The Point of a Gun

by Steven W. Kohlhagen

In the near future, America is experiencing a dramatic increase in terrorist attacks---by jihadists, White supremacists, and Mexican cartels. In the face of these failures by the U.S. Government intelligence and law enforcement bureaucracies, an ad hoc vigilante effort has exploded on the scene. And, surprisingly, this shadowy and deadly vigilante group appears to be led by one of the U.S. Government's most senior and trusted Counterterrorism (CT) insiders. The President convenes a top secret Task Force to investigate and uncover who is spearheading this rogue, inner circle operation.  Is it his CIA CT rep? The FBI Special Agent in Charge of CT? Or maybe it's the Army's Senior Special Ops CT expert. Boldly, the President decides to place all three on his Investigative Task Force, hoping to draw out the guilty party or parties, and put an end to the spiraling violence and chaos. Will his gamble pay off ? Or will things spin even further out of control. As the story careens full throttle in parallel between the thrilling action of the vigilantes’ frequent murders of terrorists in the act and the attempts by the senior CT officials to discover the rogues’ identities, neither the reader, the President, the innocent Task Force members, nor, ultimately, the President’s hired top secret investigator knows the real identities of the vigilante leaders.

As they close in, the murders---both terrorist and vigilante--ratchet up. The questions then become: what are the risks to America if the public gets wind of the vigilante murders? and what does the president intend to do with the vigilantes if, in fact, they are found alive?

Steven W. Kohlhagen, bestselling author of WHERE THEY BURY YOU and CHIEF OF THIEVES, has set a new standard for terrorist novels and action-packed thrillers. Don´t miss it!

 

378 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 8, 2017

About the author

Steve Kohlhagen is a novelist, a former Economics professor at the University of California, Berkeley, a retired Wall Street investment banker, and is on several corporate boards, most recently elected to the board of Freddie Mac.
His new, contemporary terrorist thriller, "The Point of a Gun," is available in June 2017, published by Edition Barenklau.
He and his wife Gale jointly published the murder mystery “Tiger Found” under their pen name Steven Gale in 2008. It was republished by Sunstone Press as "Vanished."
Kohlhagen was inspired to write his first historical fiction Western novel “Where They Bury You” after reading Hampton Sides’ “Blood and Thunder,” a non-fiction history of Kit Carson and the West. Sides’ reporting of the factual murder of Marshal Joseph Cummings on August 18, 1863 led Kohlhagen to conduct further research on Carson and Cummings, including at the National Archives.
His two Westerns, "Where They Bury You," and the sequel, "Chief of Thieves," were published in English by Sunstone Press and in German by Edition Barenklau.
He and Gale divide their time between the New Mexico-Colorado border high in the San Juan Mountains and Charleston, South Carolina.

Reviews

[Rohit Enghakat · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot is about a mole in the top echelons of USA's national security team, one of the five teams reporting to the President, who conducts extra-judicial killings of terrorists and anti-social elements posing a threat to the national security, a la vigilante style along with a team. The whole book is about finding out who the secret spy is and the motive behind the killings. The climax is predictable and more than half-way through the book, the identity becomes almost apparent.

The plot is decent although it becomes a bit of a drag at places when the characters keep on guessing about the unknown mole in their midst. The instances where the vigilantes embark on their missions (which is a bit too many) is interesting. However, I felt that number of these missions could have been curtailed and the length of the book could have been reduced. At some places, I felt it could have been edited better.

Cannot say that this is one of the best thrillers read.

[Jane Shambler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an extremely powerful novel and the first I have read from this author. Getting to know characters are slim at best because the action is non stop and involving several government agencies and so many different terrorist groups. The characters tend to know each other by code names and the terrorists groups are often defeated before they have a chance to apply their trade as such.


It is set in America in the near future and moves from state to state as information is gathered. The attacks are happening daily and the need of groups required to do what law enforcement are unable to do due to the law. These groups are in essence clearing up the terrorist groups that the government can not be seen to be targeting. I would say Kohlhagen is kind of very critical of the present day anti terrorism programme's, as being not enough. In this book the groups are kind of judge and jury. Vigilante groups but the results are surprisingly positive.


I know I should come away from the book feeling it is wrong to play judge and jury when we do have laws in place to deal with these people. But his idea is so effective that I can not see the wrong in it although I know I am wrong thinking it.


We live in a world where human life is regarded as easily disposed off. Scary thought you could go for a coffee and not return home due to a bomb. These groups prevent that. The book is very fast paced and there is a reality there that caused me to pause. With all the government posturing and backstabbing is it a wonder that a group of maybe low government officers group together to perform the tasks others are either unable or unwilling to do.


Would I recommend this? YES without a doubt. Enjoy!


*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*

[Chessy The Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samms is the head of a vigilante, anti-terrorist group operating on American soil outside the purview of and to the consternation of the US government. All evidence points to the group having someone on the inside of the intelligence community at a very high level. The President has asked that a secret task force be brought together of the most likely suspects in hopes that the others will out him or her. The group was quickly narrowed down to the CIA Counterterrorism (CT) representative, the FBI Special Agent in Charge of CT, and the Army’s Senior Special Ops CT expert.

Meanwhile, Samms’ group continue to stop numerous acts of violence against the US as the government ignores the threats. The President and his top advisor are doing everything they can to keep a lid on the vigilante groups’ activities. If news leaked out there could be numerous copycat attacks on innocent Americans, and the embarrassment of the government being caught with its pants down.

Samms’ group has access to the same information as the government ABC agencies. The government agencies are restricted by layers upon layers of bureaucracy that keep each other from sharing information. Somehow, Samms’ group can pull that all together and are able to stop terrorist acts before or as they are unfolding. And, the government belittles every attempt by Samms to get them to take the action themselves.

The secret task force can’t seem to discover the identity of Samms, so the President hires a top-secret investigator. Terrorists don’t take holidays and the number of potential attacks continues to drive Samms group into action. Samms’ calling card is left at every mission. What will the President do with the vigilantes if found?

Kohlhagen’s novel, The Point Of A Gun, is a political thriller full of misdirection and cleverly laid clues. It is a fast-paced, heart-stopping tale. The characters are fully developed and likable, well, except for Moose. Nobody likes Moose. The story flows well and the end is satisfying. It is an engaging read and very hard to put down.

Colonel Edwards brought his deputy into his confidence in a meeting with Nancy. The deputy never shows up again in the book. So, I am at a loss as to why there was so much discussion with him at all. Then there was the mention of Cheese having a girlfriend outside of the group, but a lot of seemingly harmless affection exchanged between him and May. Not sure where this was supposed to go.

I really did enjoy the book and would highly recommend it to anyone who likes conspiracy thrillers.

4 out of 5 stars.

I received this book for free from the author for review consideration. This in no way affected my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read from this author. It will not be my last one. Wow. This book is strong.

Even with all of the different agencies and many voices, it was easy to keep them all clear and separate from one another. There is nothing worse then having too many characters that after a while start to sound the same. Plus, everyone in the story had a purpose.

You know a book is going to be good when within the first couple of pages there is a body. It will not be the last one as the body count rises. My vote is for the vigilantes and I am not talking Batman. Good or bad, they were juror and judge. I like strong female characters like Samms. Oh and I have to mention that there is a character named "Cheese". Yes, please.

This book has so much action. You combine this with a great storyline and characters and you get a winning combination with an outcome called "The Point of a Gun."

[Maxwell Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Point of a Gun by Steven W. Kohlhagen is must read for fans of thrillers and expansive conspiracy stories. With action all over the country, SWK guides his readers through a world where a vigilante group has grown fed up with the US government's failure to quell terror cells all over the country.

A roller coaster thriller from start to finish. Don't start this book if you have something to do in the next few hours; you won't be able to put it down!

[Wesley Britton · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Point of a Gun is one of those thrillers that is so fast-paced, all the moving parts come and go so quickly that readers will learn very little about any of the individual characters.

The setting is an America in the near future where terrorist attacks seem to happen nearly every day. Jihadists, white supremacists, and Mexican cartels all have different agendas but have very similar modus operandi—using guns or bombs to kill and terrorize Americans.

To counter this endless array of deadly cells and lone wolves, a group of self-appointed vigilantes has gathered to strike at terrorists with equally deadly force before they can act. That’s because the U.S. Government’s intelligence and law enforcement bureaucracies fail to deal with the threats, saying they can do nothing until something actionable takes place. The shadowy vigilantes are not so restrained, even if seemingly led by at least one senior and trusted Counterterrorism insider. How else could the teams of “Paladins” get such detailed intel on what the terrorists intend, how they intend to do it, and when?

So, on one level, we see a stream of Paladin operations as the anti-terrorists make their plans, execute them, and then escape. Many times, they kill terrorists in one state on one day, and then take out a different group across the country the next. The President and his investigators don’t know the real identities of the vigilantes and aren’t all that certain the Paladins are all that wrong. Still, the government of the U.S. can’t officially condone deadly extra-legal justice. So we see a secondary storyline of the investigators trying to bring in the vigilantes with offers of immunity from prosecution. At the same time, the government works very hard to keep the existence of the Paladins secret, not wanting the public to lionize them or copycat their methods.

The Point of a Gun isn’t a book for readers who like to get to know a novel’s characters. We meet a batch of professional chess pieces whose motivations and backstories aren’t fleshed out. The Paladins mostly know each other using code names. They’re always on the move. It’s also not a book for those who like to see detailed battles fought between the good guys and bad guys as, most of the time, the terrorists don’t see the Paladins coming and are killed before they have a chance to light a fuse or fire a gun. We know next to nothing about these terrorists who are essentially interchangeable criminals.

I’d say this is a book that might fulfill many reader’s wishes that someone out there would do what the government and law enforcement won’t, that is prevent terrorism before it happens by killing off those who would do us harm. If that’s your wish, perhaps the names and back-stories of Paladins aren’t all that necessary. Only what they can do.

In the end, I set this book down without thinking about any of the players or any particularly memorable scenes other than the very satisfying conclusion. Instead, I thought about the grim and brutal future Steven W. Kohlhagen imagines. It’s frighteningly plausible that the number and frequency of terrorist attacks could reach such horrific levels in a comparatively short time. I suspect well-coordinated and quickly implemented responses from more than qualified vigilantes is the stuff of fiction and not something Kohlhagen is prophesizing or necessarily hoping will happen. But a need for such units is well worth thinking about.


First published at BookPleasures.com on June 27, 2017:
http://www.bookpleasures.com/websitep...

[Michael Ashton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read Mr. Kohlhagen's other works, and "Where They Bury You" and "Chief of Thieves" are excellent historical novels that were a delight to read. This book is a total departure, but an expression of Mr. Kohlhagen's increasing comfort as an author of fast-paced thrillers. It's amazing to realize that Kohlhagen was a successful economist before becoming an author - most of us only get one chance at a successful career and Mr. Kohlhagen is well on his way to a second. "The Point of a Gun" is about a group of high-placed officials from the alphabet agencies (CIA, FBI, etc) who, frustrated with the ineffectual nature of the government's response to terrorism, take matters into their own hands. As they are not hamstrung by the fourth and 14th (and other) Amendments to the Constitution, these vigilantes are much more effective. One of Kohlhagen's points, I think, is that a nation which is at war with terrorists ought to act as if it is at war, differently from a nation at risk from random, unconnected, domestic terrorist threats.

But the book is not so straightforward in the illumination of that theme. Kohlhagen reveals the story line artfully, keeping hidden from the reader the dual identity of all of the vigilantes. The book is, essentially, told half from the perspective of the vigilantes and half from the perspective of the government, so that the reader is trying to figure out...along with the President and his advisors...which of these senior intelligence officials is also a vigilante. To me, it had a feel much like Mamet's "The Spanish Prisoner" and I think people who liked that work will also like this book. It is an easy read, in that the dialogue is smooth and believable and pulls the reader forward, but also intellectually stimulating because it asks the reader to try and figure out the mystery of the identity of the main protagonists.

This is a terrific book. Worth your time and money.

[Todd Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly Entertaining. There is always something special about finding a new Author that can capture your attention the way Steven W. Kohlhagen has for me. I liked the pace of this story, the diverse characters, and he’s done a great job with the plot. So it easily held my attention all the way through to the end. Which says a lot about a book. I also enjoyed that the story wasn’t centred on just one group of terrorist. It certainly made the plot quite interesting and exciting, with the amount of different ways in which the terrorists were trying to wreak havoc and cause death across America. The Intelligence services are quite surprised at the ease and skill that the vigilante attacks are being carried out around the US, against known terrorist. Whoever is doing it certainly has the skill and knowledge to carry out such a professional operation. However not everyone is thrilled that there is someone else out there carrying out their own justice, even if they are eliminating enemies of the US. Although the group of vigilantes just happen to be doing a very good job in taking out the terrorist’s before they are able to carry out their evil plans. The President is certainly sweating that the American public will find out that the Governments Intelligent services aren’t quite up to the job of protecting them. So he’s putting pressure on his Department heads to find these vigilantes and bring them to justice. I’d certainly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a really good Action Thriller.

[Kathleen Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Point of a Gun This book is about the increase in terrorist attacks—by jihadists, white
 
supremacists, and Mexican cartels, which ironically seems to be based on the events in the past 20 years or so. Right from today's news. Are we ever going to win this fight, will we be able to eradicate the terrorist threats?
 
A group of vigilantes is taking out these terrorists before they can complete their goals. These people are a select group of people with different skills and knowledge. The President of the US is determined to find out who these vigilante people are, mainly because he objects to what they are doing, but rather because they are rogue government employees and it is illegal for vigilantes to do what they are doing. The President knows that what they are doing is for the good of the US but it is still wrong.
 
I found this book to be very fast paced and character driven, a real page turner. Even though these people are vigilantes and taking things into their own hands to eliminate the terrorist threat, I had to cheer for them. The author is knowledgeable in his facts about terrorism and terrorists to different countries and ideals. I always enjoy reading a book by an author that can stick to what he knows. In The Point of a Gun, the story is an exciting thriller that will leave you thinking, is there a group out there that is really anhilating the bad guys? I would not be upset if there was. 
 
If you love a good political/mystery/thriller, then you will enjoy this book!
 
 

[William Bentrim · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Point of a Gun by Steven W. Kohlhagen

Author Kohlhagen may have an ax to grind. I don’t know that but this book is hypercritical of the current anti-terrorism programs. If he is grinding an ax I will be happy to grind with him. The bureaucratic morass of the federal government is only surpassed by the inability to cooperate for the benefit of its citizens is a theme in the book and I have to agree.

The book details a group of vigilantes who are terminating terrorist before they can successfully execute their mission. The vigilantes may or may not be highly placed government officials.

The book hits home on so many levels. Just picking up a paper and blindly chose any page and there will be a story about some bickering by our elected officials. The tweet-meister has brought a new low to lack of cooperation. One has to wonder who is running the government when all our elected officials appear to be lining up to stab each other in the back.

I liked the book even as I found it very depressingly accurate.

Web: https://www.stevenwkohlhagen.com/

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book starts at a breakneck pace and never slows down! It follows a team of government vigilantes fed up with the bureaucracy and ineptitude of the federal government who prevent terrorist attacks that intelligence agencies have missed. The action never stops, but the attacks the team attempts to prevent feel realistic instead of contrived. It was fun trying to figure the identity of the members of the team, and how the story would end. The variety of bad guys, and the locations all over the United States made the book more interesting as well.

The book is easy to follow, but it is hard to predict what will happen next. This was was entertaining, fun, and the author told a story instead of pushed a political agenda like so many other books do. I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

American is having an increase in terrorist threats all of the time. Is the government under too many restraints to keep up? A vigilante group operated by SAMMS is filling the gap. A task force is formed to find this group and soon the president and Moose, the one leading the team have decided SAMMS is one of three people on the task force. Who could it be? As time progresses the terrorists are upping their game and the four vigilantes are spreading themselves thin. Can they make a deal with the president and come in from the cold? Read to find out. Fast paced and keeps you wondering if they can stop what is about to happen.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Point of a Gun is a fast paced political thriller just perfect for a summer season full of female-driven blockbusters! The reader is asked to follow along as widespread vigilantism comes into play at top levels of the US Government, and a female head vigilante we hope to identify takes us on twisting turns in nonstop action. Fans of the genre will love this addition!

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought provoking look at terrorism, the threats and solutions. This book had me rooting for the vigilantes. Fast paced thriller with a strong female leading character and a couple of good supporting women, though Cheese was my favorite. Scary how scenes in the book mirror current events. Plot twists abound to keep the reader interested. Highly recommend.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Point of a Gun is a super interesting concept for a thriller. Dealing with terrorism and the government's seeming ineffective approach to curbing it, the book races from attack to attack as a group of vigilantes rise to curb the tide themselves.

[Books Forward · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Point of A Gun is a thriller everyone should have on their summer reading list! A nonstop, action-packed ride that will grab your attention on the first page and leave you wanting more on the last.

Thriller fans everywhere will love this tale of vigilantes and conspiracy!

[Varnika Jain · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Point of a Gun by Steven W. Kohlhagen is a political thriller showcasing vigilantism against terrorism in the face of failure of intelligent agencies and the bureaucracy. Sounds interesting, right? Not only is it an intriguing read, but by way of its storyline, it also raises pertinent questions as to how the government should react to vigilantes, whether they should be allowed a free reign for the good that they're doing, or should they be reigned in and brought to justice. The books strikes a perfect balance between two equally enthralling plots - the vigilantes hunting down of terrorists and the government's/investigators' hunt for the vigilantes. No mean task considering the vigilante group could comprise top intelligence agency insiders. All in all, a riveting page-turner!