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The Green Berets #8
Chasing the Lost
This is an alternate cover edition for ASIN B00CFADU3C
Horace Chase arrives on Hilton Head Island to pay his last respects at the Intracoastal Waterway where his late mother’s ashes were spread and to inspect the home his mother left him in her will. He’s been recently forced into retirement, his divorce is officially final, and now he’s standing in the middle of the front yard of his ‘new’ house where a tree has crashed right through the center of it.
What could possibly go wrong?
Within six hours of arriving on Hilton Head, Chase is exchanging gunfire with men who’ve kidnapped a young boy and tried to grab the boy’s mother, Sarah Briggs. Soon he’s waist deep in an extortion plot to funnel a hundred million dollars of Superbowl on-line gambling money into an offshore bank account or else the boy dies.
Dave Riley has long retired from the military and living peacefully on sleepy Dafuskie Island off the coast of South Carolina. Sort of. Actually he’s bored, feeling old, and just a bit cranky running his deceased uncle’s small-time bookie operation.
Horace Chase, meet Dave Riley. Riley-Chase.
Chase and Riley assemble a team of misfits and eccentrics as they take on the powerful Russian mob in the lawless tidal lands of the Low Country to get the boy back.
Meet Erin: Chase’s long-ago summer fling, now a veterinarian and not interested in men any more, at least that way. But her suturing skills and her knowledge of the island bring assets the team needs. Especially after Chase’s first visit with the Russian requires a bit of the former.
Meet Gator: an ex-Ranger, iron-pumping, fire-breathing hulk of a redneck, with a soft spot in his heart for Erin, and steroids burning in his muscles to hurt people. As long as Riley and Chase point him in the right direction, the rest of the populace should be all right.
Meet Kono: a Gullah, descendant of the free slaves who fled to the barrier islands in the 19th century and developed their own culture. He nurses his own pain and secrets, but heeds Chase’s call to renew their childhood friendship. Especially when he learns the target is the Russians.
It adds up to a fiery confrontation to rescue the young boy, and settle some old scores.
But Riley and Chase need to remember a basic tenet from their days in covert operations: Nothing is ever as it appears.
Horace Chase arrives on Hilton Head Island to pay his last respects at the Intracoastal Waterway where his late mother’s ashes were spread and to inspect the home his mother left him in her will. He’s been recently forced into retirement, his divorce is officially final, and now he’s standing in the middle of the front yard of his ‘new’ house where a tree has crashed right through the center of it.
What could possibly go wrong?
Within six hours of arriving on Hilton Head, Chase is exchanging gunfire with men who’ve kidnapped a young boy and tried to grab the boy’s mother, Sarah Briggs. Soon he’s waist deep in an extortion plot to funnel a hundred million dollars of Superbowl on-line gambling money into an offshore bank account or else the boy dies.
Dave Riley has long retired from the military and living peacefully on sleepy Dafuskie Island off the coast of South Carolina. Sort of. Actually he’s bored, feeling old, and just a bit cranky running his deceased uncle’s small-time bookie operation.
Horace Chase, meet Dave Riley. Riley-Chase.
Chase and Riley assemble a team of misfits and eccentrics as they take on the powerful Russian mob in the lawless tidal lands of the Low Country to get the boy back.
Meet Erin: Chase’s long-ago summer fling, now a veterinarian and not interested in men any more, at least that way. But her suturing skills and her knowledge of the island bring assets the team needs. Especially after Chase’s first visit with the Russian requires a bit of the former.
Meet Gator: an ex-Ranger, iron-pumping, fire-breathing hulk of a redneck, with a soft spot in his heart for Erin, and steroids burning in his muscles to hurt people. As long as Riley and Chase point him in the right direction, the rest of the populace should be all right.
Meet Kono: a Gullah, descendant of the free slaves who fled to the barrier islands in the 19th century and developed their own culture. He nurses his own pain and secrets, but heeds Chase’s call to renew their childhood friendship. Especially when he learns the target is the Russians.
It adds up to a fiery confrontation to rescue the young boy, and settle some old scores.
But Riley and Chase need to remember a basic tenet from their days in covert operations: Nothing is ever as it appears.
168 pages, ebook
First published May 7, 2013
160 people are currently reading
480 people want to read
About the author
Bob Mayer
209 books47.9k followersBesides my own interests, I read whatever my wife tells me to read-- she's a voracious reader and has wide-ranging tastes as my reviews show (she also always has the TV remote and she's always right about what to watch). I read a lot of nonfiction, mostly for research. Some of my favorite books are Lonesome Dove, Mystic River, LOTR, and an array of science fiction classics including the Foundation series. Our house is covered with books, although I finally broke down and started reading eBooks, strangely enough on my iPhone. Since I carry it pretty much everywhere, it means I always have an entire library of books with me.
I'm a West Point graduate, former Green Beret and a New York Times Bestselling Author. I've sold over five million books. My newest series begins with New York Minute, a thriller set in New York City in 1977.
I love using history and science in my books. My Area 51 series pretty much had me rewriting our entire history of civilization.
I'm a West Point graduate, former Green Beret and a New York Times Bestselling Author. I've sold over five million books. My newest series begins with New York Minute, a thriller set in New York City in 1977.
I love using history and science in my books. My Area 51 series pretty much had me rewriting our entire history of civilization.
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November 11, 2015
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Publisher: Jen Talty
Publishing Date: August 2013
ISBN: 9781621250685
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Rating: 1.2/5
Publisher Description: Horace Chase arrives on Hilton Head Island to pay his last respects at the Intracoastal Waterway where his late mother’s ashes were spread and to inspect the home his mother left him in her will. He’s been recently forced into retirement, his divorce is officially final, and now he’s standing in the middle of the front yard of his ‘new’ house where a tree has crashed right through the center of it.
What could possibly go wrong?
Review: “A pulsing technothriller. A nailbiter in the best tradition of adventure fiction.” Publishers Weekly ref Bob Mayer. Wow, BAAZING! Who paid who for that review?
