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Vanessa Michael Munroe #5
The Mask
“Munroe is a sensational character and Stevens is a sensational writer.” —Lee Child, New York Times bestselling author of the Jack Reacher series For fans of Lee Child, Terry Hayes, and Laura Lippman comes a blistering thriller in which Vanessa Michael Munroe faces the fight of her life Vanessa Michael Munroe, chameleon and information hunter, has a reputation for getting things dangerous and not quite legal things that have taken her undercover into some of the world’s deadliest places. Still healing from a Somali hijacking gone wrong and a brutal attack that left her near death, Munroe joins her lover, Miles Bradford, in Japan where he’s working as a security consultant protecting high-value technology from industrial espionage. In the domesticity of their routine she finds long sought-after peace—until Bradford is arrested for murder, and the same interests who targeted him come after her, too. Searching for answers and fighting to stay alive, Munroe will soon discover how far she’ll go to save Bradford from spending the next twenty years in locked-up isolation; how many laws she’ll break when the truth seems worse than his lies; and who to trust and who she must kill. Because she’s a strategist and hunter with a predator’s instincts, and the man she loves has just stabbed her in the back. With break-neck pacing, incendiary prose, and an unforgettable cast of characters, The Mask features Vanessa Michael a brilliant, lethal heroine who will stop at nothing to find the truth, no matter what it may cost. “Stevens excels at depicting pulse-pounding danger, and her prose and plotting are spectacular. . . . Only Dan Brown and Lee Child come close.” —Dallas Morning News “[Munroe is] a protagonist as deadly as she is irresistible.” —Vince Flynn “If you are a fan of Jack Reacher, Lisbeth Salander, or Nina Zero, you need to check out Vanessa Michael Munroe!” —BookPage “A winning series character who has the world at her beck and call.” —Los Angeles Times “Munroe’s brooding personality and her ability to blend into her surroundings bring to mind the provocative Jason Bourne.” —USA Today
354 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 30, 2015
96 people are currently reading
1507 people want to read
About the author
Taylor Stevens
50 books824 followersTAYLOR STEVENS is a critically acclaimed, multiple award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers. Her books, known for high-octane plots populated with fascinating characters in vivid boots-on-the-ground settings, have been published in over twenty languages. THE INFORMATIONIST, first in the Vanessa Michael Munroe series has also been optioned for film by James Cameron’s production company, Lightstorm Entertainment.
Stevens came to writing fiction late. Born into an apocalyptic cult, separated from her family at age twelve and denied an education beyond sixth grade, she lived on three continents and in a dozen countries before she turned fourteen. In place of schooling, the majority of her adolescence was spent begging on city streets at the behest of cult leaders, or as a worker bee child caring for the many younger commune children, washing laundry, and cooking meals for hundreds at a time. In her twenties, Stevens broke free in order to follow hope and a vague idea of what possibilities lay beyond.
In addition to writing novels, Stevens shares extensively about the mechanics of storytelling, writing, overcoming adversity, and the details of her journey into publishing through email, podcast, and video tutorials.
You can find her at:
* taylorstevensbooks.com/connect.php
* taylorstevensshow.com
* patreon.com/taylorstevens
* facebook.com/taylorstevens
* twitter @taylorstevens
Stevens came to writing fiction late. Born into an apocalyptic cult, separated from her family at age twelve and denied an education beyond sixth grade, she lived on three continents and in a dozen countries before she turned fourteen. In place of schooling, the majority of her adolescence was spent begging on city streets at the behest of cult leaders, or as a worker bee child caring for the many younger commune children, washing laundry, and cooking meals for hundreds at a time. In her twenties, Stevens broke free in order to follow hope and a vague idea of what possibilities lay beyond.
In addition to writing novels, Stevens shares extensively about the mechanics of storytelling, writing, overcoming adversity, and the details of her journey into publishing through email, podcast, and video tutorials.
You can find her at:
* taylorstevensbooks.com/connect.php
* taylorstevensshow.com
* patreon.com/taylorstevens
* facebook.com/taylorstevens
* twitter @taylorstevens
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 253 reviews
July 7, 2015
I actually started reading this series with the second book, her first book at that time had gotten so much hype and I was disillusioned with hyped books. Don't remember who talked me into trying this series but the first book at my library was out, so I grabbed the second, convinced I wasn't going to like it at all. I was wrong and I loved it.
The character of Vanessa Michael Monroe is unique, taller than most woman she has the ability to pass as a man or woman. She has the ability to process information and make connections that many do not see. She is one of the few kick ass woman characters in novels. Her hack story and how she learned to fight is given out in successive novels in this series.
Her and Miles have a complicated relationship and this novel finds them in Japan, where Miles has taken a job with a Japanese Corporation, hired Tomkins a spy inside this big tech company. He is set up and finds himself accused of murder, sent to a prison. Michael, and her skills are his only hope.
Lots of action, assembling of information, and I found out a little bit about Japan. All on all an entertaining, fast paced read.
The character of Vanessa Michael Monroe is unique, taller than most woman she has the ability to pass as a man or woman. She has the ability to process information and make connections that many do not see. She is one of the few kick ass woman characters in novels. Her hack story and how she learned to fight is given out in successive novels in this series.
Her and Miles have a complicated relationship and this novel finds them in Japan, where Miles has taken a job with a Japanese Corporation, hired Tomkins a spy inside this big tech company. He is set up and finds himself accused of murder, sent to a prison. Michael, and her skills are his only hope.
Lots of action, assembling of information, and I found out a little bit about Japan. All on all an entertaining, fast paced read.
March 28, 2016
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
This is the first time I have ever read a book about "Vanessa Micheal Monroe" I totally love her and now I'm going to have to get all of Tayor Stevens books about this character! It's funny when I started reading more about her I had this picture in my mind of Lisbeth Salander, because Monroe is so damn smart! Then I saw the book mentioned Lisbeth on goodreads and I had a good laugh, I guess they thought so too!
Munroe breathed deeply, and with a soft, slow exhale the urge to flee and strike receded completely.
This was easy now, compared to how things once had been.
