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This time, the stakes can’t get more personal.

The accumulated setbacks in Clint’s life lead him to despair. With his company in chaos, only a bottle of scotch tempers his misery. Even an urgent request from the President of the United States doesn’t shake his despondence.
Whatever. Clint’s got his own problems.
But his apathy toward the suffering of others might cost them their lives, and the Washington elite won’t let Clint rest until they get answers. Will Clint shake his self-indulgence long enough to prevent murder?
An espionage and suspense thriller with a techno bent, DEAD STORM is set in Boston, Europe, and DC.

Readers can get a second book free here: eepurl.com/bgYxET ~ Just clip and paste into your browser

The Masters CIA Thriller Series: RECOMMENDED READING ORDER:

3 LIES
THE MASTERS’ KEY
DEAD STORM


Q: What does Helen Hanson bring to the thriller genre?
HH — Heart-skipping pace, life-critical stakes, and broody, looming danger wrapped in a twenty-first century skin. We live in a time when technology surrounds us. The kid down the street has instant access to information unfathomable a century ago. Consequently crime had gone digital, online, and victims rarely see what hit them.

Because of my background, I present the technology employed by my characters in a fluent way to readers. They say I write about techno topics in a way that makes them enjoyable. I don’t burden the prose with jargon. Most readers want to know what kind of gun is fired, not how to field strip it.

Q: Tell us about your characters.
HH — My characters are unique beings, each requiring a different spark to light the fire. I explore their sparks.
I create believable characters with realistic dialogue engaged in page-flipping action. I like to watch ordinary people find the extraordinary in themselves when facing adversity. No one is surprised when Jason Bourne takes out a detachment of Marines, but we can’t say that about waitress Maggie Fender.
My protagonists don’t possess the Special Forces skills of a super spy. They stumble into dangerous situations and use technology to advance their position even if it isn’t strictly legal. The stakes have to be worthy of a fight.

Plus, they’re witty people who possess veins of humor. As in life, it punctuates disaster.

Q: Where do your thrillers take place?
HH — The action in my thrillers takes place in a variety of locations around the globe. So far, we’ve landed in: Russia, Boston, San Francisco, Pakistan, Washington D.C., Santa Cruz, Venezuela, Half Moon Bay, and Mongolia. Since the characters across my novels exist in the same story world, they often appear in other works, though the current titles are not a single series.

Q: Do you write your thrillers in series?
HH — At the request of my readers, I am. The sequel to 3 LIES is now out and called THE MASTERS’ KEY, with a third volume on deck. After that, I’ll expand from DARK POOL and OCEAN OF FEAR because those characters are bound to find new adventures. With an FBI agent, a hacker, and a robotics expert in the lineup, they offer continuous fodder for action and suspense.

418 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 22, 2015

50 people are currently reading
35 people want to read

About the author

Helen Hanson

24 books207 followers
Bestselling author Helen Hanson writes thrillers about desperate people with a high-tech bent. Hackers. The CIA. Industry titans. Guys on sailboats. Mobsters. Their personal maelstroms pit them against unrelenting forces willing to kill. Throughout the journey, they try to find some truth, a little humor, and their humanity — from either end of the trigger.

While Helen writes about the power hungry, she genuinely mistrusts anyone who wants to rule the world.

Helen directed operations for high-tech manufacturers of semiconductors, video games, software, and computers. Her reluctant education behind the redwood curtain culminated in a B.S. in Business Administration with concentrated studies in Computer Science. She also learned to play a mean game of hacky sack.

She is a licensed private pilot with a ticket for single-engine aircraft. Helen and her husband spent their first anniversary with their flight instructor studying for the FAA practical. If you were a passenger on a 737 trying to land at SJC in 1995, she sends her most sincere apologies. Really.

Born in fly-over country, Helen has lived on both coasts, near both borders, and at several locations in between. She lettered in tennis, worked as a machinist, and saw the Clash at the San Francisco Civic Auditorium sometime in the eighties. She currently lives amid the bricks of Texas with her husband, son, and a dog that composes music with squeaky toys.

If you enjoy her books, please consider writing a review. If you don’t, please be kind.

For a FREE Thriller, visit HelenHanson.com

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5 stars
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27 (34%)
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Profile Image for Dave.
747 reviews7 followers
August 24, 2015
I was privileged to be a beta reader for this book and loved it. I thought it was the perfect story to continue the Master Series. All the characters we loved from the first two books, with all their strengths and weaknesses. All the characters we hated from the first two books. Plenty of action, character development, plot depth and Karma.
As soon as it was released, I bought a copy of the finished book. Thanks for another great story, Helen.
If you liked the first two books, you will love this one. If you have not read the first two books, get crackin'.
Profile Image for Dee Cash.
567 reviews2 followers
September 3, 2015
Dead Storm _ A Very Good Book

I really enjoyed Dead Storm....so much so thAt I stayed up until almost 5:30AM reading it. If you start the first book you can't resist reading the other two books. I"m really glad I discovered this author.
69 reviews
November 22, 2015
Another fantastic read

Gripping, white-knuckled thriller. The characters grow more familiar and dear with each new book and I feel a loss to think there is no 4th book to read. What an author!!!
2,958 reviews
September 13, 2015
I've read four other books by Helen Hanson, so I wasn't surprised to find this one well-written, fast-paced and hard to put down. How soon can we expect the next book? (I rate this one 4.7 stars)
Profile Image for Mary.
181 reviews1 follower
February 16, 2016
3rd of the Masters Series. Roller Coaster ride continues. I'm sure a 4th book will follow. Really like this series. Helen Hanson is added to my list of favorite writers.
Profile Image for April.
2,201 reviews58 followers
December 24, 2016
Dead Storm
: Helen Hanson


Book 3 in Master's series finds Clint self-destructing after his company is blamed for mass murder and arson among other crimes. Meanwhile the Secret Service press him to help solve CatSat related problems. Twists, turns, and surprises to make any thriller listener happy.I'm hoping there will be even more to this series.


The narration was well done.The characters were well portrayed. Patrick Nolan did a wide range of voices, my favorite being Merlin.



"I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator."
Profile Image for Jean.
912 reviews39 followers
January 22, 2017

Slightly difficult to put down..

This book has just about everything including a bit of romance.

It was fast paced and an overall Entertaining Read.


Patrick Nolan did well with the narration.

Note:
"This audio book was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review."
Profile Image for Mary Rowe.
2,622 reviews8 followers
October 5, 2019
Master Manipulator Continues His Slippery Ways

Liked this book better than the middle book. Plenty fodder for another adventure or three although the protagonists, in my opinion, deserve a happy ending after all they’ve endured.
324 reviews4 followers
March 3, 2017
These are the 1st books of this author I have read & I have thoroughly enjoyed them, wondering what else can happen. Thanks for the great read. I'm am now starting on the Cruise FBI series.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews

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