The Fixer

Falau Files #1

by Mike Gomes

A down on his luck man. An international drug runner. One last chance to be the good guy.

Michael Falau is a man of many talents unfortunately none of them translate to the normal world. Day to day life is nearly impossible with the horrors of his past and the guilt of the things he has done. All of that is about to change with an offer from an old friend Tyler who asks him to get back into the game of underworld justice. An international drug runner out of Bogotá, Colombia has been mixing the deadly carfentanyl into his drug shipment killing hundreds of people up and down the east cost of the United States. Michael Falau will get one chance to bring “The Butcher” back to face justice or he will die trying.

From the acclaimed author Mike Gomes comes The Fixer. An adult thriller with characters so real it will feel as if they come to life. If you like Jack Reacher, John Milton and Jason Bourne then you will love Michael Falau.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Action, Suspense

168 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 9, 2017

About the author

Mike Gomes is an Amazon #1 best-selling author, who loves writing fast paced, action packed novels for Adults. His desire has always been to create fun, page turning books that lets readers slip away into another world. Mike’s gritty action-thrillers are so addictive, you will be swept up and taken on many rollercoaster journeys around the globe.

Mike was born in Massachusetts, however a passion for travel has seen him explore the world, including visits to the cities of London, Paris, Rome and Munich to name a few. Mike lives with his wife and four children just outside of Boston. He enjoys fishing, coaching sports and watching some of his favourite teams, including Red Sox, Patriots and Bruins.

Reviews

[Michael Slavin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Fixer started out much different than most books I have read. The hero is by all accounts currently a loser wallowing in self-pity. He drinks too much, lives in a low rent apartment and is behind in the rent by three months, he is constantly plagued by a death he blames himself for, and he has a construction labor job that he gets fired from so now he has less than nothing and thinks of ending it all. This is the first 25% of the book or so, but oddly interesting.

Then he gets pulled back into his only skill in life he is good at which is killing. He is killing bad guys who slipped through the justice system for a secret group. And his first job is to kill a really, bad guy.

This is the part I don't like, the big bad guy seemed very unrealistic in his setting. You be the judge about his security and how a man like this would live his life.

I did like the book, and it is very short, so I do recommend it. I have downloaded the free prequel to give it another chance.

[☘Misericordia☘ ⚡ϟ⚡⛈⚡☁ ❇️❤❣ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intriguing but not particularly. Survivor's guilt was played around a bit hasty. The character a bit movie-like, in an unflattering way. Not my cup of tea, though decent.
Q:
You’re not a vigilante. You’re an agent of change... for the better.(c)
Q:
“All you had to do was say no.”...
“You made this happen. Not me,”...
“I made this happen? Me? How could I make this happen?”...
“You made it happen because of who you are. The kind of person you are. You have only yourself to blame.”...
“It’s up to you if you live or die.”
“What? You mean I can just say I want to go and I can go?” questioned the man.
“I didn’t say that. I said it was up to you if you die. You need to be smart and work with me.” (с)
Q:
“That wasn’t me. I was asleep when that happened...” (c)
Q:
The hallway smelled of urine, a smell all too familiar. Falau had learned early on that the mothers would tell their children to urinate in the hallway because it would stop the drug dealers from setting up shop in their building and selling drugs. (c)

[Cherye Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

He fixes the wrongs

What an unexpected pleasure. Loved the book. Fast, unique and real justice. I am definitely going to read the next book!

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Exciting characters and story line.

[Linda Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great!

Great writing and the storyline is fast moving and keeps you on wanting more! Can't wait for the next book!!!

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

** 3.5 Stars **
Michael Falau was shaking uncontrollably. Whiskey, cigarettes, nothing would quiet his violent reaction. Sweat running down his face, he knew the flashbacks were going to come, no matter what. The images started flashing through his mind. In a car with a beautiful woman who loved him, he moved through the intersection as a pickup truck raced toward the passenger door. It made no attempt to stop, and he experienced the impact, the blood, the tragedy, all over again. Under control again, he gulped down the whiskey and walked to the door.

Inside the room, Falau had a young man chained to the floor. He started to question the young man about his college parties, how he drank too much, and then got in his BMW and killed a young woman with his drunken driving. The boy – Billy -- denied it, saying he was asleep in the car, not driving it. Then he showed Billy a picture of the BMW with a great deal of damage. Billy claimed he had hit a dog. So Falau rolled out a towel with a number of tools in it. He called them “motivation” to help Billy remember! He kicked Billy in the stomach and the face, then approached him with a 4” straight razor. He repeated his questions. Billy finally admitted that he hadn’t seen her and did hit her with his car. Falau cut a 6” gaping wound down the boy’s face – so that he would always remember what he had done.

Billy heard the door open and the young woman’s parents entered. They offered Falau $10,000 to kill Billy, but that was not part of the arrangement, he said. His head started to throb – he knew the flashbacks would be coming back. So he left the building behind.

