A Touch of Defiance

Nick Bracco Thriller #5

by Gary Ponzo

From Pushcart-Prize nominated author Gary Ponzo, comes another thriller ripped right out of today’s headlines. An anti-government party called the Civil Resistance Movement is growing in popularity as tension mounts between police and civilians. The head of the CRM, Leo Frazier, has his own racist agenda which is unknown to his followers.
FBI Agent Nick Bracco and team must track down Frazier and his group of zealots before the MLK Day rally becomes ground zero for a terrorist attack. As usual, Nick turns to his Mafia-connected cousin Tommy to help search these extremists in places the FBI couldn’t navigate. The team of characters return in this thriller which will keep you riveted until the final page

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Thriller Suspense, Ebooks

239 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 3, 2017

About the author

Gary Ponzo was born in Brooklyn, but now lives in Phoenix with his wife Jennifer and two children, Jessica and Kyle. He began his writing career focusing on short stories to gain publishing credit. His stories have appeared in numerous publications including Amazing Journeys Magazine and Potpourri. Two of his stories were nominated for the very prestigious Pushcart Prize.

His first novel, "A Touch of Deceit," won the Southwest Writers Novel Contest.

Gary's Nick Bracco series has sold over 100,000 copies worldwide.

He is an avid reader, runner and loves spending time with the family.

Reviews

[Elaine Emmerick · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT A FAST PACED READ!!

This is book 5 of the Nick Bracco series and it did not disappoint! It's full of suspense, intrigue with twists and turns! I love Nick, Tommy and Matt! The storyline is believable and Gary's attention to detail is excellent! It certainly gives you something to think about. I hope there's a book 6 in the works!! BRAVO, Gary!!

[Penney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting

I m glad I discovered this Writer Gary pongo. Great writing .Good plot and good characters I was hooked from book 1

[David Dalton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good read from Gary Ponzo in the "A Touch of..." series. Not as crazy about this series as I used to be (for the first 3 books), but still a good decent thriller. Guess I am just a little disappointed that the main character, Nick, was all tied up and helpless at the end of the story and had to be rescused by someone other than his partner Matt. And Matt was the hero at the end. So why is the focus of the story on Nick? Seems to be the end of the line for Nick. Retire him so he can spend time with his family. But his days of chasing down terrorists seem to be at the end.

[Karen ReadsALot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for another Goodreads giveaway. Megalomaniac promising a new world order after the revolution, but first look the other way while I kill my most loyal followers. I have read Nick Bracco before and I was Ok that Matt, Stevie and of course Tommy took center stage. Think this should be a TV series.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads drawing.

A guy is leading a terrorist group from prison. He's got a plan to escape, and the usual incident in the works. FBI agent Nick Bracco and his mafioso cousin have to stop it, even though the AG is going after the cousin.

Could be more exciting.

[Connie Hamby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read

I really enjoyed this book like all of Nick Bracco books I can't wait till the next one Gary Ponzo rocks

[Pop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awe Gary, just a really great book. Sorry that I got sidetracked from reading your books but it won't happen again. The ending almost, well it did actually, bring tears. Thanks my friend.

[Daniella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took a while to figure out who was who but eventually became engaged enough to cry at the end.

[glitrbug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my favorite of Gary's books but still very good.

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baltimore, MD. Garvey Space Systems building/laboratory. A billionaire had financed/built the facility to help his elite colleagues build a rocket that would go to the moon.
4 guys took Amir Hassam (security guard) hostage & the leader made his demands.
IT went to work to tap into the computer system.
They decided to let Amir live.

What did FBI SA Nick Bracco (Sicilian, terrorism unit head, PTSD) come see Dominic Rizzo (Sicilian, Capelli family captain) about. He was now out on the streets after 30 yrs. in prison.
Adrian Palermo, Dante, & Marco were anxiously waiting at the gate.
A BMW roared by with a guy shooting out the window.
Nick & Dominic were not hit.
Jesse & Mitch who were in the BMW were history.
FBI SA Matt McColm (Nick’s partner), law enforcement, & prison guards were checking out the crime scene.
The Baltimore Sun headlines had the news about the break-in at the lab.
Eddie Annunziato (Tommy’s main collector), Jay Grayson (Tommy’s crew) were there to collect a debt from Jerry Stewart (husband/father, street thug).
Surprise. He didn’t get whacked. Father Ben would be babysitting Jerry for a while.
Lindsay’s (Edmondson). What were Tommy Bracco (Sicilian, Nick’s cousin, Mafioso-captain, bookie) & Dominic meeting about?
Red Ball meeting. FBI SAC Walt Jackson called to order. On MLK Day rally (Washington Monument; Lincoln Memorial) something horrible might happen.
FBI SA Bracco (husband/father), FBI SA McColm, FBI SA Sims, FBI SA Carrie Simpson (A/A), & FBI SA Stan Mosich were in attendance.
Assistant AG Keith Boman interrupted their meeting with other bad news.
What did Phil Moran (attorney) see Leo Frazier (inmate, Civil Resistance Movement CRM leader) about?
CO Arne Johnson (Baltimore CF tower prison guard), & CO Kenny Matson (Baltimore CF tower prison guard), could sense something was about to erupt in the yard.
Leo’s CRM group were steering up quite a ruckus.
Arne & Leo were hanging on to the drone rope as it took off.
CO Matson realized he should have taken a shot.

FBI SA Carrie Simpson (witness) was being interviewed.
Carl Garvey (Garvey Space Systems CEO) was explaining to the FBI group what happens when you combine chlorine trifluoride (stolen canister) & ammonium oxide.

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written crime thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great crime thriller movie, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free author; Goodreads; MakingConnections; Making Connections discussion group talk; JK Publishing; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

[Kristine Hurd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this author many years ago, then lost him. So glad I found him again with two new books. Wish he had more, but will wait for more. I still enjoyed him very much!! Thank you very much Mr. Ponzo and look forward to any new books coming.
Kristine

[Thomas A Peden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding

A fantastic book by a fabulous wordsmith.
I greatly enjoy the hours I spent reading these books by this author.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is another story in the Nick Braccio saga. This story refers to an Individual who has been captured and currently resides in prison. While there, he is hatching a plan which will cripple the Government and cause a uprising. The only individual who can stop him is Nick and his team.

The individual in prison commits a daring escape through the assistance of an unsuspecting technical wizard. This wizard has created a tool which can kill a large number of people including the President.
Once Nick captured this wizard a lot of issues becam answered.

If you enjoy stories that keep you intrigued right through the end, then I recommend this book and the entire series. To find out what happens here, buy this book.

[Paul Madsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent political who done it thriller

Another reviewer said this story was so engrossing it had to be consumed in one sitting. I agree. This plot has it all. Political intrigue, murder, conniving characters who go all out to achieve their goals. Nick Bracco is a federal law enforcement official tasked with solving potentially tragic events involving the mob, the FBI and terrorists. This saga saga is worthy of your time. It would make a great movie on the big screen. I highly recommend this author.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner in the Nick Bracco Series

If you love action-packed thrillers that keep you turning pages late into the night, Gary Ponzo’s Nick Bracco series is a must-read. All his books in this series have a perfect blend of espionage/subterfuge, suspense, and VERY high-stakes action. These books follow FBI agent Nick Bracco as he races against time to stop deadly threats. Sharp writing, relentless pacing, and well developed characters, make these books a must for people like me. This was my fifth book in the series, and each one has been outstanding!"

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a Kindle Goodreads giveaway win! Thanks to Gary Ponzo & publisher. This is my second Nick Bracco Thriller. This is #5, I read #6 a while ago, and have #4 in my Kindle. Seems I am reading the in reverse order, but I don't think it really matters, at least not to me. I really enjoy this series, it is action packed, a Page turner as they say, yet it is clean. Not a lot of swearing or gruesome violence. I like the characters!

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such good books! And easy to recall when you read one after not having read the prior ones in a while. Scary drone stuff in this book! Can it happen? They deliver packages don't they? Don't think one could break someone out of prison - that is not believable at this point! Good book! Going to read #6 now because I won it through Goodreads Giveaway Amazon Kindle!

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and worthwhile crime to be solved story involving several law enforcement departments working together to prevent the realization of threats from a domestic terrorist group. 4 stars

My thanks to goodreads and the book’s giveaway sponsors for the opportunity to obtain and read a copy of this book.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can only echo what I said about another Nick Bracco book I read. If you're into enjoyable action thrillers, you can always count on the Nick Bracco series for a good read. This book is no exception. Same great characters and lots of excitement.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.

[Courtney Sullivan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good story with a plausible plot, but there were so many characters it was hard to keep them straight. Little development for the main character Nick and a lot of the time others overshadowed him making it difficult to determine who the real main character was. I liked the action and suspense, though. It moved quickly but the confusion outweighed the plot.

[Betty Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

Defiantly awesome.

Gary Ponzo is right up there with the best writers of our time. One of the most intriguing 3 storybook readings I have read. A non-stop suspense from book 1 all through to the end of book 3. Imn ready for #4 now Gary.

[Ramona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful and well written book. I would highly recommend this book to everyone who likes thrillers. I look forward to reading more books by this author. I won this book through a giveaway on Goodreads website.

[Robbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a while since I read a Nick Bracco book and I forgot how intense they can get. I always enjoy the characters, the action is always beyond the speed limit and I'm always glad I read it. I rate this one 5 stars.

[Beverly Duckworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of A Touch of Defiance

I won this book from Goodreads after reading I am to review. This was my first book by Gary Ponzo and Nick Bracco. The book did not disappoint the events in the book are very current.

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodreads Kindle Copy Win

Nick finds himself trying to stop a zealous group on MLK who are plotting a terrorist attack. This is another quick paced thriller that will keep you on the edge as he tries to save the world. A must read for fans of this FBI agent.

[Diane Hassler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodreads giveaway

Great story. Keeps the reader engaged from beginning to end. The characters are very intertwined. Criminal minds and the average people that get manipulated by a madman.

[Kathleen Babb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great read. I read all the Alex Cross books and now I have to add all the Nick Bracco books to my list of must reads. The author brings the characters to life and make you feel a part of the intrigue. Once you start the book, you will want to keep reading to the very end.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Non-stop intrigues

I enjoyed the interaction between well established characters. I could actually believe the decision making. I loved the resolution at the end.

[Mary Jean Lowery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read.

Followed the frustration of Bracco through the whole book. Outlined the evils of prejudices that exist in the world. We are the solution.

[john nugent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

Excellent read-- ripped from the headlines ---one of my favorite new authors --exciting from start to finish-- never a dull moment