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Jax Alexander Mystery #1
The Archangel Project
A murdered psychologist with ties to a secret CIA-funded remote viewing project . . .When the charred remains of Tulane professor Henry Youngblood are discovered in the burned-out ruins of his New Orleans offices, the CIA sends maverick troubleshooter Jax Alexander to investigate. Joined in a reluctant partnership with remote viewer October "Tobie" Guinness, Jax struggles to decipher a cryptic set of clues that leads from the devastated neighborhoods of New Orleans to the power corridors of Washington, D.C. Pursued by agents of an influential oil and defense conglomerate with ties to the President himself, Jax and Tobie soon find themselves in a breakneck race against time to stop a ruthless killer and avert a diabolical plot that could devastate America.
A haunted young Iraq War vet with a "psycho" discharge and a talent that has marked her for death . . .
A deadly secret that will rock the world.
You can't hide the truth from those who can see.
374 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 30, 2008
150 people are currently reading
872 people want to read
About the author
C.S. Graham
3 books86 followersC.S. Graham is the pseudonym of writing team Steven Harris, a former Army Intelligence officer, and Candice Proctor, who also writes the Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series under the name C.S. Harris. The two met at a local New Orleans writers group in 2001, after Candy moved to Louisiana from Australia. They now share a thriller series, a marriage and family, seven cats, and some great Hurricane Katrina stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
July 17, 2012
This story was a twist on the girl next door type of story. Our Heroine, October "Tobie" Guinness is a remote viewer (she sees things) who is a Navy veteran, wounded in action (by friendly fire) then discharged with a mental disorder, referred to as a "phsyco discharge". She is young, so many of her inabilities to comprehend the actions she needs to take, or not take, are forgivable on those grounds alone.
Unlike other books, this does not make her a superstrong, super brainy type. She is just an innocent young woman who stumbled into a bad situation with an extremely covert operation.
This story takes a twist on the national mindset from the 9-11 attacks, and takes us from the backwaters of New Orleans (what IS it about that city?), leads us to the Capitol in DC, and gives us glimpses into the thoughts and mindsets of several innocents who are pawns to a greater power.
In this story, Tobie is being coached to utilize her skill at seeing things – call it telepathy, call it ESP or remote viewing or just crazy insight. As a result of her ability, she is dragged into the national conspiracy and we see her running from the people out to get her. Here is where the issue of her youth comes into play, as she does not understand the dynamics of conspiracy, although she is friends with a conspiracy nut.
Her helpers are varied, so she is not totally alone, which is good. As an innocent, she needs that, and as an innocent on the run, only those willing to step in can assist her.
I do like that she lets instinct guide her, and doesn't just charge headlong into an activity or event that could jeopardize her, although there were times when I could see that something was not going to turn out well. I also liked that she is not an open book, and although we are told about her family, she does not immediately run to them for help and protection, which bodes well for her as a person and an adult.
There was a series of events, leading from a fairly innocent confrontation to a final confrontation, all of which built on each other in a believable, although chilling, manner, flowing from scene to scene in a trail that, as mentioned, crosses the country.
I liked that, even though there are a series of bad guys, they all have touches that make them human and not just evil killers. They are family men with children and loved ones, they have goals, they have plans.
The only issue that I had with this story as a whole is that there are only a handful of females, and most were not seen "on stage". Overall though, this book is well written, dealing with human issues and greed, national plots, and power hungry tycoons.
There are several characters that I would have liked more information on, from the national scene to the main characters. Although we get quite a bit of background on Tobie, the books glosses over her military career. It touches on her age, and thinking back now, I am confused as to how old she really was. At some point it mentions 21, which does not jive with having dropped out of college 2 months prior to graduation (we know she is not a prodigy, as the story makes the point that she was never an ace student.)
I would like to have some of the detail on the secondary character known as "Jax". On the cover and in the description he is described as a "disgraced CIA agent" although that is not accurate: he isn't disgraced, just out of favor.
We get background and family touches for some of the villains, and get information on family connections and friends of the powers, but Jax is a mystery. We do have snippets of information about his past, with operations he was involved with in Colombia, but we don't get enough to get a real picture of him.
I really liked that Jax is hands off with Tobie. She is a nut in his opinion, supported by her medical discharge.
As a final touch, my copy had the first 2 chapters from the next book, which I will definitely be reading, and will hopefully learn more about Jax, his family and friends, and also get a chance to know more about the background and family of our main character.
A good story, well written and presented, with a touch of the paranormal, built into a city which has had some hard knocks in the last decade, and supported by a cast of characters, some likeable, some not, woven together with touches of humor, to give us a rounded plot about an intriguing subject.
Unlike other books, this does not make her a superstrong, super brainy type. She is just an innocent young woman who stumbled into a bad situation with an extremely covert operation.
This story takes a twist on the national mindset from the 9-11 attacks, and takes us from the backwaters of New Orleans (what IS it about that city?), leads us to the Capitol in DC, and gives us glimpses into the thoughts and mindsets of several innocents who are pawns to a greater power.
In this story, Tobie is being coached to utilize her skill at seeing things – call it telepathy, call it ESP or remote viewing or just crazy insight. As a result of her ability, she is dragged into the national conspiracy and we see her running from the people out to get her. Here is where the issue of her youth comes into play, as she does not understand the dynamics of conspiracy, although she is friends with a conspiracy nut.
Her helpers are varied, so she is not totally alone, which is good. As an innocent, she needs that, and as an innocent on the run, only those willing to step in can assist her.
I do like that she lets instinct guide her, and doesn't just charge headlong into an activity or event that could jeopardize her, although there were times when I could see that something was not going to turn out well. I also liked that she is not an open book, and although we are told about her family, she does not immediately run to them for help and protection, which bodes well for her as a person and an adult.
There was a series of events, leading from a fairly innocent confrontation to a final confrontation, all of which built on each other in a believable, although chilling, manner, flowing from scene to scene in a trail that, as mentioned, crosses the country.
I liked that, even though there are a series of bad guys, they all have touches that make them human and not just evil killers. They are family men with children and loved ones, they have goals, they have plans.
The only issue that I had with this story as a whole is that there are only a handful of females, and most were not seen "on stage". Overall though, this book is well written, dealing with human issues and greed, national plots, and power hungry tycoons.
There are several characters that I would have liked more information on, from the national scene to the main characters. Although we get quite a bit of background on Tobie, the books glosses over her military career. It touches on her age, and thinking back now, I am confused as to how old she really was. At some point it mentions 21, which does not jive with having dropped out of college 2 months prior to graduation (we know she is not a prodigy, as the story makes the point that she was never an ace student.)
I would like to have some of the detail on the secondary character known as "Jax". On the cover and in the description he is described as a "disgraced CIA agent" although that is not accurate: he isn't disgraced, just out of favor.
We get background and family touches for some of the villains, and get information on family connections and friends of the powers, but Jax is a mystery. We do have snippets of information about his past, with operations he was involved with in Colombia, but we don't get enough to get a real picture of him.
I really liked that Jax is hands off with Tobie. She is a nut in his opinion, supported by her medical discharge.
As a final touch, my copy had the first 2 chapters from the next book, which I will definitely be reading, and will hopefully learn more about Jax, his family and friends, and also get a chance to know more about the background and family of our main character.
A good story, well written and presented, with a touch of the paranormal, built into a city which has had some hard knocks in the last decade, and supported by a cast of characters, some likeable, some not, woven together with touches of humor, to give us a rounded plot about an intriguing subject.
January 18, 2021
3.5 stars - Mystery/Thriller
January 7, 2009
The Archangel Project by the writing team of Steven Harris and Candice Proctor, writing under the pseudonym of C.S. Graham is an interesting concept that ultimately fell flat for this reader.
The novel's protagonist is young woman, discharged from the army where she served in Iraq, on a psych discharge. October Guinness has the ability to "remote view" whereby she can focus on a geographical location and "see" what is occurring there. She participates in a university study and through her remote viewing manages to see things she should not. Enter the shadowy corporate and government figures determined to stop "Tobie", get rid of anyone who might know what she knows, and take over the government.
I liked the basic premise of the book. The idea of shadowy figures and conspiracy complete with a dash of the paranormal always make for a great read. One of the problems I had was the way the large cast of characters was introduced. Maybe I just wasn't paying enough attention, but it seemed in the beginning that there just wasn't enough specific information about each one to make them memorable. When they would return in a later chapter, I would oft times recollect the name, but not for the life of me remember who they were in the big scheme of things. So I would have to stop and leaf back through the book until I had that, "Oh....I remember who that was" moment. It took me a while to settle in and figure out the "who's who" in the cast of characters
I also disliked the occasional almost snarky snide comments the authors put in the book. Many of the bad guys were thinly veiled versions of politicians and corporations in power today. Occasionally it felt as though the authors had a great idea of a suspense novel, but what they really wanted to write was an anti-administration, anti-military industrial complex and anti-war screed. I was probably overly attuned to these things since the election year just ended and I've been so tired of being fed a constant diet of this in the news. I would suspect it didn't bother anyone else, I've just been on a strict "strict turn off the tv and radio" diet because I'm just sick of hearing about negative stuff I have absolutely no control over, so I'm probably the exception.