The years, as they faded, brought fewer triggers to yank her back into the brutality of adolescence and the equatorial rain forest and the man who'd beat her with fists, and kicks and throws until she'd grown strong enough, fast enough, to fend him off; the man who'd put a blade in her hand and used her body as his carving board until the knife became her own way to salvation.
She was seventeen when she killed him, sneaking after him in the falling dusk, with the wind of the coming storm covering the sound of pursuit. She'd shot him in the back with a tranquilizer gun and stood over him as his eyes rolled up. Had straddled him in the driving rain and slit his throat.
You should see her now taking out the bad guys left and right! I freaking love that. So anyway, she goes to Japan to spend time with her on again off again lover Bradford. He doesn't tell her he's into some stuff and he gets arrested. It's up to Munroe to get him out of the mess. Oh and not long after she gets there they have to go and get Munroe a motorcycle as it's her vehicle of choice :-)
Along the way Munroe meets up with a lot of different people but I love the fact that she helped some girls out that were being forced to do things they didn't want to do. The things Munroe did to those jerks that were doing these things are just too good for words!
I am pleasantly surprised that I found a book I wasn't sure I would like very entertaining and find another bad to the bone female character to read!
*I would like to thank Blogging For Books for a print copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
This is the first time I have ever read a book about "Vanessa Micheal Monroe" I totally love her and now I'm going to have to get all of Tayor Stevens books about this character! It's funny when I started reading more about her I had this picture in my mind of Lisbeth Salander, because Monroe is so damn smart! Then I saw the book mentioned Lisbeth on goodreads and I had a good laugh, I guess they thought so too!
Munroe breathed deeply, and with a soft, slow exhale the urge to flee and strike receded completely.
This was easy now, compared to how things once had been.
The years, as they faded, brought fewer triggers to yank her back into the brutality of adolescence and the equatorial rain forest and the man who'd beat her with fists, and kicks and throws until she'd grown strong enough, fast enough, to fend him off; the man who'd put a blade in her hand and used her body as his carving board until the knife became her own way to salvation.
She was seventeen when she killed him, sneaking after him in the falling dusk, with the wind of the coming storm covering the sound of pursuit. She'd shot him in the back with a tranquilizer gun and stood over him as his eyes rolled up. Had straddled him in the driving rain and slit his throat.
You should see her now taking out the bad guys left and right! I freaking love that. So anyway, she goes to Japan to spend time with her on again off again lover Bradford. He doesn't tell her he's into some stuff and he gets arrested. It's up to Munroe to get him out of the mess. Oh and not long after she gets there they have to go and get Munroe a motorcycle as it's her vehicle of choice :-)
Along the way Munroe meets up with a lot of different people but I love the fact that she helped some girls out that were being forced to do things they didn't want to do. The things Munroe did to those jerks that were doing these things are just too good for words!
I am pleasantly surprised that I found a book I wasn't sure I would like very entertaining and find another bad to the bone female character to read!
*I would like to thank Blogging For Books for a print copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
July 27, 2015
This is a superlative, fast-paced thriller in the vein of Lee Child, Vince Flynn, or-well--Taylor Stevens. Set in Japan, it opens with Michael (Vanessa Michael Munroe) frustrated when she has to choose between romance or work. She really misses work--and how refreshing for a female protagonist to express the deep need for meaningful work.
When her boyfriend is wrongly jailed, Michael decides to discover the real killer. To do so effectively, she must take it on as a paid project, completely separate from her relationship.
The story rolls quickly from there and ends with a few unexpected twists. Stevens took care with her setting research. As a consequence this novel's locational "feel" compares well to those by Barry Eisler or Sujata Massey.
Highly recommended.
When her boyfriend is wrongly jailed, Michael decides to discover the real killer. To do so effectively, she must take it on as a paid project, completely separate from her relationship.
The story rolls quickly from there and ends with a few unexpected twists. Stevens took care with her setting research. As a consequence this novel's locational "feel" compares well to those by Barry Eisler or Sujata Massey.
Highly recommended.
October 17, 2020
3.5 ☆ for the emotionally tortured heroine (or is it anti-heroine?)
I didn't feel any loss for jumping into the Vanessa Michael Munroe (VMM) series by starting with book #5 The Mask. I compare this with Hollywood's summer blockbuster action movies. If I suspend disbelief, I'd be treated to a rollicking crime thriller with a lethal heroine, corporate espionage, car chases, kidnappings, and fights for survival. My eyes would be glued to the screen as the storyline advanced to its final deadly confrontations between heroine and enemies. And I'd have the bonus of an exotic to me setting of Osaka, Japan, which was my reason for choosing book #5.
But I read this as a book, which was a slower way to take in a story than from a movie, making it harder to keep all skepticism at bay. I'm not a fan of copycat protagonists, and yes, my favorite genre is rife with them. It would be hard to dismiss her similarities to Stieg Larsson's Lisbeth Salander. The Millenium books weren't stellar but they launched Lisbeth, a credible larger than life character, into the cultural zeitgeist in 2005. Stevens gave VMM a different backstory but the past abuse / trauma which created a vengeful and bloodthirsty outlook, superior investigative skills, and the need for speed (recklessness with motorcycles) were all present. With a protagonist like this, bleakness and darkness were companions.
Unlike the petite Lisbeth, VMM is tall with an androgynous appearance, and I visualized a brunette Jamie Lee Curtis from the 1980s. VMM often passed herself off as a man to accomplish her professional security and investigative services. Hmm. Stevens never mentioned in this book the need to disguise her voice or lack of Adam's apple. But she equipped VMM with the super hero ability to speak 20+ languages fluently (just 5 or so would have been impressive) and learn Japanese in just weeks. I'm sure that polyglots exist somewhere and I would love to be one myself. But the way Stevens described VMM's language ability is unreal.
Then there were the antagonists. I didn't understand why one of them, who loved to quote from The Art of War, took the action that person did early on in the story. This action did not advance the story at all. Nor could I quite believe how they managed to pull it off.
But if you can ignore these points (among others), then you'll get gender-role bending cat- and- mouse games played by 2 well-matched opponents set in Japan. The social dynamics of a conformist society contributed to a sense of claustrophobia and to the easy belief that a foreigner (VMM's boyfriend and motivation for being in Osaka) was guilty of murder. The Mask also had great pacing, a good mystery, and that certain something that tempted me from sleep so that I'd keep reading to the very end.
Update: 3.5 Stars rounded up to 4 stars because I finished another VMM book and now have more insight. OK, maybe I should have stuck with my usual pattern if reading chronologically.
#1 The Informationist 2.5 ☆
#2 The Innocent 3.5 ☆
#3 The Doll 4 ☆
#3.5 The Vessel 3.5 ☆
#4 The Catch 3 ☆
I didn't feel any loss for jumping into the Vanessa Michael Munroe (VMM) series by starting with book #5 The Mask. I compare this with Hollywood's summer blockbuster action movies. If I suspend disbelief, I'd be treated to a rollicking crime thriller with a lethal heroine, corporate espionage, car chases, kidnappings, and fights for survival. My eyes would be glued to the screen as the storyline advanced to its final deadly confrontations between heroine and enemies. And I'd have the bonus of an exotic to me setting of Osaka, Japan, which was my reason for choosing book #5.
But I read this as a book, which was a slower way to take in a story than from a movie, making it harder to keep all skepticism at bay. I'm not a fan of copycat protagonists, and yes, my favorite genre is rife with them. It would be hard to dismiss her similarities to Stieg Larsson's Lisbeth Salander. The Millenium books weren't stellar but they launched Lisbeth, a credible larger than life character, into the cultural zeitgeist in 2005. Stevens gave VMM a different backstory but the past abuse / trauma which created a vengeful and bloodthirsty outlook, superior investigative skills, and the need for speed (recklessness with motorcycles) were all present. With a protagonist like this, bleakness and darkness were companions.
Emotion was weakness. She'd known this. Lived by this. And yet had so stupidly allowed herself to fall, believing in the fantasy that in giving herself over to what terrified her, she might find peace.
Unlike the petite Lisbeth, VMM is tall with an androgynous appearance, and I visualized a brunette Jamie Lee Curtis from the 1980s. VMM often passed herself off as a man to accomplish her professional security and investigative services. Hmm. Stevens never mentioned in this book the need to disguise her voice or lack of Adam's apple. But she equipped VMM with the super hero ability to speak 20+ languages fluently (just 5 or so would have been impressive) and learn Japanese in just weeks. I'm sure that polyglots exist somewhere and I would love to be one myself. But the way Stevens described VMM's language ability is unreal.
Then there were the antagonists. I didn't understand why one of them, who loved to quote from The Art of War, took the action that person did early on in the story. This action did not advance the story at all. Nor could I quite believe how they managed to pull it off.
But if you can ignore these points (among others), then you'll get gender-role bending cat- and- mouse games played by 2 well-matched opponents set in Japan. The social dynamics of a conformist society contributed to a sense of claustrophobia and to the easy belief that a foreigner (VMM's boyfriend and motivation for being in Osaka) was guilty of murder. The Mask also had great pacing, a good mystery, and that certain something that tempted me from sleep so that I'd keep reading to the very end.
Update: 3.5 Stars rounded up to 4 stars because I finished another VMM book and now have more insight. OK, maybe I should have stuck with my usual pattern if reading chronologically.
#1 The Informationist 2.5 ☆
#2 The Innocent 3.5 ☆
#3 The Doll 4 ☆
#3.5 The Vessel 3.5 ☆
#4 The Catch 3 ☆
July 9, 2015
***I received a copy of this book from Penguin's First to Read program in exchange for an honest review.***
When I started reading this book, I did not realize that it was the fifth book in the series and while these books can sort of be read as standalones, I think knowing Vanessa/Micheal's background story is a little important in getting to know her character. I think it would have helped me better understand her history with Miles Bradford.
Anyway, I found that the story is a little dull at the beginning, so much that I considered not reading the rest of it and putting it aside as a "Did Not Finish." It's just so routine and dull that I had a hard time not skipping ahead in hopes of the story getting better. I hit 30% when it finally did start looking up, and 58% when my interest was all-in. I'm disappointed it took until I was past the 50% mark to get fully invested in this book, because I feel it was a waste of my time. But then the action started, and the story really took off with mind-games and trying to figure out who-dun-it. I was actually grinning at 82% because of the mind games going on between Vanessa and one of the guilty parties. It was entertaining to read about, which is why I really resent the first half of the book for taking up space and taking so long to get to the great parts of this book.
This is a good book, but it isn't great, which is why it was docked 1 platypire. The 2nd platypire was docked because the first half of the book was not memorable in any way nor was it exciting or thrilling to read about. It was dull and lifeless, and the book could have been better off without it.
But, I did like the action and spy/espionage portion of it, as well as how brilliantly the author describes her scenes in a foreign country. I felt like I was there and could envision the places being described, which is something I greatly admire. So mad props to the author for that.
Because of all of these factors, I give The Mask 3/5 Platypires.
When I started reading this book, I did not realize that it was the fifth book in the series and while these books can sort of be read as standalones, I think knowing Vanessa/Micheal's background story is a little important in getting to know her character. I think it would have helped me better understand her history with Miles Bradford.
Anyway, I found that the story is a little dull at the beginning, so much that I considered not reading the rest of it and putting it aside as a "Did Not Finish." It's just so routine and dull that I had a hard time not skipping ahead in hopes of the story getting better. I hit 30% when it finally did start looking up, and 58% when my interest was all-in. I'm disappointed it took until I was past the 50% mark to get fully invested in this book, because I feel it was a waste of my time. But then the action started, and the story really took off with mind-games and trying to figure out who-dun-it. I was actually grinning at 82% because of the mind games going on between Vanessa and one of the guilty parties. It was entertaining to read about, which is why I really resent the first half of the book for taking up space and taking so long to get to the great parts of this book.
This is a good book, but it isn't great, which is why it was docked 1 platypire. The 2nd platypire was docked because the first half of the book was not memorable in any way nor was it exciting or thrilling to read about. It was dull and lifeless, and the book could have been better off without it.
But, I did like the action and spy/espionage portion of it, as well as how brilliantly the author describes her scenes in a foreign country. I felt like I was there and could envision the places being described, which is something I greatly admire. So mad props to the author for that.
Because of all of these factors, I give The Mask 3/5 Platypires.
February 23, 2015
Incredible Series is Back on Track, Great Story, Bradford is Back, 4 ½ Stars…
I've read every book in this series and I'm a HUGE fan. Vanessa Michael Munroe is my absolute favorite character ever. She has a very interesting background that makes her very unique. Her fight-for-life upbringing turned her into a fighting/killing machine who you don't want to cross.
In this book, we finally get to see Bradford again which was way overdue in my opinion. Munroe joins him in Japan where he's on assignment. Shortly after her arrival, Bradford is arrested for murder. Munroe risks her life trying to find the truth and solve the mystery of what really happened with Bradford. It was a fun and interesting story where we were able to see Munroe unleash her inner demons a few times. When this animal is unleashed in her, it's so very exciting and you can't help but smile even though it can be pretty brutal. You can't help but root for her.
Although I've loved all the books in this series, the last book (full length) in this series, The Catch, was a little too slow in my opinion and we didn't get to see enough of the fierce Munroe that we've come to expect and love. This book pretty much put us back on tract and seeing Bradford again just made the book that much better.
This is the 6th book in the series which includes the 1 novella (The Vessel) that was released prior to this book. I highly recommend this incredible series. I recommend starting from the beginning with The Informationist because if you don't, you'll never really understand who Munroe is and why she is the way she is. I give this book 4 1/2 stars.
I've read every book in this series and I'm a HUGE fan. Vanessa Michael Munroe is my absolute favorite character ever. She has a very interesting background that makes her very unique. Her fight-for-life upbringing turned her into a fighting/killing machine who you don't want to cross.
In this book, we finally get to see Bradford again which was way overdue in my opinion. Munroe joins him in Japan where he's on assignment. Shortly after her arrival, Bradford is arrested for murder. Munroe risks her life trying to find the truth and solve the mystery of what really happened with Bradford. It was a fun and interesting story where we were able to see Munroe unleash her inner demons a few times. When this animal is unleashed in her, it's so very exciting and you can't help but smile even though it can be pretty brutal. You can't help but root for her.
Although I've loved all the books in this series, the last book (full length) in this series, The Catch, was a little too slow in my opinion and we didn't get to see enough of the fierce Munroe that we've come to expect and love. This book pretty much put us back on tract and seeing Bradford again just made the book that much better.
This is the 6th book in the series which includes the 1 novella (The Vessel) that was released prior to this book. I highly recommend this incredible series. I recommend starting from the beginning with The Informationist because if you don't, you'll never really understand who Munroe is and why she is the way she is. I give this book 4 1/2 stars.
September 27, 2015
This is not a great book for a relaxing Saturday afternoon, but man was it a great book to get your heart pumping! I'm still trying to catch up on my breathing! This was my second book by this author and I'm kicking myself wondering why I haven't read the other four. I loved The Doll! And I just realized I have The Informationist and The Innocent on my Kindle. Grrrr!
Anyways, this had me from the first page. First she's a girl, then she cuts her hair and she's a man and she is one tough mudder. I wouldn't want to meet her in any dark alley. This girl is taking on like like 4 guys at a time and winning. Of course, it is fiction, but the author has me believing it. So, I'm going to stick with that. Although I did have a little trouble sometimes with the names, they were very similar and I would get them mixed up as to who was who. And that's not a racist thing. It's a senile thing. At first I was getting Miles and Michael mixed up. Why do authors do that? They use the same first letter for several of the major characters in the book sometimes. Apparently, they have it out for me. HA!!!
Honestly, I truly enjoyed this book, I could not put it down, did not want to put it down and YAY, it's Saturday and with no plans, did not have to put it down. It was like an all day horse race, the book took off at the gate and it didn't stop until the last horse finished, well, until she took care of the last bad guy. HA!!
A huge thanks to Blogging for Books for sending me a copy of this title to read and write an honest review. I highly recommend this book!!
Anyways, this had me from the first page. First she's a girl, then she cuts her hair and she's a man and she is one tough mudder. I wouldn't want to meet her in any dark alley. This girl is taking on like like 4 guys at a time and winning. Of course, it is fiction, but the author has me believing it. So, I'm going to stick with that. Although I did have a little trouble sometimes with the names, they were very similar and I would get them mixed up as to who was who. And that's not a racist thing. It's a senile thing. At first I was getting Miles and Michael mixed up. Why do authors do that? They use the same first letter for several of the major characters in the book sometimes. Apparently, they have it out for me. HA!!!
Honestly, I truly enjoyed this book, I could not put it down, did not want to put it down and YAY, it's Saturday and with no plans, did not have to put it down. It was like an all day horse race, the book took off at the gate and it didn't stop until the last horse finished, well, until she took care of the last bad guy. HA!!
A huge thanks to Blogging for Books for sending me a copy of this title to read and write an honest review. I highly recommend this book!!
August 19, 2015
Vanessa Michael Munroe needs some down time after her last adventure. She goes to Japan to spend time with her boyfriend Miles Bradford, who is working as a security consultant. Suddenly, he is charged with murder. It’s Vanessa’s job to work the puzzle that will hopefully set him free.
What I like about this series and this particular character, is that Vanessa has to use both her brain and her brawn to get into and/or out of certain situations. She is one smart cookie and these story really require the reader to pay attention as we follow along while Vanessa works to solve the problem. And from a physical standpoint - you do NOT want to mess with her.
Honestly, this story had my heart pounding from excitement (hmm - can this be consider cardio work out? Sorry - I digress). This is one of a very few series that is on my must read list. Sometimes by book number 5 or 6, I start to tire of a series. But not this one. I always look forward to seeing what situation Vanessa gets into next, and how she will use her wits and physical prowess to to deal with it.
Many thanks to Crown Publishing, via Netgalley, for allowing me to read this in exchange for an unbiased review.
What I like about this series and this particular character, is that Vanessa has to use both her brain and her brawn to get into and/or out of certain situations. She is one smart cookie and these story really require the reader to pay attention as we follow along while Vanessa works to solve the problem. And from a physical standpoint - you do NOT want to mess with her.
Honestly, this story had my heart pounding from excitement (hmm - can this be consider cardio work out? Sorry - I digress). This is one of a very few series that is on my must read list. Sometimes by book number 5 or 6, I start to tire of a series. But not this one. I always look forward to seeing what situation Vanessa gets into next, and how she will use her wits and physical prowess to to deal with it.
Many thanks to Crown Publishing, via Netgalley, for allowing me to read this in exchange for an unbiased review.
May 5, 2015
I'm torn about how best to review "The Mask", the latest installment in the compelling and rich saga of Vanessa Michael Munroe. I've been waiting eagerly for access to this book and while it was entertaining enough that I finished it, I was disappointed overall.
"The Mask" finds Vanessa living with her lover Miles Bradford in Japan where he has accepted a security job for a major Japanese biotech firm. Their operations and research is rather secretive and highly competitive. Miles is tasked to find out if there's a corporate spy in their company. He works daily and fits in time with Vanessa when he can. She's recuperating and trying to adjust to being loved and living a "normal" life, while she wrestles with her restlessness and senses something is awry with Miles job that he won't share. In a flash, Miles is arrested for murder and jailed, setting the stage for Michael to emerge and save Miles from possible death, all while the Japanese justice clock is ticking.
I found the plot line convoluted with players that didn't add to the richness of the main storyline in a meaningful way. The Japanese mob and human trafficking are characters in the story, but don't connect to the corporate espionage in a way that I found satisfying. Perhaps the weakness of this book is in the choice of villain. In the past novels the villains were vicious, evil humans doing despicable things. Corporate espionage just doesn't ring the same bells and the evildoers weren't the main characters. For the most part, the victims were either unknown to the reader or not sympathetic characters.
If Ms. Steven's purpose was to provide insight into Japanese culture and mores, she did a great job at that. Her insight and descriptions of the Japanese traditions, morals and standards was detailed and when her writing was at its best. Vanessa/Michael remains an intriguing character with lots of range, depth and room to explore in future novels. I look forward to the next one and hope that it regains the excitement and sharpness of the previous novels.
"The Mask" finds Vanessa living with her lover Miles Bradford in Japan where he has accepted a security job for a major Japanese biotech firm. Their operations and research is rather secretive and highly competitive. Miles is tasked to find out if there's a corporate spy in their company. He works daily and fits in time with Vanessa when he can. She's recuperating and trying to adjust to being loved and living a "normal" life, while she wrestles with her restlessness and senses something is awry with Miles job that he won't share. In a flash, Miles is arrested for murder and jailed, setting the stage for Michael to emerge and save Miles from possible death, all while the Japanese justice clock is ticking.
I found the plot line convoluted with players that didn't add to the richness of the main storyline in a meaningful way. The Japanese mob and human trafficking are characters in the story, but don't connect to the corporate espionage in a way that I found satisfying. Perhaps the weakness of this book is in the choice of villain. In the past novels the villains were vicious, evil humans doing despicable things. Corporate espionage just doesn't ring the same bells and the evildoers weren't the main characters. For the most part, the victims were either unknown to the reader or not sympathetic characters.
If Ms. Steven's purpose was to provide insight into Japanese culture and mores, she did a great job at that. Her insight and descriptions of the Japanese traditions, morals and standards was detailed and when her writing was at its best. Vanessa/Michael remains an intriguing character with lots of range, depth and room to explore in future novels. I look forward to the next one and hope that it regains the excitement and sharpness of the previous novels.
September 16, 2018
Exceptional read as usual! Loved it. Review soon.
August 17, 2015
I have read every one of Taylor Stevens' Vanessa Michael Munroe novels, and THE MASK is her best one yet. The story is focused and perplexing, and Stevens' writing is terse yet smooth.
For the uninitiated, Vanessa Michael Munroe is a tall, strong woman who can pass as a man when she so chooses. Michael, as she is then called, is an "informationist": she finds information for her clients. Her work is complicated, dangerous, and often violent—extremely violent. Munroe was raised in Africa by missionary parents and tortured as a young girl by evil men. She survived that childhood and now carries her anger, intuition, and survival skills with her. (Think female Jason Bourne.)
The Mask takes place in Osaka, Japan, where Munroe has gone to visit her boyfriend, Miles Bradford. Bradford, a security contractor, is working for a tech company that suspects one of its employees of selling trade secrets. Soon Bradford is arrested (framed) for murdering one of the employees, and carted off to prison. Munroe must step in (as Michael) to determine who really killed the employee, and at the same time, she must determine who is selling the secrets because the two crimes are linked.
Another reason I think The Mask is Stevens' best novel yet is that her character, the kick-ass, not-afraid-to-kill Vanessa Michael Munroe, has become more complicated. In The Informationist, Stevens' first novel, Munroe killed a lot of people. (Note: James Cameron's production company has bought the movie rights for all of Stevens' Munroe stories!) In this novel, Munroe has become less-eager to kill. She still does, but she now lets the minor bad guys live. Munroe has developed a conscious about killing, and does so only when absolutely necessary—when her life or another innocent person's life is on the line.
One thing is sure: Stevens, and by extension Munroe, is brilliant. You have to stay focused when you read her novels. The story here is complicated, and the players numerous, but Stevens excels when she writes the most violent scenes. In those, you feel Munroe's pain, motivation, and rage. Stevens spent many unpleasant years in Japan herself, and the personal flavor she brings to this story comes blasting through.
Five Unmasked Stars
For the uninitiated, Vanessa Michael Munroe is a tall, strong woman who can pass as a man when she so chooses. Michael, as she is then called, is an "informationist": she finds information for her clients. Her work is complicated, dangerous, and often violent—extremely violent. Munroe was raised in Africa by missionary parents and tortured as a young girl by evil men. She survived that childhood and now carries her anger, intuition, and survival skills with her. (Think female Jason Bourne.)
The Mask takes place in Osaka, Japan, where Munroe has gone to visit her boyfriend, Miles Bradford. Bradford, a security contractor, is working for a tech company that suspects one of its employees of selling trade secrets. Soon Bradford is arrested (framed) for murdering one of the employees, and carted off to prison. Munroe must step in (as Michael) to determine who really killed the employee, and at the same time, she must determine who is selling the secrets because the two crimes are linked.
Another reason I think The Mask is Stevens' best novel yet is that her character, the kick-ass, not-afraid-to-kill Vanessa Michael Munroe, has become more complicated. In The Informationist, Stevens' first novel, Munroe killed a lot of people. (Note: James Cameron's production company has bought the movie rights for all of Stevens' Munroe stories!) In this novel, Munroe has become less-eager to kill. She still does, but she now lets the minor bad guys live. Munroe has developed a conscious about killing, and does so only when absolutely necessary—when her life or another innocent person's life is on the line.
One thing is sure: Stevens, and by extension Munroe, is brilliant. You have to stay focused when you read her novels. The story here is complicated, and the players numerous, but Stevens excels when she writes the most violent scenes. In those, you feel Munroe's pain, motivation, and rage. Stevens spent many unpleasant years in Japan herself, and the personal flavor she brings to this story comes blasting through.
Five Unmasked Stars
June 24, 2015
The Mask by Taylor Stevens is the fifth in the Munroe series. Set in Japan, Vanessa Michael Munroe travels to Japan to join her lover Miles Bradford for a much needed respite from a grueling Somali hijacking that left her near death. Miles is working in security at a company in Japan and is assigned to uncover a possible corporate spy in the company. Soon after Vanessa arrives, Miles is arrested for murder and thrown in jail with a dim future for getting released. Vanessa takes up his assignment to save him from possible death.
I found the plot to be convoluted and uninteresting. The characters, with the exception of Vanessa and Miles, were not well developed and only added confusion to the story line. Vanessa remains an interesting and intriguing character and has the potential for more great stories. This one was better than the last two, but not up to the standard of the first two. Nonetheless, I enjoy Taylor Stevens’ writing and recommend this series to mystery/thriller lovers.
I found the plot to be convoluted and uninteresting. The characters, with the exception of Vanessa and Miles, were not well developed and only added confusion to the story line. Vanessa remains an interesting and intriguing character and has the potential for more great stories. This one was better than the last two, but not up to the standard of the first two. Nonetheless, I enjoy Taylor Stevens’ writing and recommend this series to mystery/thriller lovers.
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January 14, 2020DNF
July 14, 2015
The 5th Vanessa Michael Munroe book opens in Japan, where she is living a life of subordinate domestic bliss to her boyfriend, Miles Brandon. How long can that last given her need for danger? Even unchallenged by external events? As it happens, the challenge comes via a major threat to Brandon, who is a security specialist brought in by a big pharma company to find out who has been stealing its secrets. But this is Japan, and outsiders are not welcome, even when useful. Brandon finds himself under arrest and charged with the murder of a Chinese lab tech at the company. Given how Japanese criminal justice systems work (don't get arrested there) he has been set up to take a permanent fall. Michael (who is very much a woman but one who can pass for male easily, and who soaks up foreign language like a sponge), is the only person who can save Brandon, at whom she is terminally (relationally, anyway) mad at his having kept her in the dark about his activities and the dangers he (and she) faced. So she takes on his role and penetrates the company. It takes a while to discover how the culture works, but it is time well invested.
The book is very good about Japanese decision-making processes and cultural differences. It is consistently suspenseful, especially when Michael begins to experience (and give) push-back. A complicating (good sense) factor is that Mike/Michael/Vanessa discovers that there are more than one thief. She also rediscovers her feral side, and the pleasure she takes from giving and receiving pain. She is a consistently interesting character, and Stevens is a tremendous writer.
The book is very good about Japanese decision-making processes and cultural differences. It is consistently suspenseful, especially when Michael begins to experience (and give) push-back. A complicating (good sense) factor is that Mike/Michael/Vanessa discovers that there are more than one thief. She also rediscovers her feral side, and the pleasure she takes from giving and receiving pain. She is a consistently interesting character, and Stevens is a tremendous writer.
September 13, 2015
Vanessa Michael Munroe is back and so is Bradford. Bradford is working in Japan and has Vanessa come to what she thinks is going to be a normal domestic arrangement. Nothing is ever that easy for them. Vanessa is betrayed by Bradford and has to become Michael and fight to get him released from jail because he has been framed for murder. Japanese corporate culture, espionage, the Yakuza and sexual slavery are all in this book.
This book was fast paced and the plot keeps you guessing throughout. Michael is as deadly as ever and it is very necessary in this story where you don't know who to trust. I enjoyed this book more than the last and am looking forward to the next!
Thanks to Read It Forward for the copy of this book that I won in their contest.
This book was fast paced and the plot keeps you guessing throughout. Michael is as deadly as ever and it is very necessary in this story where you don't know who to trust. I enjoyed this book more than the last and am looking forward to the next!
Thanks to Read It Forward for the copy of this book that I won in their contest.
January 3, 2016
This is the 5th book in the Vanessa Michael Monroe series by Taylor Steven. I've read every one of them. There is also a novella out there too, that I have yet to lay my hands on. I have enjoyed this series and I think this one is now my new favorite of the series. I simply love the MC. She is a tough girl who learned the hard way, but yet she is also vulnerable. I like that combination because the author has meshed them so well together. It feels completely believable. I also like the progression of the character. She is constantly in motion.
November 7, 2019
She does it again
Another awesome Vanessa Michael Munroe book! I hope this isn't the last one, I need more! If you haven't discovered Taylor Stevens yet, you need to!
Another awesome Vanessa Michael Munroe book! I hope this isn't the last one, I need more! If you haven't discovered Taylor Stevens yet, you need to!
January 11, 2020
5 very well deserved stars.
July 25, 2017
★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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I spent a lot of time being annoyed with Michael in this novel -- more time being annoyed with Miles, however. Well, that's not true -- events keep Miles off of the board for most of the book, so let me say that I spent more time annoyed with him while he active. I get that communication is hard for them, and I guess it was good to see that Miles was human, too -- even his ability to understand Michael's needs and desires has limits.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
So Michael's got her head on right after The Catch and goes to join Miles in Japan. He's there in a strange corporate security consulting gig that he really won't clue her in on. They spend a few months together, him working days and her trying not to get bored and learning Japanese. The latter of those two works a whole lot better than the former. She needs something to do -- and not in the "I've gotta kill someone or take drugs" kind of way she did back in The Vessel. She just needs something to occupy her time while he's putting in 15 hour days. Which isn't dong their relationship any good. Before she can have it out with him, he gets arrested for murdering someone at the tech company he's working for. If she had tried to talk, if he'd explained himself a little better -- if they had communicated at all . . . so much of this novel wouldn't have happened. Too many books/movies/TV shows rely on this poor interpersonal communication to force plots forward, it really gets on my nerves.
First, we get a little lesson in Japanese jurisprudence, which by itself was enough to convince me that I don't want to end up arrested in Japan (not that I really want to be arrested anywhere). Then Michael goes to work to clear his name, no one else is going to. The hoops she has to jump through make her previous adventures seem easy -- sure, she was in more peril in most of the previous books, but it seemed easier for her to get around and get the information she wanted. Cultural and corporate protocols are tougher to beat by bribery, sensuality and violence than other things, I guess. Throw in some underworld figures and you've got yourself a thriller worthy of Monroe. I really enjoyed this story once Miles got arrested and things got moving -- Stevens is getting better at plot intricacies.
There's a great corporate espionage plot throughout with an operative that could probably sustain her own novel if Stevens ever got around to it. I'm not sure I can say more than that without messing something up. But as despicable as I find (some of) her methods, they made for good reading.
About the time that I'd given up on Michael doing more than outwitting her opponents, she got sucked into a very violent confrontation. I didn't spend a second thinking that she was in trouble, but man, she had to work hard to eliminate these guys. There's that scene in The Vessel where Stevens cuts away from the action, and we don't get to see Michael kill her captives, we just know she's about to do something and then Miles comes along later and finds the aftermath. This fight scene was probably pretty similar to that -- but there's no cut. We get the whole thing.
I should take a moment to talk about Hilary Huber, but I can't say anything about her narration than I've said before. Now that I'm caught up with these, I'm going to have to track down some other books that she's narrated.
I never expected a happily ever after scenario between Michael and Miles -- but I expected something better than this (not that this is in any way, shape or form the end of their relationship), and that took some of the shine off this book for me. Otherwise, this was very entertaining, gripping, and so on -- a Michael Monroe thriller that tops its predecessors, and deepens our understanding of Michael. Not much more to ask.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
I spent a lot of time being annoyed with Michael in this novel -- more time being annoyed with Miles, however. Well, that's not true -- events keep Miles off of the board for most of the book, so let me say that I spent more time annoyed with him while he active. I get that communication is hard for them, and I guess it was good to see that Miles was human, too -- even his ability to understand Michael's needs and desires has limits.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
So Michael's got her head on right after The Catch and goes to join Miles in Japan. He's there in a strange corporate security consulting gig that he really won't clue her in on. They spend a few months together, him working days and her trying not to get bored and learning Japanese. The latter of those two works a whole lot better than the former. She needs something to do -- and not in the "I've gotta kill someone or take drugs" kind of way she did back in The Vessel. She just needs something to occupy her time while he's putting in 15 hour days. Which isn't dong their relationship any good. Before she can have it out with him, he gets arrested for murdering someone at the tech company he's working for. If she had tried to talk, if he'd explained himself a little better -- if they had communicated at all . . . so much of this novel wouldn't have happened. Too many books/movies/TV shows rely on this poor interpersonal communication to force plots forward, it really gets on my nerves.
First, we get a little lesson in Japanese jurisprudence, which by itself was enough to convince me that I don't want to end up arrested in Japan (not that I really want to be arrested anywhere). Then Michael goes to work to clear his name, no one else is going to. The hoops she has to jump through make her previous adventures seem easy -- sure, she was in more peril in most of the previous books, but it seemed easier for her to get around and get the information she wanted. Cultural and corporate protocols are tougher to beat by bribery, sensuality and violence than other things, I guess. Throw in some underworld figures and you've got yourself a thriller worthy of Monroe. I really enjoyed this story once Miles got arrested and things got moving -- Stevens is getting better at plot intricacies.
There's a great corporate espionage plot throughout with an operative that could probably sustain her own novel if Stevens ever got around to it. I'm not sure I can say more than that without messing something up. But as despicable as I find (some of) her methods, they made for good reading.
About the time that I'd given up on Michael doing more than outwitting her opponents, she got sucked into a very violent confrontation. I didn't spend a second thinking that she was in trouble, but man, she had to work hard to eliminate these guys. There's that scene in The Vessel where Stevens cuts away from the action, and we don't get to see Michael kill her captives, we just know she's about to do something and then Miles comes along later and finds the aftermath. This fight scene was probably pretty similar to that -- but there's no cut. We get the whole thing.
I should take a moment to talk about Hilary Huber, but I can't say anything about her narration than I've said before. Now that I'm caught up with these, I'm going to have to track down some other books that she's narrated.
I never expected a happily ever after scenario between Michael and Miles -- but I expected something better than this (not that this is in any way, shape or form the end of their relationship), and that took some of the shine off this book for me. Otherwise, this was very entertaining, gripping, and so on -- a Michael Monroe thriller that tops its predecessors, and deepens our understanding of Michael. Not much more to ask.
April 30, 2019
The Mask is the first of this series that I have read and I received it as part of a giveaway. While it was entertaining it was also somewhat disappointing.
Vanessa aka Michael aka Munroe is the lead character of this series and has flown to be with her lover Miles Bradford in Japan where he has accepted a security job for a major Japanese biotech firm. Miles is contracted to find out if there's a corporate spy in the company. She's recuperating from her last job and trying to adjust to a "normal" life as best as she can. All of a sudden, Miles is arrested for murder and put in jail and she has to try and save him from possible death. The transition between her trying to fit into normal life and his arrest was not a smooth one.
The plot was interesting enough but some of the characters thrown in, maybe to keep the reader guessing, didn't always make sense to me. I think the Japanese mob and the human trafficking of one character in the story didn't connect to the main plot for me. I found this angle distracting and a bit confusing drawing my attention away from what I feel could have been an exceptional plot. Also, some of the extensive details into Japanese culture and morals was a bit much. Again, I think it distracted from the main story line instead of adding to it because there were at times too much detail. Overall, it kept my attention enough to get me to the end of the book.
Vanessa aka Michael aka Munroe is the lead character of this series and has flown to be with her lover Miles Bradford in Japan where he has accepted a security job for a major Japanese biotech firm. Miles is contracted to find out if there's a corporate spy in the company. She's recuperating from her last job and trying to adjust to a "normal" life as best as she can. All of a sudden, Miles is arrested for murder and put in jail and she has to try and save him from possible death. The transition between her trying to fit into normal life and his arrest was not a smooth one.
The plot was interesting enough but some of the characters thrown in, maybe to keep the reader guessing, didn't always make sense to me. I think the Japanese mob and the human trafficking of one character in the story didn't connect to the main plot for me. I found this angle distracting and a bit confusing drawing my attention away from what I feel could have been an exceptional plot. Also, some of the extensive details into Japanese culture and morals was a bit much. Again, I think it distracted from the main story line instead of adding to it because there were at times too much detail. Overall, it kept my attention enough to get me to the end of the book.
June 16, 2015
4.5/5
Due to be released 30 June 2015, The Mask by Taylor Stevens is the fifth book in her Vanessa Michael Munroe series and I think this may be my favorite of the series thus far. As I have stated in my reviews of the previous four books, they can be read independently, however, I think the reader will be missing a lot of back story as the characters are quite complex and ever evolving and Vanessa Michael Monroe is truly a fascinating character with a rather unique past. In The Mask readers will be happy to see Munroe reunited with Bradford and unlike previous novels, this one deals with industrial espionage. Miles Bradford accepts a job as a security consultant in Japan and after what happened to Munroe in the previous novel, no spoilers for those who have not read The Catch, Munroe needs a well deserved rest, however when Bradford is arrested for murder, Monroe’s predator instincts and loyalties are tested as they have never been tested before; how far will Munroe go to save someone who by all appearances has betrayed her. The Mask is extremely fast-paced, filled with multidimensional, complex characters, action packed, atmospheric, and the intertwining plot lines are written with an expert hand. Stevens is indeed a master storyteller and for those who enjoy suspense thrillers, The Mask by Taylor Stevens is not to be missed.
Due to be released 30 June 2015, The Mask by Taylor Stevens is the fifth book in her Vanessa Michael Munroe series and I think this may be my favorite of the series thus far. As I have stated in my reviews of the previous four books, they can be read independently, however, I think the reader will be missing a lot of back story as the characters are quite complex and ever evolving and Vanessa Michael Monroe is truly a fascinating character with a rather unique past. In The Mask readers will be happy to see Munroe reunited with Bradford and unlike previous novels, this one deals with industrial espionage. Miles Bradford accepts a job as a security consultant in Japan and after what happened to Munroe in the previous novel, no spoilers for those who have not read The Catch, Munroe needs a well deserved rest, however when Bradford is arrested for murder, Monroe’s predator instincts and loyalties are tested as they have never been tested before; how far will Munroe go to save someone who by all appearances has betrayed her. The Mask is extremely fast-paced, filled with multidimensional, complex characters, action packed, atmospheric, and the intertwining plot lines are written with an expert hand. Stevens is indeed a master storyteller and for those who enjoy suspense thrillers, The Mask by Taylor Stevens is not to be missed.
May 5, 2015
Another enjoyable Vanessa Michael Munroe story. Recovering from the events of her previous job, Michael reconnects with Miles Bradford in Japan while he on a security assignment. Things seem to be going great until Miles is arrested for murder and she is suddenly thrust into a situation where she doesn't know what is going on and she must work to prove his innocence. Caught between the Japanese mafia and corporate espionage, she works to solve the crimes and protect herself from the same fate.
Much more upbeat than the last novel, this story has all the strength that is Michael in addition to a revealing look inside Japanese honor and business structure.
What a great character!
Much more upbeat than the last novel, this story has all the strength that is Michael in addition to a revealing look inside Japanese honor and business structure.
What a great character!
January 13, 2016
It was good to see Michael (Vanessa) in a different setting. This was a good read but I found myself doing the foot tapping thing..."when is something going to set her off?" ... and then things kicked in.
She is such a capable, dark and troubled character (often compared to Lisbeth Salander) and sometimes you have to wonder.. "just how much more can she take?"
The books don't need to be read in order, but if you haven't read them yet.. starting with ""The Informationist" makes the most sense.
I've got to find the Novella that I missed and then I will be anxiously awaiting Taylor Steven's next Vanessa Michael Munroe book.
She is such a capable, dark and troubled character (often compared to Lisbeth Salander) and sometimes you have to wonder.. "just how much more can she take?"
The books don't need to be read in order, but if you haven't read them yet.. starting with ""The Informationist" makes the most sense.
I've got to find the Novella that I missed and then I will be anxiously awaiting Taylor Steven's next Vanessa Michael Munroe book.
August 9, 2015
Oh my goodness, I am such a fan of this series of books! I was beside myself with excitement when I won a preview copy in the Goodreads contest! This book was great. Couldn't put it down. At first I was a little confused- I usually listen to books on audio while I drive, so reading was a different experience, and I had trouble following the timeline. Once I figured it out, though, it was fine. Such an exciting finish to the thriller. If I had any complaints at all it's that I have to wait that much longer for the next book to come out. Thanks for another awesome story, Taylor!
May 19, 2016
I received this book from LibraryThing as an Early Reviewer. At first the story line jumped all around chronologically; however, after the first few chapters I was hooked! An intense, fun read and the heroine is most definitely no shrinking violet. I haven't read any of the series prior to this time. This particular story took place in Japan. While definitely an action adventure, there was also murder, conspiracy, gangs, corruption, and sex trafficking. Enough going on to keep you glued to your seat!
July 5, 2015
Another outstanding adventure with Vanessa Michael Monroe. As with the rest of the books in this series, the story sucks you in and spits you out wanting more. Taylor Stevens writing keeps improving with every story she writes and this book is proof of that, I can't wait to see where she takes us next.
January 27, 2021
This book was ok - a little hard to follow and required a quite a suspension of disbelief in terms of her single-handedly clobbering hordes of bad guys. Interesting to learn a bit about Japanese corporate life.
July 11, 2015
Not my favorite, but a strong part of the series. As usual, I can't wait for more.
August 20, 2015
The best book in the five book series of Vanessa Michael Munroe. I hope Taylor Stevens writes more adventures for Michael. She is a wonderful character.
August 6, 2016
Love this series. So entertaining.
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