Right at the start of this novel we have errors in basic firearm function descriptors. After a brief tussle with an obnoxious neighbor, Chase relieves him of his revolver. Then, when questioned by a passerby as to how he knew the guy was not going to shoot he says; “Most importantly he never cocked the hammer, and it was still on SAFETY”. And she says, “You know guns.” and he says “Yes.” Well, actually you don’t know guns. There are no internal or external safeties on a revolver. Just because the hammer is down does not mean that the gun is “safe”. On a revolver, all the operator has to do is pull the trigger for the gun to go off. So you run at a guy with a gun in his hand, and because you have magical special forces sense, you intrinsically know that there is no way he could shoot you as the hammer was down. (sigh) . Lets move on shall we?
Again we find Chase in a shootout scenario that involves a damsel and thuggies. Using a tree trunk as cover he hears something moving and aims “…finger resting lightly on the trigger, the only safety a true shooter used, as he’d been taught in the killing house at Fort Bragg.” What exactly is a “True Shooter?” So your in a combat situation, with movement, and they teach you at Fort Bragg to rest your finger lightly on the trigger at all times. I don’t know what they teach at Bragg, but hopefully no one is drinking that Kool-Aid. In high speed movement shooting your finger is off the trigger until you are ready to shoot or engage the target. That way you don’t shoot yourself or others around you.
Another glaring error is when Gator, the huge black man/special ops guy, (insert action hero novel side-kick template here) is defending Erin from the Russian mob. He disarms them of their Glock pistols and says “You boys don’t even carry a round in the chamber, and you left the safeties on. What kind of wusses are you?” This novel’s accuracy by a Green Beret author is really fucking poor. Glock pistols do not have an external safety. They have what is called an integrated trigger safety, and two internal safeties. Basically when the gun has a round in the chamber, it is considered hot and can be fired by depressing the trigger which activates the trigger bar. I am surprised that the author did not have them “cocking the hammer” on the Glock. I still can’t believe the author used the name Gator. Really?
I don’t know what happened to this novel. Is a ghost writer developing these novels for Mayer, or is he so disconnected from writing, he just does it for the money without giving a shit about the content/details? Usually when a novels accuracy fails it is the editor that usually takes the blame. In this case, I don’t think so. Anyone with a common operating knowledge of firearms and their function would never make huge errors like this. How do you begin to take an action novel seriously when the author can’t seem to make viable connections? It is almost like he sketched a rough idea/draft and had someone else write it. Then he reviewed it and said “This is exactly what I wanted, fast paced, full of action, lots of bang bang and sex on an inflatable boat. Print it.”
When they attack the Russian mob on a small island in the channels, they dump Riley in the ocean for a beach approach and the boat with Erin, Susan, Gator etc. head to the other side of the Island. Riley is doing recon etc. and Gator is setup to snipe. Where is Chase? He is in a fucking plane, 10k feet up preforming a High altitude (technically not) Low Opening (HALO) to the Island. Why? There is no need to have someone in a plane, dropping on a little island with 7 armed bad guys. But no, our super-hero has to jump, at fucking night, because??????? HALO openings are generally designed to avoid surface to air missiles, exposure to flak and defeat radar. It’s uses for stealth insertion into foreign countries is evident. But on a US island off the Gulf Coast? Really? Who the fuck is really writing this?
This novel fails at so many levels I don’t know where to start. It has, at times, a jumbled story-line. It has limited character development. It has non-existent technical accuracy, especially where firearms are concerned. It has this weird ego-infused action character template that insults your intelligence. There is nothing down to earth or gritty about this novel. The cover art is neither inventive or eye-catching. The ending is plain unbelievable crap. (Take a deep breath) Deus Ex Machina in the form of a deep black ops friend that drains bank account from the psychopath bad girl, his long lost son discovery (seed for next novel) and death of psycho mother of son whom colluded with psycho bad girl to get money so she could have revenge on him years ago for when he left her at 17 years of age when they had a fling and he never helped her, but she didn’t really ask or really didn’t want to know the answer and she was sent to Oklahoma by her father who wanted to get rid of her and now she wants to shoot him so she pulls a gun out of the back of her bathing suit even though she walked by him and he didn’t see it and his son’s name is Horace too and now he has something to live for and this is just the beginning and …and ……and …….. AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHH!! I shit you not, this all takes place in the last few pages, and I was generous with the editing. Do yourself a big favor. Avoid this crappy ass novel or you can just throw your money into a fire. Either his wife or his business partner/editor/publisher, Jen Talty wrote this. Mayer is probably buried in a bayou somewhere while Talty and his wife live the high life. Oh shit, that’s what this novel was about. Life imitating poor fiction?
Publisher: Jen Talty
Publishing Date: August 2013
ISBN: 9781621250685
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Rating: 1.2/5
Publisher Description: Horace Chase arrives on Hilton Head Island to pay his last respects at the Intracoastal Waterway where his late mother’s ashes were spread and to inspect the home his mother left him in her will. He’s been recently forced into retirement, his divorce is officially final, and now he’s standing in the middle of the front yard of his ‘new’ house where a tree has crashed right through the center of it.
What could possibly go wrong?
Review: “A pulsing technothriller. A nailbiter in the best tradition of adventure fiction.” Publishers Weekly ref Bob Mayer. Wow, BAAZING! Who paid who for that review?
Right at the start of this novel we have errors in basic firearm function descriptors. After a brief tussle with an obnoxious neighbor, Chase relieves him of his revolver. Then, when questioned by a passerby as to how he knew the guy was not going to shoot he says; “Most importantly he never cocked the hammer, and it was still on SAFETY”. And she says, “You know guns.” and he says “Yes.” Well, actually you don’t know guns. There are no internal or external safeties on a revolver. Just because the hammer is down does not mean that the gun is “safe”. On a revolver, all the operator has to do is pull the trigger for the gun to go off. So you run at a guy with a gun in his hand, and because you have magical special forces sense, you intrinsically know that there is no way he could shoot you as the hammer was down. (sigh) . Lets move on shall we?
Again we find Chase in a shootout scenario that involves a damsel and thuggies. Using a tree trunk as cover he hears something moving and aims “…finger resting lightly on the trigger, the only safety a true shooter used, as he’d been taught in the killing house at Fort Bragg.” What exactly is a “True Shooter?” So your in a combat situation, with movement, and they teach you at Fort Bragg to rest your finger lightly on the trigger at all times. I don’t know what they teach at Bragg, but hopefully no one is drinking that Kool-Aid. In high speed movement shooting your finger is off the trigger until you are ready to shoot or engage the target. That way you don’t shoot yourself or others around you.
Another glaring error is when Gator, the huge black man/special ops guy, (insert action hero novel side-kick template here) is defending Erin from the Russian mob. He disarms them of their Glock pistols and says “You boys don’t even carry a round in the chamber, and you left the safeties on. What kind of wusses are you?” This novel’s accuracy by a Green Beret author is really fucking poor. Glock pistols do not have an external safety. They have what is called an integrated trigger safety, and two internal safeties. Basically when the gun has a round in the chamber, it is considered hot and can be fired by depressing the trigger which activates the trigger bar. I am surprised that the author did not have them “cocking the hammer” on the Glock. I still can’t believe the author used the name Gator. Really?
I don’t know what happened to this novel. Is a ghost writer developing these novels for Mayer, or is he so disconnected from writing, he just does it for the money without giving a shit about the content/details? Usually when a novels accuracy fails it is the editor that usually takes the blame. In this case, I don’t think so. Anyone with a common operating knowledge of firearms and their function would never make huge errors like this. How do you begin to take an action novel seriously when the author can’t seem to make viable connections? It is almost like he sketched a rough idea/draft and had someone else write it. Then he reviewed it and said “This is exactly what I wanted, fast paced, full of action, lots of bang bang and sex on an inflatable boat. Print it.”
When they attack the Russian mob on a small island in the channels, they dump Riley in the ocean for a beach approach and the boat with Erin, Susan, Gator etc. head to the other side of the Island. Riley is doing recon etc. and Gator is setup to snipe. Where is Chase? He is in a fucking plane, 10k feet up preforming a High altitude (technically not) Low Opening (HALO) to the Island. Why? There is no need to have someone in a plane, dropping on a little island with 7 armed bad guys. But no, our super-hero has to jump, at fucking night, because??????? HALO openings are generally designed to avoid surface to air missiles, exposure to flak and defeat radar. It’s uses for stealth insertion into foreign countries is evident. But on a US island off the Gulf Coast? Really? Who the fuck is really writing this?
This novel fails at so many levels I don’t know where to start. It has, at times, a jumbled story-line. It has limited character development. It has non-existent technical accuracy, especially where firearms are concerned. It has this weird ego-infused action character template that insults your intelligence. There is nothing down to earth or gritty about this novel. The cover art is neither inventive or eye-catching. The ending is plain unbelievable crap. (Take a deep breath) Deus Ex Machina in the form of a deep black ops friend that drains bank account from the psychopath bad girl, his long lost son discovery (seed for next novel) and death of psycho mother of son whom colluded with psycho bad girl to get money so she could have revenge on him years ago for when he left her at 17 years of age when they had a fling and he never helped her, but she didn’t really ask or really didn’t want to know the answer and she was sent to Oklahoma by her father who wanted to get rid of her and now she wants to shoot him so she pulls a gun out of the back of her bathing suit even though she walked by him and he didn’t see it and his son’s name is Horace too and now he has something to live for and this is just the beginning and …and ……and …….. AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHH!! I shit you not, this all takes place in the last few pages, and I was generous with the editing. Do yourself a big favor. Avoid this crappy ass novel or you can just throw your money into a fire. Either his wife or his business partner/editor/publisher, Jen Talty wrote this. Mayer is probably buried in a bayou somewhere while Talty and his wife live the high life. Oh shit, that’s what this novel was about. Life imitating poor fiction?
April 20, 2013
Oh. My. God. I just finished reading "Chasing the Lost" by Bob Mayer and I cannot begin to tell you how absolutely amazingly good this book is! I'm a little mad right now because I had this awesome review all written out and I was just fine tuning it and suddenly "blip" it was gone... There are days I really hate technology--I can only think that if I was still using a Remington typewriter like I use to in the old days this would have never happened but I can't dwell on it so I will just have to write it again!
I have been following the progress on this latest installment of a series that Bob Mayer started awhile back on Bob's blog site, so it was a great thrill when he offered to send me an ARC of "Chasing the Lost" to review for him. I jumped at the chance to be one of the first to read it and so it was with great anticipation that I downloaded the e-pub version into my Nook and sat down to enjoy this much-anticipated sequel to "Chasing the Ghost".
To understand where I am coming from, let me just say that I have no military background whatsoever, other than a godson who was in the 82nd Airborne, Special Forces, who served his time in Iraq with honor. I also possess a handgun license, which required me to learn a little bit about calibers of guns and how to handle and load/unload an automatic safely without putting a bullet in my foot or anyone else for that matter. Otherwise most of this military jargon is just so much mumbo-jumbo to me, but Mr. Mayer does such a fantastic job of describing and explaining the various artillery used in this book that I can practically envision all the high-powered weapons employed by our heroes and villains. Mr. Mayer's military background, expertise, and know-how adds greatly to both the plot and believability of the storyline because he writes from a place of "I know this--I've been there" that few can claim and it comes through in every line.
"Chasing the Lost" begins with Horace Chase and his attempt to retire from the Special Ops branch of the military where he has spent the better part of his adult life serving his country in whatever capacity they have chosen for him. Having inherited a dilapidated house on Hilton Head from his mother and a dog from a more recently deceased relationship in Colorado, Chase moves to the island with the vague idea of finally living a normal life. When he considers the fact that nothing about his life has ever smacked of "normal" it comes as no surprise to him, really, that before he has spent 24 hours in his new home he has already been threatened by a mildly deranged neighbor, rescued a strange woman from would-be kidnappers who shoot his dog, and become embroiled in a deadly game of cat and mouse with the Russian mob, kidnapping, and high stakes online gambling.
Chase realizes that in order for him to rescue Sarah's son Cole from the kidnappers he needs a plan of operation as well as a team to back him up. Enter Dave Riley, also former Special Ops, who has retired to the islands and is now running his deceased uncle's bookie operation. Together he and Chase bring together a rag-tag team that includes Chase's ex-girlfriend-from-high-school-turned-veterinary, her friend the ex-Ranger, and an island native Gullah who has his own axe to grind with the Russian mobster they are pitted against. Together they must pull off the impossible--a live extrication from a well-armed Russian base of operation on an outer island that must remain off the record or face possible legal back-lash from the government they have sworn to protect and serve. The chance of success is slim, and the chance of survival even less.
To say that this book kept me on the edge of my seat is an understatement! I was fascinated as I followed the twists and turns of this fast-paced thriller. I took copious notes on my Nook as I tried to out-guess Mr. Mayer's next move, and yet I was still behind the game when I came to the last chapter. The final showdown at the end completely blind-sided me and I was left gasping in astonishment when the true culprits were finally revealed. Wickedly good is all I can say, and I applaud the masterly way he kept his hand hidden until the very end. The only thing that I was disappointed in was that I had finished the book and now must wait impatiently for the next installment in this series!!
I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars, so I will give it the five stars it deserves and another five stars on top of that! Scheduled to come out on May 7th 2013, I urge you to not wait until it hits the shelves of your local book seller but to pre-order it NOW!! "Chasing the Lost" is story-telling at its best and I do not think I am far off when I predict that Bob Mayer has another best-seller on his hands!
Chasing the Lost
I have been following the progress on this latest installment of a series that Bob Mayer started awhile back on Bob's blog site, so it was a great thrill when he offered to send me an ARC of "Chasing the Lost" to review for him. I jumped at the chance to be one of the first to read it and so it was with great anticipation that I downloaded the e-pub version into my Nook and sat down to enjoy this much-anticipated sequel to "Chasing the Ghost".
To understand where I am coming from, let me just say that I have no military background whatsoever, other than a godson who was in the 82nd Airborne, Special Forces, who served his time in Iraq with honor. I also possess a handgun license, which required me to learn a little bit about calibers of guns and how to handle and load/unload an automatic safely without putting a bullet in my foot or anyone else for that matter. Otherwise most of this military jargon is just so much mumbo-jumbo to me, but Mr. Mayer does such a fantastic job of describing and explaining the various artillery used in this book that I can practically envision all the high-powered weapons employed by our heroes and villains. Mr. Mayer's military background, expertise, and know-how adds greatly to both the plot and believability of the storyline because he writes from a place of "I know this--I've been there" that few can claim and it comes through in every line.
"Chasing the Lost" begins with Horace Chase and his attempt to retire from the Special Ops branch of the military where he has spent the better part of his adult life serving his country in whatever capacity they have chosen for him. Having inherited a dilapidated house on Hilton Head from his mother and a dog from a more recently deceased relationship in Colorado, Chase moves to the island with the vague idea of finally living a normal life. When he considers the fact that nothing about his life has ever smacked of "normal" it comes as no surprise to him, really, that before he has spent 24 hours in his new home he has already been threatened by a mildly deranged neighbor, rescued a strange woman from would-be kidnappers who shoot his dog, and become embroiled in a deadly game of cat and mouse with the Russian mob, kidnapping, and high stakes online gambling.
Chase realizes that in order for him to rescue Sarah's son Cole from the kidnappers he needs a plan of operation as well as a team to back him up. Enter Dave Riley, also former Special Ops, who has retired to the islands and is now running his deceased uncle's bookie operation. Together he and Chase bring together a rag-tag team that includes Chase's ex-girlfriend-from-high-school-turned-veterinary, her friend the ex-Ranger, and an island native Gullah who has his own axe to grind with the Russian mobster they are pitted against. Together they must pull off the impossible--a live extrication from a well-armed Russian base of operation on an outer island that must remain off the record or face possible legal back-lash from the government they have sworn to protect and serve. The chance of success is slim, and the chance of survival even less.
To say that this book kept me on the edge of my seat is an understatement! I was fascinated as I followed the twists and turns of this fast-paced thriller. I took copious notes on my Nook as I tried to out-guess Mr. Mayer's next move, and yet I was still behind the game when I came to the last chapter. The final showdown at the end completely blind-sided me and I was left gasping in astonishment when the true culprits were finally revealed. Wickedly good is all I can say, and I applaud the masterly way he kept his hand hidden until the very end. The only thing that I was disappointed in was that I had finished the book and now must wait impatiently for the next installment in this series!!
I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars, so I will give it the five stars it deserves and another five stars on top of that! Scheduled to come out on May 7th 2013, I urge you to not wait until it hits the shelves of your local book seller but to pre-order it NOW!! "Chasing the Lost" is story-telling at its best and I do not think I am far off when I predict that Bob Mayer has another best-seller on his hands!
Chasing the Lost
May 1, 2013
Retirement – the time to unwind, forget the daily grind of work and now do what we want. But for Horace Chase, his former career never leaves him.
In Bob Mayer’s latest of the Green Beret series, Chasing the Lost, Chase’s attempt to move beyond his time in the Army refuses to take hold. He arrives in Hilton Head, SC, to the house he inherited from his mother and right away, has a confrontation, at gunpoint, with his neighbor because Chase’s dog couldn’t follow property lines. The rather public scene attracts a few people, one is a jogger, a woman named Sarah Briggs. With the confrontation over, he goes inside his house, his mind thinking how after all he’d been through in his life, he had little in possessions, a house with a tree jetting through it’s roof with crazy neighbors that threatened his dog with a gun. But his dismal assessment of his life stops when Sarah appears at his door, begging for his help to save her son who was kidnapped by the Russian mob.
Wrapped in a tale of scandal and intrigue, Chase discovers the woman’s husband deals in on-line gambling and the Russians want him to funnel Super Bowl bets to them in exchange for the boy. Chase’s background slams into play, assembling a team similar to his Army career in the Special Forces. And whom does he find in the vicinity but another retired, and bored, Special Ops soldier, Dave Riley. Each player in this rag-tag team has their own reasons to take on the Russians in a covert mission to save Sarah’s son from the violent Russian mob.
Their story is an action-packed thriller in which Mayer weaves his Green Beret background, knowledge of military maneuvers and details of South Carolina islands to bring us there. And in true Bob Mayer-style of story, trust nothing for he has the wonderful ability to twist his story, making you not want to put it down and its ending blows you away! A truly fantastic tale, to be on everyone’s reading list!
In Bob Mayer’s latest of the Green Beret series, Chasing the Lost, Chase’s attempt to move beyond his time in the Army refuses to take hold. He arrives in Hilton Head, SC, to the house he inherited from his mother and right away, has a confrontation, at gunpoint, with his neighbor because Chase’s dog couldn’t follow property lines. The rather public scene attracts a few people, one is a jogger, a woman named Sarah Briggs. With the confrontation over, he goes inside his house, his mind thinking how after all he’d been through in his life, he had little in possessions, a house with a tree jetting through it’s roof with crazy neighbors that threatened his dog with a gun. But his dismal assessment of his life stops when Sarah appears at his door, begging for his help to save her son who was kidnapped by the Russian mob.
Wrapped in a tale of scandal and intrigue, Chase discovers the woman’s husband deals in on-line gambling and the Russians want him to funnel Super Bowl bets to them in exchange for the boy. Chase’s background slams into play, assembling a team similar to his Army career in the Special Forces. And whom does he find in the vicinity but another retired, and bored, Special Ops soldier, Dave Riley. Each player in this rag-tag team has their own reasons to take on the Russians in a covert mission to save Sarah’s son from the violent Russian mob.
Their story is an action-packed thriller in which Mayer weaves his Green Beret background, knowledge of military maneuvers and details of South Carolina islands to bring us there. And in true Bob Mayer-style of story, trust nothing for he has the wonderful ability to twist his story, making you not want to put it down and its ending blows you away! A truly fantastic tale, to be on everyone’s reading list!
April 27, 2013
Wow, i really enjoyed reading CHASING THE LOST. It starts off right away and doesn't let up till the very end (sounds kind of cliche i think to say that, but it is true). I really liked seeing the Dave Riley character return and he mixed with Horace Chase fairly well. The story itself was entertaining and kept me interested the whole time. There were not many slower parts of the novel and it kept up with a pretty good pace throughout. The ending really did a good job of capping things off and setting up for another novel.
I look forward to seeing more of Horace Chance, Dave Riley, and the other members of their team in future novels. With the way CHASING THE LOST ended I can see an even more interesting sequel could happen.
Overall a great novel with some good characters. I enjoyed it.
I look forward to seeing more of Horace Chance, Dave Riley, and the other members of their team in future novels. With the way CHASING THE LOST ended I can see an even more interesting sequel could happen.
Overall a great novel with some good characters. I enjoyed it.
October 2, 2015
I won a copy of this book through a goodreads.com First Reads Giveaway.
It was fairly short and to the point. That can be a good thing. However, some things needed to be fleshed out. Specifically, I would have liked more information about Erin. Extra information about her past relationship with Chase would have been great, or at least additional information about her friendship with Gator. I like a good, long story or at least a more informative one. I felt like something was missing. Also, is this the final version of the story or an uncorrected galley?
It was fairly short and to the point. That can be a good thing. However, some things needed to be fleshed out. Specifically, I would have liked more information about Erin. Extra information about her past relationship with Chase would have been great, or at least additional information about her friendship with Gator. I like a good, long story or at least a more informative one. I felt like something was missing. Also, is this the final version of the story or an uncorrected galley?
July 24, 2022
I chose this book, which I listened to on Audible because It is set at Hilton Head Island where we spent a few days and because it had higher reviews than most set there. Unfortunately, It didn’t measure up to others in this genre of ex military men who take on heroic tasks. Randy Wayne White, John. Cunningham, Michaela Thompson, Wayne Stinnet, and more have spoiled me! Despite the twists and turns and surprise ending, I just can’t rate it higher than a 2, but that may be partly due to the wooden delivery of the performer.
July 15, 2023
Not the best of the Green Berets series
A mishmash of Florida boats, guns and gangsters. None of it as convincing as the earlier books in the series. I didn't want to read about Dave Reilly being too old and becoming a bookmaker.. The author seemed confused about the story line he was trying to sell to his reader.
A mishmash of Florida boats, guns and gangsters. None of it as convincing as the earlier books in the series. I didn't want to read about Dave Reilly being too old and becoming a bookmaker.. The author seemed confused about the story line he was trying to sell to his reader.
June 9, 2024
Amateur publishing mistakes damage an otherwise good story.
Who proofread this manuscript? It is full of errors beyond comprehension. A simple spell check would have been enough.
The overall story was interesting and the ending was quite surprising.
Clean up the publishing mistakes and this series has the potential to be a best seller.
Who proofread this manuscript? It is full of errors beyond comprehension. A simple spell check would have been enough.
The overall story was interesting and the ending was quite surprising.
Clean up the publishing mistakes and this series has the potential to be a best seller.
August 22, 2019
Chasing the Loat
Great reading didn't believe the end the way it went. Totally amazing read and can't wait for next one.nwritter does excellent job of story telling. Puts me right in the story
Great reading didn't believe the end the way it went. Totally amazing read and can't wait for next one.nwritter does excellent job of story telling. Puts me right in the story
February 1, 2022
Smoke & Mirrors
All is not as it seems. A story filled with action & honour. But nothing works out as planned. Players and the played. Hidden agendas, double crosses & a truly surprising ending. A very entertaining read.
All is not as it seems. A story filled with action & honour. But nothing works out as planned. Players and the played. Hidden agendas, double crosses & a truly surprising ending. A very entertaining read.
September 4, 2017
Good book
You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so . Shelley MA
You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so . Shelley MA
October 8, 2017
Quick read
Good action. A nice A-team omage. I did love the twist ending part of which was telegraphed a chapter to early.
Good action. A nice A-team omage. I did love the twist ending part of which was telegraphed a chapter to early.
November 18, 2024
Enjoyable read
A rather good story very well written and with quite a few enjoyable characters. A quick read with a couple of twists. Excellent.
A rather good story very well written and with quite a few enjoyable characters. A quick read with a couple of twists. Excellent.
May 7, 2013
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Bob Mayer's new book Chasing the Lost and the bottom line is: get it, read it, recover, and read it again. Bob Mayer brought his "A" game in crafting this story, the reader better bring theirs.
Chase retires from Special Forces life to South Carolina where he quickly comes to the aid of a woman being shot at whose son was just kidnapped by the Russian Mob. Chase puts together an eccentric team of locals for a rescue op, including Riley, a fellow retired Special Forces character who stars in other Bob Mayer books (shout out to Synbat, a great 5 star military bio-thriller).
Bob Mayer's background in Special Forces is an asset in his ability to subtly weave military and tactical reality with story without turning it into a technical manual. The result is a credibility extending beyond weapon jargon to vivid imagery of how characters move under fire, size each other up or break a wrist (which you wouldn’t think was funny but in this case it was). But Bob's characters are not just one dimensional shooters. They believably come to life with their own blind spots and backstories. Main and supporting characters all have their own quirks and reasons to become part of Chase's team. Bringing together two alpha male Special Ops characters from his different books in Chase and Riley was a bold choice, one that is handled perfectly where the story payoff is more than the just the sum of the two characters.
For me, the book was hard to put down. Bob Mayer writes with an easy style, easy to visualize with pacing building steadily upon itself throughout the book in a way you don’t notice it but feel it. And then there are the twists. Multiple twists. And the ending. This book may start out sounding like a straight forward military thriller but it's not. The end blows your perception of everything in a very satisfying way, placing the whole story in new perspective. I came into reading this hearing there were big twists, so I was intent on not being fooled and I still never saw things coming. Without these twists, this book would have been a satisfying 3-4 star read. With the twists it’s a 5 and one I need to re-read to appreciate more.
Chase retires from Special Forces life to South Carolina where he quickly comes to the aid of a woman being shot at whose son was just kidnapped by the Russian Mob. Chase puts together an eccentric team of locals for a rescue op, including Riley, a fellow retired Special Forces character who stars in other Bob Mayer books (shout out to Synbat, a great 5 star military bio-thriller).
Bob Mayer's background in Special Forces is an asset in his ability to subtly weave military and tactical reality with story without turning it into a technical manual. The result is a credibility extending beyond weapon jargon to vivid imagery of how characters move under fire, size each other up or break a wrist (which you wouldn’t think was funny but in this case it was). But Bob's characters are not just one dimensional shooters. They believably come to life with their own blind spots and backstories. Main and supporting characters all have their own quirks and reasons to become part of Chase's team. Bringing together two alpha male Special Ops characters from his different books in Chase and Riley was a bold choice, one that is handled perfectly where the story payoff is more than the just the sum of the two characters.
For me, the book was hard to put down. Bob Mayer writes with an easy style, easy to visualize with pacing building steadily upon itself throughout the book in a way you don’t notice it but feel it. And then there are the twists. Multiple twists. And the ending. This book may start out sounding like a straight forward military thriller but it's not. The end blows your perception of everything in a very satisfying way, placing the whole story in new perspective. I came into reading this hearing there were big twists, so I was intent on not being fooled and I still never saw things coming. Without these twists, this book would have been a satisfying 3-4 star read. With the twists it’s a 5 and one I need to re-read to appreciate more.
May 5, 2013
It's not often I get to read a finished book ahead of the publication date. Sure, I've beta read and critiqued for people, but receiving an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) (even a digital edition) had never happened to me before. Until last week.
On twitter I'd lamented the fact that I always forget to look for Bob Mayer's books whenever I'm in a bookstore. Jen Talty, who is Bob's partner at Cool Gus Publishing, messaged me and asked if I'd like to read and review Bob's newest book, "Chasing the Lost".
Horace Chase is a former special forces soldier and policeman looking for the quiet life. Leaving behind a bad break-up, and an even worse run in with the Russian mafia on a case gone wrong, Chase puts Colorado in his rear-view mirror and moves to the house he inherited from his deceased mother on Hilton Head, South Carolina.
Retired life wants no part of Horace Chase.
In less than an day on the island, Chase is confronted by a contentious neighbor, a damsel in distress over her kidnapped son, more Russian mobsters, and dealing with his gunshot dog, Chelsea.
What follows is a roller-coaster ride of emotions, ghosts from Chase's past and gun battles to rival anything in print. Stitching all this together is a plot with enough twists and turns to leave a champion maze rat lost and drooling in a corner. The shocking ending, with twists right up to the last pages, proves the special forces mantra that Chase knows all too well: Nothing is as it appears.
This was the first book of Bob's I've read, and it's a good jumping in point for sampling his work. Chasing the Lost is a stand alone book told within the frame work of Bob's Green Beret series of books. Finding more of his work the next time I'm in a bookstore is definitely high on my agenda.
* * *
Bob Mayer is a NY Times best selling author and retired Green Beret with over 50 books published.
"Chasing The Lost" is available May 7th in both print and e-book formats.
On twitter I'd lamented the fact that I always forget to look for Bob Mayer's books whenever I'm in a bookstore. Jen Talty, who is Bob's partner at Cool Gus Publishing, messaged me and asked if I'd like to read and review Bob's newest book, "Chasing the Lost".
Horace Chase is a former special forces soldier and policeman looking for the quiet life. Leaving behind a bad break-up, and an even worse run in with the Russian mafia on a case gone wrong, Chase puts Colorado in his rear-view mirror and moves to the house he inherited from his deceased mother on Hilton Head, South Carolina.
Retired life wants no part of Horace Chase.
In less than an day on the island, Chase is confronted by a contentious neighbor, a damsel in distress over her kidnapped son, more Russian mobsters, and dealing with his gunshot dog, Chelsea.
What follows is a roller-coaster ride of emotions, ghosts from Chase's past and gun battles to rival anything in print. Stitching all this together is a plot with enough twists and turns to leave a champion maze rat lost and drooling in a corner. The shocking ending, with twists right up to the last pages, proves the special forces mantra that Chase knows all too well: Nothing is as it appears.
This was the first book of Bob's I've read, and it's a good jumping in point for sampling his work. Chasing the Lost is a stand alone book told within the frame work of Bob's Green Beret series of books. Finding more of his work the next time I'm in a bookstore is definitely high on my agenda.
* * *
Bob Mayer is a NY Times best selling author and retired Green Beret with over 50 books published.
"Chasing The Lost" is available May 7th in both print and e-book formats.
May 25, 2013
Fast action military search and rescue mission featuring former Rangers and special Ops. personnel along with an assortment of other former military. This is an interesting book with all former service members suffering from mental issues affecting their relationships and/or their ability to fit back into society following their service. It takes place along the Florida northern coast in the tide lands and back waters that have been inhabited by Black desendants of slaves brought to America to harvest rice prior to the civil war. Lots of military talk and use of stradegies typical of the military nature of the principle characters. The story is a fast moving adventure with the type of action typical of Special Operations stories with military hardware featured along with tasks that streach the physical and mental abilities of the characters. They are all by habit, physical buffs and used to long efforts without rest or food. Use of alcohol is epedemic as is typical of stressed military personnel. The story involves the reader in the excitement that the participants experience which is without a break, challanging the reader to also read continuous without any of the usual breaks for snacks and drinks that keep a reader fueled for the excitement. The story is convoluted and jumps between several sub stories which add to the reading experience and include needed character development. Violence is a necessary ingredient for this type of story and as may be anticipated, the characters are able to bridge amazing the full extent of the violence that they forced to endure. The story ending is a real twist with everything being different than expected. Just the kind of story to keep you reading and looking for additional material from this author. Treat yourselves to an entertaining interlude in your reading with this story!
November 27, 2014
I absolutely loved "Eyes of the Hammer" and didn't hesitate to download this free Bookbub offering, knowing it was another in the series of the Green Beret books. Or is it really? Horace Chase and Dave Riley are now both retired and the latter of which is now pushing 50 and drinking more than he should; easy to visualize the beer belly and former taut muscles relaxing. Chase has just recently retired to a South Carolina location where he has inherited a somewhat questionable home near the water. Doesn't take long to discover the dynamic of the island being anything but laid back, easy southern hospitality when what he believes is the kidnap of an innocent child by the Russians and the plaintive request for help from his mother, Sarah. Amazingly, an old flame turns up locally as well, and all get recruited along with some specialized local talent to retrieve the boy. Fully enjoyed the description of the lay-out of Hilton Head locale and it's native residents, including descriptions of the Gullah (so much to know about this land of ours!) and their expertise with the sea, sand, and shipping of the area. Chase uses his Special Ops experience and that of Riley to form a plan of rescue. Talk about twists--you'll never see this one coming! Still of the "happy ever after" generation, I waited for the ending to turn out closer to that scenario and was totally caught off-guard by the surprise at the end. I'm a Bob Mayer fan; enjoy his writing expertise and recommend this book as well. It's different and one you can't and won't guess and I'm looking forward to the next.
January 16, 2016
REVIEW:
I have had the honor of reading Mr. Mayer's, CHASING THE LOST and I don't know if I have words to express how good this book is. Everyone needs to get this book and read it and let it soak in and read it again. The author has two characters, Riley and Chase, Special Forces characters, have been in other Bob Mayer books. It makes you feel like you already know about him and want to learn more. I believe Mr. Mayer's Special Forces background helps him take military reality without making it seem like a lesson in the technical issues. You get a vivid picture of how the characters react under fire. The characters are more than just military, they are humans. You feel like you can understand some of their reasons for wanting to be on Chase's team. The book was easy to read, you didn't get caught up with a lot of military jargon. The author weaves that web that you think you've got it figured out but the ending let's you know you were way off. This book is a read and a re-read. A page turner that can't be put down. There is a lot of action going on in this book which keeps your interest. and it is a thriller for sure. A marvelous read. Put it on your to read list (at the #1 place) and read it. I wasn't sure at first, but now I know I will definitely re-read it.
I would give this book 5 STARS
I was given a complimentary copy of CHASING THE LOST from the author, Bob Mayer for this unbiased review.
I have had the honor of reading Mr. Mayer's, CHASING THE LOST and I don't know if I have words to express how good this book is. Everyone needs to get this book and read it and let it soak in and read it again. The author has two characters, Riley and Chase, Special Forces characters, have been in other Bob Mayer books. It makes you feel like you already know about him and want to learn more. I believe Mr. Mayer's Special Forces background helps him take military reality without making it seem like a lesson in the technical issues. You get a vivid picture of how the characters react under fire. The characters are more than just military, they are humans. You feel like you can understand some of their reasons for wanting to be on Chase's team. The book was easy to read, you didn't get caught up with a lot of military jargon. The author weaves that web that you think you've got it figured out but the ending let's you know you were way off. This book is a read and a re-read. A page turner that can't be put down. There is a lot of action going on in this book which keeps your interest. and it is a thriller for sure. A marvelous read. Put it on your to read list (at the #1 place) and read it. I wasn't sure at first, but now I know I will definitely re-read it.
I would give this book 5 STARS
I was given a complimentary copy of CHASING THE LOST from the author, Bob Mayer for this unbiased review.
May 12, 2013
"Chasing the Lost," the latest in the Green Beret series by Bob Mayer, starts out at an incredible pace that you can't believe anyone could sustain through a whole novel, but it quickly draws you in rapidly and you can't stop reading as we are introduced to central characters in the tale. Things slow down as we find Riley in retirement, a nice breather and befitting the setting and mood, but the building plot and the eclectic assembling cast keeps your attention. I do, however, find it a bit convenient that the rarified elite Special Forces folks somehow always manage to find each other and team up. Although, this team is a wild mix of characters and agendas.
The team assembled, the story quickly returns to the detailed mission action you've come to expect from Mayer. It's not just guns and explosions, but planning, survellience and execution - all with the finely crafted descriptions that transport you into the story. Action and tension keep you drawn in to the very end. Truly Mayer has honed his craft and managed to write not just another Riley action thriller, but one of the finest.
The team assembled, the story quickly returns to the detailed mission action you've come to expect from Mayer. It's not just guns and explosions, but planning, survellience and execution - all with the finely crafted descriptions that transport you into the story. Action and tension keep you drawn in to the very end. Truly Mayer has honed his craft and managed to write not just another Riley action thriller, but one of the finest.
June 17, 2013
I have read and reviewed several excellent books by Bob Mayer over the years and have loved every one of them. Chasing the Lost by Bob Mayer continues that great tradition of action packed adventure.
The author did a great job of developing a fast paced storyline full of intrigue and excitement. From the first page until the last it is hard to put the book down. I was caught up in the story and kept thinking about it even when I was not reading. I love this type of book that can totally grab me.
The characters were well defined and their background clearly developed. Bob Mayer, as always, develops characters that are easy to follow and most importantly easy to believe they are real. I stayed on the edge of my seat cheering them on.
I really enjoyed reading Chasing the Lost by Bob Mayer. I highly recommend this book to all readers.
[Please note: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.]
The author did a great job of developing a fast paced storyline full of intrigue and excitement. From the first page until the last it is hard to put the book down. I was caught up in the story and kept thinking about it even when I was not reading. I love this type of book that can totally grab me.
The characters were well defined and their background clearly developed. Bob Mayer, as always, develops characters that are easy to follow and most importantly easy to believe they are real. I stayed on the edge of my seat cheering them on.
I really enjoyed reading Chasing the Lost by Bob Mayer. I highly recommend this book to all readers.
[Please note: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.]
September 1, 2013
I will preface this review by saying that I have never read anything by this author before now. Evidently Mr. Mayer's readers have encountered the characters before, but not having had that pleasure, I still found both the leads to be credible, somewhat likeable,realistically drawn, characters. The secondary characters were strong as well. The pacing was fast, if a bit uneven in spots. The suspense carried throughout the book. The premise was intriguing and the story well plotted with enough twists and turns to keep me reading. This book is fine as a stand-alone, I didn't suffer from not reading his other works. In fact, I had no preconceived notions regarding the characters, so I wasn't shocked by their behavior or situations, I was accepting. I do not usually read this genre, but would be willing to read more from this author as he kept me interested and entertained.
*I received my copy from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
*I received my copy from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
April 9, 2015
As soon as Horace Chase arrives at Hilton Island to take up residence in the property left to him by his mother, he is confronted by a man with a gun. On an island where millionaires come to play, the ex-Special Forces soldier is not welcome by his neighbours. And when he is called to help a damsel in distress, this puts him in conflict with his neighbours as well as the Russian mob. To deal with the situation, Chase has to call on an ad-hoc team of ex-military men including Dave Riley formerly of the Green Berets and a former Ranger known as Gater, along with a Gullah called Kono. This ragtag team put together a desperate plan but things are not quite as they seem. This book by ex-Green Beret moves along swiftly and yet is full of the detail we’ve come to expect from a writer of this calibre. The twist at the end is a total surprise and had me paging back to get my head around it. I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series Chasing the Son
June 23, 2013
I received this book through Goodreads Giveaway.
This book was really hard to put down, it just keeps you wanting more. The plot was just really intriguing. I loved all of the action and twists. It was just a big guess game for me! The characters were too amazing! It was a long time since I read such an outstanding book! It's just one of those books were you can't find anything that you don't like about it! The ending was just WOW.
I also really liked the writing style of Bob Mayer! I would definitely have to read more of his books! I am definitely recommending this book! If you like a good action-packed thriller this book is definitely for you!
This book was really hard to put down, it just keeps you wanting more. The plot was just really intriguing. I loved all of the action and twists. It was just a big guess game for me! The characters were too amazing! It was a long time since I read such an outstanding book! It's just one of those books were you can't find anything that you don't like about it! The ending was just WOW.
I also really liked the writing style of Bob Mayer! I would definitely have to read more of his books! I am definitely recommending this book! If you like a good action-packed thriller this book is definitely for you!
September 17, 2013
As others have said, fast paced military style and quite realistic. I haven't read his other books so I didn't know the characters but that didn't bother me at all. I didn't rate it very highly because I thought the last pages are so packed with surprises about how the main character got everything so completely and absurdly wrong, it was for me just too much deus ex machina
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2014
Chasing the Lost
This was the first book of Mayer for me and will not be the last. Well written in the story flow and just enough unexpected twists to keep you reading. The ending was totally unexpected as I had consigned myself to yet another rush to the end without a summarization - this one made sense. Recommended.
This was the first book of Mayer for me and will not be the last. Well written in the story flow and just enough unexpected twists to keep you reading. The ending was totally unexpected as I had consigned myself to yet another rush to the end without a summarization - this one made sense. Recommended.
August 25, 2013
Fast, entertaining read with some frustrations. The characters were a bit stereotyped and the machinations of characters' thoughts and actions to fit the desired outcome were a bit cumbersome. Nice twist at the end though, and overall a good enticement to explore Bob Mayer's works further.
February 24, 2015
Wow. I think this might be the best one yet. Horace and Riley were great in this and the supporting characters were also well developed. I almost could not put this one down. The ending was a surprise and left it open for more.
June 8, 2013
Great book, going to be another outstanding series.... Just like all of Bob's other ones.
August 22, 2013
enjoyed reading liked it better than Eternity Base. Look forward to reading the rest of the series.
November 4, 2013
not my cup of tea. read like TV actionnn movie
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