So, would I recommend the book? Ehh....probably not. Yet I do see a lot of potential in this writing team. Would I read a second novel by them? Yep, I would. I think they have a lot of ability, and some interesting ideas. I would just like to see them tighten up the writing a bit.
The novel's protagonist is young woman, discharged from the army where she served in Iraq, on a psych discharge. October Guinness has the ability to "remote view" whereby she can focus on a geographical location and "see" what is occurring there. She participates in a university study and through her remote viewing manages to see things she should not. Enter the shadowy corporate and government figures determined to stop "Tobie", get rid of anyone who might know what she knows, and take over the government.
I liked the basic premise of the book. The idea of shadowy figures and conspiracy complete with a dash of the paranormal always make for a great read. One of the problems I had was the way the large cast of characters was introduced. Maybe I just wasn't paying enough attention, but it seemed in the beginning that there just wasn't enough specific information about each one to make them memorable. When they would return in a later chapter, I would oft times recollect the name, but not for the life of me remember who they were in the big scheme of things. So I would have to stop and leaf back through the book until I had that, "Oh....I remember who that was" moment. It took me a while to settle in and figure out the "who's who" in the cast of characters
I also disliked the occasional almost snarky snide comments the authors put in the book. Many of the bad guys were thinly veiled versions of politicians and corporations in power today. Occasionally it felt as though the authors had a great idea of a suspense novel, but what they really wanted to write was an anti-administration, anti-military industrial complex and anti-war screed. I was probably overly attuned to these things since the election year just ended and I've been so tired of being fed a constant diet of this in the news. I would suspect it didn't bother anyone else, I've just been on a strict "strict turn off the tv and radio" diet because I'm just sick of hearing about negative stuff I have absolutely no control over, so I'm probably the exception.
So, would I recommend the book? Ehh....probably not. Yet I do see a lot of potential in this writing team. Would I read a second novel by them? Yep, I would. I think they have a lot of ability, and some interesting ideas. I would just like to see them tighten up the writing a bit.
September 8, 2009
A predictable thriller set in post-Katrina New Orleans. Starring Jax Alexander, CIA agent in disgrace, and October Guinness, a psychic, or maybe psycho, ex-Navy college dropout. Tobie remotely views something she's not supposed to see, and then a lot of people try to kill her. Like six or seven different people. She saves herself a few times, then Jax saves her a few times, then they fly around the country trying to figure out what happened, and what the Archangel Project is. The characters' names, though ridiculous, were about as believable as the plot. But if you're looking for a fun thriller, and don't mind a hearty dose of conspiracy theory, it wasn't too bad.
April 9, 2025
I don't often read thrillers; they're really hit or miss with me. And I started to think lately that I just don't really like them, with only a few exceptions, after finding so many similar novels not to my taste.
My new theory is that I've just been reading boring thrillers. *This* one was one was great, and I loved it.
I got to this series from Jane Austen--as so often happens. My love for P&P and S&S, etc., led me to the Jane Austen mysteries by Stephanie Barron. (Love them.) That led me to C.S. Harris and her regency mystery series with Sebastian St. Cyr. (Also great.) Then I learned that "C.S. Harris" was actually Candace Proctor, and that under another name (with a co-writer), she had written this series. This is book 1, and I was very entertained. I shouldn't be surprised, but I'll admit I was.
Like her Sebastian St. Cyr series, this book has a well-plotted mystery, excellent action, high stakes, fantastic pacing, and, crucially, characters I quickly learn to care about. TBH, I think that's where I find other books and authors of this genre miss the mark, at least for me--I usually don't care very much about the main characters. I can't say exactly how she has done it, mind you, what the secret ingredient is. I can just point to it as something that worked for me here, like in the other series. (Sebastian is cool in that one, and I adore Hero. His doctor friend is great, too, and there are several other recurring characters I enjoy.)
In this book, I find I really like October Guinness, who is really easy to root for. And it took a few more pages, but I warmed up to Jax Alexander, too, who was cool by the end. I'm psyched for sequels.
The plot: October (Tobie) is gifted at "remote viewing," and accidentally uncovers a conspiracy. The conspiracy involves powerful, violent men and women who want to kick off a war that would be costly and destructive in every possible way, and they need to silence her. From the first page, she is in danger and overmatched. Luckily, she's not helpless. She is intelligent and brave and has skills from her years in Iraq, and she also has friends. Later, she has the support of Jax, a CIA operative.
The feel and tone of the novel is familiar to me from her other series, but this is set in (near) modern day. (Phones and spy tech have changed so much in about 15 years!) I don't usually love stories set in the present, or near the present, but this was a lot of fun. It's just a matter of time before I track down the rest of the series and get myself caught up.
Recommended for people who like fun things.
My new theory is that I've just been reading boring thrillers. *This* one was one was great, and I loved it.
I got to this series from Jane Austen--as so often happens. My love for P&P and S&S, etc., led me to the Jane Austen mysteries by Stephanie Barron. (Love them.) That led me to C.S. Harris and her regency mystery series with Sebastian St. Cyr. (Also great.) Then I learned that "C.S. Harris" was actually Candace Proctor, and that under another name (with a co-writer), she had written this series. This is book 1, and I was very entertained. I shouldn't be surprised, but I'll admit I was.
Like her Sebastian St. Cyr series, this book has a well-plotted mystery, excellent action, high stakes, fantastic pacing, and, crucially, characters I quickly learn to care about. TBH, I think that's where I find other books and authors of this genre miss the mark, at least for me--I usually don't care very much about the main characters. I can't say exactly how she has done it, mind you, what the secret ingredient is. I can just point to it as something that worked for me here, like in the other series. (Sebastian is cool in that one, and I adore Hero. His doctor friend is great, too, and there are several other recurring characters I enjoy.)
In this book, I find I really like October Guinness, who is really easy to root for. And it took a few more pages, but I warmed up to Jax Alexander, too, who was cool by the end. I'm psyched for sequels.
The plot: October (Tobie) is gifted at "remote viewing," and accidentally uncovers a conspiracy. The conspiracy involves powerful, violent men and women who want to kick off a war that would be costly and destructive in every possible way, and they need to silence her. From the first page, she is in danger and overmatched. Luckily, she's not helpless. She is intelligent and brave and has skills from her years in Iraq, and she also has friends. Later, she has the support of Jax, a CIA operative.
The feel and tone of the novel is familiar to me from her other series, but this is set in (near) modern day. (Phones and spy tech have changed so much in about 15 years!) I don't usually love stories set in the present, or near the present, but this was a lot of fun. It's just a matter of time before I track down the rest of the series and get myself caught up.
Recommended for people who like fun things.
May 8, 2015
Tulane professor Henry Youngblood seeks funding for his remote viewing research project with test subjects from the wrong person. When he has October (Tobie) Guinness do an example of her remote viewing abilities, she sees documents that have just put the professor and herself in mortal danger. Professor Youngblood is burned in a fire and Tobie is running for her life. The CIA Director assigns Jax Alexander to investigate the professor's death, intending the assignment to be a punishment. Jax looks past the local police's assumption that Tobie killed the professor because she was discharged from the military due to PTSD. Rather, he realizes she is the key to what happened to the professor, but finding her while murderers are on her trail is a challenge. When they partner and recall the information from her remote viewing session, it takes them on a whirlwind race to stop a devastating large scale domestic terrorist attack.
October (Tobie) Guinness is former military suffering from PTSD who got introduced to the remote viewing program and finds she is a natural. She is smart, stronger than she thinks, and distrustful. Agent Jax Alexander comes from money, so he isn't impressed by titles or concerned about his career. This makes him look at his job differently and that shows in this investigation. Tobie has some friends who try to help her out. Two in particular stand out, Gunner who is a conspiracy guy and Colonel McClintock. Character development grew as the story progressed but took a backseat to the fast tempo of a thriller. If I could have asked for anything, it would have been just a bit more character development, but this is a common challenge in thrillers.
The setting is a battered and recovering New Orleans which evoked the aftermath of Katrina well. One scene occurs in a deserted part of town and gives the sense of a suburban ghost town. That left an impression.
The plot was interesting and Tobie barely eluding the relentless mercenaries sent after her kept the pace going. The climax definitely had some good tense moments, but it was resolved a touch too quickly. The wrap up lays the foundation for more books (which there have been two more with Tobie and Jax).
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. I liked the concept, the overall plot, the remote viewing aspects, and the characters mentioned. I have already purchased the next in the series, The Solomon Effect.
Rating: Near Perfect - Couldn't Put it down. Buy two copies, one for you and one for a friend.
Series: 1st in Jax and Tobie Thriller series
Sensuality: Some action-thriller violence and occasion swearing
Mystery Sub-genre: Thriller
Obtained Through: Personal purchase
Join me at my book blog: Mysteries and My Musings
http://www.mysterysuspence.blogspot.com/
October (Tobie) Guinness is former military suffering from PTSD who got introduced to the remote viewing program and finds she is a natural. She is smart, stronger than she thinks, and distrustful. Agent Jax Alexander comes from money, so he isn't impressed by titles or concerned about his career. This makes him look at his job differently and that shows in this investigation. Tobie has some friends who try to help her out. Two in particular stand out, Gunner who is a conspiracy guy and Colonel McClintock. Character development grew as the story progressed but took a backseat to the fast tempo of a thriller. If I could have asked for anything, it would have been just a bit more character development, but this is a common challenge in thrillers.
The setting is a battered and recovering New Orleans which evoked the aftermath of Katrina well. One scene occurs in a deserted part of town and gives the sense of a suburban ghost town. That left an impression.
The plot was interesting and Tobie barely eluding the relentless mercenaries sent after her kept the pace going. The climax definitely had some good tense moments, but it was resolved a touch too quickly. The wrap up lays the foundation for more books (which there have been two more with Tobie and Jax).
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. I liked the concept, the overall plot, the remote viewing aspects, and the characters mentioned. I have already purchased the next in the series, The Solomon Effect.
Rating: Near Perfect - Couldn't Put it down. Buy two copies, one for you and one for a friend.
Series: 1st in Jax and Tobie Thriller series
Sensuality: Some action-thriller violence and occasion swearing
Mystery Sub-genre: Thriller
Obtained Through: Personal purchase
Join me at my book blog: Mysteries and My Musings
http://www.mysterysuspence.blogspot.com/
September 10, 2009
Even though I knew it wouldn't, I was still disappointed that this title had nothing to do with Harold Saxon's Archangel network. :) That aside, I shouldn't read thrillers. The people never seem real to me (a woman with bad knees who can't run, but who can handle marshal arts?), they always have unbelievable names (October Guiness? That sounds like a type of alcohol. Jax, short for all his initials? Definite stretch.), and they always make stupid mistakes (staying in town after being told repeatedly to leave). Thrillers just frustrate me. But at least I now know that the US government was behind the terrorist attacks of September 11, just so that they could go to war and Haliburton could get government contracts. I also know that the government will go to any lengths to promote war with Iran. Anyway, silly book. The highlight was the misplaced modifier that made it appear that Tobie ate cat food. That made my day.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2021
7-7-11: I am loving this for entirely personal reasons. I grew up (well, ages 9-15, 1960-66) in New Orleans, living on Freret Street--first house off the Tulane campus--in the house that now is the Law Annex. I was and am enthralled by the city -- which is an integral character in this book. Using Google maps I am following Tobie throughout the city--revisiting my grade school (Allen) and junior high (McMain)and dozens of other streets and locations.
And the vocabulary! Neutral ground.
One of the scariest things is how normal the bad guys are (e.g., interacting with their own families).
Question: should you have to disappear, and everyone you know is in danger if you contact them, where would you go?
And the vocabulary! Neutral ground.
One of the scariest things is how normal the bad guys are (e.g., interacting with their own families).
Question: should you have to disappear, and everyone you know is in danger if you contact them, where would you go?
December 27, 2010
I liked this--all the thrillers of this sort that I've seen have been in my public library, where someone has a taste for espionage novels written by neo-cons where the moral is "get dem rag-headed commies." Boy is this an antidote to that. Since I'm on the same side of the political fence as the C.S. Graham (hint: not neo-con), I enjoyed this. If "get dem rag-heads" is your general outlook on life, then don't read it. Actually, do.
The plot was a little predictable, and somewhat similar to the first St. Cyr book. I look forward to seeing where the author takes these characters and will download the next book soon.
The plot was a little predictable, and somewhat similar to the first St. Cyr book. I look forward to seeing where the author takes these characters and will download the next book soon.
August 31, 2008
Somewhat enjoyable/exciting story. What I did not like about it is the political agenda C.S. pushes.
May 21, 2010
I love the St. Cyr series, and thought the other books by the author would be as good. The plot was too convoluted, characters stiff and emotionless, action predictable.
April 1, 2011
Remote-viewing, not great writing
May 18, 2012
An okay thriller. Nothing special.
May 26, 2023
3.5-4 stars
Set in New Orleans in 2008, it's still almost shocking to hear about the changes in NOLA after Hurricane Katrina. I lived in Cajun Country Louisiana in the 80s, and with a major in broadcast journalism and internships at the local TV station, I worked my share of hurricanes.
Anyway, this book is more about remote viewing (or RV), which is festinating, terrifying, and slightly titillating. The "giggle factor" as one character calls it. We've heard about it. We might have read about it, but in this book, October "Tobie" is able to do RV with a tunning 80% accuracy. Which is the whole reason that the PhD working with her sets off a government contractor (aka "mercenaries") company that wants to hide what it's really doing.
Tobie, of course, becomes the target. And who's going to believe her? That's the catch. But Jax does end up believing her - and protecting her. And helping her to uncover the conspiracy. But not until after a lot of dead bodies start piling up. How Tobie manages to escape half of what happens must mean she's got some real luck on her side.
Interesting how politics enters in... and then again, not that surprising or shocking. The philosophy behind it is, though. (Trying to trigger the Rapture of the Bible? Like God would ever allow anyone to push His timeline! Ha!)
I've read this author's Sebastian St. Cyr series under her other pen name. That series is much longer than the Tobie/Jax series, so I take it that perhaps this series wasn't sustainable. We'll see. I'm interested enough to read the next book in the Tobie/Jax line.
Set in New Orleans in 2008, it's still almost shocking to hear about the changes in NOLA after Hurricane Katrina. I lived in Cajun Country Louisiana in the 80s, and with a major in broadcast journalism and internships at the local TV station, I worked my share of hurricanes.
Anyway, this book is more about remote viewing (or RV), which is festinating, terrifying, and slightly titillating. The "giggle factor" as one character calls it. We've heard about it. We might have read about it, but in this book, October "Tobie" is able to do RV with a tunning 80% accuracy. Which is the whole reason that the PhD working with her sets off a government contractor (aka "mercenaries") company that wants to hide what it's really doing.
Tobie, of course, becomes the target. And who's going to believe her? That's the catch. But Jax does end up believing her - and protecting her. And helping her to uncover the conspiracy. But not until after a lot of dead bodies start piling up. How Tobie manages to escape half of what happens must mean she's got some real luck on her side.
Interesting how politics enters in... and then again, not that surprising or shocking. The philosophy behind it is, though. (Trying to trigger the Rapture of the Bible? Like God would ever allow anyone to push His timeline! Ha!)
I've read this author's Sebastian St. Cyr series under her other pen name. That series is much longer than the Tobie/Jax series, so I take it that perhaps this series wasn't sustainable. We'll see. I'm interested enough to read the next book in the Tobie/Jax line.
December 1, 2021
Reading this, I was constantly struck by a weird sense of familiarity - Pelican Brief anyone? This book, written a decade or so ago is, to an extent, kind of ahead of its time. But now, since we have witnessed all these shadowy government shenanigans constantly in the press the book suddenly seems trite, try too hard, and been there done that.
The writing was abrupt, shifting from character to character, with all too brief chapters to barely give us a glimpse before we move on. And all the bad guys, guns for hire, were basically the same character; shallow, one note and discardable.
Our main characters were little better, Jax is a cardboard James Bond, and yes, he's given a back story but he's so flippant and over confident that I still failed to connect with him. And Tobie, other than her remote viewing ability is nothing but a device by the authors so that Jax gets to explain to her constantly (and therefore to the readers) what is actually going on. Her continual 'luck' at evading the bad guys had me rolling my eyes.
This choppy read has suffered from a glut in the market of similar books (even though I think technically given its release date it was well ahead of the pack) - and unfortunately those books have pace, well developed characters and a plot that feels more than the one note offering provided here.
The writing was abrupt, shifting from character to character, with all too brief chapters to barely give us a glimpse before we move on. And all the bad guys, guns for hire, were basically the same character; shallow, one note and discardable.
Our main characters were little better, Jax is a cardboard James Bond, and yes, he's given a back story but he's so flippant and over confident that I still failed to connect with him. And Tobie, other than her remote viewing ability is nothing but a device by the authors so that Jax gets to explain to her constantly (and therefore to the readers) what is actually going on. Her continual 'luck' at evading the bad guys had me rolling my eyes.
This choppy read has suffered from a glut in the market of similar books (even though I think technically given its release date it was well ahead of the pack) - and unfortunately those books have pace, well developed characters and a plot that feels more than the one note offering provided here.
June 12, 2025
pretty good book
I’ve read quite a few of this author’s work using a pseudonym. The plot was straightforward, and the pacing was excellent. It was very exciting in several places.
The information seemed to come too easily to our two main characters so that while I felt there was a mystery to be solved, there wasn’t a lot of suspense, but rather more action. And that certainly makes for an exciting read.
I did not feel that the character development was especially strong; October and Jax seem to have less dimension than characters in her other books.
For this kind of book, for this genre, it stood up against the test of other writers of the same kind of work. In fact, I felt it was probably a little more sophisticated than some of the books that are out there by authors who are well known, and may even have had movie deals based on their books. It was well written and well structured. The research Graham put into establishing the storyline is quite evident. And the threat both domestic and foreign, seems to be just as relevant today as the day this book was first published.
It’s a pretty good read; I think most readers will enjoy it if this is their genre of choice.
I’ve read quite a few of this author’s work using a pseudonym. The plot was straightforward, and the pacing was excellent. It was very exciting in several places.
The information seemed to come too easily to our two main characters so that while I felt there was a mystery to be solved, there wasn’t a lot of suspense, but rather more action. And that certainly makes for an exciting read.
I did not feel that the character development was especially strong; October and Jax seem to have less dimension than characters in her other books.
For this kind of book, for this genre, it stood up against the test of other writers of the same kind of work. In fact, I felt it was probably a little more sophisticated than some of the books that are out there by authors who are well known, and may even have had movie deals based on their books. It was well written and well structured. The research Graham put into establishing the storyline is quite evident. And the threat both domestic and foreign, seems to be just as relevant today as the day this book was first published.
It’s a pretty good read; I think most readers will enjoy it if this is their genre of choice.
March 21, 2019
This was an over-the-top read in every way. Light, action-filled, with characters who were interesting to follow on their journeys but who didn't take themselves too seriously.
I enjoy the concept of remote viewing, and I thought The Men Who Stare at Goats was an excellent movie, so I picked this up hoping for more of the same. And while I thought the plot of The Archangel Project was decent, it also felt very formulaic and superficial. The bad guys were stereotypical (and not terribly bright) and the action scenes much too pat and convenient. I also never felt like the main characters were in any real danger. It seemed pretty clear how the books was going to end, and sure enough, the ending offered no surprises.
Still, this was a fun escapist read and as long as you can turn off your critical brain for a bit, you'll enjoy this one.
I enjoy the concept of remote viewing, and I thought The Men Who Stare at Goats was an excellent movie, so I picked this up hoping for more of the same. And while I thought the plot of The Archangel Project was decent, it also felt very formulaic and superficial. The bad guys were stereotypical (and not terribly bright) and the action scenes much too pat and convenient. I also never felt like the main characters were in any real danger. It seemed pretty clear how the books was going to end, and sure enough, the ending offered no surprises.
Still, this was a fun escapist read and as long as you can turn off your critical brain for a bit, you'll enjoy this one.
August 4, 2017
Fast-paced and quite entertaining.
I tend to avoid conspiracy thrillers these days as I often find the plots just too over the top. (Or maybe I just read too many of them back in the '60s and '70s...)
I picked this one up because one of the authors writes one of my favorite historical mystery series. I wanted to see what she could do in a modern setting.
Full points to the authors for crafting a fairly plausible plot and very likable main characters.
I've got the next one on hold at the library.
I tend to avoid conspiracy thrillers these days as I often find the plots just too over the top. (Or maybe I just read too many of them back in the '60s and '70s...)
I picked this one up because one of the authors writes one of my favorite historical mystery series. I wanted to see what she could do in a modern setting.
Full points to the authors for crafting a fairly plausible plot and very likable main characters.
I've got the next one on hold at the library.
October 16, 2020
Good story
If ever there were a way to make improbable conspiracy theories plausible, this would probably be one of them. The cold war used to provide most of the fuel for international intrigue and espionage tales, now, apparently, it's the Middle East and 9/11 doing the heavy lifting. Welcome to the 21st century. As always with this author, the major premise is well researched, which makes the whole story more believable in my opinion. The characters are well formed and complex. I found it to be an entertaining read.
If ever there were a way to make improbable conspiracy theories plausible, this would probably be one of them. The cold war used to provide most of the fuel for international intrigue and espionage tales, now, apparently, it's the Middle East and 9/11 doing the heavy lifting. Welcome to the 21st century. As always with this author, the major premise is well researched, which makes the whole story more believable in my opinion. The characters are well formed and complex. I found it to be an entertaining read.
July 7, 2024
Great plot
Loved the plot. Only content that stood out as not current for the time frame the events took place is the use of the cellphone. Early Smartphones were around during the novels time setting so the likelihood that anyone snapped his/her phone closed is limited. While this didn't take away from the story, it's a nit that doesn't fit with the time. I had to get over this as snapping a phone closedhappened in almost every chapter
Loved the plot. Only content that stood out as not current for the time frame the events took place is the use of the cellphone. Early Smartphones were around during the novels time setting so the likelihood that anyone snapped his/her phone closed is limited. While this didn't take away from the story, it's a nit that doesn't fit with the time. I had to get over this as snapping a phone closedhappened in almost every chapter
October 27, 2024
2.5/5 ⭐️
i can appreciate the anti-war sentiments, but it’s really heavy handed and other than that, this wasn’t that great. tobie is shockingly stupid (“oh i can’t use my credit card because im running from the police! i guess i could just use an atm!” girl be serious). and i will never get away from a male author describing the female character’s boobs.
i can appreciate the anti-war sentiments, but it’s really heavy handed and other than that, this wasn’t that great. tobie is shockingly stupid (“oh i can’t use my credit card because im running from the police! i guess i could just use an atm!” girl be serious). and i will never get away from a male author describing the female character’s boobs.
January 21, 2025
Sometimes Good comes from something Bad
At the beginning of the story Tobie has had a rough time in the army and receives a psychological discharge and a damaged leg from friendly fire. But the story doesn't end there. I finished this book in two days and look forward to the next book in the series. It is well written and plausible. And tied up with a big red bow...
At the beginning of the story Tobie has had a rough time in the army and receives a psychological discharge and a damaged leg from friendly fire. But the story doesn't end there. I finished this book in two days and look forward to the next book in the series. It is well written and plausible. And tied up with a big red bow...
May 7, 2025
This one is OMG good! there are multiple POVs, which sometimes makes it confusing, but Graham does a great job of partitioning the various storylines. By the end of the book I was bouncing on my seat sweating; not entirely sure tha good guys would win!
I will definitely be looking for more of October and Jax!
I will definitely be looking for more of October and Jax!
August 9, 2025
I love a good mystery and intrigue. This one was the first of more to come. Well written. Government spies, outside spies with one woman (Tobie) and one man (Jax) to not only save New Orleans but also the Vice President. Fast moving with many twist and turns. Few bombings here and there. A definite good read!!
August 19, 2025
A new author for me and I have to say I absolutely loved this book! I loved the realness of the characters (and there were a lot of them). The female protagonist is very relatable. Put into scary situations she is vulnerable and surprise, surprise reacts like a scared person would. Well written and fast paced with a lot of detail. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
December 28, 2018
I thought this book was great. I liked the differences between the two main characters, the adventure, and the plot. This was the first time in a long time that I actually looked up the sequel and put it on my to-read list. I'm excited to continue the story of Jax and Tobie!
April 26, 2020
A page turner
I couldn't put it down, was awake till 2:50am wanting to see how it ended. Great story. I can't wait to read the other two books in the series, and hope the author writes more for this character.
I couldn't put it down, was awake till 2:50am wanting to see how it ended. Great story. I can't wait to read the other two books in the series, and hope the author writes more for this character.
May 15, 2020
Remote viewing is still a fantasy to me, thus this is shelf as “fantasy”!
I do find that the authors’ habit of killing villains too convenient and lazy, it’s like video games where you just blast off the bad guys!
I do find that the authors’ habit of killing villains too convenient and lazy, it’s like video games where you just blast off the bad guys!
July 23, 2021
Good adventure read...I liked the relationships between the characters, as well as the action/adventure vibe... though as with many books in this genre, conspiracy theories abound. Not that it stopped me enjoying the book, far from it.
January 18, 2024
Exciting!
Tobie has a skill that is laughed at by many. She received a psycho discharge from the military for this skill. But her skill is real and people are trying to kill her. Also more people are going to die.
Tobie has a skill that is laughed at by many. She received a psycho discharge from the military for this skill. But her skill is real and people are trying to kill her. Also more people are going to die.
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