When he got home, a neighbor was sitting on the step and told him a man driving a fancy car had been asking for him. But when he went into his rundown apartment, he heard his toilet flush. The voice told him he was coming out, and he recognized his childhood friend, Tyler. Tyler said he wanted to offer Falau a job. Tyler knew about the “job” Falau had just completed for the young woman’s family. In fact, Tyler had set it up for him. Justice was the important thing – justice had to be served, mistaken verdicts ‘fixed’. Those who got away with something needed to be tracked down and their offense looked at again. Was this something Falau could be a part of? Or did he truly want to live a “normal” life and forget everything that had happened?

This was an interesting story, some parts uncomfortable and over-the-top for me. But the mystery and suspense was there and could definitely keep the reader intrigued. The book needed editing which I think the author had planned to follow up on, but the writing itself was good. I was given a copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it. My comments reflect my honest opinion.

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carla “Vick” Romero picked up Michael Falau (professional hit man) & gave him a ride.
His next assignment was to eliminate The Butcher (international drug runner, Bogotá, Colombia).
Lieutenant Carlos Rivera (National Police Special Operations Commandos) was keeping tabs on Michael.
Jetway International. Vick & Michael were inspecting everything in the warehouse when they saw The Butcher (El Carnicero) go out the door.
The chase was on, shots were fired The Butcher’s car bounced off a tree & he kept on going.
Will they take him down or will he elude them again?

Warning: This book contains graphic adult content, or violence, which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive or have potential adverse psychological effects on the reader.

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. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.

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 great 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 Instafreebie; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons (Washburn)

[Cath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This follows Mike Filau, previously a child spy for the Young Adventurers Club, who is down on his luck and struggling to make ends meet. He does odd jobs to help people in his run down community who are seeking justice.

The novella sees him given a final chance to be the man he could be and stop an evil drug runner from spreading his poisoned drugs throughout the USA.

Mike has many skills from his days as a child spy and will need to use them all to survive in his hunt for The Butcher.

After having read the Young Adventurers Club Book 1, I had a completely different view of Mike Filau and you can tell he has now hit hard times, without knowing quite why. The story itself is very short and just gives enough info for you to work out where the title ‘The Fixer’ comes in – not quite who or what you would expect.

I received a free copy of this book from the author and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above. I would be interested to see what happens with Filau and see what capers he is involved with next. This new job could be his salvation.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mike Falau is in a world of hurt. Recently unemployed (this morning), eviction from his hovel imminent, the only way to go is up. To the exposed pipes. To hang himself. And someone has been asking around about him.

What else can go wrong?

One should always count one's blessings when one can. For a drug dealer called The Butcher could be after you.

This is a short read, more novella than novel. Sometimes it's nice to read something shirt and to the point, without extra (-neous) factors. For a story like this, one of vengeance and swift retribution, it works perfectly well. Less so for something like Harry Potter.

There is characterization. There is a simple story well told with just enough information told and hinted at to make a satisfying read.

And then there's the first chapter of the next book in the series.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story had a different type of opening which left you wondering what was this about? As I read further along, I got the gist of what the story was about. It was one which the actions of a friend enabled him to get self-worth in his life.

He became a part of an organization where justice was realized for those who in the original trial escaped true justice. This organization seeked out and retried them to determine whether they were guilty or not.

The adventure that this story was about pertained to a drug lord in Columbia and the pursuit that was made to bring him before the court. The conclusion was well done and if you want to find out what happened, then you will need to buy this book which I highly recommend.

[Lara Giesbers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Matt Falau has a specific skill set. He uses that skill set to right wrongs. With a haunting past, mounting bills, and an eviction notice; he finally catches a break. His old friend Tyler comes out of his past to offer him an opportunity he simply shouldn’t refuse at any cost. It was the type of thing Matt was made for. His job? As Matt himself said, he’s a “bounty hunter...of sorts.”

His assignment puts him on a plane to Colombia to bring back the biggest drug lord in history for a more balanced trial. For fans of the Tamari Banks series by David Laduke and the Mack Bolan series by Don Pendleton, you will love the fast pace of this action series.

[RM(Alwaysdaddygirl) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fixer, by Mike Gomes, is book one of the Falau Files series. The main character, Michael Falau, has been down on his luck. He has a mysterious past. Michael’s friend Taylor gives him a job one day that is unique and changes Michael’s life for the better. This is a spy mystery novel. It has a good story. Some parts of it have themes that are similar to those of other authors. Regardless, I would recommend this book. Again, the story was good, and Michael’s character growth is impressive. This is why I give this book four stars. I am looking forward to book two of this series!

[Jay Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have already read a later book in this series, but received this a freebie so I read it. The story was short but interesting, and the characters were likeable. I was somewhat put off by the style of writing. Everything was presented as an extreme so the action was over the top. More than one character was referred to as "the big man" and that bothered me. Some issues appeared in the story and then vanished without any resolution. Some of the backstory was missing, but hinted about. Some of the possible suspense was set up and then dropped. This story could have been told better.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a man who has unknlower than even he realizes! He’s haunted by flashbacks of a fatal car crash from years earlier. One day an old friend shows up asking if he is ready to have a purpose again. So Falau joins his friends “organization “ to help criminals who have gotten away from various crimes unpublished face justice once and for all. I really loved this book and the characters! I can’t wait to read the next book in the series! This book has plenty of action! It’s when the hunter becomes the hunted! Good vs evil!

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Falau is a drunk. He used to be military, lost a woman he cared about in a car accident while drinking and continued to blame himself. He has spent years living in an iffy neighborhood because it is all he can afford. He is approached by his old compatriot and friend, Tyler, and offered the opportunity to work again as a kind of bounty hunter. The story is well written but the plot could have been a bit more complex for my liking. It was written very directly and seemed, to me, to be too direct. Thanks to the author and publisher for an e-galley for an honest review.

[Will Decker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story despite the lack of effort in the editing department. I even tried to use the link for the next book for free in the series by signing up for the author's mailing list, something I never do. Unfortunately, the link took me to a wellness clinic or something similar. Guess that offer expired. With that said, the character development is great and really carries the story. Gomes is definitely a talented writer that knows how to use first person narration.

[Kenneth Lingenfelter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Falau is down on his luck, with no money, he accepts a job from a good friend. The Butcher is a drug lord that has killed many people. The recent shipment of drugs is laced with a very strong drug that kills. Falau's assignment is to capture the Butcher and bring him back for justice outside the court system. I have read other novels in this series and wanted to go back and find out how it began. I was not disappointed.

[Adam Copeland · Rating 1 out of 5]

TAKE A PASS ON THIS BOOK. YOU'LL THANK YOURSELF LATER...

Utter dreadful. Read the first chapter. About four pages or so. Written in a passive prose that makes it hard to grasp and get behind. Some nonsense about an alcoholic having a flashback. A hard-to-read, steaming big pile of crap, and that's only the first 4 pages.

Do yourself a favour - don't buy or read it. There's better things in life to award your time and attention to.

[Reader Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad effort. There were a few technical issues. For example: the plea is guilty or not guilty. Also, it is not likely that Falau would have driven in a strange town. There are other things as well, but most of these can be ignored as minor. All in all, it was a good story, if a little short for my tastes. It could have done with a bit more flesh. I did like the fast pace of the story, too.

[C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book both for the characters and the content. What I liked also was Mike Gomes writing a story that didn't take 400 pages to come to completion. The beginning, the middle and the end were all there but he left just enough hints so that you want to know more about this group. I will happily be looking forward to more of his work.

[Marty Langenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story and very different to other spy thrillers I have read. It progress was inevitable and the ending predicable, but it was told so convincingly that I found I could not put it down. It is correctly described as a novella. I would have been happy to keep reading because it was finished much too soon.

[Patrice Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was sooooo freaking good! I can't wait to read the rest of this series. And when I'm done with those, I'll be hoping for even more. Falau is a fantastic character and I adored him. This was an exciting book from start to finish. It was an easy read that never lets you down.
I'm so happy to have found this author!

[Sharon Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Working for someone you never see is one thing, but hunting people down to give them a new hearing to hand out the sentence they should have had in the first place, is very dangerous and in a way, playing God. You have to trust blindly and stay alive to collect your money. This story is full of action and questions, asking yourself if this is the way things should be. But for Falau, action and adventure is what he is good at and craves.

[Martin Pingree · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. A group of justices mete out sentences for criminals who get off. This is the story of a man’s journey towards becoming a worker who catches & brings these criminals to justice. Good cast of characters (with a good study into the main character), decent amount of action and a decent story line.

[Anthony Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. It's a quick read with a suspenseful story that features a protagonist I think most of us can get behind in Falau. If you're riding on a plane or a train, this would be a very ideal read. It won't take you long to read and you'll definitely be wanting more at the end. It's a solid start to a thriller series for sure. Enjoy!

[Ellen White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Falau, is tortured by his past, he drinks, and the scenes are still too vivid.
A job of a young man, his car and a dead woman. The dialog is tense, the bourbon and the purpose to interrogate the young man, he is determined Another job , the stakes are high, too many deaths from a mixture into drugs. Can he get the major guy back into the states.
It is a short read, but gripping and fast paced.

[Ky Schlundt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book surprised me. I went into it expecting an average reading experience, but after making it through a slightly choppy first few chapters, Mike Gomes, and by extension Falau, impressed me. Falau is a flawed person and that flaw makes him relatable to many. I will continue this series and see where Gomes Falau takes it!

[Paul McIlroy · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the beginning.......

Start of a series, a character, flawed and carrying worries enough for 10 men! A new future awaits, using his experience and training to make many lives improve, and his own top of the pile. Falau rebuilds his life, and hunts down forces that for years took ordinary people's lives away.....without dear or thought. That ends now!

[Garth Mailman · Rating 3 out of 5]

At least 2 spelling/grammatical errors per page in the review copy I was provided.. Underworld, black ops setting. Not a bad insight into what is reputed to be a top secret organization. If those who actually know its veracity told you “they’d have to kill you.”

[Joan Barstad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Falau is a messed up man. He has to drink whisky to keep the demons away. But, he knows his stuff, and his old friend gives him a chance to redeem himself.

This is a good story, well told.

Looking forward to #2.