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The Newberg Mysteries #2
A Voice from the Field
Tia Suarez jumped off the pages in Griffin's brilliant debut novel, Benefit of the Doubt. Now she takes center stage in her own story, A Voice from the Field , a gripping thriller about human trafficking in the U.S. Gunther Kane and his white supremacist group are using forced prostitution to finance the purchase of automatic weapons. Kane snatches young women off the streets and sells them to hundreds of men. When a victim is used up, she's killed and dumped. After all, there are always more where she came from. Physically recovered from being shot but struggling with PTSD, Tia Suarez almost doesn't believe her eyes when she glimpses a Hispanic teenager bound and gagged in the back of Kane's van. The look of terror on the woman's face makes Tia desperate to rescue her. Kane's in the crosshairs of the FBI, who don't want a small-town Wisconsin detective messing up their big gun bust. Tia Suarez doesn't back down for anyone. Not the department shrink; not the feds who dismiss her; not even her boyfriend, a Marine veteran who thinks she doesn't know what she's getting into. Tia will find the missing teen come hell or high water.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published February 2, 2016
9 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
About the author
Neal Griffin
12 books31 followersNeal Griffin is a twenty-five year veteran of law enforcement who grew up in the kind of town he writes about. He often speaks about law enforcement issues and police ethics to civilians and fellow cops. Griffin has participated in special training at FBI headquarters. Currently serving in a department in southern California, Griffin is married and has four children. His first novel was Benefit of the Doubt.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
May 27, 2016
A Voice From The Field
By Neal Griffin
Reviewed by Jay Gilbertson
It’s nearly summer, so, it’s beach reading review time. I recently zipped through a crime-thriller-novel a friend from my Eau Claire Memorial High School wrote and boy was it a page-turner! Perfect for the cottage porch, women as well as men have been devouring it and it’s a must-read for book clubs. One of the main focuses, human trafficking, is one author Griffin knows of only too well and the book is filled with many facets related to this horrible dilemma to discuss and chew and debate.
A little background on Griffin first as it gives his writing a hefty dose of significant gravity, not to mention the guy is a real life crime solving expert. He’s been involved in many aspects of police work for over twenty-seven years. Growing up, he was a huge fan of author Joseph Wambaugh and episodes of Police Story and One Adam Twelve. After serving eight years in the Marines fresh out of high School, he’s worked on a number of police beats from patrol, narcotics to homicide investigations and he attended the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Soon to retire from the force in Escondido, California, he will hang up one hat and take on another—full time author!
Out of Griffin’s extensive exposure to all things cop, he has created a cast of characters that had me flying through the pages. One of his stars is Tia Suarez. A first-rate detective who carries a past filled with her own demons that not only gives her street cred, but shows how the many sides of police work can rub away the Hollywood glamour and expose the raw humanness underneath. Her love interest, and a character I hope Griffin expands, is Connor Anderson.
“She didn’t see him again until three years later, on the Medevac chopper that carried them both out of Helmond Province. Tia with a flesh wound from a nasty fall that took a dozen sutures to close; Connor with his right leg shredded from the hip down and his left gone at the knee.”
Together they make an unlikely pair, in other words, they’re perfect for one another and through their combination of inner and outer obstacles, Griffin has created a true power-couple. This is one of those rare pairings that once set free on the page, will long linger in your imagination. Within this story is another, a sub-plot, a compelling truth about the silent ones. Meet Angelica Mendez-Ruiz. A seventeen year-old Mexican girl who came to America as an illegal. Snatched from what she thought to be a safe house, she was forced into becoming a prostitute. And so much worse.
“She could picture the green hills surrounding the farm where her family worked the fields and lived in a small mud shack. She could recall their faces, but they faded a little more every day…The promise of a life beyond had been many and they had been happy. Poor, but happy.”
This story will wake you up and make you realize that walls are not the answer, that boundaries can’t divide us, that the earth and the sky are everyone’s.
• Try and put this book down
• Get on the waiting list!
• Email; nealgriffin.com
By Neal Griffin
Reviewed by Jay Gilbertson
It’s nearly summer, so, it’s beach reading review time. I recently zipped through a crime-thriller-novel a friend from my Eau Claire Memorial High School wrote and boy was it a page-turner! Perfect for the cottage porch, women as well as men have been devouring it and it’s a must-read for book clubs. One of the main focuses, human trafficking, is one author Griffin knows of only too well and the book is filled with many facets related to this horrible dilemma to discuss and chew and debate.
