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Michael Hendricks #2
Red Right Hand
The hitman with a heart of gold is back in a thriller that opens with an explosive terrorist attack on San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge.
Viral video footage from a terrorist attack in San Francisco reveals that a mob informant thought dead is still alive. FBI Special Agent Charlie Thompson knows just whom to contact to save her witness from a hit: Michael Hendricks, who has lately focused his unusual skill set on infiltrating the Council--a tribunal of the major crime families--and avenging his partner's death. Teaming up with a green but determined tech whiz, Cameron, on the condition she leave him alone after the case, Hendricks reluctantly takes the job.
Of course, finding a man desperate to stay hidden is challenging enough without deadly competition, let alone when that competition's shadowy corporate backer is tangled in the terrorist conspiracy playing out around them...
Viral video footage from a terrorist attack in San Francisco reveals that a mob informant thought dead is still alive. FBI Special Agent Charlie Thompson knows just whom to contact to save her witness from a hit: Michael Hendricks, who has lately focused his unusual skill set on infiltrating the Council--a tribunal of the major crime families--and avenging his partner's death. Teaming up with a green but determined tech whiz, Cameron, on the condition she leave him alone after the case, Hendricks reluctantly takes the job.
Of course, finding a man desperate to stay hidden is challenging enough without deadly competition, let alone when that competition's shadowy corporate backer is tangled in the terrorist conspiracy playing out around them...
Mass Market Paperback
First published September 16, 2016
44 people are currently reading
1079 people want to read
About the author
Chris Holm
21 books326 followersChris Holm is the author of the cross-genre Collector trilogy, which recasts the battle between heaven and hell as old-fashioned crime pulp; the Michael Hendricks thrillers, which feature a hitman who only kills other hitmen; and the standalone scientific thriller, CHILD ZERO. He's also a former molecular biologist with a U.S. patent to his name. Chris’ work has been selected for THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES, named a New York Times Editors’ Choice, and won a number of awards, including the 2016 Anthony Award for Best Novel. He lives in Portland, Maine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
August 31, 2019
A terrorist attack on the Golden Gate Bridge is caught on a video being taken as the explosion happened, and the video reveals an image of a Federal witness, thought to be dead years before, but apparently still alive.
The story begins with a family man searching for a spot in front of the Golden Gate Bridge where his parents had posed many years before. He asks a passer-by to take a video of his family but the video user actually starts by taking his own image; the whole image then disintegrates as a tugboat hits the bridge and explodes.
There are lots of people who were involved in criminal activities previously, who will want to reach this Federal witness, a man they thought was dead.
FBI Special Agent Charlie Thompson needs to rescue the ‘dead’ witness before the organisation that he testified against, find him, for they are extremely violent people. Right now though the FBI need to concentrate all their efforts into finding the terrorists responsible for this latest outrage before they have the chance to strike again, and Charlie can think of only one man that can perform this witness rescue operation for her - Michael Hendricks. Hendricks is a hitman who makes a living killing other hitmen! He formerly worked undercover for the US military, and although he’s something of a loose cannon, preferring to do his own thing, he reluctantly takes on the job.
The chapters describing the experiences of different people are a little disjointed and some characters disappear, presumably when they have fulfilled their function in the story. The three main protagonists that we follow get into all sorts of scrapes - both male and female alike. The ability of their bodies to survive sustained mistreatment borders on the superhuman! The level of violence in the book is substantial and, sometimes, sickeningly well described. However, this was a well written thriller with plenty of action, with the rise in tension through the frequent bouts of violence successfully maintained.
Surprisingly, attempts to capture the terrorists who caused the explosion takes a back seat to infighting between agencies. I’m assuming a follow up is being written since the ending of this book is somewhat inconclusive, though it does follow a wonderful twist in the tale!
The story begins with a family man searching for a spot in front of the Golden Gate Bridge where his parents had posed many years before. He asks a passer-by to take a video of his family but the video user actually starts by taking his own image; the whole image then disintegrates as a tugboat hits the bridge and explodes.
There are lots of people who were involved in criminal activities previously, who will want to reach this Federal witness, a man they thought was dead.
FBI Special Agent Charlie Thompson needs to rescue the ‘dead’ witness before the organisation that he testified against, find him, for they are extremely violent people. Right now though the FBI need to concentrate all their efforts into finding the terrorists responsible for this latest outrage before they have the chance to strike again, and Charlie can think of only one man that can perform this witness rescue operation for her - Michael Hendricks. Hendricks is a hitman who makes a living killing other hitmen! He formerly worked undercover for the US military, and although he’s something of a loose cannon, preferring to do his own thing, he reluctantly takes on the job.
The chapters describing the experiences of different people are a little disjointed and some characters disappear, presumably when they have fulfilled their function in the story. The three main protagonists that we follow get into all sorts of scrapes - both male and female alike. The ability of their bodies to survive sustained mistreatment borders on the superhuman! The level of violence in the book is substantial and, sometimes, sickeningly well described. However, this was a well written thriller with plenty of action, with the rise in tension through the frequent bouts of violence successfully maintained.
Surprisingly, attempts to capture the terrorists who caused the explosion takes a back seat to infighting between agencies. I’m assuming a follow up is being written since the ending of this book is somewhat inconclusive, though it does follow a wonderful twist in the tale!
September 26, 2016
Here is the skinny on Chris Holm's "Red Right Hand". It's the middle of a trilogy, Just by the fact of it's sheer existence we already know a certain outcome, so a certain amount of suspense is eliminated.
The writing is certainly up to Mr. Holm's high quality and readability so that's a good thing. The story sells as a Fantasy/Thriller. The warning here is the fantasy portion of the events. Let me compare the two books for a second. In the first Hendricks has a friend highly capable and proficient with the technical side of modern communications (ie. computers, internet, phone systems etc.) . Sadly he is captured/tortured and killed by the bad guys. Now in book two Hendricks befriends a young perky plucky college aged girl who also seems to fit those same capabilities just as well. Of course she is also captured/tortured, but, however not killed.
If the FBI and CIA are as helpless and stupid as described, then (deity name of your choice, help us all).
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book. With five or six books under his belt, some of the plot devises used seem almost amateurish.
I like that Mr Holm gave credit to Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds for the title of the book. It's a great song, though the character in the book holding that moniker does not live up to that great "tag".
If you read and enjoyed the first book in the series, then you will likely enjoy this the middle book in the trilogy, and perhaps I liked the first book a little too much, I guess we will see with the third one.
One holds out hope.
The writing is certainly up to Mr. Holm's high quality and readability so that's a good thing. The story sells as a Fantasy/Thriller. The warning here is the fantasy portion of the events. Let me compare the two books for a second. In the first Hendricks has a friend highly capable and proficient with the technical side of modern communications (ie. computers, internet, phone systems etc.) . Sadly he is captured/tortured and killed by the bad guys. Now in book two Hendricks befriends a young perky plucky college aged girl who also seems to fit those same capabilities just as well. Of course she is also captured/tortured, but, however not killed.
If the FBI and CIA are as helpless and stupid as described, then (deity name of your choice, help us all).
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book. With five or six books under his belt, some of the plot devises used seem almost amateurish.
I like that Mr Holm gave credit to Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds for the title of the book. It's a great song, though the character in the book holding that moniker does not live up to that great "tag".
If you read and enjoyed the first book in the series, then you will likely enjoy this the middle book in the trilogy, and perhaps I liked the first book a little too much, I guess we will see with the third one.
One holds out hope.
August 18, 2016
Thanks to Net Galley, the publishers and the author Chris Holm for a ARC Copy.
After very much enjoying "The Killing Kind", the Michael Hendricks book 1, and also the quick short story "The Approach", I was very happy to be approved number 2 in the series with our anti hero Michael Hendricks.
An anti-hero with a difference, an assassin who goes after assassins.
When a family stops near the Golden Gate Bridge to record a special anniversary message at the very spot their grandparents once posed for a photo nearly forty years ago, things take a tragic turn as a tugboat carrying explosives slams into the bridge, detonating on impact, causing massive destruction.
Upon seeing the family’s recorded mobile footage of the moments just before the explosion, Thompson makes a startling discovery. Frank Segreti’s face was captured on the video, signaling that he’s apparently alive and well, which is a shock to the FBI, as they previously thought him to be dead. This starts a great chain of plots and twists.
Seven years prior, Frank Segreti came to the FBI offering key evidence about a shady organization comprised of different crime leaders, known only as the "Council". In return for his betrayal, the Council hired someone to take him out. Until now, Segreti was believed to have been killed in an explosion., but now very much alive in this mobile footage.
Thompson hopes that Segreti can once again help lead her to the Council, but keeping him alive–especially once Council members find out he’s still breathing–poses a real problem. Thinking outside of the box, she turns to another man wanted by the FBI, hitman Michael Hendricks, to keep Segreti safe.
Michael Hendricks has spent the last year coming to terms with his friend Lester being murdered by an assassin sent by the council to kill Michael Hendricks, he survived with his life but is determined to seek revenge on the members of "The Council"
This action packed, rollercoaster of a ride thriller keeps your attention with multiple storylines that you know are going to come together nicely.
Some great characters in this entertaining book, and all I can say is read book one quickly and get ready for this book when it comes out in mid September.
A clear four star from me.
After very much enjoying "The Killing Kind", the Michael Hendricks book 1, and also the quick short story "The Approach", I was very happy to be approved number 2 in the series with our anti hero Michael Hendricks.
An anti-hero with a difference, an assassin who goes after assassins.
When a family stops near the Golden Gate Bridge to record a special anniversary message at the very spot their grandparents once posed for a photo nearly forty years ago, things take a tragic turn as a tugboat carrying explosives slams into the bridge, detonating on impact, causing massive destruction.
Upon seeing the family’s recorded mobile footage of the moments just before the explosion, Thompson makes a startling discovery. Frank Segreti’s face was captured on the video, signaling that he’s apparently alive and well, which is a shock to the FBI, as they previously thought him to be dead. This starts a great chain of plots and twists.
Seven years prior, Frank Segreti came to the FBI offering key evidence about a shady organization comprised of different crime leaders, known only as the "Council". In return for his betrayal, the Council hired someone to take him out. Until now, Segreti was believed to have been killed in an explosion., but now very much alive in this mobile footage.
Thompson hopes that Segreti can once again help lead her to the Council, but keeping him alive–especially once Council members find out he’s still breathing–poses a real problem. Thinking outside of the box, she turns to another man wanted by the FBI, hitman Michael Hendricks, to keep Segreti safe.
Michael Hendricks has spent the last year coming to terms with his friend Lester being murdered by an assassin sent by the council to kill Michael Hendricks, he survived with his life but is determined to seek revenge on the members of "The Council"
This action packed, rollercoaster of a ride thriller keeps your attention with multiple storylines that you know are going to come together nicely.
Some great characters in this entertaining book, and all I can say is read book one quickly and get ready for this book when it comes out in mid September.
A clear four star from me.
September 1, 2016
The premise of Chis Holm’s latest series is simple – Michael Hendricks is a hitman who kills other hitmen – and, with Red Right Hand, the second entry after last year’s The Killing Kind, Holm is already showing there’s enough elasticity in this concept to make Hendricks a welcome new anti-hero for thriller buffs.
After a terror attack in San Francisco, Hendricks is put on the tail of a retired killer, one thought long-dead by the FBI, in the hopes of moving one step closer to bringing down the global criminal enterprise known as The Council. Along the way, his path toward revenge against The Council gets a bit bumpier than anticipated, which is bad for Hendricks but good for readers since it gives Holm plenty of chances to write nifty action sequences as his characters stomp around SanFran and engage in some long, twisty games of cat and mouse. (Movie Geek note: action film fans will likely recognize some of the tertiary character’s names as being lovingly borrowed from a few Hollywood directors, and you can feel the cinematic influences seeping into the pages here. Seriously fun stuff!)
In terms of characterization, Holm is free to allow Hendricks to run wild, having already previously established this dude’s background and place in society. Some additional details to Hendricks’s personality are shaded in, giving him a welcome touch of humanity even as his overall mission plan maintains an appropriate level of gray. His relationship with tech-savvy Cameron is fun, and she’s a new character here that I hope gets additional time to shine in future volumes. And although Hendricks is, by and large, a “good guy,” he’s still a pretty far cry from being a saint despite having a strong moral compass. His job as a hitter of hitmen is largely dependent on the targeted victim being able to pay an exorbitant fee and determine just how much his or her life is actually worth in order to properly motivate and secure Michael’s assistance. The lack of pure altruism is what makes this guy so interesting to me, and I’m hoping we’ve got a good number of Hendricks titles ahead of us as the years go on.
Lesser authors, I suspect, would be tempted to take the premise of ‘killer of killers’ and merely cut-and-paste their prior efforts and slap a new title on it. Red Right Hand avoids this, and while the series premise remains strongly intact, Holm puts enough wrinkles into the story to twist expectations enough to keep things feeling fresh. Setting his story against the backdrop of a terror investigation raises the stakes, while also putting a bit more meat on the bones of the story’s framework without dulling the thrills. Holm manages an easy, breezy pacing and keeps things chugging along seemingly effortlessly.
[Note: I received an advanced copy of this title for review from the publisher via NetGalley/Edelweiss.]
After a terror attack in San Francisco, Hendricks is put on the tail of a retired killer, one thought long-dead by the FBI, in the hopes of moving one step closer to bringing down the global criminal enterprise known as The Council. Along the way, his path toward revenge against The Council gets a bit bumpier than anticipated, which is bad for Hendricks but good for readers since it gives Holm plenty of chances to write nifty action sequences as his characters stomp around SanFran and engage in some long, twisty games of cat and mouse. (Movie Geek note: action film fans will likely recognize some of the tertiary character’s names as being lovingly borrowed from a few Hollywood directors, and you can feel the cinematic influences seeping into the pages here. Seriously fun stuff!)
In terms of characterization, Holm is free to allow Hendricks to run wild, having already previously established this dude’s background and place in society. Some additional details to Hendricks’s personality are shaded in, giving him a welcome touch of humanity even as his overall mission plan maintains an appropriate level of gray. His relationship with tech-savvy Cameron is fun, and she’s a new character here that I hope gets additional time to shine in future volumes. And although Hendricks is, by and large, a “good guy,” he’s still a pretty far cry from being a saint despite having a strong moral compass. His job as a hitter of hitmen is largely dependent on the targeted victim being able to pay an exorbitant fee and determine just how much his or her life is actually worth in order to properly motivate and secure Michael’s assistance. The lack of pure altruism is what makes this guy so interesting to me, and I’m hoping we’ve got a good number of Hendricks titles ahead of us as the years go on.
Lesser authors, I suspect, would be tempted to take the premise of ‘killer of killers’ and merely cut-and-paste their prior efforts and slap a new title on it. Red Right Hand avoids this, and while the series premise remains strongly intact, Holm puts enough wrinkles into the story to twist expectations enough to keep things feeling fresh. Setting his story against the backdrop of a terror investigation raises the stakes, while also putting a bit more meat on the bones of the story’s framework without dulling the thrills. Holm manages an easy, breezy pacing and keeps things chugging along seemingly effortlessly.
[Note: I received an advanced copy of this title for review from the publisher via NetGalley/Edelweiss.]
September 9, 2021
Red Right Hand is the second book in the Michael Hendricks series about a former Black Ops assassin who makes a living killing hitmen on behalf of their targets. I got this from Book Club and had not previously heard of the author, and decided (after a mental struggle as it’s very much against my Bookish Code) not to wait to read the first one. I got half-way through before I gave in and used an Audible credit to download The Killing Kind, which we played in the car yesterday evening. With two hours left to run on that, it was clear that they are two separate stories only loosely connected by the shadowy criminal organisation called The Council, but that finishing this wasn’t likely to spoil me for Book 1 any more than I already had been. This exercise reminded me why I should just stick to my rules about series, 😹 although most readers would have no difficulty enjoying this as a stand-alone.
Set about a year after TKK, this has principled hitman Michael going after the members of The Council in retaliation for their sending Engelmann after him. When a hit goes wrong, he finds himself on the run with a new assistant. Before he can recover, renegade FBI Special Agent Charlie Thompson asks hims to protect a witness against the Council. Frank Segreti, another bad man trying to make amends by taking down ever worse men, was previously thought dead, but a viral video that captured a terrorist attack on San Francisco inadvertently puts his face on TV and now he is being hunted by a ruthless security contractor who will stop at nothing to put him down for good.
Ex-military tough guy vigilantes, who work outside the law to protect the innocent, have become very popular in American thriller series, (think Reacher, Smoak, Milton, Reznick...) so can get a bit samey if you read too many of them, but when they’re done well, as here, I can make room for another one. This was a fast-paced action adventure - Holm has a cinematic writing style that works very well as we follow the different characters’ perspectives, and what this lacks in originality, it makes up for in edge-of-your-seat tension. Cameron makes a good sidekick (in this day & age, all heroes need a genius hacker on their side) and I like Charlie too.
Clearly Hendricks is not done with The Council and I look forward to reading more of his adventures!
Set about a year after TKK, this has principled hitman Michael going after the members of The Council in retaliation for their sending Engelmann after him. When a hit goes wrong, he finds himself on the run with a new assistant. Before he can recover, renegade FBI Special Agent Charlie Thompson asks hims to protect a witness against the Council. Frank Segreti, another bad man trying to make amends by taking down ever worse men, was previously thought dead, but a viral video that captured a terrorist attack on San Francisco inadvertently puts his face on TV and now he is being hunted by a ruthless security contractor who will stop at nothing to put him down for good.
Ex-military tough guy vigilantes, who work outside the law to protect the innocent, have become very popular in American thriller series, (think Reacher, Smoak, Milton, Reznick...) so can get a bit samey if you read too many of them, but when they’re done well, as here, I can make room for another one. This was a fast-paced action adventure - Holm has a cinematic writing style that works very well as we follow the different characters’ perspectives, and what this lacks in originality, it makes up for in edge-of-your-seat tension. Cameron makes a good sidekick (in this day & age, all heroes need a genius hacker on their side) and I like Charlie too.
Clearly Hendricks is not done with The Council and I look forward to reading more of his adventures!
July 18, 2016
I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of RED RIGHT HAND, the second book in the Michael Hendricks series, about a hitman who only kills bad guys. It's a fantastic follow-up to THE KILLING KIND, and it explores the shadowy world of military contractors in the wake of a terrorist attack in San Francisco. (Not going to get any more specific about the plot, because it would be too easy to get into spoiler territory.) The book manages to bring back several characters from the first novel in intriguing ways, while introducing a terrific new cast of characters, including an FBI witness who's supposed to have died years earlier. As with everything Chris Holm writes, I highly recommend it!
December 13, 2016
Following a terrorist attack on the Golden Gate Bridge, a man long believed to be dead appears in a viral video capturing the destruction. With the FBI unable to divert their focus from the attack, Special Agent Charlie Thompson approaches Michael Hendricks to track down and secure this mystery man. But Hendricks has his own problems. Still intent on infiltrating and destroying the massive crime syndicate, The Council, from within, Hendricks comes into contact with an unwelcome ally - the daughter of a former client Michael had worked for in the past - and must choose between her invaluable assistance and the guilt he feels for getting his former partner Lester killed.
Chris Holm’s Red Right Hand is a great book. Its plot, while wide in scope (a terrorist attack on US soil), is meticulously crafted. While the big attack acts as a catalyst for all the events that follow, you’ve got several subplots on the go including Hendricks' continued fight against The Council. With all that's going on, the story never feels muddled; a testament to Holm’s growing ability as a writer to produce pulse pounding prose.
If the first time around served as an introduction to Michael Hendricks, Red Right Hand is where he really lets loose. With the introduction of a new sidekick in Cameron, it sort of fools the reader into thinking that Hendricks is not quite as capable as a solo act. But when the story heats up and the violence takes centre stage, Hendricks is a hell of a character to watch do his thing. As the individual threads of plot begin to weave together, seeing Hendricks in action made it nearly impossible to put the book down, especially when you throw in a villain as despicable as the novel’s chief antagonist Chet Yancy (c’mon - isn’t that just the most punchable name?).
As many are probably aware, I’m a big fan of Holm. I think he’s doing some of the best work out there in the thriller/crime fiction genre and Red Right Hand (as well as his recent Anthony Award) further cements him as a solid writer you should be reading. I’m hoping there is a book three in the works as I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Chris Holm’s Red Right Hand is a great book. Its plot, while wide in scope (a terrorist attack on US soil), is meticulously crafted. While the big attack acts as a catalyst for all the events that follow, you’ve got several subplots on the go including Hendricks' continued fight against The Council. With all that's going on, the story never feels muddled; a testament to Holm’s growing ability as a writer to produce pulse pounding prose.
If the first time around served as an introduction to Michael Hendricks, Red Right Hand is where he really lets loose. With the introduction of a new sidekick in Cameron, it sort of fools the reader into thinking that Hendricks is not quite as capable as a solo act. But when the story heats up and the violence takes centre stage, Hendricks is a hell of a character to watch do his thing. As the individual threads of plot begin to weave together, seeing Hendricks in action made it nearly impossible to put the book down, especially when you throw in a villain as despicable as the novel’s chief antagonist Chet Yancy (c’mon - isn’t that just the most punchable name?).
As many are probably aware, I’m a big fan of Holm. I think he’s doing some of the best work out there in the thriller/crime fiction genre and Red Right Hand (as well as his recent Anthony Award) further cements him as a solid writer you should be reading. I’m hoping there is a book three in the works as I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
January 9, 2017
Entertaining follow up to Chris Holm's book #1 of the series; "The Killing Kind" which features Michael Hendricks as a hitman who kills other hitmen for ten times the target's bounty. It's an interesting and original take on the charismatic hitman as the protagonist and "Red Right Hand" defines Michael Hendricks as a kind of equalizer exacting justice on bad guys with an end justifies the means mentality. Searching for Frank Segreti, an aging mob informant assumed long dead in the chaos of San Francisco after terrorists bomb the Golden Gate Bridge, Hendricks teams up with a young computer hacker to beat the FBI and a mob owned special ops team to Segreti to save his life. Complex characters interact with solid dialogue, action and humor in this fast paced thriller that kept me turning the pages while snowbound on a January weekend in Boston. Looking forward to book #3.
January 16, 2020
Red Right Hand, nominated for the 2017 Anthony Award for Best Novel, is a fast-paced relentless action thriller that reads like a racecar pumped up with nitrous oxide. Chris Holm did a fantastic job packing in an intriguing narrative without bogging the thrills and action of the novel. Coming into this thriller with high expectations after The Killing Kind, the first novel in this series, Red Right Hand blew my expectations away in the best of ways, developing Michael Hendrick further as a resourceful and badass protagonist who is hunting down members of The Council, a hush-hush organization comprised of members of organized crime families, which sanctioned a hit on Hendricks in the previous thriller and led to the death of his partner.
The narrative interweaves storylines that strike the right balance between coincidences and brilliance. A devastating attack in San Francisco leads to an unresolved and violent mystery dating 7 years back that is dug up as a result of the attack. Hendricks is joined by a young girl on his crusade, serving as his tech support, creating an enjoyable dynamic between the two characters. The novel introduces new foes that challenge Hendricks to think smarter and act faster than before, showing readers the wide array of skills Hendricks employs to win. I thoroughly enjoyed Hendricks’s character as a tough no-nonsense hero with a strong moral compass. The action sequences are gritty and realistic, with the sequences portraying Hendricks as a mystical force that takes out its opponents quick and hard, making for amazing shootouts and hand-to-hand combat sequences. I definitely recommend Red Right Hand to readers looking for an action thriller with a fast-paced narrative and a protagonist that is one to look out for.
The narrative interweaves storylines that strike the right balance between coincidences and brilliance. A devastating attack in San Francisco leads to an unresolved and violent mystery dating 7 years back that is dug up as a result of the attack. Hendricks is joined by a young girl on his crusade, serving as his tech support, creating an enjoyable dynamic between the two characters. The novel introduces new foes that challenge Hendricks to think smarter and act faster than before, showing readers the wide array of skills Hendricks employs to win. I thoroughly enjoyed Hendricks’s character as a tough no-nonsense hero with a strong moral compass. The action sequences are gritty and realistic, with the sequences portraying Hendricks as a mystical force that takes out its opponents quick and hard, making for amazing shootouts and hand-to-hand combat sequences. I definitely recommend Red Right Hand to readers looking for an action thriller with a fast-paced narrative and a protagonist that is one to look out for.
February 6, 2017
When Jake Reston asks a passing stranger to film him and his family wishing his parents a happy anniversary on Golden Gate Bridge, in the exact same spot as his favourite picture of them as a young couple, he has no idea of the effect it will have. The video captures a tug-boat crashing into the bridge and exploding, and the face of Frank Segreti, a man who used to hold a key position in the Council, an alliance of organised crime groups, known as the "Devil's Red Right Hand", and whom everyone thought was dead.
When Special Agent Charlie Thompson, who was on duty when Segreti turned himself into the FBI seven years ago, sees the video footage she gets in touch with the only man she thinks can protect him, after the FBI failed to: Michael Hendricks. Hendricks, with the aid of his tech-savvy partner Lester, used to kill hitmen on behalf of their intended victims until the Council tortured his partner to death. Now he wants revenge. And Thompson hopes this means that their interests align.
'Red Right Hand' is the second in a trilogy, but can definitely be read as a stand-alone thriller (as I read it). With engaging characters, fast-paced action, and an extremely readable writing style, I would highly recommend this book to other thriller aficionados...as long as you're happy to stay up all night reading.
When Special Agent Charlie Thompson, who was on duty when Segreti turned himself into the FBI seven years ago, sees the video footage she gets in touch with the only man she thinks can protect him, after the FBI failed to: Michael Hendricks. Hendricks, with the aid of his tech-savvy partner Lester, used to kill hitmen on behalf of their intended victims until the Council tortured his partner to death. Now he wants revenge. And Thompson hopes this means that their interests align.
'Red Right Hand' is the second in a trilogy, but can definitely be read as a stand-alone thriller (as I read it). With engaging characters, fast-paced action, and an extremely readable writing style, I would highly recommend this book to other thriller aficionados...as long as you're happy to stay up all night reading.
November 6, 2016
A great sequel to The Killing Kind! Interesting twists abound as The Council is at it again. Characters old and new introduce the direction of this fast-paced thriller. What surprised me most was the dialogue of Hendricks & Segreti - hard-to-believe good deeds perhaps due to self-fulfilling righteous conscious? Not too surprising given their former occupations.
A read that will not disappoint!
Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for a fair review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
A read that will not disappoint!
Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for a fair review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
December 27, 2018
3.5 -4
October 3, 2016
I loved THE KILLING KIND, so going in, RED RIGHT HAND was going to have to be something great. And initially I was a bit concerned, to be honest. I wasn't sure where the two main plots were going to intersect or how RRH was going to pull off a(n almost) single-day thriller. But I kept reading, because I know Holm is a great writer, and, man, did he ever nail it.
RRH is a great follow-up to TKK because it shows a different side of Michael Hendricks. He's still the badass assassin, but, because his support team has been stripped away, you start to see different shades of him as a human. Holm also does a wonderful job of humanizing the secondary characters, taking people who you should scorn—ahem, Frank Segreti—and making you cheer for them. (The Segreti scenes were some of my favorite, along with Hendricks and his new friend [no spoilers].) I'm eagerly awaiting the next Hendricks book.
RRH is a great follow-up to TKK because it shows a different side of Michael Hendricks. He's still the badass assassin, but, because his support team has been stripped away, you start to see different shades of him as a human. Holm also does a wonderful job of humanizing the secondary characters, taking people who you should scorn—ahem, Frank Segreti—and making you cheer for them. (The Segreti scenes were some of my favorite, along with Hendricks and his new friend [no spoilers].) I'm eagerly awaiting the next Hendricks book.
October 14, 2017
A strong sequel to THE KILLING KIND! We are once again alongside Michael Hendricks as he seeks vengeance for what was done to his best friend in Book 1. This time, he unexpectedly teams up with a twenty-year-old computer whizz, Cameron. The book slips into several different points of view to create a compelling story that will keep you turning pages into the wee hours of the morning. A definite page turner, so don't plan to do anything but read the last 30% in one sitting--you can't walk away until it's done!
Charlie Thompson's reappearance wove perfectly into what was unfolding. The revelation of who is the Red Right Hand and what he does for the Council was well done! This time the story was set in San Francisco, and Mr. Holm did a terrific job bringing that city to life. I felt like I was right there with Hendricks moving through the streets. I could see the horror of the attack on the Golden Gate Bridge and its aftermath vividly in my head.
I look forward to the next book in this series!
Charlie Thompson's reappearance wove perfectly into what was unfolding. The revelation of who is the Red Right Hand and what he does for the Council was well done! This time the story was set in San Francisco, and Mr. Holm did a terrific job bringing that city to life. I felt like I was right there with Hendricks moving through the streets. I could see the horror of the attack on the Golden Gate Bridge and its aftermath vividly in my head.
I look forward to the next book in this series!
February 2, 2018
3.5 stars. Fine and quickly digestible, but didn't remotely match my expectations (based on various glowing endorsements and reviews, and award nominations). A lot of silliness and excessively deus ex machina machinations (e.g., the protagonist's replacement sidekick).
December 5, 2019
i liked the book, it was very entertained, like watching a blockbuster movie, I thin It could be a really good adaptation.
September 30, 2016
I'm grateful for an advance copy kindly provided by the publisher.
When viral video footage from a terrorist attack in San Francisco reveals that a mob informant thought dead is still alive, FBI Special Agent Charlie Thompson knows just who to contact to save her witness from certain death: Michael Hendricks. He may be a hitman, but he's not a bad guy...
This is an explosive followup to The Killing Kind. Hendricks is a killer - though he only kills bad men, other assassins, who work for the mob.
They found out about him and sent one of their own to sort him out. Hendricks survived, but he lost his closest friend, Lester, and they tried to kill his family.
Now he wants revenge.
Jump forward a few months and at the start of this book things aren't going so well. Revenge may be a dish best served cold but it shouldn't be left to go mouldy. With no Lester, Hendricks lacks backup. With no new jobs he's running low on money. And now he's sidetracked by a terrorist attack which has San Francisco swarming like an overturned anthill.
A vital witness has surfaced and Hendricks is the only person who can protect him. The trouble is Hendricks is not only wanted by the mob but by the FBI too. Even so, Special Agent Charlie Thompson reaches out for help and we're on another roller-coaster of violence, betrayal, violence, and destruction. (Did I mention the violence?)
So far, that all sounds pretty normal for this kind of chase thriller. For me, though, what distinguishes Holm's books - and it's also true of his earlier, UF tinged Collector series - is the crossover he weaves between a straight thriller and a kind of modern noir. Hendricks is a bad man, acting for selfish motives - here revenge, in the previous book, money - but convincing himself that he's got a moral purpose. The roots of this purpose are hinted at as lying in the compromises and expediency of his Special Forces days, the way he believes he was used, and the dirty politics of modern war, undertaken and prolonged for the profit of private companies.
Whether to preserve that self-image of a clean(ish) man in a dirty world, or because he does, genuinely, have the vestiges of a moral code, Hendricks still observes some boundaries, kind of. Even when he takes out a whole opposition team, he tries only to kill the real bad guys. (The hired guns may end up beaten to pulp or with third degree burns, but they'll probably survive.)
In contrast, Hendricks's chief opponent here - who takes some time to emerge - delights in killing and torture, whether waterboarding a local imam for information or shooting a bystander just because he's in the way. He's a really nasty piece of work, the worse for being unpredictable and irrational, and the final confrontation is a wonderfully tense and sweaty piece of writing pitting the two men against each other.
It starts to become clear in this book that as well as the vendetta between Hendricks and the underworld Council, there are wider schemes in play bringing together his past in Special Forces, the terrorist threats of the present, and the shifty world of military contractors. Added up these point to a greater menace than simple organised crime - not least in the easy acquiescence of contractors to illegal means (the waterboarding and indeed, out and out murder) used to investigate the central crime.
While, obviously, not for those who want their books free of gore and violence this is an electrifying read, a book that pretty much demands your total attention till it's finished.
(Oh, and Hendricks does acquire support. The character who steps up to help him seems slightly improbable at first and I won't mention names because doing so would be a mild spoiler, but their relationship grows into the central hinge of the book, hopefully starting to heal the wound caused by Lester's dreadful end).
When viral video footage from a terrorist attack in San Francisco reveals that a mob informant thought dead is still alive, FBI Special Agent Charlie Thompson knows just who to contact to save her witness from certain death: Michael Hendricks. He may be a hitman, but he's not a bad guy...
This is an explosive followup to The Killing Kind. Hendricks is a killer - though he only kills bad men, other assassins, who work for the mob.
They found out about him and sent one of their own to sort him out. Hendricks survived, but he lost his closest friend, Lester, and they tried to kill his family.
Now he wants revenge.
Jump forward a few months and at the start of this book things aren't going so well. Revenge may be a dish best served cold but it shouldn't be left to go mouldy. With no Lester, Hendricks lacks backup. With no new jobs he's running low on money. And now he's sidetracked by a terrorist attack which has San Francisco swarming like an overturned anthill.
A vital witness has surfaced and Hendricks is the only person who can protect him. The trouble is Hendricks is not only wanted by the mob but by the FBI too. Even so, Special Agent Charlie Thompson reaches out for help and we're on another roller-coaster of violence, betrayal, violence, and destruction. (Did I mention the violence?)
So far, that all sounds pretty normal for this kind of chase thriller. For me, though, what distinguishes Holm's books - and it's also true of his earlier, UF tinged Collector series - is the crossover he weaves between a straight thriller and a kind of modern noir. Hendricks is a bad man, acting for selfish motives - here revenge, in the previous book, money - but convincing himself that he's got a moral purpose. The roots of this purpose are hinted at as lying in the compromises and expediency of his Special Forces days, the way he believes he was used, and the dirty politics of modern war, undertaken and prolonged for the profit of private companies.
Whether to preserve that self-image of a clean(ish) man in a dirty world, or because he does, genuinely, have the vestiges of a moral code, Hendricks still observes some boundaries, kind of. Even when he takes out a whole opposition team, he tries only to kill the real bad guys. (The hired guns may end up beaten to pulp or with third degree burns, but they'll probably survive.)
In contrast, Hendricks's chief opponent here - who takes some time to emerge - delights in killing and torture, whether waterboarding a local imam for information or shooting a bystander just because he's in the way. He's a really nasty piece of work, the worse for being unpredictable and irrational, and the final confrontation is a wonderfully tense and sweaty piece of writing pitting the two men against each other.
It starts to become clear in this book that as well as the vendetta between Hendricks and the underworld Council, there are wider schemes in play bringing together his past in Special Forces, the terrorist threats of the present, and the shifty world of military contractors. Added up these point to a greater menace than simple organised crime - not least in the easy acquiescence of contractors to illegal means (the waterboarding and indeed, out and out murder) used to investigate the central crime.
While, obviously, not for those who want their books free of gore and violence this is an electrifying read, a book that pretty much demands your total attention till it's finished.
(Oh, and Hendricks does acquire support. The character who steps up to help him seems slightly improbable at first and I won't mention names because doing so would be a mild spoiler, but their relationship grows into the central hinge of the book, hopefully starting to heal the wound caused by Lester's dreadful end).
April 24, 2017
Chris Holm’s second adrenaline-charged thriller, “Red Right Hand,” ignites a high-octane, fast-moving read.
An assassin who kills assassins, Michael Hendricks, a former covert operative for the U.S military, is up against a group of terrorists in this breakneck cat-and-mouse game.
The story begins with an explosion on the Golden Gate Bridge, killing innocent people. When a video of the incident goes viral, linking the episode to terrorist involvement, Hendricks learns that a former federal witness, known as The Council, who has been thought to be dead, is still alive. Hendricks crosses paths with dangerous men in order to help FBI special agent Claire Thompson protect The Council.
Thompson hires Hendricks to help The Council find safety against the terrorists hunting him, but the organization has other plans, deadly plans, to put an end to The Council, agent Thompson and anyone else who gets in their way, including Hendricks.
The writing is taut, teasing and terrific, and the mind-blowing plotlines will keep readers engaged, turning pages as fast as the affairs unfold.
An assassin who kills assassins, Michael Hendricks, a former covert operative for the U.S military, is up against a group of terrorists in this breakneck cat-and-mouse game.
The story begins with an explosion on the Golden Gate Bridge, killing innocent people. When a video of the incident goes viral, linking the episode to terrorist involvement, Hendricks learns that a former federal witness, known as The Council, who has been thought to be dead, is still alive. Hendricks crosses paths with dangerous men in order to help FBI special agent Claire Thompson protect The Council.
Thompson hires Hendricks to help The Council find safety against the terrorists hunting him, but the organization has other plans, deadly plans, to put an end to The Council, agent Thompson and anyone else who gets in their way, including Hendricks.
The writing is taut, teasing and terrific, and the mind-blowing plotlines will keep readers engaged, turning pages as fast as the affairs unfold.
September 28, 2022
I was surprised by how much I liked The Killing Kind so I was looking forward to reading Chris Holm’s Red Right Hand. It was less noirish, but this time the non-Hendricks characters were more fleshed-out. I was especially impressed by the plot, since I’ve often thought about people who have something major occur in their personal lives (a birth, a death, a verdict, a marriage) at the same time something major occurs in the world’s (earthquake, nuclear meltdown, terrorist attack), but I’ve never before seen it come up in fiction. My enthusiasm for the the plot waned as it grew more convoluted; I dislike James Bondish books where the enemy always ends up being some hugely powerful (and hugely improbable) organization evilly plotting world domination. But the book was well-written and like its predecessor contained insightful observations - “We played our part in the name of freedom, Hendricks thought, but what good were our reasons to the innocents we killed or displaced? All our fighting ever seemed to do was feed the military-industrial beast, which profited mightily from every ratcheting of tension, every escalation of conflict, every convoy attacked, every hovel destroyed,” as well as some very clever lines. I especially liked an enforcer’s interruption of a victim’s protestations that it was impossible for him to comply with some demand: "Lemme stop you, Chet.* That sounds more like a you-problem than a me-problem." Pretty good ending, too. Red Right Hand is worth reading. Recommended.
*of course the guy’s name isn’t Chet
*of course the guy’s name isn’t Chet
February 10, 2017
I read “The Killing Kind” some while ago, an enjoyable thriller about a hitman who takes out hitmen. This is a follow up but can easily be read and enjoyed without having read the first book.
Set against the backdrop of a terrorist attack on the Golden Gate Bridge, we have our hitman (Hendricks) in the area trying to track down an informant that was assumed dead. Background footage of the attack has shown him to be very much alive, and the bad guys are after him and Hendricks. So, amongst the pandemonium post attack, there is a coming together of agendas and execution.
I liked the idea of the attack being background to create a chaotic scenario and I enjoyed the plot and characterisation as much as I did the first book
Set against the backdrop of a terrorist attack on the Golden Gate Bridge, we have our hitman (Hendricks) in the area trying to track down an informant that was assumed dead. Background footage of the attack has shown him to be very much alive, and the bad guys are after him and Hendricks. So, amongst the pandemonium post attack, there is a coming together of agendas and execution.
I liked the idea of the attack being background to create a chaotic scenario and I enjoyed the plot and characterisation as much as I did the first book
December 27, 2017
I won this book in a giveaway. Great read. I'm a huge thriller fan, but I like my thrillers to have character development and good description. This had both, neither of which slowed down the story. I hadn't realized it was the second book in the series until after I started reading it, but it worked as a complete standalone, and I wasn't confused by any elements.
I really like this author's writing style and will go back to book one in the series to see how it started. An extra star for good female characters who aren't described by the sum of their body parts but instead, have something to contribute to the story.
I really like this author's writing style and will go back to book one in the series to see how it started. An extra star for good female characters who aren't described by the sum of their body parts but instead, have something to contribute to the story.
March 14, 2022
Really interesting characters. Some violence. Pretty wild story. I really didn't get this story as I hadn't read #1 so I re read it and loved it. I know a story about a hit man with a heart may sound crazy but I give it 5 stars now and thanks again to Matt and Elena for a book that had me reading until 1 AM.
October 19, 2016
Received this enticing and fast paced book via Goodreads giveaways and couldn't put it down. I really liked the various characters and hope some of them reappear in other stories. The plot moves at a great pace with the right blend of detail and dialogue.
April 21, 2021
The evolution of Michael Hendrick has been extraordinary, but then again when you're a hitman's hitman your life is anything but simple. I found the connection to the Killing Floor to be similar but different and felt the action in this book to be predictable. The pathwork was linear in the sense that an event occurs and Hendrick's is tasked with a takedown, though this time it is to protect two witsec personalities.
One being Eevee and the other a former Red Right Hand of the mysterious Council. If you read the first book you see the same relationship of Charlie Thompson unraveling as the bureau investigates a terrorist attack while footage of a persona hidden by the FBI appears in a cell-phone footage that motivates Thompsons agenda in bringing in Hendricks; a duo never thought possible.
Coincidentally Thompson and the man in the grainy cell phone footage, Frank, have a history and the story goes to lengths to set it up. The story takes part in a couple cities but the multiple jobs that Hendrick had in the 1st novel are much different and you gain a sense of his 'real' character in this book. Alongside it there is really just one mission Henricks is on, revenge. What takes him to San Francisco isn't the terrorist attack but the relationship Thompson shared with Frank. But now Hendricks past has been exposed to Eevee, and Thompson uses this relationship to get to Hendricks. The story wraps itself around one another and includes a know-it-all female guardian, in literary terms, who helps out Hendricks similar to his former helping hand. But... this time it is different.
Revenge is the motif and all actions made are about taking down the Council at its core, which Cameron is driven by as well. The story runs through a series of interactions with people who all die at some point - figuratively or in actually in the the story. Sometimes it is a relationship dying, sometimes it's the actual person. Death follows Henricks and sometimes I am unsure if that is something he can cope with. Henricks is driven by his past and is a wanted man, but what he does doesn't clear his name for the FBI and I am unsure how someone like him even as crafty as he thinks he is can beat Blume at the end of the day... but this is a story and novels have to be sold in the future.
The ending is predictable, and even more heat is on Hendricks. How he is able to slip by police is more mysterious than before. Perhaps in the future his past will finally catch up with him?
One being Eevee and the other a former Red Right Hand of the mysterious Council. If you read the first book you see the same relationship of Charlie Thompson unraveling as the bureau investigates a terrorist attack while footage of a persona hidden by the FBI appears in a cell-phone footage that motivates Thompsons agenda in bringing in Hendricks; a duo never thought possible.
Coincidentally Thompson and the man in the grainy cell phone footage, Frank, have a history and the story goes to lengths to set it up. The story takes part in a couple cities but the multiple jobs that Hendrick had in the 1st novel are much different and you gain a sense of his 'real' character in this book. Alongside it there is really just one mission Henricks is on, revenge. What takes him to San Francisco isn't the terrorist attack but the relationship Thompson shared with Frank. But now Hendricks past has been exposed to Eevee, and Thompson uses this relationship to get to Hendricks. The story wraps itself around one another and includes a know-it-all female guardian, in literary terms, who helps out Hendricks similar to his former helping hand. But... this time it is different.
Revenge is the motif and all actions made are about taking down the Council at its core, which Cameron is driven by as well. The story runs through a series of interactions with people who all die at some point - figuratively or in actually in the the story. Sometimes it is a relationship dying, sometimes it's the actual person. Death follows Henricks and sometimes I am unsure if that is something he can cope with. Henricks is driven by his past and is a wanted man, but what he does doesn't clear his name for the FBI and I am unsure how someone like him even as crafty as he thinks he is can beat Blume at the end of the day... but this is a story and novels have to be sold in the future.
The ending is predictable, and even more heat is on Hendricks. How he is able to slip by police is more mysterious than before. Perhaps in the future his past will finally catch up with him?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2020
With no job prospects, Michael joined the military when he was young and was eventually sent on special missions. When most of his unit was killed in Afghanistan, he was presumed to be also dead. Feeling guilty about what he had done in the military, he let everyone believe that and headed home to the States once he recovered.
Now Michael makes a living doing what he does best ... killing people. He is a hitman who kills hitmen. Last year, the Council, which is made up of major crime families, hired a hit man to get rid of Michael. It didn't work out as planned. His only friend, Lester, was murdered and now Michael wants revenge.
In San Francisco, a family is enjoying a day out on their way home from Disneyland. They stop an old man and ask him to take a family video of them using their phone. The old man doesn't know how to use the phone and the first few seconds are of him. At that moment, a boat explodes, killing and injuring many. The daughter uploads the video onto the Internet and people who thought Frank, the old man on the video, was killed seven years ago while in protective custody, now realize he is still alive. This includes Charlie, an FBI agent who had met Frank seven years ago and felt bad about his death. Frank had worked for The Council and they had arranged for his death when they'd had no more use for him so he turned to the FBI for protection. The Council want to make sure he's really dead this time. Charlie contacts Michael, who she had been chasing for a few years, and asks for his help in bringing Frank because she knows he's the only one who can do it.
This is the second (and latest) in the Michael Hendricks series and I liked it. Though it is part of a series, it does work as a stand alone. It's written in third person perspective wherever the action is, mostly with Michael, Charlie, Frank and Cameron (Michael's new helper). As a head's up, there is violence and swearing.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2020/04...
Now Michael makes a living doing what he does best ... killing people. He is a hitman who kills hitmen. Last year, the Council, which is made up of major crime families, hired a hit man to get rid of Michael. It didn't work out as planned. His only friend, Lester, was murdered and now Michael wants revenge.
In San Francisco, a family is enjoying a day out on their way home from Disneyland. They stop an old man and ask him to take a family video of them using their phone. The old man doesn't know how to use the phone and the first few seconds are of him. At that moment, a boat explodes, killing and injuring many. The daughter uploads the video onto the Internet and people who thought Frank, the old man on the video, was killed seven years ago while in protective custody, now realize he is still alive. This includes Charlie, an FBI agent who had met Frank seven years ago and felt bad about his death. Frank had worked for The Council and they had arranged for his death when they'd had no more use for him so he turned to the FBI for protection. The Council want to make sure he's really dead this time. Charlie contacts Michael, who she had been chasing for a few years, and asks for his help in bringing Frank because she knows he's the only one who can do it.
This is the second (and latest) in the Michael Hendricks series and I liked it. Though it is part of a series, it does work as a stand alone. It's written in third person perspective wherever the action is, mostly with Michael, Charlie, Frank and Cameron (Michael's new helper). As a head's up, there is violence and swearing.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2020/04...
August 28, 2017
Seven years ago, Frank Segreti was a mob informant. He went to the FBI about an organization called The Counsel. Shortly thereafter he finds himself dead. Zip to present day and a family that it taking a photo at the Golden Gate Bridge when a tug boat full of explosives goes off. On review of the file, FBI agent Charlie Thompson is surprised to see Frank. But she can’t really investigate his appearance so she called in Michael Hendricks. Michael is still smarting after his last run around with The Counsel and has no problem fighting The Counsel.
This is a great, action filled story. Michael is not just the killer of killers. He will kill for an exorbitant amount of money. And after his last tangle with The Counsel, he has them in his sights. Michael teams up with Cameron to keep ahead of the FBI and mob bosses to get Frank Segreti. But The Counsel expects Michael and he is going to have a harder time fighting them this time around.
This is an action filled great story. It’s a great thriller that will have you cheering for Michael. I liked Cameron. She adds a bit of a fresh approach to the story and I hope she is around for the last book. If you like action packed thrillers you need to check this series out.
I received Red Right Hand from the publisher for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.
This is a great, action filled story. Michael is not just the killer of killers. He will kill for an exorbitant amount of money. And after his last tangle with The Counsel, he has them in his sights. Michael teams up with Cameron to keep ahead of the FBI and mob bosses to get Frank Segreti. But The Counsel expects Michael and he is going to have a harder time fighting them this time around.
This is an action filled great story. It’s a great thriller that will have you cheering for Michael. I liked Cameron. She adds a bit of a fresh approach to the story and I hope she is around for the last book. If you like action packed thrillers you need to check this series out.
I received Red Right Hand from the publisher for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.
December 4, 2022
I loved it that one of the locations in this story is the the Presidio in San Francisco. All the descriptions of the area, and the housing and cemetery and the Main Post were spot on.
I am not interested in stories about The Mob, or terrorism, and espionage is not a particulate favorite either, but this plot had enough other interesting things going that I really got into it and found it hard to put down at times.
Michael Hendricks is a likeable character, and when he teams up with Cameron a Bay Area native, it just works.
Chet Yancey was a bit over the top, but Reyes seemed realistic and Segreti was also a very sympathetic character. We get their back stories in bits and pieces as the story unveils.
The FBI staff were pretty much forgetable, but Charlie Thompson plays a critical part and had to watch her step as she went against orders from her boss.
I have not read book one in this series and it did not seem to matter.
I borrowed a copy from the public library and want to read more Michael Hendricks.
I am not interested in stories about The Mob, or terrorism, and espionage is not a particulate favorite either, but this plot had enough other interesting things going that I really got into it and found it hard to put down at times.
Michael Hendricks is a likeable character, and when he teams up with Cameron a Bay Area native, it just works.
Chet Yancey was a bit over the top, but Reyes seemed realistic and Segreti was also a very sympathetic character. We get their back stories in bits and pieces as the story unveils.
The FBI staff were pretty much forgetable, but Charlie Thompson plays a critical part and had to watch her step as she went against orders from her boss.
I have not read book one in this series and it did not seem to matter.
I borrowed a copy from the public library and want to read more Michael Hendricks.
November 13, 2022
This is not a genre I normally read. I noticed it on the Friends Shop bookshelf because of the title taken from the Nick Cave song (used in "Peaky Blinders") which, in turn, was taken from "Paradise Lost." Then I saw the Golden Gate Bridge on the cover and had to buy it, as San Francisco is my favorite city.
It was too violent for my tastes, but it kept my interest. I especially enjoyed reading all about the bridge, the Presidio, Crissy Field, and the like, because I could picture it well. Satisfying ending.
It was too violent for my tastes, but it kept my interest. I especially enjoyed reading all about the bridge, the Presidio, Crissy Field, and the like, because I could picture it well. Satisfying ending.
October 20, 2024
Fast read and full of adrenaline pumping actions but the whole plot rests on a very fragile and implausible premise. The author also inserts unnecessary side plots to do virtue signalling for woke reference.
There are many scenes in the story that are illogical or disconnected to the events previously. That Hendricks operating as a super secret assassin when his face is known to authorities and travels under his own name is rather ridiculous. And the FBI wanting his help despite all these is rather hard to believe.
There are many scenes in the story that are illogical or disconnected to the events previously. That Hendricks operating as a super secret assassin when his face is known to authorities and travels under his own name is rather ridiculous. And the FBI wanting his help despite all these is rather hard to believe.
January 3, 2018
Wow, a great second read in the series!! Chris is an easy to read author with great characters and plots! Interestingly enough I finished book #1 on the same day, Jan. 3, in 2017. Thought it was a good way to end one year and begin the new one and I was not disappointed either! Look forward to more by this author. Kudos Chris!!
Now onto the first book of his Collector series. 2018 has been very good so far, lol.
Now onto the first book of his Collector series. 2018 has been very good so far, lol.
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