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A Brit in the FBI #5
The Sixth Day
Special agents Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine take on a ruthless mastermind in the fifth highly anticipated thriller in the New York Times bestselling A Brit in the FBI series.
When several major political figures die mysteriously, officials declare the deaths are from natural causes. Then the German Vice-Chancellor dies on the steps of 10 Downing Street, and a drone is spotted hovering over the scene. The truth becomes clear—these high-profile deaths are well-constructed assassinations, and the Covert Eyes team is tasked to investigate.
With the help of Dr. Isabella Marin, a young expert in the enigmatic Voynich Manuscript and cryptophasia (twin language), Nicholas and Michaela home in on Roman Ardelean, a wealthy cybersecurity genius and a descendant of fifteenth century Romanian Vlad the Impaler—often romanticized as Dracula. Ardelean believes the Voynich Manuscript will unlock the secret to curing his severely ill twin brother’s blood disorder and is willing to murder anyone who gets in his way, including Nicholas and Michaela.
Along with MI5, the Covert Eyes team must race against the clock to find Ardelean before he unleashes a devastating attack on London intended to destroy those he believes betrayed him.
With heart-pounding tension and gripping suspense, New York Times bestselling authors Catherine Coulter and J.T. Ellison “are really on an amazing roll with their outstanding A Brit in the FBI series” (RT Book Reviews).
When several major political figures die mysteriously, officials declare the deaths are from natural causes. Then the German Vice-Chancellor dies on the steps of 10 Downing Street, and a drone is spotted hovering over the scene. The truth becomes clear—these high-profile deaths are well-constructed assassinations, and the Covert Eyes team is tasked to investigate.
With the help of Dr. Isabella Marin, a young expert in the enigmatic Voynich Manuscript and cryptophasia (twin language), Nicholas and Michaela home in on Roman Ardelean, a wealthy cybersecurity genius and a descendant of fifteenth century Romanian Vlad the Impaler—often romanticized as Dracula. Ardelean believes the Voynich Manuscript will unlock the secret to curing his severely ill twin brother’s blood disorder and is willing to murder anyone who gets in his way, including Nicholas and Michaela.
Along with MI5, the Covert Eyes team must race against the clock to find Ardelean before he unleashes a devastating attack on London intended to destroy those he believes betrayed him.
With heart-pounding tension and gripping suspense, New York Times bestselling authors Catherine Coulter and J.T. Ellison “are really on an amazing roll with their outstanding A Brit in the FBI series” (RT Book Reviews).
515 pages, Hardcover
First published April 10, 2018
3628 people are currently reading
6859 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 659 reviews
May 29, 2023
Drones, drones and more drones! Plus computer hackers, falcons, vampires and more! I have to say, this writing duo takes this series in a different direction with every book and this was a wild ride. Heads of state are being assassinated and drones are spotted in the area. A crazy mastermind is behind it because, of course. FBI Agents Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine are on the case, and it’s complicated by the fact that everyone’s tech equipment has been compromised. Imagine having to go back to not being able to use cell phones or computers safely. Hard to do! The villain this time was a bit kooky and there sure were a lot of falcons(!?), but I quite enjoyed the thriller aspect of it. A fun ride!
May 1, 2018
3.5 fast moving stars
Throw in some drones, falcons, evil twins related to Vlad Dracula, an ancient book that no one can read, and a former agent of M16 now with the FBI and his sidekick paramour agent, Michaela and you have what makes for an engaging fast paced read. I enjoyed this book even though it had many unbelievable segments that seemed a bit touching on the sci fi genre.
Nicholas and Michaela are on the trial of a ruthless man, Ramon, who is the millionaire owner of a tech company which specializes in computer programs that prevent hacking. Problem is Ramon has a secret twin who suffers from raging hemophilia and Ramon is desperately trying to find a cure. Problem is that Ramon's computer programs are present in most of everyone's computers plus those of governments throughout the world. What sounds noble however, masks the concept that Ramon does not care who or what he harms in order to attain his goal. He believes the answer to his brother's illness lies in an ancient book, the Voynich manuscript which no one supposedly can read, no one that is except Ramon, his brother, and Dr Isabella Marin. As mentioned Ramon is ruthless and will do anything he can to achieve his goal including using an army of sophisticated drones, falcons (yes the bird variety) and death and destruction.
To thwart Ramon whose goal is eventually ferreted out by the agents Nicholas and Michaela, they embark on a life threatening mission to save the world, most especially England. The books follows the villains and the good guys as the final attack of London, Parliament, the Queen the Prime Minister, and even the American President swings into full gear.
This book was a quick kind of escape from reality which incorporates possible vampires, blood drinking and assorted things that have come down in the Dracula legend.
Thank you to Catherine Coulter, J.T. Ellison, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing this reader with an advanced copy of this novel.
Throw in some drones, falcons, evil twins related to Vlad Dracula, an ancient book that no one can read, and a former agent of M16 now with the FBI and his sidekick paramour agent, Michaela and you have what makes for an engaging fast paced read. I enjoyed this book even though it had many unbelievable segments that seemed a bit touching on the sci fi genre.
Nicholas and Michaela are on the trial of a ruthless man, Ramon, who is the millionaire owner of a tech company which specializes in computer programs that prevent hacking. Problem is Ramon has a secret twin who suffers from raging hemophilia and Ramon is desperately trying to find a cure. Problem is that Ramon's computer programs are present in most of everyone's computers plus those of governments throughout the world. What sounds noble however, masks the concept that Ramon does not care who or what he harms in order to attain his goal. He believes the answer to his brother's illness lies in an ancient book, the Voynich manuscript which no one supposedly can read, no one that is except Ramon, his brother, and Dr Isabella Marin. As mentioned Ramon is ruthless and will do anything he can to achieve his goal including using an army of sophisticated drones, falcons (yes the bird variety) and death and destruction.
To thwart Ramon whose goal is eventually ferreted out by the agents Nicholas and Michaela, they embark on a life threatening mission to save the world, most especially England. The books follows the villains and the good guys as the final attack of London, Parliament, the Queen the Prime Minister, and even the American President swings into full gear.
This book was a quick kind of escape from reality which incorporates possible vampires, blood drinking and assorted things that have come down in the Dracula legend.
Thank you to Catherine Coulter, J.T. Ellison, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing this reader with an advanced copy of this novel.
January 4, 2019
Well crafted. 7 of 10 stars
March 28, 2019
FBI special agents Michaela (Mike) Caine and Nicholas Drummond of The Brit in the FBI series are vacationing at Drummond’s family estate in England (of course it’s an estate), when they are asked to look into very strange assassinations and a ransomware attack on Drummond’s father’s company. As members of the FBI special Covert Eyes group they have special talents and resources and are tasked to go anywhere in the world where they are needed.
Ladies and gentlemen: start your engines for The Sixth Day’s wild ride through London. There are several plot lines, but oddly enough they do manage to fit together in a very believable way; as long as you maintain the requisite suspension of belief in regards to the vampire plot line. So let me give you a quick summary of all you will have to prepare yourself for: the aforementioned assassinations and ransomware, more assassinations, the viral infections and security breeches into supposedly the best computer security in the world, attack falcons, manuscripts that can’t be read but talk to certain people, and a drone army. For spoilers sake I’m even leaving a few out.
Sounds crazy, right? Well gather ‘round while I play know-it-all. The US government, until very recently did have the Russian owned Kaspersky Labs computer security company inside most government computer systems. By invitation. Recently our folks realized, Russian government security services might have gotten their hot little hands on ownership. Ooopsies. The US Air Force is looking into training falcons to take down drones. The Voynich Manuscript does exist, but has never been translated or stolen from the Beinicke library. Micro-dots of LSD are being looked into as a way to calm severe agitation. Ransonware does exist. So, I would have to say Coulter and Ellison do a fantastic job in searching out the obscure and arcane for their books and weaving it all together. Depending on their writing schedule, they might have been prescient too.
I just wish they did a better job with actually putting words to page, so choppy and abrupt. In some places too melodramatic. The characters are so minor; the bad guys are far more interesting and better written. Not much chemistry between the Mike and Nicholas despite their being partners, both romantic and professional. As I’ve written before, I miss the days of Coulter writing romantic suspense.
The chapter headings, especially the ones about falconry, may be among the best I’ve come across. One heading explains the traditional royal precedence for falconry ownership. The chapters on falconry were among the best written and most fascinating. The falcons alone return the stars I took away for the writing and characters.
Coulter and Ellison’s explanations of computer vulnerabilities were clear and understandable, even for the non-techies. Actually their explanations were almost too good and had me eyeing my computer askance.
So this was a mixed bag for me. If you like well done complex plots this is for you. If you like smooth writing and compelling characters, don’t hurry to read it. Unless you are a long time Coulter and Ellison fan as I am.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Ladies and gentlemen: start your engines for The Sixth Day’s wild ride through London. There are several plot lines, but oddly enough they do manage to fit together in a very believable way; as long as you maintain the requisite suspension of belief in regards to the vampire plot line. So let me give you a quick summary of all you will have to prepare yourself for: the aforementioned assassinations and ransomware, more assassinations, the viral infections and security breeches into supposedly the best computer security in the world, attack falcons, manuscripts that can’t be read but talk to certain people, and a drone army. For spoilers sake I’m even leaving a few out.
Sounds crazy, right? Well gather ‘round while I play know-it-all. The US government, until very recently did have the Russian owned Kaspersky Labs computer security company inside most government computer systems. By invitation. Recently our folks realized, Russian government security services might have gotten their hot little hands on ownership. Ooopsies. The US Air Force is looking into training falcons to take down drones. The Voynich Manuscript does exist, but has never been translated or stolen from the Beinicke library. Micro-dots of LSD are being looked into as a way to calm severe agitation. Ransonware does exist. So, I would have to say Coulter and Ellison do a fantastic job in searching out the obscure and arcane for their books and weaving it all together. Depending on their writing schedule, they might have been prescient too.
I just wish they did a better job with actually putting words to page, so choppy and abrupt. In some places too melodramatic. The characters are so minor; the bad guys are far more interesting and better written. Not much chemistry between the Mike and Nicholas despite their being partners, both romantic and professional. As I’ve written before, I miss the days of Coulter writing romantic suspense.
The chapter headings, especially the ones about falconry, may be among the best I’ve come across. One heading explains the traditional royal precedence for falconry ownership. The chapters on falconry were among the best written and most fascinating. The falcons alone return the stars I took away for the writing and characters.
Coulter and Ellison’s explanations of computer vulnerabilities were clear and understandable, even for the non-techies. Actually their explanations were almost too good and had me eyeing my computer askance.
So this was a mixed bag for me. If you like well done complex plots this is for you. If you like smooth writing and compelling characters, don’t hurry to read it. Unless you are a long time Coulter and Ellison fan as I am.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
June 10, 2020
Superb. How could I not love this book. Combing an FBI team plus a Brit added to the mix. And they all worked together in Britain.
A wonderful twisting storyline. Reading this book I "saw" an action movie in my head.
Unputdownable.
A wonderful twisting storyline. Reading this book I "saw" an action movie in my head.
Unputdownable.
April 30, 2018
THE SIXTH DAY
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book from beginning to end. It was full of adventure and no lack of excitement.
The book is quite complex. Romanian lore, including Vlad Dracula, vampires, and the Voynich Manuscript, is interwoven with modern day warfare of drones, computer hacking, ransomware, and with a very unique use of falconry.
Set in London, this the fifth in the series featuring FBI agents Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine. Political assassinations and a massive cyber security attack set them, along with M15, on a thrilling quest stop the attackers. The perpetrators are quite fascinating along with their reasons for committing these crimes.
The way in which the author wove these complex ideas into a well paced and solid story is quite good and admirable. A little bit of fantasy? Maybe, maybe not. Possibly more futuristic in nature. Or frankly, much of it could be happening right now.
I do wish the characters had been more developed, especially the two leads. Many times they seemed a little silly or flippant. Crises were solved too quickly and easily. This may be a matter of personal taste as I prefer a more serious and subtle approach.
But nonetheless I found this book very satisfying and I think it would be enjoyable to lovers of crime adventure novels. I will read more works by this author. I would like to thank NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book from beginning to end. It was full of adventure and no lack of excitement.
The book is quite complex. Romanian lore, including Vlad Dracula, vampires, and the Voynich Manuscript, is interwoven with modern day warfare of drones, computer hacking, ransomware, and with a very unique use of falconry.
Set in London, this the fifth in the series featuring FBI agents Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine. Political assassinations and a massive cyber security attack set them, along with M15, on a thrilling quest stop the attackers. The perpetrators are quite fascinating along with their reasons for committing these crimes.
The way in which the author wove these complex ideas into a well paced and solid story is quite good and admirable. A little bit of fantasy? Maybe, maybe not. Possibly more futuristic in nature. Or frankly, much of it could be happening right now.
I do wish the characters had been more developed, especially the two leads. Many times they seemed a little silly or flippant. Crises were solved too quickly and easily. This may be a matter of personal taste as I prefer a more serious and subtle approach.
But nonetheless I found this book very satisfying and I think it would be enjoyable to lovers of crime adventure novels. I will read more works by this author. I would like to thank NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.
April 13, 2018
Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.
I love this series with its quirky, sy-fi plots and, most of all, the wonderful mystery/suspense plots. "The Sixth Day" more than lives up to the other books in this series. There are several plot lines thorough out the book. It seems at times that Mike and Nicholas left their renowned instincts at home and I loved this book all the more for that little plot twist. They didn't have all the answers, but that doesn't mean the baddie got the best of them.
Nicholas Drummond and Mike are supposed to be on vacation with his family in London, England. Nicholas's grandfather, Baron de Vesci, is the head of a multi-million dollar cosmetics company and he has a computer problem, his system is being held for ransom. Nicholas, hacker extraordinary, takes a look and uncovers a whole lot of bad going on. Then, on top of that people are dropping dead, like the Vice-Chancellor of Germany on the steps of 10 Downing Street. A drone is spotted overhead and Nicholas's father asks him and Mike to help out. So much for a vaca.
During the same time Dr. Isabella Marin, a young employee at the British Museum has discovered missing pages to a medieval text from the time of Vlad Dracul III. The enigmatic Voynich Manuscript is a text that no one has been able to decipher, and the Manuscript was stolen from Yale over a year ago.
You ask how these events could possibly be related? Read the book and find out. You will be taken on a wonderful, fantastic, rollercoaster of a ride with a bang of an ending.
I love this series with its quirky, sy-fi plots and, most of all, the wonderful mystery/suspense plots. "The Sixth Day" more than lives up to the other books in this series. There are several plot lines thorough out the book. It seems at times that Mike and Nicholas left their renowned instincts at home and I loved this book all the more for that little plot twist. They didn't have all the answers, but that doesn't mean the baddie got the best of them.
Nicholas Drummond and Mike are supposed to be on vacation with his family in London, England. Nicholas's grandfather, Baron de Vesci, is the head of a multi-million dollar cosmetics company and he has a computer problem, his system is being held for ransom. Nicholas, hacker extraordinary, takes a look and uncovers a whole lot of bad going on. Then, on top of that people are dropping dead, like the Vice-Chancellor of Germany on the steps of 10 Downing Street. A drone is spotted overhead and Nicholas's father asks him and Mike to help out. So much for a vaca.
During the same time Dr. Isabella Marin, a young employee at the British Museum has discovered missing pages to a medieval text from the time of Vlad Dracul III. The enigmatic Voynich Manuscript is a text that no one has been able to decipher, and the Manuscript was stolen from Yale over a year ago.
You ask how these events could possibly be related? Read the book and find out. You will be taken on a wonderful, fantastic, rollercoaster of a ride with a bang of an ending.
April 6, 2018
Special agents Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine are back again in Coulter’s “A Brit in the FBI” series after getting called in on a ransomeware attack and separately, the suspicious deaths of two high-level British politicians. I hadn’t heard of this series before but seeing J.T. Ellison’s name as collaborator got my attention. I so enjoy her writing. She along with Coulter? Jackpot! And indeed I was not disappointed.The chemistry and dynamics of the characters, the story’s originality and topicality, with cyber-warfare, a madman and a drone army thrown into the mix made for a great read. Thanks to Gallery Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 25, 2018
Mix in a dash of Dan Brown's DaVinci Code, a splash of James Patterson's Private and a whole lot of originality from two very talented co-authors and what do you get? A page-turner of history-linked chills, thrills and intrigue that will keep you engrossed from beginning to end. In fact, I highly recommend the entire "Brit in the FBI" series (this one, I believe, is the fifth).
Primary characters and friends with benefits Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine are on the special Covert Eyes FBI team - one that plays well with the FBI's British counterpart (Nicholas is the first British agent to join the FBI). They've been called in amid what is thought to be assassinations of a couple of business and political bigwigs in London, with the hope that the team can sort things out and, needless to say, catch the culprit(s). As readers learn early on, the killings may be linked to the Castle of Vlad Dracul III in 1448 and a mysterious Voynich Manuscript that involves cryptophasia (a.k.a., a language of twins); the occasional chapter flips to days of old to trace the manuscript's footprint throughout its elusive history.
The trail extends far and wide but seems to be tied to Roman Ardelean, the uber-wealthy owner of a cybersecurity firm that provides software to governments and businesses worldwide. Not insignificantly, he's also a descendant of Vlad the Impaler (often believed to be Dracula), and his twin brother, computer genius Radu, suffers from a particularly nasty and incurable form of hemophilia. The brothers are convinced that pages in the Voynich Manuscript - pages that have just turned up at a London historical museum after having been mysteriously "discovered" by Romanian expert Dr. Isabella Marin - spell out what Radu needs for a complete recovery.
In between are real and threatened attacks by a cadre of seriously high-tech drones and seemingly low-tech but deadly falcons; whether or not they're all connected to the Ardeleans and the manuscript will put to the test the considerable computer skills of Nicholas and his team-member friend Adam in what might be called a battle of the programmers. Non-techies needn't worry, though; everything is explain well enough that even an aging grandmother like me can understand it (well, enough that it all made sense, at least).
Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review - which is that this is a very exciting, well-written story you don't want to miss. Another winner!
Primary characters and friends with benefits Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine are on the special Covert Eyes FBI team - one that plays well with the FBI's British counterpart (Nicholas is the first British agent to join the FBI). They've been called in amid what is thought to be assassinations of a couple of business and political bigwigs in London, with the hope that the team can sort things out and, needless to say, catch the culprit(s). As readers learn early on, the killings may be linked to the Castle of Vlad Dracul III in 1448 and a mysterious Voynich Manuscript that involves cryptophasia (a.k.a., a language of twins); the occasional chapter flips to days of old to trace the manuscript's footprint throughout its elusive history.
The trail extends far and wide but seems to be tied to Roman Ardelean, the uber-wealthy owner of a cybersecurity firm that provides software to governments and businesses worldwide. Not insignificantly, he's also a descendant of Vlad the Impaler (often believed to be Dracula), and his twin brother, computer genius Radu, suffers from a particularly nasty and incurable form of hemophilia. The brothers are convinced that pages in the Voynich Manuscript - pages that have just turned up at a London historical museum after having been mysteriously "discovered" by Romanian expert Dr. Isabella Marin - spell out what Radu needs for a complete recovery.
In between are real and threatened attacks by a cadre of seriously high-tech drones and seemingly low-tech but deadly falcons; whether or not they're all connected to the Ardeleans and the manuscript will put to the test the considerable computer skills of Nicholas and his team-member friend Adam in what might be called a battle of the programmers. Non-techies needn't worry, though; everything is explain well enough that even an aging grandmother like me can understand it (well, enough that it all made sense, at least).
Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review - which is that this is a very exciting, well-written story you don't want to miss. Another winner!
January 24, 2019
3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Nicholas and Michaela are in London on vacation, but it doesn't take long for them to get consulted on a case. When filthy rich people are dying from a mysterious poison delivered by drones, they are asked to help. As the investigation plays out, there is major spying on government computers to deal with and the kidnapping of an American Professor. The culprit is known from the start, Ramon Radulov, who is the billionaire owner of a tech company which specializes in computer programs that prevent hacking. Ramon has a secret twin who suffers from a rare form of hemophilia and Ramon is desperately trying to find a cure. He believes the answer to his brother's illness lies in an ancient book, the Voynich manuscript which no one can read, no one that is except Ramon, his brother, and Dr Isabella Marin. Ramon will stop at nothing to find the cure. Nicholas and Michaela, could be referred to as cowboys, as they will stop at nothing to save the world, specifically England. The story hits its final peak during an attack on British Parliament where the Queen, the Prime Minister, and the American President are all possible victims.
This is a suspenseful, action packed thriller that is a fun, totally escape read. You must suspend reality as you read this and if you do, you will enjoy it. Throw in some drones, falcons, evil twins related to Vlad Dracula, drinking blood, an ancient book that no one can read, a traitor in the M16, poison darts shot from drones, two FBI agents, a white hat hacker and you will have an engaging fast paced read.
This is a suspenseful, action packed thriller that is a fun, totally escape read. You must suspend reality as you read this and if you do, you will enjoy it. Throw in some drones, falcons, evil twins related to Vlad Dracula, drinking blood, an ancient book that no one can read, a traitor in the M16, poison darts shot from drones, two FBI agents, a white hat hacker and you will have an engaging fast paced read.
March 19, 2018
The description made this sound like a very interesting book--spies, intrigue, ancient texts, even Dracula--but I had a very hard time getting through it. Perhaps all the threads didn't weave together well enough for me. There was a large team of operatives and I didn't feel engaged in their group dynamic. There was the back story of two twins from Romania, who were Dracula's brothers, along with several chapters from various time periods. There was the story line of two modern-day Romanian twins and the struggle to keep the weaker one from death. And then there was the main conflict: a drone army built by a billionaire computer genius. Maybe if so many different things were not going on and the authors really focused on more vital plot lines, this book would have been more engaging to me. As it was it took me over a week to read it, and I really contemplated not finishing it several times.
For fans of the series, I am sure they won't mind the faults in the book and will enjoy it. I would not recommend it to a new-comer, however
For fans of the series, I am sure they won't mind the faults in the book and will enjoy it. I would not recommend it to a new-comer, however
March 23, 2018
Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine are on a vacation in Great Britain that starts out with a computer hack and suspicious deaths of political leaders. British Security has been hacked. Every secret is exposed and key strokes can be seen on every system. The inventor of the security system that runs on the British system and systems all over is called in to fix the problem. Is the fox guarding the hen house?
The story has chapters that take you back in time to Vlad the Impaler and Dracula. Supposedly characters in the present time are descendants of Dracula, which requires you to suspend belief. There are drones, killer falcons, and just plain crazy characters. I found it a little hard to get into the book, but once I did it kept me interested. This was definitely not my favorite book in the series, but I will continue to read the series. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy of this book.
The story has chapters that take you back in time to Vlad the Impaler and Dracula. Supposedly characters in the present time are descendants of Dracula, which requires you to suspend belief. There are drones, killer falcons, and just plain crazy characters. I found it a little hard to get into the book, but once I did it kept me interested. This was definitely not my favorite book in the series, but I will continue to read the series. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy of this book.
February 20, 2023
Falcons, drones, Dracula, the FBI! Oh my! Interesting, a little weird, overly long. The plot was over the top, not Coulter's usual. I haven't read Ellison much so maybe it's her influence? Anyway, decent but not a must read.
April 10, 2018
In this fifth book of the series we find Nicholas and Mike in London enjoying some much needed time off after their last escapade with some not so nice people. Mike seems to be recovering well and Nicholas is happy to spend some time with his grandfather helping him figure out some hacking problems his company is having. When dignitaries start dying Nicholas and Mike are called in to help figure out who is doing it, what is actually killing them, and why are they being murdered . They were notified that there was a drone seen in the area of one of the deaths which has them wondering what if anything it had to do with the incident. You are instantly pulled in as the duo faces a mad man who thinks he was descended from Vlad the Impaler and come up against some wonderfully inventive high tech gadgets that are truly relevant to this day and age. The authors delivered a fast paced read filled with lots of mystery and tons of intrigue. The plot they weaved was well written and felt like one person actually wrote it. If you haven't picked up this book yet you should, it's truly worth the time. I'm excited to see what Nicholas and Mike come up against next, I can't imagine it but I know the authors can and won't disappoint!!!
January 5, 2019
Catherine Coulter with J. T. Ellison wrote an action packed book with a lot of dynamic characters. It's strength is the constant action with larger than life characters seeking to stop a mad(man or woman), who is killing world leaders using drones which deliver a fast acting drug. Can they stop him/her? What is the connection between these people dying? The quicker they make the connection the more quickly they can stop him. The story is full of bad guys with conflicting agendas. Add a dash of vampires and you enter the chase with them.
For me, the good guys were plausible but pushed the limit of believability. I found the characterizations flat, I didn't identify with them or find them intriguing, this may not be an issue for many readers, who prefer action to a character study. Could the killing happen in the manner described, most definitely and the added dose of hacking even more so. I think this will be best-seller among mystery and thriller readers.
The story was over 500 pages and it meandered a bit to long. The story could have been completed easily at 400 pages or less.
For those not familiar with this series, you don't need to read previous stories to understand the story-line, it is great as a stand alone book. Available Now, pick up a copy today.
Thank you to the author, Goodreads and Gallery Books books for the opportunity to read this story in exchange for an unbiased opinion.
For me, the good guys were plausible but pushed the limit of believability. I found the characterizations flat, I didn't identify with them or find them intriguing, this may not be an issue for many readers, who prefer action to a character study. Could the killing happen in the manner described, most definitely and the added dose of hacking even more so. I think this will be best-seller among mystery and thriller readers.
The story was over 500 pages and it meandered a bit to long. The story could have been completed easily at 400 pages or less.
For those not familiar with this series, you don't need to read previous stories to understand the story-line, it is great as a stand alone book. Available Now, pick up a copy today.
Thank you to the author, Goodreads and Gallery Books books for the opportunity to read this story in exchange for an unbiased opinion.
February 26, 2018
In The Sixth Day (Gallery Books 2018), Book 5 in Coulter's popular Brit in the FBI series, the stars, Special agents Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine are trying to take a much-overdue vacation, this one in England to see Nicholas' family. Before they even settle in, Nicholas' father asks him to help with a ransomware problem that has shut down his company computers and the FBI asks him (since he's already in England) to check out the suspicious death of a German political leader who drops dead in front of 10 Downing Street. With the aid of Drummond's genius computer geek, the ransomware is quickly solved solve but not so the death. In fact, Drummond and Caine tie it to several other suspicious deaths that were previously considered natural causes and are now looking more like murder. The weapon of choice: drones.
In a time when drones are all over the place with little control and lots of variety, this addresses the terrifying fear of how easily they can be weaponized. My one complaint is that too often, the author goes a sentence too far in explaining his points. I get it, move on, and he's still talking. It makes me want to skip ahead. Not good for a murder mystery. But, I've read every book in this series, enjoyed them all, so there's no chance I won't keep reading because of a pesky complaint about too many words.
--received for free from NetGalley in return for an honest review
In a time when drones are all over the place with little control and lots of variety, this addresses the terrifying fear of how easily they can be weaponized. My one complaint is that too often, the author goes a sentence too far in explaining his points. I get it, move on, and he's still talking. It makes me want to skip ahead. Not good for a murder mystery. But, I've read every book in this series, enjoyed them all, so there's no chance I won't keep reading because of a pesky complaint about too many words.
--received for free from NetGalley in return for an honest review
September 15, 2018
I'm sorry to say this book is OK but not one of my favorites. It took me way to long to read the book for one thing. I continually put it down then came back to it a day or two later.
I like the procedural and the characters. However, I never connected completely. I don't blame the author though. I believe part of the problem is because I started the series with book 5. Even though The Sixth Day is supposed to work as a standalone, and the criminal mystery story arc does, I don't understand the main characters, their partnership, or the dynamics of their relationship. I'm sure there is a lot of character development in the first four books.
I am a Catherine Coulter fan. Her writing skills are exemplary. My plan is to go back to the first book in the series and work forward to see what I missed.
I like the procedural and the characters. However, I never connected completely. I don't blame the author though. I believe part of the problem is because I started the series with book 5. Even though The Sixth Day is supposed to work as a standalone, and the criminal mystery story arc does, I don't understand the main characters, their partnership, or the dynamics of their relationship. I'm sure there is a lot of character development in the first four books.
I am a Catherine Coulter fan. Her writing skills are exemplary. My plan is to go back to the first book in the series and work forward to see what I missed.
May 11, 2018
Love this series. While reading a fast-paced, adrenaline-filled book, I'm also getting educated about so many different things in our world! This book refers to Dracula and the book of "twin talk" - so very interesting. Lots of techno stuff - drones in particular (kind of scary), falcons and their training (love that part) - very smart birds!
Regular characters appear again, on an adventure they will never forget!
2 thumbs up and 4.5 stars (the "woowoo" is not my thing, ergo minus half a star).
Regular characters appear again, on an adventure they will never forget!
2 thumbs up and 4.5 stars (the "woowoo" is not my thing, ergo minus half a star).
July 17, 2018
Thank you to Goodreads Giveaway for a free copy of the book, as well as the publisher and author. As always, an honest review.
Drones, falcons, cyber warfare, and boots on the ground police determined to solve the mystery of multiple high ranking officials' deaths pretty much sums up this action packed book. In general The Sixth Day was good but not great.
I enjoyed the page turning action packed intensity of it. I even finished the last 200 pages in an afternoon. The story is extremely relevant to this day and age. It's even more terrifying, because with technology these sorts of crimes are possible. Definitely creeps me out a bit! The entire book takes place over six days, which works wonderfully.
However a major premise of the story wasn't a great fit for me as a reader. The foundation of the mystery is the legend of Dracula and The Voynich Manuscript. Ancient curses, bloodletting, twin powers, secret texts and languages. If that's what you love in a book, then you will probably enjoy the story even more than I already did. This sort of fantasy folklore aspect isn't my cup of tea, so I enjoyed the actual investigation more than anything else. Also at over 500 pages, the book was too long. I thought it could be shortened by maybe 50 to 100 pages.
The Sixth Day is the first book that I've read by the author. I would read more of her books, but would pick and choose carefully based on the subject matter. Overall, a good solid police mystery, set in London, filled with tons of action, and featuring ancient texts.
Drones, falcons, cyber warfare, and boots on the ground police determined to solve the mystery of multiple high ranking officials' deaths pretty much sums up this action packed book. In general The Sixth Day was good but not great.
I enjoyed the page turning action packed intensity of it. I even finished the last 200 pages in an afternoon. The story is extremely relevant to this day and age. It's even more terrifying, because with technology these sorts of crimes are possible. Definitely creeps me out a bit! The entire book takes place over six days, which works wonderfully.
However a major premise of the story wasn't a great fit for me as a reader. The foundation of the mystery is the legend of Dracula and The Voynich Manuscript. Ancient curses, bloodletting, twin powers, secret texts and languages. If that's what you love in a book, then you will probably enjoy the story even more than I already did. This sort of fantasy folklore aspect isn't my cup of tea, so I enjoyed the actual investigation more than anything else. Also at over 500 pages, the book was too long. I thought it could be shortened by maybe 50 to 100 pages.
The Sixth Day is the first book that I've read by the author. I would read more of her books, but would pick and choose carefully based on the subject matter. Overall, a good solid police mystery, set in London, filled with tons of action, and featuring ancient texts.
January 12, 2019
3 stars.
It appears Coulter and Ellison are still fascinated with twins. Same as the previous book, the villains are a set of crazy, brilliant twins who wanted to control the world.
Again, we have Drummond and Caine being asked to investigate, even though they are FBI holidaying in London! It's like as if Scotland Yard, MI5, MI6 and the Home Office are all useless.
The book revolves around the Voynich manuscript, which is actually real. It's a manuscript dated back to the medieval times and nobody has yet been able to decipher it. In this story, we are led to believe the manuscript is only readable by twins of a Romanian background and is written in their own secret language. The authors managed to bring Bram Stoker and Dracula into the mix.
I found the plot all a bit convoluted but again, an action-packed book with some serious warnings about how technology is controlling every aspect of our lives these days. And it seems if you're not a hacker, you're pretty much defunct. *sigh*
It appears Coulter and Ellison are still fascinated with twins. Same as the previous book, the villains are a set of crazy, brilliant twins who wanted to control the world.
Again, we have Drummond and Caine being asked to investigate, even though they are FBI holidaying in London! It's like as if Scotland Yard, MI5, MI6 and the Home Office are all useless.
The book revolves around the Voynich manuscript, which is actually real. It's a manuscript dated back to the medieval times and nobody has yet been able to decipher it. In this story, we are led to believe the manuscript is only readable by twins of a Romanian background and is written in their own secret language. The authors managed to bring Bram Stoker and Dracula into the mix.
I found the plot all a bit convoluted but again, an action-packed book with some serious warnings about how technology is controlling every aspect of our lives these days. And it seems if you're not a hacker, you're pretty much defunct. *sigh*
March 31, 2018
Interesting reading with an incredible plot! The Voynich queries are a series of notes written in an unknown and undeciphered code. In this novel a set of twins, one robust and healthy, the other a hemophiliac, have decided they hold, among other things the cure for hemophilia. They have built up a huge security firm that has created code used in most computers and by most governments. They have also built up a fleet of drones that are programmed to do their bidding along with a small flock of hunting birds that are also trained to do their bidding. The one twin wants to be cured, the other is addicted to LSD and murder. Much of the tales surrounding the Voynich queries also surrounds Dracula and, of course, leads investigators in that direction. Nicholas and Mike, our protagonists, are fun to watch and lead the reader on a wild chase. Thanks to Net Galley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC for an honest review.
April 10, 2018
The Sixth day Has everything readers have come to love from Catherine Coulter and J.T. Ellison. The characters are dynamic, the story is flawless with the mix of history, suspense, and intrigue.
Reader will be caught up in The 6th day that won't realize they have been reading it non stop.
While the story is a little over the top it will keep readers hooked with the amount knowledge these authors have on the subjects they present to the reader.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Gallery Books for the advance copy.
Reader will be caught up in The 6th day that won't realize they have been reading it non stop.
While the story is a little over the top it will keep readers hooked with the amount knowledge these authors have on the subjects they present to the reader.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Gallery Books for the advance copy.
May 9, 2018
Wow! This book was so scary in the idea that drones and hackers are in todays news. Like usual, the latest instalment in the Brit in the FBI series kept you at the edge of your seat from page 1. I really liked the history sections in the story; very interesting. I really love Mike and Nicholas; they are great characters. I love Adam, he is fabulous.
June 8, 2018
And yet another spectacular adventure from Coulter and Ellison. I hope these ladies keep this series up for a long time. I love watching Nicholas and Mike work together to solve life-threatening puzzles to save the world from the crazies.
September 28, 2024
So many elements and such a detailed story, liked it a lot
June 16, 2020
I was excited to read this book after having read #4. A genuine disappointment. This story went back in time to vampires and people living for centuries. There was a crazy book that only special twins could read, tracking birds carrying cameras to spy on people, thinking birds or so it seemed and just bizarre things that were just too far out there to hold my interest. Too bad because Drummond ,Mike, Adam and Ben are interesting characters and I enjoyed them in the previous novel.
May 19, 2018
It took me way to long to read this book. I like the procedural and the characters. However, I never connected completely. I believe part of the problem is because I started with book 5 of the series. Even though The Sixth Day is supposed to work as a standalone, and the criminal mystery does, I don't understand the main characters, their partnership, or the dynamics of their relationship. I am a Catherine Coulter fan. Her writing skills are exemplary. My plan is to go back to the first book in the series and work forward to see if that will make me care about the characters more.
July 2, 2018
DNF at page 73. The book is ok just taking to long to get to the fantasy aspect, and to get to the sick brother. I am giving this book to someone who will enjoy it. For me it progresses far too slow and beats around the bush with an overabundance of dialog, but no real draw to pull me in. So sorry I am not going to keep going and struggling through
February 13, 2018
Nicholas Drummond, The Brit in the FBI is back in the UK with all pistons firing!!! He's joined by girlfriend Michaela (Mike) Caine on a vacation that turns into a duel with the descendants of Vlad the Impaler, yes Dracula himself.
This latest novel in the series begins simply enough with what appears to be a hack into the British security service systems, enabling the evildoer to see not only what lies secret in the servers, but also reads keystrokes so they can also see anything that was typed anywhere. Nicholas and the Covert Eyes team to the rescue only to learn that the breach is more significant than originally thought. This lapse blossoms to include putting US security systems at risk. Call in Roman Ardelean, the inventor of the security system to figure out what went wrong and how he's going to fix it.
Meanwhile, world leaders are dropping like flies…well not really. More like dropping like tree frogs…dead from a deadly tree frog poison. Wait, is that a drone? How does it all connect or does it all connect? Couple that with the appearance of a mysterious ancient script, an expert in archeology and you have the team chasing down all sorts of leads that don't seem to be leading anywhere.
This series has always been a light enjoyable read, but this volume suspends belief a bit too far, becoming almost a comic type of adventure. The chapters that are ancient history are useless and slow down the reader unnecessarily, without adding value to the plot, that is often repeated later in the novel. The addition of Nicholas father as an aging former spy, now a consultant to the British services is a good one and I hope we see him and his wife in another novel. While this series has great possibilities, I hope the author focuses on a tighter story line and continuing character development that will make for a more compelling novel next time.
This latest novel in the series begins simply enough with what appears to be a hack into the British security service systems, enabling the evildoer to see not only what lies secret in the servers, but also reads keystrokes so they can also see anything that was typed anywhere. Nicholas and the Covert Eyes team to the rescue only to learn that the breach is more significant than originally thought. This lapse blossoms to include putting US security systems at risk. Call in Roman Ardelean, the inventor of the security system to figure out what went wrong and how he's going to fix it.
Meanwhile, world leaders are dropping like flies…well not really. More like dropping like tree frogs…dead from a deadly tree frog poison. Wait, is that a drone? How does it all connect or does it all connect? Couple that with the appearance of a mysterious ancient script, an expert in archeology and you have the team chasing down all sorts of leads that don't seem to be leading anywhere.
This series has always been a light enjoyable read, but this volume suspends belief a bit too far, becoming almost a comic type of adventure. The chapters that are ancient history are useless and slow down the reader unnecessarily, without adding value to the plot, that is often repeated later in the novel. The addition of Nicholas father as an aging former spy, now a consultant to the British services is a good one and I hope we see him and his wife in another novel. While this series has great possibilities, I hope the author focuses on a tighter story line and continuing character development that will make for a more compelling novel next time.
April 10, 2018
This book combines suspense, intrigue, history, ancient evil and modern hacking to tell a story that is totally engrossing for page after page. It contains a number of unique and interesting ideas including the unique language of twins, the bond between strong and weak twins, the true story of Vlad Dracul and even Bram Stoker's inspiration for the vampire story that set the baseline. Add to this a criminal genius with a fleet of advanced drones and an army of trained raptors and you have a story that is heart-pounding and compelling. While this is a sequel, all that carries over from the original is the cast of characters. From tiny drones shooting poison darts to falcons dropping bombs, the action flows while all the communications and computers for the government are compromised. This book is scary on many levels!
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