A little background on Griffin first as it gives his writing a hefty dose of significant gravity, not to mention the guy is a real life crime solving expert. He’s been involved in many aspects of police work for over twenty-seven years. Growing up, he was a huge fan of author Joseph Wambaugh and episodes of Police Story and One Adam Twelve. After serving eight years in the Marines fresh out of high School, he’s worked on a number of police beats from patrol, narcotics to homicide investigations and he attended the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Soon to retire from the force in Escondido, California, he will hang up one hat and take on another—full time author!
Out of Griffin’s extensive exposure to all things cop, he has created a cast of characters that had me flying through the pages. One of his stars is Tia Suarez. A first-rate detective who carries a past filled with her own demons that not only gives her street cred, but shows how the many sides of police work can rub away the Hollywood glamour and expose the raw humanness underneath. Her love interest, and a character I hope Griffin expands, is Connor Anderson.
“She didn’t see him again until three years later, on the Medevac chopper that carried them both out of Helmond Province. Tia with a flesh wound from a nasty fall that took a dozen sutures to close; Connor with his right leg shredded from the hip down and his left gone at the knee.”
Together they make an unlikely pair, in other words, they’re perfect for one another and through their combination of inner and outer obstacles, Griffin has created a true power-couple. This is one of those rare pairings that once set free on the page, will long linger in your imagination. Within this story is another, a sub-plot, a compelling truth about the silent ones. Meet Angelica Mendez-Ruiz. A seventeen year-old Mexican girl who came to America as an illegal. Snatched from what she thought to be a safe house, she was forced into becoming a prostitute. And so much worse.
“She could picture the green hills surrounding the farm where her family worked the fields and lived in a small mud shack. She could recall their faces, but they faded a little more every day…The promise of a life beyond had been many and they had been happy. Poor, but happy.”
This story will wake you up and make you realize that walls are not the answer, that boundaries can’t divide us, that the earth and the sky are everyone’s.
• Try and put this book down
• Get on the waiting list!
• Email; nealgriffin.com
December 27, 2020
I found this author by first reading the fourth book in this series, which was excellent and in my opinion a must read for the well told story and character development. It was then that I decided to read the other three earlier books in their order.
A Voice from the Field is the second book in the series an equally as well written as the others. If you enjoy a great police mystery series with plenty of action and plot twists, these books are highly recommended and hard to put down.
I now will read the third book in this series (By His Own Hand) and then look forward to the fifth, sixth, seventh, etc....if and hopefully when published.
Well done and thanks Neal Griffin!
A Voice from the Field is the second book in the series an equally as well written as the others. If you enjoy a great police mystery series with plenty of action and plot twists, these books are highly recommended and hard to put down.
I now will read the third book in this series (By His Own Hand) and then look forward to the fifth, sixth, seventh, etc....if and hopefully when published.
Well done and thanks Neal Griffin!
September 14, 2019
This book has so many twists and turns! Just when I thought, “okay. This is how it ends... that’s cool, I respect that...” something else happens!! Towards the end, there was a little twist every couple of pages. Which made it impossible to put the book down. I read this whole book in 3 days, and that’s NOT common for me.
I wouldn’t say that this book is “suspenseful” as much as it was captivating and true to real life, from my neck of the woods. I’ve already recommended the book to a friend!
I wouldn’t say that this book is “suspenseful” as much as it was captivating and true to real life, from my neck of the woods. I’ve already recommended the book to a friend!
July 16, 2019
I'm rarely moved to tears by a book, but here I am blotting my eyes with tissue and desperately trying to remain detached and observant.
Thank you, writer, for the life lessons and reminders.
Thank you, writer, for the life lessons and reminders.
August 3, 2017
A Voice from the Field by cop-turned-author Neal Griffin is a masterfully crafted novel and the second book in the former marine turned police detective Tia Suarez series following her introduction in Benefit of the Doubt. Gritty and entertaining, the story is set in a small-town, away from the hustle-bustle of big cities, where the theme it explored might be much more rampant than one would care to imagine. The book follows Tia who is desperate to rescue a young girl from the clutches of a group who are bent on wreaking havoc, and enforcing their agenda. But Tia is at a great disadvantage as she is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. This proved to be a big setback in the discharge of her duty.
In A Voice from the Field, Author Neal Griffin served a tight and taut suspense thriller revolving around the kidnapping of young women by a group to finance their nefarious designs. When Gunther Kane is put behind bar, Tia finds herself at the receiving end. Kane and his White supremacist group are a much bigger foe than Tia thought. The District Attorney struck a deal to charge Kane with a mere disorderly conduct and release him. Police chief Ben Sawyer is reluctant to pursue the case. Tia’s boyfriend who has been through hell tried to dissuade her. And the FBI also comes into the picture, with the same purpose but in their own way.
In more ways than one, Griffin has succeeded in crafting a story that lovers of thrillers will feast in delight. Tia is someone who battles not only demons who are on the prowl outside to snatch, use and throw away young girls at will but she is also a person who is fighting her own demons. There are the plot twists. The never-ending suspense. And the pacing is neatly done. And the characters are well-defined, and planted smartly into the story. Griffin’s fine writing also added a touch of class to the story. And how the story reached it conclusion will leave you thinking if it couldn’t have ended in a different way.
In A Voice from the Field, Author Neal Griffin served a tight and taut suspense thriller revolving around the kidnapping of young women by a group to finance their nefarious designs. When Gunther Kane is put behind bar, Tia finds herself at the receiving end. Kane and his White supremacist group are a much bigger foe than Tia thought. The District Attorney struck a deal to charge Kane with a mere disorderly conduct and release him. Police chief Ben Sawyer is reluctant to pursue the case. Tia’s boyfriend who has been through hell tried to dissuade her. And the FBI also comes into the picture, with the same purpose but in their own way.
In more ways than one, Griffin has succeeded in crafting a story that lovers of thrillers will feast in delight. Tia is someone who battles not only demons who are on the prowl outside to snatch, use and throw away young girls at will but she is also a person who is fighting her own demons. There are the plot twists. The never-ending suspense. And the pacing is neatly done. And the characters are well-defined, and planted smartly into the story. Griffin’s fine writing also added a touch of class to the story. And how the story reached it conclusion will leave you thinking if it couldn’t have ended in a different way.
April 26, 2018
Tia Suarez is desperate to get back in the field. Scrutiny from her coworkers and her own mounting doubts makes staying on the sidelines unbearable. Tia’s first assignment back was suppose to be a gradual reentry but she quickly finds herself in a perilous position with a kidnapped victim slipping through her grasp. When her case is not only dropped but ignored she must question not only herself but those around her. A Voice From The Field is the second book in The Newberg Mystery Series.
I picked this book up on a whim and was not prepared for everything it delivered. A Voice From The Field had so many story elements I love to come across when reading. It had me excitedly looking up what else the author has written.
This is the second book in The Newberg Mystery Series. I read this book first and felt it was a decent stand alone book. The background details made me very curious about the first book and I plan to read it soon. There was also a fondness for established characters that I think returning readers will enjoy.
The story incorporates mature subject matter. Sex trafficking and exploitation play a big role in the story. The scenes are not gratuitous or overly graphic but I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone easily offended.
There was so much about the story that I enjoyed. The writing had a great flow. The characterization and police procedural details gave the story an immersive quality.
I loved how flawed the characters were. It made the ethical themes seem more authentic and dynamic.
There were so many twists to the story. I often found myself nervously looking forward to reading the book each day.
A Voice From The Field was a great read and I look forward to reading other books in the series.
I picked this book up on a whim and was not prepared for everything it delivered. A Voice From The Field had so many story elements I love to come across when reading. It had me excitedly looking up what else the author has written.
This is the second book in The Newberg Mystery Series. I read this book first and felt it was a decent stand alone book. The background details made me very curious about the first book and I plan to read it soon. There was also a fondness for established characters that I think returning readers will enjoy.
The story incorporates mature subject matter. Sex trafficking and exploitation play a big role in the story. The scenes are not gratuitous or overly graphic but I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone easily offended.
There was so much about the story that I enjoyed. The writing had a great flow. The characterization and police procedural details gave the story an immersive quality.
I loved how flawed the characters were. It made the ethical themes seem more authentic and dynamic.
There were so many twists to the story. I often found myself nervously looking forward to reading the book each day.
A Voice From The Field was a great read and I look forward to reading other books in the series.
May 22, 2018
A good book...I hadn't read this author before so didn't realize that I wasn't starting on the first book....there were references to that story but I still got wrapped up in the characters and had to keep reading until I finished it. I think I'll go back now and read the first book.
It's very obvious that there are some triggers - human trafficing, rape - so if those are hard stops for you - this is not your book. I admit I skimmed thru most of it. It wasn't pervasive.
It's very obvious that there are some triggers - human trafficing, rape - so if those are hard stops for you - this is not your book. I admit I skimmed thru most of it. It wasn't pervasive.
May 10, 2020
All in all, I really enjoyed reading A Voice From The Field and I plan on checking out the other books in the same series. The writing was solid and the story felt as real as it gets. If you’re wanting to follow along with a real detective on a real case, then this is the book for you!
June 6, 2020
Neal Griffin is a solid writer in the vein of Connelly, Crais, and T Jefferson Parker. Tia Suarez is one of the most fascinating female protagonists I’ve read in years. Read the series. You won’t be disappointed.
January 30, 2018
A satisfying sophomore novel, well-paced and characterized with the ring of authenticity; I'm already looking forward to my next visit to Newberg!
January 22, 2019
I thought this was a good read! I really like Tia and Ben and the rest of the Newburgh characters! Can't wait for book 3 going to start soon.
July 8, 2019
I didn't realize there was a first book but it did not diminish my interest. It was an easy read and kept me interested.
November 6, 2017
Great very intense thriller but does deal with some very different subject matter. Tia is one tenacious kick ass lady detective! Love the whole Newberg crew.
January 12, 2017
good story,,,good writing,,,
the ending will blow you a way....read it you should like it
the ending will blow you a way....read it you should like it
Read
January 24, 2016Former Marine and now Police Detective Tia Suarez stars in this book by Griffith after being introduced in BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT. The story begins with her on an undercover operation looking for johns in Milwaukee when a sting goes wrong. She is almost abducted by a man who tries to drag her into a van where she sees a young Hispanic woman who is bound and gagged. Her police colleagues quickly close in but not before the driver and van disappear leaving Gunther Kane behind.
Tia figures Kane is up for assault on a police officer and attempted kidnapping but is surprised when the district attorney says a deal has been made which will charge Kane with disorderly conduct and get him out of jail in ten days. Tia is outraged that no one is concerned for the young woman she saw in the back of the van. But Tia has been suffering from PTSD since the shooting episode in the last book and a Near Death Experience has left her with what the department's shrink is calling hallucinations. The defense thinks she would not be a credible witness if her medical history gets out.
Tia is wondering herself if she is going crazy. She has been drinking too much and abusing her prescription meds in order to try to drown out the voice she keeps hearing. But she isn't going to forget about the girl no matter who wants her to. She doesn't care how high up the command comes from to back off. Ben Sawyer is now the chief of police and the friendship he and Tia forged in the first book is strained but he is still offering his support. Tia also has the support of her boyfriend who lost his legs in an IED explosion in Afghanistan and now works in a grocery store. He hasn't lost his instincts for bad situations or his skills as a sniper but he needs Tia to trust him and not keep pushing him away.
This was a fast-paced thriller with all sort of twists and turns as Tia needs to battle not only outside forces but her own mind. Fans of thrillers will enjoy this one.
Tia figures Kane is up for assault on a police officer and attempted kidnapping but is surprised when the district attorney says a deal has been made which will charge Kane with disorderly conduct and get him out of jail in ten days. Tia is outraged that no one is concerned for the young woman she saw in the back of the van. But Tia has been suffering from PTSD since the shooting episode in the last book and a Near Death Experience has left her with what the department's shrink is calling hallucinations. The defense thinks she would not be a credible witness if her medical history gets out.
Tia is wondering herself if she is going crazy. She has been drinking too much and abusing her prescription meds in order to try to drown out the voice she keeps hearing. But she isn't going to forget about the girl no matter who wants her to. She doesn't care how high up the command comes from to back off. Ben Sawyer is now the chief of police and the friendship he and Tia forged in the first book is strained but he is still offering his support. Tia also has the support of her boyfriend who lost his legs in an IED explosion in Afghanistan and now works in a grocery store. He hasn't lost his instincts for bad situations or his skills as a sniper but he needs Tia to trust him and not keep pushing him away.
This was a fast-paced thriller with all sort of twists and turns as Tia needs to battle not only outside forces but her own mind. Fans of thrillers will enjoy this one.
March 9, 2016
I read more than half of this book. The characters did not grab me, the topic was deeply uncomfortable. I did not think it would ever be something I could get to enjoy. I tried. I really did. I did not like anyone, or their behaviors.
Main character is dealing with alcohol and drug abuse and is a cop on leave. She is used in an undercover scheme before she has been given permission to be in the field. She is attacked and also views a person who is probably a kidnap victim. No one believes her because she has a one time record of seeing what was not there. The department shrink again takes her off duty.
She is promptly put in work on a case involving her assailant - who may be operating a kidnapping ring for slavery of other hispanic women - as well as drugs and gun running. Of course, she is immediately recognized by her original attacker. Duh! I gave up about then - I believe she was also about to break her 1/2 day sobriety as well. Too graphic for me while not really getting graphic - if that makes sense.
Main character is dealing with alcohol and drug abuse and is a cop on leave. She is used in an undercover scheme before she has been given permission to be in the field. She is attacked and also views a person who is probably a kidnap victim. No one believes her because she has a one time record of seeing what was not there. The department shrink again takes her off duty.
She is promptly put in work on a case involving her assailant - who may be operating a kidnapping ring for slavery of other hispanic women - as well as drugs and gun running. Of course, she is immediately recognized by her original attacker. Duh! I gave up about then - I believe she was also about to break her 1/2 day sobriety as well. Too graphic for me while not really getting graphic - if that makes sense.
August 22, 2016
I really enjoyed the first Newberg novel, Benefit of the Doubt, so I was eager to read Neal Griffin's second book in the series. A Voice from the Field features Tia Suarez, a secondary character from Benefit of the Doubt. Tia is a really intriguing character. She is smart, strong & bold. But she is also vulnerable. I love that Neal Griffin portrays her without contradiction as fierce AND soft. And in this book we find out how very complex Tia is. The story grabs you just a few pages in and there is a lot going on this book. Human trafficking, PTSD, vindication, friendship and love. Oh and mystical experiences. Neal Griffin tells a good tale! His writing is realistic & gritty. His character development is great! Like his first book, this one is a page turner. There are unexpected twists you don't see coming. I can't wait for the 3rd book!
October 16, 2016
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Newberg Series!! Mr. Griffin you are one heck of a kickass writer!! Tia Suarez is the BEST DETECTIVE around! Tia lite up 'A Voice from the Field' like the 4th of July, and I absolutely enjoyed every second of each explosion! I love how Tia is an action, get results kind of woman. She doesn't take a back seat in situations...she IS the driver!!! You go girl :)
Neal, I truly hope you are writing more Newberg stories. I want to see my 2 favorite peeps, Ben and Tia, kick more booty!
I highly recommend this series to anyone that loves dark detective stories that take on some of the most horrific criminals in America. A fast pace suspense thriller from the very first page till the last!
Neal, I truly hope you are writing more Newberg stories. I want to see my 2 favorite peeps, Ben and Tia, kick more booty!
I highly recommend this series to anyone that loves dark detective stories that take on some of the most horrific criminals in America. A fast pace suspense thriller from the very first page till the last!
April 7, 2016
The more I read about human trafficking, the more angry I get. In this cop novel, Detective Suarez is working undercover as a prostitute. When she is grabbed by two creepy men in a van, she fights them off, but manages to see a young Hispanic girl tied up in the back of the van. Her higher-ups think that she is hallucinating again (yeah, um, she had that problem in the last book after a shooting), but she wasn't. Tia becomes a one-woman mission to find the young girl and bust the selling of young women for sex.
Some parts of this novel are over-the-top, but I didn't mind. It was just the kind of female police detective story I was looking for.
Some parts of this novel are over-the-top, but I didn't mind. It was just the kind of female police detective story I was looking for.
February 23, 2016
I'm not a big fan of crime, but I liked the lead character and the story. I thought the struggle between bureaucracy and doing what is right seemed believable. I even recommended it to my husband since he reads more in this genre than I do.
March 1, 2016
Taut thriller about human trafficking involving the feisty female detective Tia Suarez. Author is a 25 year veteran of law enforcement whose deep knowledge is clearly visible across the written page .
April 22, 2016
I loved reading about Suarez and Sawyer back at it. It can be graphic and heart breaking about what happens in the real world. It twists in different lives with their own struggles well and is written dramatically.
May 9, 2016
This book is superb, it will get to you in some serious social issues but that is one of the reasons why book is amazing, keeps it very real !!
Read
January 28, 2016tries hard to be gritty "noir", succeeds somewhat. I didn't like that Maybe I need to read the 1st one first.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2016
Wonderful book with twists and turns around ever corner.
May 4, 2016
Gritty, timely, characters that you can relate to. Well-developed plot and suspense.
May 10, 2016
I liked this very much. I would recommend it.
June 6, 2016
Nice to see an author grow. I enjoyed Griffin's first book but really enjoyed the second one. Well drawn characters, good situations. Intriguing and nicely written. Pretty believable too (less)
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews