Skyflash

J.T. Ryan #4

by Lee Gimenez

A series of mysterious murders have taken place in Atlanta. As the body count mounts, FBI Assistant Director Erin Welch hires private investigator J. T. Ryan to help. What he finds is stunning – the murders are linked to a new illegal drug showing up on America’s streets. Named ‘Skyflash’, the powerful drug gives users a breathtaking burst of intelligence, strength, and confidence. But Skyflash has a horrifying dark side. Once the initial rush is over, the narcotic turns users into deranged killers. And the problem is growing, as usage of the drug spreads across the U.S. As Ryan closes in on the criminal masterminds behind Skyflash, he learns a shocking secret about the drug. A secret so explosive it exposes some of America’s most powerful people. Can Ryan blow the lid off the conspiracy before hired assassins kill him and the woman he loves?

342 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 8, 2015

About the author

Lee Gimenez is the award-winning author of 20 novels, including his highly-acclaimed J.T. Ryan series. His latest mystery thriller is The Movie Murders. Lee is a U.S. Army veteran. He was also a Finalist for the Author Academy Award, and many of his books were Featured Novels of the International Thriller Writers Association. They are The FBI MURDERS, KILLSHOT, TRIPWIRE, FIREBALL, FBI CODE RED, The MEDIA MURDERS, SKYFLASH, CROSSFIRE, and The WASHINGTON ULTIMATUM. Lee is a multi-year nominee for the Georgia Author of the Year Award. His books are available at Amazon and many other retailers in the U.S. and Internationally. You can also join him on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Goodreads.

Reviews

[Dodie Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Skyflash” features former special operator turned private investigator J.T. Ryan, along with Erin Welch, the FBI assistant director in Atlanta, both of whom are investigating a new drug, Skyflash, ,which delivers an incredible high but has potentially devastating side-effects.

“Skyflash” moves quickly, yet it’s very well-developed and thought out. I really like J.T. Ryan and Erin Welch’s banter a lot because it was not overly flirty (mainly because Ryan’s got a long-term girlfriend) butt here’s just enough heat to make it interesting. Ryan’s a cocky sumbitch but he’s a very well-rounded character, which is not always the case in suspenseful thrillers.

Things wrap up neatly in “Skyflash,” but not too neatly. I just really enjoyed the book, and actually have thought about it after I finished reading it, which is something I don’t do a lot of when reading suspense.

I am coming into Lee Gimenez’s thriller mystery books on the fifth one and I’m definitely going to have to read all the previous novels.

[Chris Birdy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books that you will not put down. I started reading it intending to cover the first 50 pages. The next thing I knew, I was deeply engrossed in the story and neglected my work. It was so worth it! When the assistant director of the FBI, Erin Welch, hires J.T. Ryan, a private investigator, to take on a case, it's because the problem is deep and the body count is high. A new drug called Skyflash triggered users to commit brutal murders. Ryan's job is to find out who is manufacturing and distributing the drug and stop it - no easy assignment. The story moves from Alaska To Columbia with thrills and twists along the way. Buckle your seatbelt!

[Russ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zingy read. J.T. Ryan grew on me as a hero, and so did his boss Erin Welch, director of the FBI's office in Atlanta. The villains were exquisitely nasty people who were a pleasure to hate.

I really enjoyed the premise of a dangerous new narcotic having been developed, and Ryan having to chase down leads to unravel the puzzle before more people die from the drug. I don't know if drug investigations really work the way Ryan conducts his, but his development of the case was informative and mostly plausible to me.

At first there seemed to be one too many storylines and characters, but it winnows down and everything comes together in a satisfying way as the book progresses. I like reading about the darker side of Atlanta, but this book also moves around pretty quickly featuring other unexpectedly exciting settings as well. Good pace; Gimenez obviously has a solid grasp of the thriller genre.

Skyflash would have benefited from a more professional editing job. There were a few too many formatting issues (such as indentation errors) and typos. I read the paperback. Maybe the errors have been cleaned up in the e-reader version.

[Suellen Tritt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lee's tales are so, soooooo engrossing, almost don't want to put his books down, once engaged! sure hope he'll keep churning them out, as both my Darling Hubby & I enjoy his characters & setting venues immensely! It's a challenge to find such diverting, page turners, with timely plots, other than via Lee's talented products.

[Gini · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Lee’s books. Characters are exciting, plot is exciting. Reading all his books..

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this download by accident. I thought I was buying a MARK Gimenez book; but it was a happy mistake. I enjoyed the novel. The plot was clearly structured and moved at a good pace. The characters were fully drawn and sympathetic, and I enjoyed the familiar Georgia setting. The book needed some editing - extraneous apostrophes and wrong verb tenses always bother me.