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Vigilante Investigator Justice #1
The Breaks: An Angela McGlynn Thriller
If the law can’t touch you, justice will. Angela McGlynn is concealing dark engaging in vigilante activism in an attempt to dismiss self-destructive thoughts. When she employs recently discharged veteran John Knox to aid her in the search for a missing girl, she soon comes to realize that war has left him broken. As they both become embroiled ever deeper into a vortex of danger and half-truths rapidly spinning out of control, his need to rescue the girl and her insistence on exacting justice compel each of them to pursue a course of action with no regard for the potential psychological fallout. The Breaks is the first in a series of thrillers featuring vigilante investigator Angela McGlynn, vengeful for justice against perpetrators who are above the law, and is set in the urban backdrop of present day San Francisco. "Angela McGlynn would normally be described as ‘the female Jack Reacher’ or ‘the female Jack Ryan’. That’s selling her short…Tense, absorbing, intelligent and fulfilling." Rowena Hoseason – (Amazon Top 50 Hall of Fame Reviewer) Murder, Mayhem & More "Two engaging and memorable characters…an engaging read…Sharp has a talent for energetic prose…look forward to more from her and the further exploits of McGlynn and Knox." Vicki Weisfeld – Crime Fiction Lover "What seems like a standard missing persons case is anything but… It has a broad, satisfying plot that isn’t your usual superficial genre fare. The characters are complex and well-rounded, even the bad guys seem multi-dimensional and memorable. I strongly recommend this…" Cy Wyss "…A female Jack Ryan…The forays into the dark web are fascinating – there’s literally another world out there that most of us know nothing about as we cling to a myth of cyber-security." Caroline Barfoot "Interesting complex characters embroiled in a gritty, grimy fast paced plot... like a James Ellroy novel at his peak." Tim Chaney "…The author has woven a story with a compelling twisting plot that keeps you turning the page. Reading this book was like watching an old artisan weave a tapestry. You see the threads as they intertwine, but not the complete picture until it is rolled from the loom…" LouAnn LaJeunesse "…An adventurous thriller…A zippy storyline and energetic dialogue will have you turning its pages all night…I highly recommend it—and I don’t usually go for crime thrillers." Montgomery Mahaffey "…The Breaks is a quick, well-written and enjoyable read…the author proves his technical bona fides…he was not afraid to write with all his senses…you’ll be entertained." T. S. O’Neil “TimBones” "There is a lot of action in this story and it bodes well for books to come…a hard hitting thriller, written in a gritty and no holds barred style, with a cast of dead and walking wounded to prove it." Mark McKay A word from the I'm sure you're wondering what makes the Angela McGlynn series special? Well, I wanted to write the type of book I like to read. A fast paced thriller, with some sassy dialogue, a badass chick (I love strong female protagonists) and plenty of action shot through with sexual tension. I love the way that crime thrillers give us an access-all-areas pass into an underbelly of society that is usually obscured, allowing the exploration of dark themes.
263 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 20, 2015
6 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
Eden Sharp
3 books51 followersEden Sharp started out in film production before going into the music and computer games industries and has also worked variously as an actor, fitness instructor, bartender, and copywriter. Eden has a bachelor's degree in writing contemporary fiction, a master's degree in creative and critical writing, and teaches fiction writing and publishing at SSU. (Also writes hardboiled thrillers).
US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TVM31KY
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00TVM31KY
Other interests: Karate, Krav Maga and photography.
Eden says:
"Writing is an addiction I've had since childhood. I decided I wanted to be a writer aged six and devised my own TV cop show in high school. I used to act out all the parts in my bedroom and then have my English teacher mark my scripts. I never stopped writing but it took me many years to do anything about it. Eventually I got serious and spent five years learning the craft and technique of writing starting with the Writers' Program at UCLA.”
US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TVM31KY
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00TVM31KY
Other interests: Karate, Krav Maga and photography.
Eden says:
"Writing is an addiction I've had since childhood. I decided I wanted to be a writer aged six and devised my own TV cop show in high school. I used to act out all the parts in my bedroom and then have my English teacher mark my scripts. I never stopped writing but it took me many years to do anything about it. Eventually I got serious and spent five years learning the craft and technique of writing starting with the Writers' Program at UCLA.”
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 12, 2015
It’s too easy to summarise the protagonist of this hard-boiled contemporary thriller as a smart, sassy, sexy, kick-ass young woman. Angela McGlynn is all of those things, but she’s much more than the stereotypical crime-thriller heroine.
The author has created a complex lead character who happens to be a self-assured, completely competent female. McGlynn is highly intelligent and massively motivated, a skilled martial artist who is also well-versed in the ways of the dark web. She’s a PI and a vigilante; a friend to few and wary of complications. She’s forthright, direct and unafraid of choosing a difficult course of action and then carrying it through, no matter how tough the consequences.
She’s my kinda girl, in fact, and I was delighted to meet her in this rapid and rewarding thriller.
Author Eden Sharp writes with crisp fluency and considerable skill. She doesn’t over-explain or saturate the text in dense description, which means the reader is expected to pay attention, to join the dots as the action bounces between three or four intertwined plotlines. There’s plenty of action and no small amount of violence. McGlynn walks on the wild side, not in a sanitised Hollywood cops-n-robbers world but in the neo-noir reality of pimps and manipulators, abusers and brutes. There are few people she trusts and that’s with good reason.
So don’t come to this if you like frothy chick-lit cosy crime novels.
Do pick it up if you enjoy the bleak and the bitter worlds of writers like Andrew Vachss or Derek Raymond. In fact, McGlynn most reminds me (sorry, I said I wasn’t going to do this, but…) of Burke from the Vachss series. An outsider. An avenger. A dangerous person prepared to do very bad things for the right reasons.
The supporting characters in The Breaks are fascinating too, as are the occasional forays into philosophy. McGlynn is a moral person, but not necessarily a nice one. She has a good line in crisp, witty dialogue, too.
There's more thoughts about characterisation over at
https://murdermayhemandmore.wordpress...
I’m definitely ready for the next McGlynn investigation, that’s for sure. Tense, absorbing, intelligent and fulfilling. Just what I want from great crime fiction.
8/10
The author has created a complex lead character who happens to be a self-assured, completely competent female. McGlynn is highly intelligent and massively motivated, a skilled martial artist who is also well-versed in the ways of the dark web. She’s a PI and a vigilante; a friend to few and wary of complications. She’s forthright, direct and unafraid of choosing a difficult course of action and then carrying it through, no matter how tough the consequences.
She’s my kinda girl, in fact, and I was delighted to meet her in this rapid and rewarding thriller.
Author Eden Sharp writes with crisp fluency and considerable skill. She doesn’t over-explain or saturate the text in dense description, which means the reader is expected to pay attention, to join the dots as the action bounces between three or four intertwined plotlines. There’s plenty of action and no small amount of violence. McGlynn walks on the wild side, not in a sanitised Hollywood cops-n-robbers world but in the neo-noir reality of pimps and manipulators, abusers and brutes. There are few people she trusts and that’s with good reason.
So don’t come to this if you like frothy chick-lit cosy crime novels.
Do pick it up if you enjoy the bleak and the bitter worlds of writers like Andrew Vachss or Derek Raymond. In fact, McGlynn most reminds me (sorry, I said I wasn’t going to do this, but…) of Burke from the Vachss series. An outsider. An avenger. A dangerous person prepared to do very bad things for the right reasons.
The supporting characters in The Breaks are fascinating too, as are the occasional forays into philosophy. McGlynn is a moral person, but not necessarily a nice one. She has a good line in crisp, witty dialogue, too.
There's more thoughts about characterisation over at
https://murdermayhemandmore.wordpress...
I’m definitely ready for the next McGlynn investigation, that’s for sure. Tense, absorbing, intelligent and fulfilling. Just what I want from great crime fiction.
8/10
April 14, 2015
Due to the short chapters and the fast pacing, The Breaks is a quick, well-written and enjoyable read. The book is written partially in the first person, which is a style that has not been properly executed since Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlow. And that’s too bad as it provides a great viewpoint into a story as you can hear the lead character’s reaction to the situation rather than have it interpreted through a narrator. The author does okay in emulating that hard boiled style, if that was what he was going after, but Chandler’s legacy is still safe.
The main protagonist, Angela, is a tall female private investigator, who happens to be gay, and has numerous black belts in various martial arts—what female heroine does not these days? She also is a vigilante hacker with a server farm in her closet that is used to ferret out nefarious internet based predators and other miscreants.
The heroine becomes involved in a missing persons case. Eventually the plot threads converge resulting in fights, shootouts and assorted mayhem. All and all, The Breaks is an enjoyable read and it kept my interest, but no new ground is broken as it’s somewhat formulistic and the characters, aside from Angela, are drawn without a lot of depth.
Some of the plot devices are unrealistic—obviously constructed to put characters together, drive action or as attempts at humor. If you’re going to do that, be aware that some SOB in your audience —in this case me, will deconstruct the scene and question its underlying logic. A minor example is that in San Francisco, it’s totally unnecessary to camouflage a massage parlor. A more prominent example is why a semi-automatic toting world class martial artist would need a bodyguard.
One of the secondary characters is an Ex-Marine with PTSD—can you say stereotype? How about being unique and writing about a well-adjusted Marine who just likes kicking the shit out of people? I get it—the author’s knowledge of the military is limited and so he goes with what he has gleaned from popular media. Luckily for him, I decided to go easy on his deficit of knowledge of such an august organization—after all, not everyone can be a Marine. My suggestion would have been to do one or all of the following; research the Corps on line, read some current military history or just buy a few drinks for some combat vets and be prepared to take copious notes.
The technology details about hacking seem accurate, but overly detailed descriptions may serve to turn off all but the hardiest techno-geeks. The deeper you go the greater the risk you’ll lose your audience as their eyes glaze over from the unneeded computer based minutia. But, that having been said, the technical details are not overwhelming, the author proves his technical bona fides and for that he should be commended.
One of the things I really liked about the author was he was not afraid to write with all his senses— especially including taste. Many authors fail to take advantage of writing about something the entire human population does on a daily basis—eating tasty food. In The Breaks, the protagonist sits down to a gigantic English style breakfast, eats fresh salmon and has a weird addiction to Japanese candied fish. Bravo!
There are some good lines. One of my favorite is Kelly occupied an island in a flotsam of disordered wood—it just sounds cool and makes Kelly seem very large and imposing indeed. The book is a fine choice to purchase in order to pass some time on an airplane, a waiting room or while lying by the pool—you’ll be entertained and at the end of the day, that’s the goal. For all the reasons I mentioned above, I can’t give The Breaks five stars, but I can give it a solid four.
The main protagonist, Angela, is a tall female private investigator, who happens to be gay, and has numerous black belts in various martial arts—what female heroine does not these days? She also is a vigilante hacker with a server farm in her closet that is used to ferret out nefarious internet based predators and other miscreants.
The heroine becomes involved in a missing persons case. Eventually the plot threads converge resulting in fights, shootouts and assorted mayhem. All and all, The Breaks is an enjoyable read and it kept my interest, but no new ground is broken as it’s somewhat formulistic and the characters, aside from Angela, are drawn without a lot of depth.
Some of the plot devices are unrealistic—obviously constructed to put characters together, drive action or as attempts at humor. If you’re going to do that, be aware that some SOB in your audience —in this case me, will deconstruct the scene and question its underlying logic. A minor example is that in San Francisco, it’s totally unnecessary to camouflage a massage parlor. A more prominent example is why a semi-automatic toting world class martial artist would need a bodyguard.
One of the secondary characters is an Ex-Marine with PTSD—can you say stereotype? How about being unique and writing about a well-adjusted Marine who just likes kicking the shit out of people? I get it—the author’s knowledge of the military is limited and so he goes with what he has gleaned from popular media. Luckily for him, I decided to go easy on his deficit of knowledge of such an august organization—after all, not everyone can be a Marine. My suggestion would have been to do one or all of the following; research the Corps on line, read some current military history or just buy a few drinks for some combat vets and be prepared to take copious notes.
The technology details about hacking seem accurate, but overly detailed descriptions may serve to turn off all but the hardiest techno-geeks. The deeper you go the greater the risk you’ll lose your audience as their eyes glaze over from the unneeded computer based minutia. But, that having been said, the technical details are not overwhelming, the author proves his technical bona fides and for that he should be commended.
One of the things I really liked about the author was he was not afraid to write with all his senses— especially including taste. Many authors fail to take advantage of writing about something the entire human population does on a daily basis—eating tasty food. In The Breaks, the protagonist sits down to a gigantic English style breakfast, eats fresh salmon and has a weird addiction to Japanese candied fish. Bravo!
There are some good lines. One of my favorite is Kelly occupied an island in a flotsam of disordered wood—it just sounds cool and makes Kelly seem very large and imposing indeed. The book is a fine choice to purchase in order to pass some time on an airplane, a waiting room or while lying by the pool—you’ll be entertained and at the end of the day, that’s the goal. For all the reasons I mentioned above, I can’t give The Breaks five stars, but I can give it a solid four.
April 18, 2015
Eden Sharp writes an adventurous thriller with The Breaks. A zippy storyline and energetic dialogue will have you turning its pages all night.
Angela McGlynn isn't your typical heroine. She's plagued by dark thoughts and a mysterious past which fuels her passion for ass-kicking. When she becomes embroiled in a missing persons case she teams up with ex-marine John Knox to get to the bottom of things. The exchanges between the two are fierce and often humorous as they wind their way through San Francisco's nefarious streets, learning about themselves and each other in lovely exposition.
A bit dark (but what crime isn't?), Sharp doesn't steer away from painting raw, visceral images of child pornography and other crimes plaguing our society.
I loved that Angela is a tough fighter, but she's ripe with psychological complexities. Sharp isn't afraid to work through contemporary issues of female strength and power, and she's able to maintain characters that are believable and compelling.
With a great story line and fun character personalities this book was a real win! I highly recommend it—and I don't usually go for crime thrillers.
Angela McGlynn isn't your typical heroine. She's plagued by dark thoughts and a mysterious past which fuels her passion for ass-kicking. When she becomes embroiled in a missing persons case she teams up with ex-marine John Knox to get to the bottom of things. The exchanges between the two are fierce and often humorous as they wind their way through San Francisco's nefarious streets, learning about themselves and each other in lovely exposition.
A bit dark (but what crime isn't?), Sharp doesn't steer away from painting raw, visceral images of child pornography and other crimes plaguing our society.
I loved that Angela is a tough fighter, but she's ripe with psychological complexities. Sharp isn't afraid to work through contemporary issues of female strength and power, and she's able to maintain characters that are believable and compelling.
With a great story line and fun character personalities this book was a real win! I highly recommend it—and I don't usually go for crime thrillers.
November 17, 2015
Just missed the mark for me, not sure entirely why as the two protagonists and their friends were interesting and made me want to read more. However, the complex plot got lacklustre at times and the lack of a decent proofread irritated me a little.
There are a huge number of police procedural and crime thrillers out there, this one just did not come together for me.
There are a huge number of police procedural and crime thrillers out there, this one just did not come together for me.
August 25, 2015
In the hardboiled thriller The Breaks, readers are introduced to two engaging and memorable characters—private investigator Angela McGlynn and her sometime associate John Knox. McGlynn is self-assured and sassy, a computer hacking whiz and martial arts expert, not above using her attractiveness to lure bad guys into compromising positions. Knox is a recently discharged U.S. Marine with PTSD haunted by his Afghanistan experiences. McGlynn takes on Knox as a favor to a friend, who thinks the man needs something to occupy him, a way to feel useful again, and, as the case she’s embarking on turns darker and more dangerous, she’s damn glad to have him at her side.
This thriller takes place in San Francisco, where you can go from exclusive neighborhood to dangerous gang territory in a few steps. “The worst parts were only blocks away from the tourist traps and not marked on the map. It was easy to stray off track.” All strata of society are compressed on that small peninsula, and McGlynn and Knox stray way off track in this complex story, presented in short scenes from multiple points of view. McGlynn narrates in the first person, keeping her in the center of the action, but the scenes from Knox and others are third-person. There are quite a few characters to keep in your head, and I often had to use the search function to find the first mention of a name to place them.
Trouble begins when a retired suburban high school teacher asks McGlynn to find his teenage daughter. She’s run away from home, missing two weeks, and the police aren’t doing much. About all the father can tell McGlynn about the girl’s disappearance is that she had a serious cocaine habit and threatened to turn to prostitution to support it. Through her contacts in the community of working girls, McGlynn finds who the girl has been running with.
McGlynn suspects the girl was snatched because of an identity mix-up. She was carrying the stolen phone and I.D. of the daughter of a big-time narcotics smuggler. The police are trying to pull off an ambitious sting operation against him. But as they move forward, they keep tripping over McGlynn and Knox, and they aren’t happy.
Meanwhile, apart from her paying work for clients like the distraught dad, McGlynn uses her hacking skills to expose child pornographers. She’s tracked down a big-time seller of these images who lives in the city and is scheming to put him out of business.
These three skeins of criminality and investigation inevitably become tangled, which makes for a challenging guessing game among McGlynn, Knox, the cops, and the reader. Sharp has a talent for energetic prose that keeps this complicated story moving and the ability to put her characters in credible danger. The choreography of the final showdown scene is a little confusing, though the outcome is clear.
Ironically, I learned more about Knox’s character and motivations than McGlynn’s, despite the first-person narration. It makes for an interesting switch in expectations that McGlynn reacts to situations (after sex, in dangerous straits) in a coolly logical way typically associated with male protagonists, whereas Knox, because the trauma of his war experience is just under the skin, has more emotional reactions. One of the most interesting and insightful aspects of the novel is McGlynn’s running analysis of people’s psychology in various situations.
Sharp has a few troublesome writing tics, and the novel would have benefited from copy-editing and proofreading. Nevertheless, it’s an engaging read, and I look forward to more from her and the further exploits of McGlynn and Knox.
This thriller takes place in San Francisco, where you can go from exclusive neighborhood to dangerous gang territory in a few steps. “The worst parts were only blocks away from the tourist traps and not marked on the map. It was easy to stray off track.” All strata of society are compressed on that small peninsula, and McGlynn and Knox stray way off track in this complex story, presented in short scenes from multiple points of view. McGlynn narrates in the first person, keeping her in the center of the action, but the scenes from Knox and others are third-person. There are quite a few characters to keep in your head, and I often had to use the search function to find the first mention of a name to place them.
Trouble begins when a retired suburban high school teacher asks McGlynn to find his teenage daughter. She’s run away from home, missing two weeks, and the police aren’t doing much. About all the father can tell McGlynn about the girl’s disappearance is that she had a serious cocaine habit and threatened to turn to prostitution to support it. Through her contacts in the community of working girls, McGlynn finds who the girl has been running with.
McGlynn suspects the girl was snatched because of an identity mix-up. She was carrying the stolen phone and I.D. of the daughter of a big-time narcotics smuggler. The police are trying to pull off an ambitious sting operation against him. But as they move forward, they keep tripping over McGlynn and Knox, and they aren’t happy.
Meanwhile, apart from her paying work for clients like the distraught dad, McGlynn uses her hacking skills to expose child pornographers. She’s tracked down a big-time seller of these images who lives in the city and is scheming to put him out of business.
These three skeins of criminality and investigation inevitably become tangled, which makes for a challenging guessing game among McGlynn, Knox, the cops, and the reader. Sharp has a talent for energetic prose that keeps this complicated story moving and the ability to put her characters in credible danger. The choreography of the final showdown scene is a little confusing, though the outcome is clear.
Ironically, I learned more about Knox’s character and motivations than McGlynn’s, despite the first-person narration. It makes for an interesting switch in expectations that McGlynn reacts to situations (after sex, in dangerous straits) in a coolly logical way typically associated with male protagonists, whereas Knox, because the trauma of his war experience is just under the skin, has more emotional reactions. One of the most interesting and insightful aspects of the novel is McGlynn’s running analysis of people’s psychology in various situations.
Sharp has a few troublesome writing tics, and the novel would have benefited from copy-editing and proofreading. Nevertheless, it’s an engaging read, and I look forward to more from her and the further exploits of McGlynn and Knox.
June 29, 2015
SF, CA Angela McGlynn (27, PI, Lesbian) met with Kyle Grigson. Amber Grigson (18, daughter) had been abusing coke & after a heated argument left 3 wks. ago. She had also mentioned working for a so-called friend as an escort.
Angela hires John Knox (29, USMC disabled veteran, PTSD, Sergeant) to help her find Amber.
Kelly (John’s BMF, Sergeant, USMC vet) is also helping.
1st clue Amber once worked for Mykola Zlenko (Ukraine, gangster).
Simon Neiger is interviewed at his apartment by Inspector Dean Ortiz (SFP/D) & Inspector Aaron (SFP/D).
What about Lorentz Pulido (34, coke dealer, pimp)?
Will Angela, John & Kelly find Amber Grigson?
Warning: This book is for adults only & contains extreme violence, adult content or expletive language &/or sexually explicit scenarios. It may be offensive to some readers.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written crime thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great crime thriller movie, or mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Angela hires John Knox (29, USMC disabled veteran, PTSD, Sergeant) to help her find Amber.
Kelly (John’s BMF, Sergeant, USMC vet) is also helping.
1st clue Amber once worked for Mykola Zlenko (Ukraine, gangster).
Simon Neiger is interviewed at his apartment by Inspector Dean Ortiz (SFP/D) & Inspector Aaron (SFP/D).
What about Lorentz Pulido (34, coke dealer, pimp)?
Will Angela, John & Kelly find Amber Grigson?
Warning: This book is for adults only & contains extreme violence, adult content or expletive language &/or sexually explicit scenarios. It may be offensive to some readers.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written crime thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great crime thriller movie, or mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
June 22, 2015
The Breaks by Eden Sharp is a must read thriller. Book one is this exciting new series called the Vigilante investigator Justice. The setting takes place in present day San Francisco. Vigliante investigator Angela McGlynn acquires the help a man who is already broken by war to help her find a missing girl and exact justice. But neither one expected the psychological fallout waiting to happen. A smart, funny, and strong would be the three words to describe Angela McGlynn. Both the bad and good guys within this novel make it all worth reading. Characters that will never be forgotten by readers. The case at first turns out to be standard until more investigating is done and Angela finds it to be much more than what she ever expected. Danger, fast-paced, and action like never read before. I enjoyed reading Eden Sharp's masterpiece of an intensifying thriller that will capture every reader deep into its plot.
The Breaks by Eden Sharp is unique and goes out and beyond what other thrillers are like. Definitely a fascinating read for all. Everything a reader could want in a thriller and much more. Surprising events and gripping scenes that will keep readers hooked until the last page. The Breaks is anything but simple. A complex mystery crime fighting read. Eden Sharp's novel is realistic as they come. I highly recommend this novel to any readers who loves crimes, detectives, and tons of suspense. Overall, I rate it a five out of five stars.
The Breaks by Eden Sharp is unique and goes out and beyond what other thrillers are like. Definitely a fascinating read for all. Everything a reader could want in a thriller and much more. Surprising events and gripping scenes that will keep readers hooked until the last page. The Breaks is anything but simple. A complex mystery crime fighting read. Eden Sharp's novel is realistic as they come. I highly recommend this novel to any readers who loves crimes, detectives, and tons of suspense. Overall, I rate it a five out of five stars.
March 20, 2015
Angela McGlynn is a martial artist and a hacker extraordinaire. I can imagine she might look something like MMA fighter Gina Carano, all muscle and defiance in a handsome package. McGlynn is a private investigator, set onto a missing girl by the girl's father. What seems like a standard missing persons case is anything but, however. Eden Sharp weaves a multi-layered tale with an ambitious and expansive plot ranging from Eastern European mobsters to Latino gangbangers, from questionable narcotics cops to "carders" (information thieves who steal credit card numbers and print their own cards from them to use). Teaming up with McGlynn is John Knox, an ex-marine home from Afghanistan and still haunted by the ghosts of his past. He seems to suffer from classic PTSD but his instincts are still good. He's looking for a new career and it seems McGlynn can help him, in more ways than one.
Overall, this book is a masterpiece. It is not a quick read, rather something to savor over several days. It has a broad, satisfying plot that isn't your usual superficial genre fare. The characters are complex and well-rounded, even the bad guys seem multi-dimensional and memorable. I strongly recommend this book to fans of the hard boiled genre, or anyone who loves gritty, meaty detective/crime stories. Great work!
Overall, this book is a masterpiece. It is not a quick read, rather something to savor over several days. It has a broad, satisfying plot that isn't your usual superficial genre fare. The characters are complex and well-rounded, even the bad guys seem multi-dimensional and memorable. I strongly recommend this book to fans of the hard boiled genre, or anyone who loves gritty, meaty detective/crime stories. Great work!
May 4, 2015
This was an easy five stars. The two main characters, Angela McGlynn and John Knox, are both fascinating and well-rounded. I felt great sympathy for Knox, especially near the end of the book when the reason for his PTSD is rolled out in full detail. There were hints of a dark past in foster care for McGlynn. She's a strong woman, a fighter, and a survivor. Who wouldn't want to curl up with a mystery novel when it has characters like these?
The plot is complex and multi-threaded. It's in the style of old-school hard-boiled detective fiction. Readers must determine which characters are the good guys and which are the bad. There are numerous twists and turns, and near the end, unexpected allies help McGlynn survive the day.
McGlynn is a computer hacker by night. Because of this, there's a fair bit of information about how computers work. Some readers might find it's too much detail. I work in the computer industry and found it to be accurate and interesting. The explanations of what McGlynn is doing are clear, concise, and easy to follow. I thought they added veracity to the story. I'll be looking forward to the next volume in the series.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The plot is complex and multi-threaded. It's in the style of old-school hard-boiled detective fiction. Readers must determine which characters are the good guys and which are the bad. There are numerous twists and turns, and near the end, unexpected allies help McGlynn survive the day.
McGlynn is a computer hacker by night. Because of this, there's a fair bit of information about how computers work. Some readers might find it's too much detail. I work in the computer industry and found it to be accurate and interesting. The explanations of what McGlynn is doing are clear, concise, and easy to follow. I thought they added veracity to the story. I'll be looking forward to the next volume in the series.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 7, 2015
The Breaks by Eden Sharp
I recieved a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
This story is about a P.I. Angela McGlynn and John Knox an ex-Marine. They team up to solve what should be a simple find my daughter job. I should state that Angela is also a computer hacker. You might say it is her second job, except that it is more her alter ego. She is a vigilante in that lie of work. I would equate her to Bruce Wayne pseudo Batman.
A good book is a piece of artistry. An author who can make to feel, see smell and taste as though you were on the charactrs in it, isthe cream of the crop. This book does that. It is like a fine tapestry.
The author has woven a story with a compelling twisting plot that keeps you turning the page. Reading this book was like watching an old artisan weave a tapestry. You see the threads as they intertwine, but not the complete picture until it is rolled from the loom. Eden Sharp took threads of good old fashioned dectective work, looking for a run-a-way, drug dealing, murder, human trafficing, good cops, bad cops, the seedy underworld of crime and wove them into a fairly fast paced detective story with an awesome plot and a true desire to follow this couple into their next crime adventure.
This is certainly a 5 star must read novel.
I recieved a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
This story is about a P.I. Angela McGlynn and John Knox an ex-Marine. They team up to solve what should be a simple find my daughter job. I should state that Angela is also a computer hacker. You might say it is her second job, except that it is more her alter ego. She is a vigilante in that lie of work. I would equate her to Bruce Wayne pseudo Batman.
A good book is a piece of artistry. An author who can make to feel, see smell and taste as though you were on the charactrs in it, isthe cream of the crop. This book does that. It is like a fine tapestry.
The author has woven a story with a compelling twisting plot that keeps you turning the page. Reading this book was like watching an old artisan weave a tapestry. You see the threads as they intertwine, but not the complete picture until it is rolled from the loom. Eden Sharp took threads of good old fashioned dectective work, looking for a run-a-way, drug dealing, murder, human trafficing, good cops, bad cops, the seedy underworld of crime and wove them into a fairly fast paced detective story with an awesome plot and a true desire to follow this couple into their next crime adventure.
This is certainly a 5 star must read novel.
April 18, 2015
A Team to be reckoned with.
Angela McGlynn is a computer-savvy private investigator and a martial arts expert, with a troubled past. When she is hired to find a missing girl she teams up with ex-marine John Knox and the two of them are drawn into a world of call girls, cocaine trafficking, and gang violence. And that’s just for starters.
There are plenty of dubious self-serving characters here and we’re not always sure if the good guys really are the good guys. McGlynn and Knox as our chief protagonists aren’t lily white either, each has been battered by life and carries the scars to go with it.
There is a lot of action in this story and it bodes well for books to come. Angela is a complex character and definitely a kick-ass heroine. My only complaint is that the narrative switches between first person and third person a lot, which I found a little hard to follow at times. This is a minor issue though, and it doesn’t detract from a hard hitting thriller, written in a gritty and no holds barred style, with a cast of dead and walking wounded to prove it.
Angela McGlynn is a computer-savvy private investigator and a martial arts expert, with a troubled past. When she is hired to find a missing girl she teams up with ex-marine John Knox and the two of them are drawn into a world of call girls, cocaine trafficking, and gang violence. And that’s just for starters.
There are plenty of dubious self-serving characters here and we’re not always sure if the good guys really are the good guys. McGlynn and Knox as our chief protagonists aren’t lily white either, each has been battered by life and carries the scars to go with it.
There is a lot of action in this story and it bodes well for books to come. Angela is a complex character and definitely a kick-ass heroine. My only complaint is that the narrative switches between first person and third person a lot, which I found a little hard to follow at times. This is a minor issue though, and it doesn’t detract from a hard hitting thriller, written in a gritty and no holds barred style, with a cast of dead and walking wounded to prove it.
January 24, 2016
I loved the gritty feel of this story and the interesting nature of the characters, especially the protagonist. The author does a great job of slowly allowing little glimpses of background information leak through. There was enough action to keep a good pace and the technical explanations were quite thorough. At times the writing was almost choppy but it lent itself to the hard core, sometimes dark feel of the story. I really enjoyed the completely self-assured, independent and stand-offish nature of the protagonist. I look forward to seeing how things work out with her and Knox and hope to find out more about all the characters introduced in this story. A very enjoyable read.
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