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The Reaper #1
Ghost Target
American hero, or unhinged vigilante?
Vick "The Reaper" Harwood is an esteemed sniper with a record kill count—33 kills in 90 days—when he is knocked out under mortar attack in Afghanistan. He wakes up back in the United States with little memory of what happened, his spotter and gun both unrecovered from the battlefield. Harwood has resigned himself to slowly picking up the pieces of his life, training Special Forces snipers in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and starting a promising relationship with an Olympic medalist named Jackie.
But when a series of assassinations start occurring in the area, Harwood can't explain why he just happens to be nearby for each killing—or how a sniper rifle that matches the description of the one he lost seems to be involved. His memory of the past few days is hazy and full of blackouts, and even he has to wonder, is he being framed? Or is he the killer?
As Harwood runs from the authorities, his girlfriend falls off the radar, his missing spotter resurfaces, and the assassinated men are outed as drug and sex traffickers. Nothing is adding up. Harwood realizes he has to unravel this mystery, and fast, or find himself paying the ultimate price for crimes he may not have committed.
324 pages, Hardcover
First published May 8, 2018
371 people are currently reading
2122 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
February 4, 2020
A Ranger Sniper,Human Trafficking, and Action That Has You From Word One!
An interesting adventure with a military man, from believable characters to intense action you keep turning pages as you are quickly drawn into the story. You are kept guessing in trying to figure out just who is killing people with Reaper's rifle, not seen by him since he was in a Rockville.
It is not just a military story, as you feel and understand the man underneath the uniform. I Wii definitely read more from this author.
An interesting adventure with a military man, from believable characters to intense action you keep turning pages as you are quickly drawn into the story. You are kept guessing in trying to figure out just who is killing people with Reaper's rifle, not seen by him since he was in a Rockville.
It is not just a military story, as you feel and understand the man underneath the uniform. I Wii definitely read more from this author.
October 9, 2020
Reaper: Ghost Target by Nicholas Irving and A.J.Tata is my first sniper fiction. This is a face paced political-military thriller with a good lead and gripping story. Vick "The Reaper" Harwood is based on the author himself. I read an online interview and found out the "Chechen" is real. The story reminds me a bit of the movie "Shooter" (novel by Stephen Hunter Point of Impact, which I haven't yet read). I'll be reading book #2!
January 13, 2022
Kad bijušais ASV armijas reindžeru snaiperis ar iesauku The Reaper raksta par armijas reindžeru snaiperi ar iesauku The Reaper, tad realitātes faktors ir neizbēgams. Aizraujošs militārais trilleris, kur dažu sižeta fantastisko sakritību var arī piedot, jo lasītprieku tas nebojā it ne maz.
April 27, 2018
“Reaper Ghost Target” by Nicholas Irving with A.J. Tata, published by St. Martin’s Press.
Category – Mystery/Thriller Publication Date – May 08, 2018.
Who best to write a novel about a sniper than a sniper himself. Nicholas Irving was a Ranger and a sniper for his battalion. This is his third book, the first “The Reaper”, and the second was “Way of the Reaper”.
Vic Harwood is on assignment in Afghanistan with his spotter, Sammie Samuelson. They are hit by a mortar round and Vic is rescued but there is no sign of Sammie or Vic’s rifle.
While mending and doing sniper assignments in the United States Vic becomes involved with Jackie Colt who is an Olympic medalist in shooting.
Vic finds himself “on the run” as high ranking Army Officers and CEO’s are being murdered by a sniper. Suspicion is on Vic but he believes the sniper may be an old adversary from Afghanistan, Khasan Basayev.
In putting the pieces together, Vic starts to realize that the murders may have to do with drug and human trafficking that could have the Army and an Army contractor involved.
This is not only a sniper novel, but one filled with mystery and action. A book that is hard to put down, and leaves the reader looking for the next installment.
Category – Mystery/Thriller Publication Date – May 08, 2018.
Who best to write a novel about a sniper than a sniper himself. Nicholas Irving was a Ranger and a sniper for his battalion. This is his third book, the first “The Reaper”, and the second was “Way of the Reaper”.
Vic Harwood is on assignment in Afghanistan with his spotter, Sammie Samuelson. They are hit by a mortar round and Vic is rescued but there is no sign of Sammie or Vic’s rifle.
While mending and doing sniper assignments in the United States Vic becomes involved with Jackie Colt who is an Olympic medalist in shooting.
Vic finds himself “on the run” as high ranking Army Officers and CEO’s are being murdered by a sniper. Suspicion is on Vic but he believes the sniper may be an old adversary from Afghanistan, Khasan Basayev.
In putting the pieces together, Vic starts to realize that the murders may have to do with drug and human trafficking that could have the Army and an Army contractor involved.
This is not only a sniper novel, but one filled with mystery and action. A book that is hard to put down, and leaves the reader looking for the next installment.
May 14, 2018
Pretty good debut, with an interesting story-line and a captivating main character in Vick 'The Reaper' Harwood. An accomplished sniper, his latest mission in the Middle East goes wrong. When he comes home to America, he finds himself in the middle of a terrorist plot that intersects with the illegal actions of a sinister private military contractor. Framed for murders committed with his missing rifle, Harwood has to go on the run to clear his name, unmask the actions of the private military contractor and stop a nefarious terrorist. There's a lot going on!
April 23, 2018
Wow! Exhausting! Nonstop action from beginning to end. The book is a “ stand-alone“, so previous books in the series do not affect it’s enjoyment.
I read it in four days,with sleep and food optional.I highly recommend it ,and I will read other books by these authors.
I read it in four days,with sleep and food optional.I highly recommend it ,and I will read other books by these authors.
November 6, 2024
It was ok, not really my cup of tea I think.
September 6, 2019
It was a good read and there's nothing I love better than reading a story by someone in the know. The story was a bit plodding and rote, but in the action scenes when Reaper took over, you could tell it was familiar, comfortable territory--it flowed smoothly. A good read. Looking forward to the next one!
August 17, 2023
I'm a big fan of thrillers and their authors,Gregg Hurwitz, Mark Greaney, Lee Child. This book showed potential, and I did finish it quickly, but I'm not sure I want any more Reaper books on my shelf. I didn't particularly like Vick Harwood, several situations seemed contrived and confused and there was a bit of a cliffhanger ending which I hate. THe descriptions of sniper craft were very good and there were several clever surprises.
July 27, 2018
Good idea for a story with good twists and turns along the way but the execution was terrible. The characters were very one dimensional the plot relied heavily on unbelievably convenient circumstances to move the plot forward, and characters were to be complete morons when needed then immediately have the capacity to be brilliant second before and after
April 26, 2020
“The Reaper: Ghost Target” opens with a failed mission in Afghanistan that leaves Vick Harwood with a head injury which gives him blackouts and little memory of the experience, and his spotter Sam Samuelson injured and captured by their target ”the Chechen”.
Picking up the pieces of his life, and training future snipers at Fort Bragg, the plot heats up when Vic’s life is turned upside down again when two Generals are killed and his sniper rifle is identified as the murder weapon. Running from authorities as the number of victims increases, his girlfriend Jackie, an Olympic medalist missing,Vic sets out to unravel the mystery and prove his innocence only to confront a former colleague, and old enemy.
Thrilling and gripping, intensity and suspense build quickly when Vic uncovers a link to drug and sex trafficking, and a bomb that Chechen plans to ignite at the base in Savannah. Mixing action and mystery this well-written and exciting novel is very credible with the infusion of the expertise of a
Sniper Team leader and a retired Brigadier General. Yet the story is emotionally-charged with Vic’s depression at leaving a fellow soldier behind when he was airlifted out of Afghanistan, and his struggle to save not only Monisha but Jackie who wants vengeance for her loss. Keeping you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last this page-turner progresses all too quickly to an explosive confrontation near the end.
Included among the compelling characters that infuse this story with action and excitement is Vic “the Reaper” Harwood a foster kid growing into a humble sniper with an impressive kill count who’s calm, driven and self-sufficient. Fourteen-year-old Monisha, a young prostitute who’s brash, tough, and confident as well as Jackie Colt the Olympic Champion who’s loving and loyal to Vic, but hides a secret that could hurt him. Yet it’s the cold-hearted menace and determination of the Chechen and his wife Nina that add a dark chill to this riveting story.
I thoroughly enjoyed “The Reaper: Ghost Target” and look forward to reading the sequel.
Picking up the pieces of his life, and training future snipers at Fort Bragg, the plot heats up when Vic’s life is turned upside down again when two Generals are killed and his sniper rifle is identified as the murder weapon. Running from authorities as the number of victims increases, his girlfriend Jackie, an Olympic medalist missing,Vic sets out to unravel the mystery and prove his innocence only to confront a former colleague, and old enemy.
Thrilling and gripping, intensity and suspense build quickly when Vic uncovers a link to drug and sex trafficking, and a bomb that Chechen plans to ignite at the base in Savannah. Mixing action and mystery this well-written and exciting novel is very credible with the infusion of the expertise of a
Sniper Team leader and a retired Brigadier General. Yet the story is emotionally-charged with Vic’s depression at leaving a fellow soldier behind when he was airlifted out of Afghanistan, and his struggle to save not only Monisha but Jackie who wants vengeance for her loss. Keeping you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last this page-turner progresses all too quickly to an explosive confrontation near the end.
Included among the compelling characters that infuse this story with action and excitement is Vic “the Reaper” Harwood a foster kid growing into a humble sniper with an impressive kill count who’s calm, driven and self-sufficient. Fourteen-year-old Monisha, a young prostitute who’s brash, tough, and confident as well as Jackie Colt the Olympic Champion who’s loving and loyal to Vic, but hides a secret that could hurt him. Yet it’s the cold-hearted menace and determination of the Chechen and his wife Nina that add a dark chill to this riveting story.
I thoroughly enjoyed “The Reaper: Ghost Target” and look forward to reading the sequel.
October 1, 2021
WOW !!
This is one of the best fictional stories I have read in a very long time. The story revolves around the “Reaper”. A master sniper with the Rangers. He’s severely injured and so is his spotter. Reaper is rescued but his spotter, unknown to him, is taken by a Chechen mercenary sniper. The story continues to unfold from there. I don’t want to give anything away. I’m starting the 2nd book in this series right after I finish this review!
This is one of the best fictional stories I have read in a very long time. The story revolves around the “Reaper”. A master sniper with the Rangers. He’s severely injured and so is his spotter. Reaper is rescued but his spotter, unknown to him, is taken by a Chechen mercenary sniper. The story continues to unfold from there. I don’t want to give anything away. I’m starting the 2nd book in this series right after I finish this review!
June 23, 2019
Seat-of-the-pants high paced thriller! Nicholas Irving and A.J.Tata know their stuff and make a great writing team!
January 19, 2020
At first, I didn't think I would understand or like it, but as I got used to the writing, it was AMAZING. It always keeps you on edge and it actually makes you wonder and second guess your predictions.
November 13, 2021
Book Review - If you liked the movie "Shooter" then you will like “Reaper Ghost Target” by Army Ranger, Special Ops Sniper, Nicholas Irving. It's like watching a military/mystery/suspense movie with the protagonist (Vic Harwood) being a sniper! The book is super fast paced and very enjoyable to read, albeit there was some cheesiness to it in certain parts. It has everything in an action thriller; from sniper battles, love interests, seaside rescues, and explosions. Irving does a nice job building up the story and bringing it all together towards the end. The action sequences were well-written and the plot was well told. I appreciated the details when describing the military tactics, weapons and equipment. The well-explained details made the story authentic. However, there were a few scenes that were too 'coincidental' and there was not enough criminal backstory on the bad guys. I also questioned the randomness of the white supremacists in the story. I’m sure it made some readers uncomfortable and Irving probably lost them as readers, but these are the times that we’re living in right now and Irving took a chance on including a very sensitive subject matter in this story. Nevertheless, it worked because Reaper: Ghost Target turned out to be a very entertaining read and well worth the time. I liked it!
May 5, 2018
A great sniper novel!!! Can't wait to read the next one in the series!!
June 24, 2018
My first Reaper book and I enjoyed it. Fast paced.
April 25, 2018
Awesome True Story
August 13, 2018
Reaper Ghost Target is a page turning, thrill ride. Vick Hardwood is a legendary; Ranger, sniper and patriot with 33 confirmed kills in 90 days. Vic Harwood is on assignment to equalize his greatest foe, Khasan Basayev, the Chechen, in Afghanistan with his spotter, Sammie Samuelson. They are hit by a mortar round and Vic is rescued but there is no sign of Sammie or Vic’s rifle. As he recovers stateside he is assigned to train future special operations snipers, he finds himself feeling like the country in which he swore to protect is turning on him. The Reaper is caught between love, duty, honor and country trying to put the puzzle pieces of his life back together.
After a series of well-timed and ironic assignation of former military and government leaders, the Reaper finds himself on the run as the key suspect forced to question everything he thought he knew. Finding himself in the wrong place at the right time, he begins to question if he is being set up or the unthinkable, he is the killer. Hardwood never had to fight for his life the way he does now….
Co-authored by Nicholas Irving and A. J. Tata, Reaper Ghost Target is one of those books you just won’t want to put down. As each character is introduced and the plot becomes more complex, you are left with no choice but to cheer on Hardwood. There is no dead space in this book. The combined knowledge, expertise and storytelling of Irving and Tata create an authentic, detailed and engaging read for anyone who calls themselves a Patriot.
After a series of well-timed and ironic assignation of former military and government leaders, the Reaper finds himself on the run as the key suspect forced to question everything he thought he knew. Finding himself in the wrong place at the right time, he begins to question if he is being set up or the unthinkable, he is the killer. Hardwood never had to fight for his life the way he does now….
Co-authored by Nicholas Irving and A. J. Tata, Reaper Ghost Target is one of those books you just won’t want to put down. As each character is introduced and the plot becomes more complex, you are left with no choice but to cheer on Hardwood. There is no dead space in this book. The combined knowledge, expertise and storytelling of Irving and Tata create an authentic, detailed and engaging read for anyone who calls themselves a Patriot.
July 12, 2021
If you love stories like Tom Clancy's Books, you will love this book.
This story is written by Nick Irving ( The Reaper ), one of America's best snipers and co-written by former Brigadier General A. J. Tata. This story is loosely based on Nicholas Irving as the main character. Vic Harwood is an elite sniper taking down a target when all goes wrong. Unfortunately, the Chechen gets the best of him when he misses his shot and captures his scout. His call sign is The Reaper due to the headcount he had during the first 3 months overseas. He spends the next bit of time recovering from the wounds he received till he joins to train other snipers. While teaching the snipers, he falls in love with an Olympic gold medalist, and she is a shooter as well. He also happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time on base, so the mystery and intrigue ensue. This book is filled with military jargon that you may need to lookup.
Okay, so this book is a little confusing. Multiple points of view jump from one chapter to the next. Sometimes we follow the reaper, sometimes we are flowing a government contractor and sometimes the Chechen, but all of it is connected somehow. These books get all sorts of twisted. I love that my original guesses about the who and what and why we're so incorrect.
This book was an exciting read. I loved the questions and actions that preceded thru the pages. They kept me on the edge of my seat. This book was an exciting thriller with lots of action, suspenseful plotlines, and destructive behavior.
This story is written by Nick Irving ( The Reaper ), one of America's best snipers and co-written by former Brigadier General A. J. Tata. This story is loosely based on Nicholas Irving as the main character. Vic Harwood is an elite sniper taking down a target when all goes wrong. Unfortunately, the Chechen gets the best of him when he misses his shot and captures his scout. His call sign is The Reaper due to the headcount he had during the first 3 months overseas. He spends the next bit of time recovering from the wounds he received till he joins to train other snipers. While teaching the snipers, he falls in love with an Olympic gold medalist, and she is a shooter as well. He also happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time on base, so the mystery and intrigue ensue. This book is filled with military jargon that you may need to lookup.
Okay, so this book is a little confusing. Multiple points of view jump from one chapter to the next. Sometimes we follow the reaper, sometimes we are flowing a government contractor and sometimes the Chechen, but all of it is connected somehow. These books get all sorts of twisted. I love that my original guesses about the who and what and why we're so incorrect.
This book was an exciting read. I loved the questions and actions that preceded thru the pages. They kept me on the edge of my seat. This book was an exciting thriller with lots of action, suspenseful plotlines, and destructive behavior.
December 9, 2018
From what I gather, this book is inspired by author Nicholas Irving's time in the military where he was nicknamed The Reaper. Collaborating with A.J. Tata, together they have created the character of Vick Harwood, a lethal sniper who is the protagonist of this thriller - the first in what will be a series.
Vick has been ambushed on a mission and when he regains conscious, back on home base, he seems to have little to no memory of what happened. He tries to pick up the pieces of his life, reassigned to training Special Forces snipers while beginning a relationship with Olympic air rifle gold-medalist Jackie Colt.
In a bizarre turn of events, a spate of assassinations begin to occur in the area and Harwood finds himself in the vicinity of where they take place. More so, the rifle he lost during his ambush is suspected to be the murder weapon.
His memory extremely hazy, Harwood begins to wonder if this is a mere coincidence, or is he being framed, or if he, in fact, is the real killer.
Written by authors with a lifelong career in the military and having plenty of writing experience, this is a trip right into the middle of a blazing battlefield. Clues pointing to multiple suspects, the mystery simply gets deeper and murkier with every page.
If you love reading military thrillers, don't miss this one. I hear Book 2 is due for release in May 2019 and I am already counting down the days to it.
Vick has been ambushed on a mission and when he regains conscious, back on home base, he seems to have little to no memory of what happened. He tries to pick up the pieces of his life, reassigned to training Special Forces snipers while beginning a relationship with Olympic air rifle gold-medalist Jackie Colt.
In a bizarre turn of events, a spate of assassinations begin to occur in the area and Harwood finds himself in the vicinity of where they take place. More so, the rifle he lost during his ambush is suspected to be the murder weapon.
His memory extremely hazy, Harwood begins to wonder if this is a mere coincidence, or is he being framed, or if he, in fact, is the real killer.
Written by authors with a lifelong career in the military and having plenty of writing experience, this is a trip right into the middle of a blazing battlefield. Clues pointing to multiple suspects, the mystery simply gets deeper and murkier with every page.
If you love reading military thrillers, don't miss this one. I hear Book 2 is due for release in May 2019 and I am already counting down the days to it.
March 26, 2018
This is the first book by either Nicholas Irving or A.J. Tata that I have read. I have read much praise of the latter, but with him just appearing as a second-tier co-author on this book, I must assume that Irving is primarily responsible for the novel.
I will make this review fairly short by summing up that I was fairly well entertained as the pages flew by, but the plot has so many reality gaps and shortcuts that I was never truly convinced by the twists and false leads that Irving included in the story.
Fans of e.g. Brad Taylor might like this book as well as the series it appears to be the first part of, but if you are more into geopolitical terrorism and suspense, as in books by Vince Flynn and Brad Thor, you will be left wanting by this book.
[An ARC of the book was generously provided by the publisher through NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review]
I will make this review fairly short by summing up that I was fairly well entertained as the pages flew by, but the plot has so many reality gaps and shortcuts that I was never truly convinced by the twists and false leads that Irving included in the story.
Fans of e.g. Brad Taylor might like this book as well as the series it appears to be the first part of, but if you are more into geopolitical terrorism and suspense, as in books by Vince Flynn and Brad Thor, you will be left wanting by this book.
[An ARC of the book was generously provided by the publisher through NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review]
July 12, 2018
Harwood was a sniper with the army Rangers. After a particularly brutal tour in Afghanistan he comes back with memory loss and guilt over being forced to leave his sniper spotter behind. He is no longer in the army but teaches other snipers how to do their jobs. He is the Reaper, a legend, even among the Rangers, 33 kills in 3 months, a record number.
He is trying to put his past behind him and get on with his life.
However, a series of assassinations take place in the areas where Harwood is working and it is found to be with his old lost sniper rifle.
His memory is not good but it sure looks like he is being framed. The high ranking men being assassinated are found to be drug and human traffickers. HIs Olympic shooting medal winner falls off the grid and Harwood is the prime suspect. Wanted buy the FBI. And what about the Chechan terrorist that has been after Harwood since Afghanistan? What the heck is going on? Well, its up to Harwood to sort it out fast or he will be the next casualty. Lots of action and fast paced twists and turns. Great book!
He is trying to put his past behind him and get on with his life.
However, a series of assassinations take place in the areas where Harwood is working and it is found to be with his old lost sniper rifle.
His memory is not good but it sure looks like he is being framed. The high ranking men being assassinated are found to be drug and human traffickers. HIs Olympic shooting medal winner falls off the grid and Harwood is the prime suspect. Wanted buy the FBI. And what about the Chechan terrorist that has been after Harwood since Afghanistan? What the heck is going on? Well, its up to Harwood to sort it out fast or he will be the next casualty. Lots of action and fast paced twists and turns. Great book!
May 25, 2020
Great read for those who favor military adventure stories. Well-written and action-packed from cover to cover. The first book in a series, I like it well enough to find and order a copy of the sequel. Yeah, it's fiction, but it's also great entertainment, given the 50 cents I paid to rescue it from the used book shelf at my local library.
April 5, 2019
Vick Harwood is a sniper for the rangers and special operations in the army. Vick Harwood was in Afghanistan when he got the nickname Reaper, for he was the deadliest sniper in The United States Army with a kill ratio of 33 kills in 90 days. After he got home he was really injured and had two people on his mind which were his spotter Samuelson (who got lost in Afghanistan) and Jackie his crush.
"Reaper Ghost Target" by Nicholas Irving is a great book for people who mostly love reading books about the military this would be a great book for you, for it is about a Army sniper. I would recommend this book for kids that are at least 14 years of age or older because there is a lot of violence and a little bit of cursing.
This book was action packed, full of adventure, and you fell like your there with the main character. I would definitely recommend this book for readers who love stories about the military
"Reaper Ghost Target" by Nicholas Irving is a great book for people who mostly love reading books about the military this would be a great book for you, for it is about a Army sniper. I would recommend this book for kids that are at least 14 years of age or older because there is a lot of violence and a little bit of cursing.
This book was action packed, full of adventure, and you fell like your there with the main character. I would definitely recommend this book for readers who love stories about the military
September 24, 2018
The book hits its mark - pun intended. It kept me guessing until the last, and it may be an American bias, but I love the endings where the good guys win, the bad guys get hurt, the wronged girl gets rescued, and the potential damage from bad guy activities ends up being easy to handle.
Nice parallels too as Irving knows what it means to be a real sniper full of conflicted feelings and (possibly) the effects of PTSD.
Ever so slightly heavy on Black Lives Matter (that's not central to the story) but nailed the corruption and human trafficking on the higher levels of society. It was just a little hard to believe how easy law enforcement came around to The Reaper being the good guy after all, and yet I loved it when they started working together.
Great work and I can't wait for the next.
Nice parallels too as Irving knows what it means to be a real sniper full of conflicted feelings and (possibly) the effects of PTSD.
Ever so slightly heavy on Black Lives Matter (that's not central to the story) but nailed the corruption and human trafficking on the higher levels of society. It was just a little hard to believe how easy law enforcement came around to The Reaper being the good guy after all, and yet I loved it when they started working together.
Great work and I can't wait for the next.
July 3, 2019
I thought it was really good. Some reviewers say this author falls short on his writing. If i can imagine the scenes in my head like a movie, im engaged in the book and the story sticks enough. I did feel it flipped from character to character just a tiny bit too much in some places but thats hardly a complaint to what i now know this author is capable of. This was my first book of his, and i will be back to read the others.
August 10, 2020
Nicholas Irving & A. J. Tata write an exciting thriller with Vick Harwood aka the Reaper. After being wounded in Afghanistan somebody starts killing important people here in the US. The problem is they are using his rifle that he lost in Afghanistan when wounded. As the killing spree grows Reaper races to find out who is setting him up while the FBI is hot on his tail.
Well written with a good plot and plenty of action and excitement. Good start for this new series.
Well written with a good plot and plenty of action and excitement. Good start for this new series.
February 27, 2021
Irving & retired Brigadier General Tata worked extremely well together on this book. Drawing from their own experiences I feel like many of the scenarios came from conversations that started with, "Wouldn't it be cool if..."
Being into military fiction & non fiction, I can usually see a plot point coming from a mile away - but this got me more than once. I could definitely re-read this book again (as well as the other two in the series so far).
Being into military fiction & non fiction, I can usually see a plot point coming from a mile away - but this got me more than once. I could definitely re-read this book again (as well as the other two in the series so far).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews