just thought the mention of her race so often was odd.
>This book is for an adult audience due mainly to violence and scenes of torture. If you love action adventure stories filled with government espionage and intrigue, this book will not disappoint.
Read
April 2, 2015I won this book on a Goodreads giveaway. The book was really good. Once I got into the story it was hard to put it down. The relationship of the Russian mob, American mob, FBI, etc was really exciting. Great job!
March 28, 2019
Book 3
The series continues on to book 4, so the cliff hangers was a good one. Lots of loose ends to the together. The tale was interesting . The Intelligence services shown in their movie persona .
The series continues on to book 4, so the cliff hangers was a good one. Lots of loose ends to the together. The tale was interesting . The Intelligence services shown in their movie persona .
October 23, 2019
Crap ending
What kind of crap ending is that? What’s the point of letting J.J. forget everything and regress back to the past after her accident?? Rubbish!!
What kind of crap ending is that? What’s the point of letting J.J. forget everything and regress back to the past after her accident?? Rubbish!!
February 4, 2015
I won this book on GoodReads.
A No Good Itch is the third book in S.D. Skye's JJ McCall series. I've not read the first two so I'm not sure how they compare but this installment is a very worthy entry. The title is quite catchy though hardly descriptive of Skye's central character, JJ McCall, a kick-ass FBI agent who is just begging to have a TV series based on her--I'd like to nominate Nicole Beharie to play her if suggestions are being taken.
The central issue in A No Good Itch is the search for a traitor who is attempting to sell out the US to Russia and McCall is working to stop him in NYC and DC as her former lover, Grayson Chance, handles the Moscow side of the operation. Skye is quite adept at moving the plot forward via dialog and character activity--it's a very tense and emotional journey--though some of the action sequences seem tuned for the screen and not the page. This is a very good book that can make a fantastic movie or television series.
A No Good Itch has something for almost everyone. There's FBI, CIA, espionage, mafia of both US and Russian flavors, even romance as JJ contends with her current partner--and his family--as well as juggling a flame from her past. A very solid book.
A No Good Itch is the third book in S.D. Skye's JJ McCall series. I've not read the first two so I'm not sure how they compare but this installment is a very worthy entry. The title is quite catchy though hardly descriptive of Skye's central character, JJ McCall, a kick-ass FBI agent who is just begging to have a TV series based on her--I'd like to nominate Nicole Beharie to play her if suggestions are being taken.
The central issue in A No Good Itch is the search for a traitor who is attempting to sell out the US to Russia and McCall is working to stop him in NYC and DC as her former lover, Grayson Chance, handles the Moscow side of the operation. Skye is quite adept at moving the plot forward via dialog and character activity--it's a very tense and emotional journey--though some of the action sequences seem tuned for the screen and not the page. This is a very good book that can make a fantastic movie or television series.
A No Good Itch has something for almost everyone. There's FBI, CIA, espionage, mafia of both US and Russian flavors, even romance as JJ contends with her current partner--and his family--as well as juggling a flame from her past. A very solid book.
April 4, 2015
J. J. McCall is a tough FBI agent working in counterintelligence whose mother, Special Agent Naomi Jones, died while undercover on the job. There is mystery surrounding Naomi's death and J. J. may be in real danger if she discovers the truth. Meanwhile, FBI agents must hunt down U. S. traitor, Gary Mosin, before the stolen high level tapes he possesses can be given to Russia. Russian and American officials meet to come to terms each accusing the other of misdeeds while neither side reveals anything closely resembling the truth.
While all this is happening a Russian sleeper agent accidentally takes out the son of a Mafia 'Don.' So while Russia and America are at odds, each trying to get to the highly classified information Mosin holds - now you have the Mafia and Russian mobsters moving to the tune of violence and death.
Because A No Good Itch is well written and transports it's readers through the twists and turns of a mmultifaceted tale of spies, underworld mobsters and government cover-ups, I give it 4 stars. ~JoEllen
a copy was received in exchange for an honest review
While all this is happening a Russian sleeper agent accidentally takes out the son of a Mafia 'Don.' So while Russia and America are at odds, each trying to get to the highly classified information Mosin holds - now you have the Mafia and Russian mobsters moving to the tune of violence and death.
Because A No Good Itch is well written and transports it's readers through the twists and turns of a mmultifaceted tale of spies, underworld mobsters and government cover-ups, I give it 4 stars. ~JoEllen
a copy was received in exchange for an honest review
March 28, 2015
This book is the third installment of S.D. Skye's J.J. McCall series. J.J. is an FBI agent with a unique gift/curse... when she hears a lie, she itches. The series is a fascinating look at the behind-the-scenes struggles and back-biting in the different Federal (and international) intelligence and espionage agencies. You can really tell this author knows her stuff!
There's action, romance, and non-stop thrills as J.J. and Tony continue unraveling the problems they discovered in the earlier books. Six comes back for his own set of issues to resolve. And...there's a cliffhanger at the end that left this author anxious to read the next installment in this series. Can hardly wait until December!
Ms. Skye does a wonderful job with the character development--they all really come to life! Not only do you get the excitement of a spy thriller, there's the opportunity to watch the characters grow and evolve. I would love to see this series picked up for TV. It would be an awesome action-adventure television series.
4 stars
There's action, romance, and non-stop thrills as J.J. and Tony continue unraveling the problems they discovered in the earlier books. Six comes back for his own set of issues to resolve. And...there's a cliffhanger at the end that left this author anxious to read the next installment in this series. Can hardly wait until December!
Ms. Skye does a wonderful job with the character development--they all really come to life! Not only do you get the excitement of a spy thriller, there's the opportunity to watch the characters grow and evolve. I would love to see this series picked up for TV. It would be an awesome action-adventure television series.
4 stars
January 12, 2015
This it the best J.J. McCall episode yet. FBI, Russian Intelligence, New York Mafia, CIA, Russian spies escaping with state secrets, other spies trying to escape from Russia, J.J.'s torrid love interests (past and present) all stirred together create an intense page turning story.
S.D. Skye writes like she knows the ins and outs of the espionage services. The dialog is exquisite--down and dirty and poetic by turns.
I advise you not to purchase this book if you value your spare time. It will eat into it significantly.
S.D. Skye writes like she knows the ins and outs of the espionage services. The dialog is exquisite--down and dirty and poetic by turns.
I advise you not to purchase this book if you value your spare time. It will eat into it significantly.
April 12, 2016
It is difficult to believe this is the third in a series. There were so many pronouns that I never knew who was whom and what the author was meaning. For example, in the beginning, a man head of the Russian CIA, but referred to as "she." A good editor would have helped guide the syntax and straighten out the nouns and pronouns, perhaps even worked on coherence. I could not follow who was superior to whom in the agency hierarchy and I could not follow who was the spy or why. This book simply needs lots and lots of work.
March 13, 2015
Loved this book! Love the fast paced thrill you get when reading. Love how you sit up waiting for something to happen next. Or if you're like me, you catch yourself almost yelling at the book! A great book to sit outside and enjoy on a nice evening! Talented author! I'm hearing that this is the 3rd in the series and now I have to read the 1st two!
*Received for an honest review*
*Received for an honest review*
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews