The Jefferson Legacy

Harvey Bennett #4

by Nick Thacker

ASIN B074LC65KX moved to the most recent edition

Meriwether Lewis was murdered because he knew a secret.

...A deadly secret.

From the author that brought you the best-selling Harvey Bennett Thrillers series, The Jefferson Legacy is the newest installment in the series, and the first featuring the fully formed "Civilian Special Operations" team.

Harvey Bennett is back.

Ben and his new team are hard at work putting the finishing touches on their "Civilian Special Operations" headquarters, when they get a call: there's been a murder, and a theft of a seemingly insignificant artifact.

The team heads to Philadelphia to meet up with the modern-day American Philosophical Society, to talk about the robbery and see if they can offer help.

...soon, bullets begin to fly. Apparently the APS has been keeping secrets that point all the way back to the nation's Founding Fathers.

Genres: Thriller, Adventure, Fiction, Amazon, Mystery, Action, Mystery Thriller

476 pages, ebook

First published August 28, 2017

About the author

Nick Thacker is a thriller author from Texas who lives in Hawaii. In his free time, he enjoys reading in a hammock on the beach, skiing, drinking whiskey, and hanging out with his beautiful wife, two dogs, and two daughters. 
For more information, visit Nick online at www.nickthacker.com


In addition to his fiction work, Nick is the founder and lead of Sonata & Scribe, the only music studio focused on producing “soundtracks” for books and series. Find out more at www.SonataAndScribe.com.

Reviews

[Suzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Off to a very slow start though it got better. The book never really took off though and the author didn't fully finish the story, opting to work the rest into the next adventure book. I had a hard time getting the 'bad guys' and why they were doing what they were doing and how they had the scientific resources to produce a drug for their employer.

My biggest quibble is that the author spent too much time reinforcing the things that happened to the characters in the early books . Over and over. As someone that read two of the earlier books, I didn't need any of that background. As a new reader, I would have only needed it once to understand, yet the characters and their relationships and previous experience were brought up constantly.

I liked the Enigma Strain and Ice Chasm much more. This seemed less edited and not fully formed.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed all four books I have read in this series so far. They are both action packed and cerebral. A hint of Indiana Jones, National Treasure, and The DaVinci Code all come to mind when reading the Harvey Bennet series. This one packed a real wallop and lets the reader know the author isn’t afraid to ‘go there’ near the end. A great entertaining read in my opinion.

[myreadingescapism · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️

[Candy Mayer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just not that good. Plot is farfetched, writing OK, but the people are always getting captured and doing stupid things.

[Joe Geesin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cracking story, albeit with a sad ending. Left open for the plot to continue, and largely well written; I wasn't sure about the change of styles between the 'then and now' segments towards the start and the situations jumped around a little too much. But thoroughly enjoyable and leaves you wanting the next installment. The historical parts are fascinating and captivating and add to the intrigue.

[Don LeClair · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the second Thacker book with this cast of characters. I was really looking forward to seeing the team in action again, but was kind of disappointed. Considering the number of characters with military backgrounds and weapons, it was remarkable that the protagonists managed to accomplish almost nothing, fight very little, and look almost totally useless in the process. I wonder if this is about to become a part of series or a trilogy. If this is just the opener it might be OK - there is hope for more in the next story.

[Marie Markham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Nick Thacker delights. I love this type of book - it's intelligent and fun as well as having an historical aspect which usually means we learn something. The plot was well thought out and driven very successfully by the characters, who I really was impressed with. In some books, the characters are flat and the plot is great. But Nick is a master at making both the characters and the plot interesting and you hate to have to put the book down or finish it.....
Looking forward to my next Nick Thacker adventure!

[Cindy B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

entertaining read…

Intrigue and evil abroad made for an interesting storyline and characters — good and not. Clear and well done narration in audio version. 3-1/2⭐️⭐️⭐️🔅

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/11/1809, Lucius had his orders to carry out.
Griner (proprietor) was selling whiskey to the Indians.
Anchorage, AL. Mr. E. & Mrs. E. were the Civilian Special Operations (CSO) co. owners. Reggie, Joshua Jefferson (group leader), Gareth Red, & Harvey “Ben” Bennett (ex-park ranger) all worked & had a stake in CSO.

Juliette “Julie” Richardson (Harvey’s fiancé) was kind of the chief cook/bottle washer.
Their 1st mission is Information-gathering.
Gloria Rutherford Braxton (widow) body was found dead in her home.
The local police claim she O/D.
Ms. Monique Delacroix had paid Ms. Braxton in cash for some mineral rights.
Philadelphia, PA. American Philosophical Society (APS). A leather-bound Lewis & Clark Expedition journal had been stolen.
Dr. Daris Johansson (Curator, APA president, U of Ohio; PhD, U of Texas; American history, MS; anthropology, MS; NA history) greeted the team.

Darius finally fessed up that she was not the curator or even worked in this building.
The missing journal had been told to her second hand.
FBI SA Roger Derrick (grandson) just happened to show up.
Darius was nowhere to be found.
The Hawk, Captain Vicente Garza, Morrison (2nd commander, retired US Army Sergeant,
sniper), Joseph Mikel, & several others worked for Ravenshadow security co.

What were they up to?

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 dual timeline adventure 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 large set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great adventure movie, or better yet a mini TV series. To be continued. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free author; Turtleshell Press; EBookDaily; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

[Carlos Mock · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Jefferson Legacy (Harvey Bennett #4) by Nick Thacker

Book four in the Harvey (Ben) Bennett series is a stand-alone book. You don't need to read the first three to be tortured by the fourth in the series - with more to come.

Harvey (Ben) Bennett, Juliette (Julie) Richardson, Gareth (Reggie) Red, and Joshua Jefferson work or Mr. ad Mrs. E's Civilian Special Operations (CSO). They are in Alaska, on Ben's cabin which is being remodeled by the CSO to serve as their headquarters. Pending nuptials between Ben and Julie are interrupted by two murders associated with the American Philosophical Society (APS).

Daris Johansson, president of the APS, goes on Good Morning America with a theory that the Louisiana Purchase was funded with gold from the Spanish - a shipwreck - and not by money from the US Treasury. as Thomas Jefferson was supposed to do.

Apparently, Meriwether Lewis - from the Lewis and Clark Expedition had hidden a treasure somewhere in Montana. The book sets the CSO agents against Ravenshadow - a special unit team lead by Vicente Garza - The Hawk - as they try to find and retrieve the treasure.

Narrated from the third-person point of view, the book is extremely boring. The plot is slow and not realistic. The characters are two-dimensional and I never got engaged. It was not easy to read because I was bored most of the time. I don't recommend the series and I'm glad I did not waste my time with the first three books, as the author recommended - even if they are free to read.

[Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

An OK Story

This was an OK story and the parts fit well together. However, I find it hard to believe the secret remained such a secret for over 200 years. In all that time, no one ever saw what Capt, Lewis saw? At any rate, it’s a story, not actual history, so I guess we will let that slide. What I will not let slide is a very obvious misstatement of actual, verifiable history. In Chapter 80, Mr. Thacker claims Thomas Jefferson was the second US president, when every half-attentive school child knows he was the THIRD president, following Washington as first and John Adams as second. The latter chapters were also rife with errors, mainly misspellings that a spell-checker would not recognize as wrong. Sloppy. Just sloppy. I contend that any author who lets such obvious garbage slip by holds his or her readers in disdain and contempt, figuring they will never catch the mistakes or give a care if they do. Wrong, Mr. Watson. It’s the details that matter.

Anyway, read this at your own peril. I tried reading the Amazon something, the second book in this series and could not finish it. No, I would not finish it and waste my time. I have another of the series on my Kindle. I think I will shelve it on the “Something to read during a particularly fierce blizzard when I’ve read everything else” shelf.

[Bonnie Dale Keck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kindle Unlimited, although had The Enigma Strain and The Amazon Code didn't have Ice Chasm so thru kindle unlimited to get the 3 pack Harvey Bennett Thrillers: Books 1-3 (Harvey Bennett Thrillers Box Set) .Even if hadn't gotten 'free' with ku, well worth the time to read, and not my usual genre {more mystery less thriller} but enjoyed them. Also used ku to read Killer Thrillers: 3 Bestselling Novels which has the this one but also has The Golden Crystal and The Depths in that 3 set. Glimpse a New World short collection has one of his stories also.

Meriwether Lewis was murdered because he knew a secret. ...A deadly secret. Harvey Bennett is back. Ben and his new team are hard at work putting the finishing touches on their "Civilian Special Operations" headquarters, when they get a call: there's been a murder, and a theft of a seemingly insignificant artifact. The team heads to Philadelphia to meet up with the modern-day American Philosophical Society, to talk about the robbery and see if they can offer help. ...soon, bullets begin to fly. Apparently the APS has been keeping secrets that point all the way back to the nation's Founding Fathers.


Kindle Unlimited, Enigma Strain, Amazon Code, Ice Chasm, Jefferson Legacy

[Marietta Slater · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 4 of the Harvey Bennett series and this is the first one that I have read. The author does a great job with characters and events that have been introduced in previous books. This book reminds me of Clive Cussler books where an event in history is introduced and then switch to present day; however, the way that Thacker does it seems a little disjointed at times. This is one of the reasons it is getting 4 stars instead of 5. I know that this is called a thriller. I guess my definition of thriller is different than others as I do not classify this as a thriller..an action packed book, yes, but not a thriller.
Ben's group (the Civilian Special Operators) are called to solve a theft In Philadelphia at the American Philosophical Society's headquarters. The group soon have to deal with bullets and all kinds of secrets...secrets that go back to Thomas Jefferson.
Bottom line: Do I want to read other books in this series? I will read at least one more and then decide.

[Clinton Sites · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another hit from this author

Just to be honest, I picked this one up out of a selection and somehow managed to skip the intervening two adventures.

This novel can be read stand alone and is still engaging. The characters are very well drawn, and have grown as a group (given I missed numbers two and three) and more three dimensional. There is enough back story given (in thought and personal interactions) to cause this to happen naturally in the storyline.

The storyline itself has its basis in historical fact (which always makes for a great basis) which allows for a great conspiracy theory to be constructed.
My only plaint would be the final few chapters where the whole shebazzle is wrapped up were not as strong compared to the preceding chapters.

Final analysis - lotta bang for your reading pleasure!

[John Georgiou · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series is going downhill fast. I should have stopped on book 3 when things went from almost believable to impossible. This book is yet another installement of improbable meets impossible. The headstrong idiocy of one of the main characters has not been tempered by experience, and seemingly the rest of the group has learnt nothing either, following / allowing this character to rush into situations with zero planning.

The improbable "secret team" that this group represents seemingly has no access to manpower or other resources and they stumble from one improbable situation to the next.
The story is too disjointed with too many holes in the plot to make me want to read any more of this series. There are some instances where the story is good, but the absolute lack of any kind of login in other parts destroys any sembelance of a good story.

[Kat (Ginger Bibliophile on YouTube) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to enjoy this as much as the previous novels, but it was just too outlandish. We’re supposed to be shocked that a politician used his money and position to do something crooked to increase his money and power? Yeah, only toddlers and those with a negative IQ are shocked by that. And the legacy? A conspiracy lacking proof that a president was crooked. 60% in we know all the players involved, exactly what the conspiracy is, where the perpetrator is (on tv selling her book detailing said not shocking conspiracy) and about the thugs she hired to help her. The only interesting part is why she hired thugs that really aren’t necessary as only one incompetent FBI agent was after her on his own time, where the drug they use on their victims cane from, and how to get back Ben’s girlfriend from em.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Jefferson Legacy - a review by Rosemary Kenny

Harvey 'Ben' Bennett's latest adventure, The Jefferson Legacy by Nick Thacker, starts in a rather disjointed way imho, with a convoluted series of flashbacks for MC 'Reggie' to his involvement with the new CEO Team's current Nemesis, 'The Hawk', who's been hired by a manaical woman in a deadly mission.

The current holder of the famous former President's name, Joshua, is part of the team and plays an integral part in finding the eponymous Legacy - and rescuing the entrapped Juliette (Julie) from the nefarious mercenary leader and his evil henchmen.

Needless to say, the Team (sans one), emerge - admittedly bruised, battered and wounded in two cases - to look towards a healthier, happier future, as Ben and Julie plan their wedding and, no doubt, another danger and exciting mission ahead!

[Alan Marston · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were times when I wondered whether I would complete this book, on occasions it became very wordy as the author put in explanations for actions and plan making that became quite involved. In the end, however, I was pleased that I stuck with it. The plot did come across as a little far fetched, but made for a lively read.
We were introduced to a particularly nasty specimen called The Hawk, and his violent and sadistic henchman, Morrison. Their interest is in a liquid derived from a plant, one which can cause people to become very obedient, no matter what is asked of them.
I do like Harvey Bennett with his emotions and sincerity, even though his hot headedness can cause him almost as much pain as his protagonists. I would have moved on to the next in the series, but it does not follow up the end of this story, so may have to wait awhile before I get round to it.

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Rollinsesque read, Thacker’s best to date! What appeared to be a one off with Thacker’s writing of The Enigma Strain was soon followed by The Amazon Code, then by The Ice Chasm. When I reviewed earlier Thacker books I commented that his writings were reminiscent of James Rollins. This book continues that thought! I'm a character reader, I get into the characters, their story, who/what they are. In this, the third Harvey Bennet book, the characters are well developed after 3 previous works. You can't wait to turn the next page and learn more about them, and the story line even more so! The suspense builds both in the characters and the story. No spoiler's here, though I will say I can't wait to read his next book!

[Nayari · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book felt a little like Thacker wasn't quite done with it when he sent it off to publication. I absolutely love his books and this one was no exception, but the slower pacing and somewhat muddled character motivations (on the part of the bad guys), not to mention cutting the book off before the main storyline seemed finished suggests he saw an opportunity to split the story in two...but he waited until the first was 80% over with. Maybe Ibam missing something. But anyway that's pretty much my only qualm with the book. Thacker's brilliantly drawn cast of characters, cinematic quality writing, and innate knowledge of where to stop a chapter to keep you turning the page shine in this story, and I will be following the CSO as long as he keeps writing it!

[C.M. Rutherford · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always enjoy books that tie in history to the story. Harvey Bennett and his Civilian Special Operations team are sent to investigate a murder but end up getting pulled in to a plot that goes back to the days of the founder of our country. The story is interesting and original. I did have some issues with the fact that the main characters seemed to fumble about a lot during the story. The book refers to numerous prior operations, but they seem to get caught with their pants down a good bit throughout the book. The ending when they finally square off with their adversaries was also a little abrupt. Still the book is well worth a read based on the originality of the story.

[Melanie R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed feelings

I enjoyed parts of this book and hated other parts. I enjoyed the history discussed and how it related to a secret society with a faction that wanted to essentially take over the country and Harvey and his team were trying to prevent that but, for a special team to investigate things that government agencies couldn’t, they acted stupidly charging in and getting themselves captured or helpless multiple time. Also, one of the team kills another while under the influence of a drug near the end of the book and apparently had no issues or guilty feelings over that. That and their lack of any kind of tactics or planning kind of kills the book for me.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe I should read these in order. I read book one a while ago but the characters seemed all newtome. Ben. He seemed like a big dumb guy kept on for some kind of pity’s sake that I couldn’t see. Julia loves him, that was cool but she’s an IT tech with the CDC and some martial arts. Reggie, Joshua and Derrick made sense to be in this “burst in and bang ‘em up” group. No wonder it was Ben who got them caught and Julia taken.
They didn’t belong there. But- it was an ok story line re Lewis and Clark. I liked the history pat. I even looked up fort clay sop and Oregon to remind myself of what it looked like.

[Karen Kearns · Rating 5 out of 5]

SPANISH TREASURE HIDDEN IN THE U. S. HEARTLAND

With the demise of Draconis Industries, Ben, Julie, & Reggie are now tracking down a very potent strain of scopolamine. At the epicenter of this adventure is a radical schism of a secret intellectual group originally founded by Benjamin Franklin, the American Philosophical Society. The machinations of this group can be likened to the Freemasons. This book kept me saying to myself, “Just one more chapter” all the way through it.

[Chloe Cuthbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series

This is the 4th book in the main Harvey Bennett series, there are also 2 prequels. Nick Thacker does a wonderful job meshing these very different characters into a cohesive group of friends and allies. In this installment, the newly formed team, by the elusive Mr E, is tasked with an investigative mission. Or so they think. Nothing is what it seems, and the team finds themselves split up and in danger.
Recommended for fans of James Rollins, Kevin Tumlimson, or history in general.

[Kelley Thomason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow moving and a bit disjointed

I really like the Nick Thacker books and have been reading them in order. I found this one not as good as the other three. The start was slow, I had a really hard time getting into it. Then the ending was a disjointed let down. I love the cast of characters and enjoy their adventures. However, this one didn't measure up to Mr. Thacker's first ones. I give it four stars because the middle was interesting and I always learn about little known facts from history. Don't pass this one up, just realize it may be a slow start.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third book in this series I have read now. This one started out very strange & was confusing to me. Then it moved to modern-day with the same characters from the other 2 books. Then I was able to understand the story. This one has much more swearing than the others I've read. Also, there is more violence after the female character that I did not enjoy. I am realizing all of these have some kind of cliff-hanger at the end. I don't like that aspect of the series. I am glad I did not have to pay for this one.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent enough tale but in need of better proofing. instances of missing words breaking up the flow of the story. Only a 3 out of 5 for this action/ search for the treasure novel pitting one organization and hired muscle against a small group "on the side of good" in the search for a hidden "treasure" secreted by Meriwether Lewis on a special task requested by Thomas Jefferson.
The goodies outmanned and out gunned furiously manage to beat the odds time and again.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read from Nick Thacker. I love this type of story, which mixes history, adventure and mystery. This was about as good as the others I've read so far, though I did not care for a certain part (which I will not spoil). It seemed to me that if that particular thing happened that the person deeply involved would have a lot to say about it - remorse maybe? Nothing was done here. Perhaps it will be in the next book. Guess I will have to get it to find out. :)

[C. Mercie M Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

The new under cover group, made to protect the USA.

After they gathered together, to start training a new group of people to help right the wrongs they cannot tolerate, they are set of on a recon mission. It turns out to be soo much more than that. Julie, Ben, Reggie, and Joshua open a can of worms they are not prepared for. With interesting characters, that gel well together, it's an almost instant adventure, just add a reader.