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Ian Ludlow Thrillers #2
Killer Thriller
Everybody loves Ian Ludlow’s action novels -- especially the CIA -- because the spies know something the public doesn't: his fictional plots have a frightening tendency to come true. Ian is in Hong Kong with his resourceful assistant Margo French to research his wildest story yet -- a deadly global conspiracy by Chinese intelligence to topple the United States.
What Ian doesn’t know is that his horrifying scenario is happening and that the Chinese mistakenly believe he’s an undercover superspy assigned to foil their scheme. Now Ian is trapped in his own terrifying thriller, on the run from assassins, and racing against time to prevent an epic disaster. He’s written himself into a corner that could cost his life…and his country.
What Ian doesn’t know is that his horrifying scenario is happening and that the Chinese mistakenly believe he’s an undercover superspy assigned to foil their scheme. Now Ian is trapped in his own terrifying thriller, on the run from assassins, and racing against time to prevent an epic disaster. He’s written himself into a corner that could cost his life…and his country.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 12, 2019
2274 people are currently reading
1775 people want to read
About the author
Lee Goldberg
158 books2,111 followersLee Goldberg is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over forty novels, including Malibu Burning, Calico, Lost Hills (the first novel in his acclaimed "Eve Ronin" series), 15 "Monk" mysteries, five "Fox & O'Hare" adventures (co-written with Janet Evanovich), and the new thriller Ashes Never Lie, the second in his "Sharpe & Walker" series.. He's written and/or produced many TV shows, including Diagnosis Murder, SeaQuest, and Monk and he co-created the Hallmark movie series Mystery 101.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 298 reviews
February 24, 2019
Lee Goldberg’s highly entertaining new series seeks to top the rave reviews its debut novel received with another instalment. Just as funny and full of thrills, readers will surely be ready for another high impact piece that keeps them guessing. Ian Ludlow is still basking in the success of his latest thriller novel, while remembering how it was tied closely to actual events he lived. Now, he’s being sent to Hong Kong to drum up support for the cinematic interpretation of one novel, while using his time there to do some background research on his next thriller. Alongside him is Margo French, his former book escort turned sidekick during his previous adventures. While Margo has plotted out some wonderful scenes to visit for the upcoming book, Ludlow has problems of his own. His complex plot notes about the Chinese using technology to backdoor their way into America has strong ties to a covert operation presently underway, sending the Chinese into a frenzy. Ludlow is a targeted man and must be eliminated before he can (inadvertently) reveal all through his next book. Additionally, there are ties within the US Government that could help facilitate an easier entry into the country, all of which comes to a head as Margo realises the danger in which they find themselves. It will be a race to stay safe and overturn the ultimate plot, while Ian Ludlow tries to handle the bastardisation of his novel at the hands of a director who wants nothing but a large dose of self-praise. Goldberg has done it again, keeping the reader enthralled until the very end with this explosive piece of work. Recommended for those who enjoyed the first in the series and like a little light reading.
Lee Goldberg is still a new name for me, though much of his past work has received a great deal of notice. His ability to mix humour with a wonderful thriller keeps the reader hooked until the final pages and wanting to know just a little more. Ian Ludlow comes across as a wonderfully focussed author who wants to grab hold of life and write the next big thing. Standing in his way in that eerie knowledge that much of what he puts to paper, however outlandish, seems to come back to bite him. He remains full of pep and banters well with those around him, losing none of his pizzazz throughout the novel. Complementing him well is Margo French, who has her own sort of independence and passion for life. No longer as down and out as she might have been remembered, she is working hard and finding trouble alongside Ludlow like no other. Their interactions are wonderful and keep the story light throughout. The cross-section of others in the narrative propel things in a number of directions, all of which work well. The reader is able to see the Hong Kong experience from a variety of angles and the characters enrich that experience effectively, while adding to some of the thrills that develop throughout. The story is not as hokey as it may appear, though there are surely some moments of head shaking and completely tomfoolery. Perhaps that is what keeps the story moving forward and entertaining. This is light reading at its best and the reader is surely in for a treat with this piece.
Kudos, Mr. Goldberg, on another successful piece. I am eager to see what awaits in the coming months.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Lee Goldberg is still a new name for me, though much of his past work has received a great deal of notice. His ability to mix humour with a wonderful thriller keeps the reader hooked until the final pages and wanting to know just a little more. Ian Ludlow comes across as a wonderfully focussed author who wants to grab hold of life and write the next big thing. Standing in his way in that eerie knowledge that much of what he puts to paper, however outlandish, seems to come back to bite him. He remains full of pep and banters well with those around him, losing none of his pizzazz throughout the novel. Complementing him well is Margo French, who has her own sort of independence and passion for life. No longer as down and out as she might have been remembered, she is working hard and finding trouble alongside Ludlow like no other. Their interactions are wonderful and keep the story light throughout. The cross-section of others in the narrative propel things in a number of directions, all of which work well. The reader is able to see the Hong Kong experience from a variety of angles and the characters enrich that experience effectively, while adding to some of the thrills that develop throughout. The story is not as hokey as it may appear, though there are surely some moments of head shaking and completely tomfoolery. Perhaps that is what keeps the story moving forward and entertaining. This is light reading at its best and the reader is surely in for a treat with this piece.
Kudos, Mr. Goldberg, on another successful piece. I am eager to see what awaits in the coming months.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
May 13, 2019
I was a big fan of Lee Goldberg's True Fiction, the first novel featuring Ian Ludlow. Ludlow is a novelist who writes thrillers featuring Clint Straker, an action hero on the order of James bond or Jack Reacher. In True Fiction, poor Ludlow was stunned to discover that someone had taken one of his ideas and turned it into a real, live terrorist plot. Ludlow is overweight, out of shape, and often terrified--in short, the polar opposite of the hero he created. But left with no other alternative, Ludlow was forced to leap into action himself, with the help of a dog walker and author escort named Margo French, in an effort to defeat the terrorists.
Happily, the crisis passed and things have now returned to normal. Ian is back at work, quietly working on a new Straker novel in which the Chinese, through multiple devious methods, are attempting to take over the United States and, by extension, the rest of the free world.
As the book opens, Ludlow is preparing to go to Hong Kong to research his new novel and to visit the site where the new Clint Straker movie is being filmed. Margo, who was badly traumatized by the events of the first novel, has disappeared, attempting to regain control of her life. She hasn't had much success though, and shows up at Ian's door just as he's preparing to leave. She's terrified of being alone and insists that Ian take her to Hong Kong with him.
Ludlow agrees and off they go. Sadly, though, he's done it again. He's written another novel in which the events he describes are really taking place. As he explains to Margo, "The basic premise of my novel is this. China is invading the United States with cash, not soldiers. They are buying key companies across our economy. Hotel chains, movie studios, drug companies, carmakers, agricultural seed companies, you name it."
Ian explains that the Chinese are also hacking our computers, stealing our data and intellectual property, and threatening our way of life. The problem, though, is, that the Chinese actually do have such a master plan, and when they learn the premise of Ludlow's novel, they presume that he is an American spy, coming to Hong Kong to foil their plans. Obviously, he must be stopped at all costs.
The result is that Ian is once again thrown into the maelstrom and will have to somehow save himself, Margo, and the American Way of Life as well. It's a tall order, and while Clint Straker would be up for it, Ian Ludlow will need a lot of help and even more luck.
This is another hilarious send up of the thriller genre while, at the same time, being a genuine thriller in and of itself. There's plenty of action and even more laugh-out-loud moments. The actor playing Clint Straker, for example, is an action hero named Damon Matthews. When Margo insists that Matthews is way to short to play Clint Straker, almost every fan of crime fiction will get the reference, and there's plenty more where that came from.
Lee Goldberg, who would appear to be even more prescient than Ian Ludlow, has had the wisdom or the good fortune, to launch this book just at the moment when relations between the U.S. and China appear to be going down the tubes, and for some of the very reasons that Ludlow articulates. If only the solution to our current problems were as simple as sending Clint Straker, or Ian Ludlow, or even Lee Goldberg to straighten them out. Sadly, that's probably not going to happen. The good news, though, is that we have this excellent novel to keep us entertained while we attempt to ride out the storm.
Happily, the crisis passed and things have now returned to normal. Ian is back at work, quietly working on a new Straker novel in which the Chinese, through multiple devious methods, are attempting to take over the United States and, by extension, the rest of the free world.
As the book opens, Ludlow is preparing to go to Hong Kong to research his new novel and to visit the site where the new Clint Straker movie is being filmed. Margo, who was badly traumatized by the events of the first novel, has disappeared, attempting to regain control of her life. She hasn't had much success though, and shows up at Ian's door just as he's preparing to leave. She's terrified of being alone and insists that Ian take her to Hong Kong with him.
Ludlow agrees and off they go. Sadly, though, he's done it again. He's written another novel in which the events he describes are really taking place. As he explains to Margo, "The basic premise of my novel is this. China is invading the United States with cash, not soldiers. They are buying key companies across our economy. Hotel chains, movie studios, drug companies, carmakers, agricultural seed companies, you name it."
Ian explains that the Chinese are also hacking our computers, stealing our data and intellectual property, and threatening our way of life. The problem, though, is, that the Chinese actually do have such a master plan, and when they learn the premise of Ludlow's novel, they presume that he is an American spy, coming to Hong Kong to foil their plans. Obviously, he must be stopped at all costs.
The result is that Ian is once again thrown into the maelstrom and will have to somehow save himself, Margo, and the American Way of Life as well. It's a tall order, and while Clint Straker would be up for it, Ian Ludlow will need a lot of help and even more luck.
This is another hilarious send up of the thriller genre while, at the same time, being a genuine thriller in and of itself. There's plenty of action and even more laugh-out-loud moments. The actor playing Clint Straker, for example, is an action hero named Damon Matthews. When Margo insists that Matthews is way to short to play Clint Straker, almost every fan of crime fiction will get the reference, and there's plenty more where that came from.
Lee Goldberg, who would appear to be even more prescient than Ian Ludlow, has had the wisdom or the good fortune, to launch this book just at the moment when relations between the U.S. and China appear to be going down the tubes, and for some of the very reasons that Ludlow articulates. If only the solution to our current problems were as simple as sending Clint Straker, or Ian Ludlow, or even Lee Goldberg to straighten them out. Sadly, that's probably not going to happen. The good news, though, is that we have this excellent novel to keep us entertained while we attempt to ride out the storm.
August 3, 2018
Clint Striker, freelance for hire is Ian Ludlow's meal ticket. Ludlow has written outrageous terrorist plots for Clint to expose. Strangely these plots tend to come true. Enter the CIA. Wouldn't Ian like to become a world travel researcher for his thriller novels, while also working for the CIA. As Ian says, "author by day, secret agent by night." And so begins a step into the world of money, espionage, murder, kidnapping, and death.
Killer Thriller is a convoluted plot within a plot within a plot story that while complex is easy to follow. Ian and his friend, Margo French, face many obstacles and dangers as they attempt to protect the good and bring the bad to justice. The novel ends with a satisfactory but not perfect conclusion to this plot. However implied is the idea that more plots are in need of diffusing and so we can look forward to Ian and Margo facing more intrigue.
This was an enjoyable novel. Danger was present but not overdone, intrigue was prominent but not unrealistic. The sprinkling of humor was also a plus.
I received an advance copy of this novel from Netgalley. My reviews are unbiased and completely my own. #netgalley #killerthriller
Killer Thriller is a convoluted plot within a plot within a plot story that while complex is easy to follow. Ian and his friend, Margo French, face many obstacles and dangers as they attempt to protect the good and bring the bad to justice. The novel ends with a satisfactory but not perfect conclusion to this plot. However implied is the idea that more plots are in need of diffusing and so we can look forward to Ian and Margo facing more intrigue.
This was an enjoyable novel. Danger was present but not overdone, intrigue was prominent but not unrealistic. The sprinkling of humor was also a plus.
I received an advance copy of this novel from Netgalley. My reviews are unbiased and completely my own. #netgalley #killerthriller
March 23, 2019
Sometimes I am in the mood to read a delicate tale containing profound insight into the human condition. And sometimes I want to read Killer Thriller by Lee Goldberg. This baby is as subtle as getting hit with a “stone cold stunner” by professional wrestler Steve Austin. It’s as astute as the punch line to a joke told by Andrew Dice Clay. It is as tactful as a date with multi-million album selling musician R. Kelly. It’s as crazy as the Girl Scouts of America telling you a serving of Thin Mints is four.
Killer Thriller is the second book in the Ian Ludlow series, but believe me you do not have to have read the first one to enjoy this. I am not even sure if you have to have a general understanding of the laws of nature, a moderate grasp of how human interact, or even a comprehension of the English language to enjoy it. In fact, in many ways it helps if you don’t.
Ian Ludlow is an author who writes thrillers. His newest bestseller is about how the Chinese government is planning a coup of the U.S.A using sleeper agents in high government positions and the surveillance technology that they have hidden in all the electronics we have purchased. The trouble for Ludlow is this is all actually happening and the Chinese government is now after him to find out how he knows about all their top-secret espionage shenanigans.
Killer Thriller is light-hearted fun. The madcap story breezes by quickly and while it is not really substantial-already I am forgetting the particulars, there are plenty of laughs to make it a worthwhile way to kill a few hours.
Killer Thriller is the second book in the Ian Ludlow series, but believe me you do not have to have read the first one to enjoy this. I am not even sure if you have to have a general understanding of the laws of nature, a moderate grasp of how human interact, or even a comprehension of the English language to enjoy it. In fact, in many ways it helps if you don’t.
Ian Ludlow is an author who writes thrillers. His newest bestseller is about how the Chinese government is planning a coup of the U.S.A using sleeper agents in high government positions and the surveillance technology that they have hidden in all the electronics we have purchased. The trouble for Ludlow is this is all actually happening and the Chinese government is now after him to find out how he knows about all their top-secret espionage shenanigans.
Killer Thriller is light-hearted fun. The madcap story breezes by quickly and while it is not really substantial-already I am forgetting the particulars, there are plenty of laughs to make it a worthwhile way to kill a few hours.
August 3, 2018
Clint Striker, freelance for hire is Ian Ludlow's meal ticket. Ludlow has written outrageous terrorist plots for Clint to expose. Strangely these plots tend to come true. Enter the CIA. Wouldn't Ian like to become a world travel researcher for his thriller novels, while also working for the CIA. As Ian says, "author by day, secret agent by night." And so begins a step into the world of money, espionage, murder, kidnapping, and death.
Killer Thriller is a convoluted plot within a plot within a plot story that while complex is easy to follow. Ian and his friend, Margo French, face many obstacles and dangers as they attempt to protect the good and bring the bad to justice. The novel ends with a satisfactory but not perfect conclusion to this plot. However implied is the idea that more plots are in need of diffusing and so we can look forward to Ian and Margo facing more intrigue.
This was an enjoyable novel. Danger was present but not overdone, intrigue was prominent but not unrealistic. The sprinkling of humor was also a plus.
I received an advance copy of this novel from Netgalley. My reviews are unbiased and completely my own. #netgalley #killerthriller
Killer Thriller is a convoluted plot within a plot within a plot story that while complex is easy to follow. Ian and his friend, Margo French, face many obstacles and dangers as they attempt to protect the good and bring the bad to justice. The novel ends with a satisfactory but not perfect conclusion to this plot. However implied is the idea that more plots are in need of diffusing and so we can look forward to Ian and Margo facing more intrigue.
This was an enjoyable novel. Danger was present but not overdone, intrigue was prominent but not unrealistic. The sprinkling of humor was also a plus.
I received an advance copy of this novel from Netgalley. My reviews are unbiased and completely my own. #netgalley #killerthriller
August 30, 2018
This is the follow up to True Fiction, which I loved for its bonkers originality, and while the basic idea is the same, this has a completely different setting and even faster paced OTT action. It is not actually due to be published until February 2019, but was approaching the dreaded “3 month” limit on NetGalley (what does happen if you exceed this?), a perfect excuse to bump it up the list.
You do not have to read the first book to enjoy this as there’s a useful recap at the start, but events from it are referred to quite often.
Ian Ludlow, bestselling author of the Clint Straker action series, is back in Seattle promoting his latest book, secretly based on the events of True Fiction, when the head of the CIA offers him a job as a spy. Sensibly turning him down, as he knows his limitations, he goes back to writing, but when Margo French shows up, homeless because her PTSD prevents her from holding down a job, he takes her on as an assistant for his trip to China. A Straker book is being made into a movie, starring short, ageing movie star Damon Matthews, (remind you of anyone?) and Ian has been invited over to promote it. The Chinese spying agency, alarmed that their routine hack of his laptop has revealed suspiciously prescient details of an impending plot to take over the USA, send their agents after him, leading to chase scenes rivalling anything he ever written.
I enjoyed this almost as much as the first book, probably because that one was so unexpectedly funny. This one didn’t have Ronnie/The Vine in it, nor any comparable creations. While still clearly a spoof, full of James Bond references and writerly in-jokes, this was a more straightforward spy/conspiracy thriller.
As before, not great literature but fantastic escapism if you love action movies and tongue-in-cheek ridiculousness.
You do not have to read the first book to enjoy this as there’s a useful recap at the start, but events from it are referred to quite often.
Ian Ludlow, bestselling author of the Clint Straker action series, is back in Seattle promoting his latest book, secretly based on the events of True Fiction, when the head of the CIA offers him a job as a spy. Sensibly turning him down, as he knows his limitations, he goes back to writing, but when Margo French shows up, homeless because her PTSD prevents her from holding down a job, he takes her on as an assistant for his trip to China. A Straker book is being made into a movie, starring short, ageing movie star Damon Matthews, (remind you of anyone?) and Ian has been invited over to promote it. The Chinese spying agency, alarmed that their routine hack of his laptop has revealed suspiciously prescient details of an impending plot to take over the USA, send their agents after him, leading to chase scenes rivalling anything he ever written.
I enjoyed this almost as much as the first book, probably because that one was so unexpectedly funny. This one didn’t have Ronnie/The Vine in it, nor any comparable creations. While still clearly a spoof, full of James Bond references and writerly in-jokes, this was a more straightforward spy/conspiracy thriller.
As before, not great literature but fantastic escapism if you love action movies and tongue-in-cheek ridiculousness.
June 14, 2020
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
Second book in the Ian Ludlow series. Ludlow is writing a book about China taking over the US. When he travels to China to watch his previous book get made into a horrible movie, the Chinese invade Ludlow's computer, and believe he is a CIA spy.
This leads to all sorts of spy jinks as the Chi-Coms try to eliminate Ludlow and his assistant, but mostly end up getting into deeper and deeper problems.
Hilarious. Lee Goldberg is an excellent parodist.
Second book in the Ian Ludlow series. Ludlow is writing a book about China taking over the US. When he travels to China to watch his previous book get made into a horrible movie, the Chinese invade Ludlow's computer, and believe he is a CIA spy.
This leads to all sorts of spy jinks as the Chi-Coms try to eliminate Ludlow and his assistant, but mostly end up getting into deeper and deeper problems.
Hilarious. Lee Goldberg is an excellent parodist.
December 27, 2020
Fresh off the events that took place in True Fiction Ian Ludlow is working on a new Clint Straker novel. He is also about to go to Hong Kong where they are filming a Clint Straker movie. Margo, his author escort / dog walker from Seattle, shows up on his doorstep. She was badly traumatized by the previous events and is trying to recover. She asks Ian to take her along with him to Hong Kong and he agrees.
It appears though that Ian has done it again. He has written another novel that seems like it is becoming reality. In his novel China is waging a war on the United States. Not a military war. They are buying companies … hotels, car makers, pharmaceuticals, movie studios. You name it. They are also hacking into companies and stealing intellectual property. The problem is that the Chinese are actually doing this. When he goes to Hong Kong they think he is a spy sent to stop them. Since Margo is accompanying him she must be his partner and a spy too.
Once again Ian finds himself in a situation where he must use his brain, his ideas, to save himself and Margo, and stop the Chinese. Once again there are plenty of laugh out loud moments. It is still a thriller that keeps the reader turning the pages but there are laughs along the way. For instance, Margo insists that Damon Matthews, the actor portraying Clint Straker, is too short to be believed as the tough guy / action hero. Sounds vaguely familiar. I seem to recall reading somewhere about fans being upset about a certain actor being cast to portray the part of another protagonist. Maybe I am reaching here.
When I read this novel relations between the United States and China were strained so it added to the story. Lee Goldberg is a prolific writer with lots of credits to his name. In addition to his books he is the screenwriter for several television shows including Diagnosis: Murder, A Nero Wolfe Mystery, Spenser: For Hire, and Monk … to name a few. He knows how to keep the action moving. I am looking forward to reading more books by him.
It appears though that Ian has done it again. He has written another novel that seems like it is becoming reality. In his novel China is waging a war on the United States. Not a military war. They are buying companies … hotels, car makers, pharmaceuticals, movie studios. You name it. They are also hacking into companies and stealing intellectual property. The problem is that the Chinese are actually doing this. When he goes to Hong Kong they think he is a spy sent to stop them. Since Margo is accompanying him she must be his partner and a spy too.
Once again Ian finds himself in a situation where he must use his brain, his ideas, to save himself and Margo, and stop the Chinese. Once again there are plenty of laugh out loud moments. It is still a thriller that keeps the reader turning the pages but there are laughs along the way. For instance, Margo insists that Damon Matthews, the actor portraying Clint Straker, is too short to be believed as the tough guy / action hero. Sounds vaguely familiar. I seem to recall reading somewhere about fans being upset about a certain actor being cast to portray the part of another protagonist. Maybe I am reaching here.
When I read this novel relations between the United States and China were strained so it added to the story. Lee Goldberg is a prolific writer with lots of credits to his name. In addition to his books he is the screenwriter for several television shows including Diagnosis: Murder, A Nero Wolfe Mystery, Spenser: For Hire, and Monk … to name a few. He knows how to keep the action moving. I am looking forward to reading more books by him.
May 16, 2023
I had read the first book "True Fiction" last year, and though I enjoyed it, I thought it was not memorable. When I read the 2nd book now, I realized how wrong I was. I remembered most of the first book.
This was a fun parody of spy thrillers, mocking everyone from James Bond to Jack Reacher (and a repeated dig at Tom Cruise's casting - just count the number of times he mentioned step ladder).
The action was over-the-top, and highly imaginative.
Now I know I definitely prefer this to any of the popular spy thrillers.
This was a fun parody of spy thrillers, mocking everyone from James Bond to Jack Reacher (and a repeated dig at Tom Cruise's casting - just count the number of times he mentioned step ladder).
The action was over-the-top, and highly imaginative.
Now I know I definitely prefer this to any of the popular spy thrillers.
May 7, 2022
Killer Thriller by Lee Goldberg is book 2 in the Ian Ludlow Thrillers series. Thriller writer Ian Ludlow travels to Hong Kong to research his latest book and attend filming for his previous novel, when he once again finds that his fiction is becomming real. A highly entertaining, action packed thriller which is lighthearted and funny at the same time. I love that we get to see Margo again although miss Ronnie from the first book. Crazy and lots of fun.
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June 17, 2019This is a DNF for me, I just couldn't go beyond 32% so no stars. I am certainly swimming against the tide with this one. Corny is an understatement. It was ludicrous and unfunny and lame. Had I finished I'm sure it would have got better but I just can't do it.
January 22, 2019
4.5 stars, actually.
Improbable. Irreverent. Amusing. Fun characters. Those are among the words that popped into my mind as I read this well-written adventure "starring" writer Ian Ludlow and his very capable research assistant Margo French (the second in a series). Toss in a few zingers aimed at certain U.S. government leaders (a POTUS who is fond of Tweets that counter what other members of his cabinet say, for instance), and I was hooked from the git-go.
Ian is a successful writer of books featuring hulking Jack Reacher-like hero Clint Straker; in fact, a movie is in production in which an actor with Tom Cruise stature is [mis]cast in the lead role (with appropriate jabs about his inappropriateness similar to those author Lee Child has endured with the casting of Cruise as Reacher). The movie is being funded by a filthy rich Hong Kong businessman, mostly so his beautiful daughter can be the female star. Suddenly, he is kidnapped, and a top CIA official claims the Chinese did the dirty deed.
Problem is, the plots Ian dreams up for his books have a strange tendency to come true in real life; in this instance, his story involves an ongoing conspiracy by the Chinese to take over the United States. And guess what? The Chinese, who really are in the final stages of just such a takeover, get wind of his writing. Thinking Ian therefore must be some kind of spy charged with undoing their plan, they set out to thwart Ian before he can thwart them - scrutinizing every word Ian speaks to identify secret codes (which gets pretty funny).
Ian, needless to say, is oblivious (at least at first) to the reality of his fiction - but the CIA is not. They try, without success, to recruit him as an undercover agent. Taking a different tack, they follow Ian and Margo to Hong Kong, where the Straker movie is being filmed. Their efforts to keep the pair safe are only marginally successful, resulting in a few wild chases and near misses (these, too, can be humorous; at one point, for instance, Margo, a lesbian, successfully fends off would-be killers with her dildo).
And so it goes right up to the end. This is a series, so of course all's well that ends well, at least for Ian and Margo. The whole thing is a clever romp, and I'm already looking forward to the pair's next adventure. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review an advance copy.
Improbable. Irreverent. Amusing. Fun characters. Those are among the words that popped into my mind as I read this well-written adventure "starring" writer Ian Ludlow and his very capable research assistant Margo French (the second in a series). Toss in a few zingers aimed at certain U.S. government leaders (a POTUS who is fond of Tweets that counter what other members of his cabinet say, for instance), and I was hooked from the git-go.
Ian is a successful writer of books featuring hulking Jack Reacher-like hero Clint Straker; in fact, a movie is in production in which an actor with Tom Cruise stature is [mis]cast in the lead role (with appropriate jabs about his inappropriateness similar to those author Lee Child has endured with the casting of Cruise as Reacher). The movie is being funded by a filthy rich Hong Kong businessman, mostly so his beautiful daughter can be the female star. Suddenly, he is kidnapped, and a top CIA official claims the Chinese did the dirty deed.
Problem is, the plots Ian dreams up for his books have a strange tendency to come true in real life; in this instance, his story involves an ongoing conspiracy by the Chinese to take over the United States. And guess what? The Chinese, who really are in the final stages of just such a takeover, get wind of his writing. Thinking Ian therefore must be some kind of spy charged with undoing their plan, they set out to thwart Ian before he can thwart them - scrutinizing every word Ian speaks to identify secret codes (which gets pretty funny).
Ian, needless to say, is oblivious (at least at first) to the reality of his fiction - but the CIA is not. They try, without success, to recruit him as an undercover agent. Taking a different tack, they follow Ian and Margo to Hong Kong, where the Straker movie is being filmed. Their efforts to keep the pair safe are only marginally successful, resulting in a few wild chases and near misses (these, too, can be humorous; at one point, for instance, Margo, a lesbian, successfully fends off would-be killers with her dildo).
And so it goes right up to the end. This is a series, so of course all's well that ends well, at least for Ian and Margo. The whole thing is a clever romp, and I'm already looking forward to the pair's next adventure. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review an advance copy.
March 8, 2019
Bestselling author Ian Ludlow is heading to Hong Kong on business – promotion for a film based on one of his books and research for his next one – and Margo French is joining him as his research assistant. Neither of them realize that their arrival in Hong Kong has attracted the wrong kind of attention thanks again to one of Ian’s books. Will they recognize the danger they are in before it is too late?
I enjoyed this one just as much as the first in the series. There is plenty of humor as events progress, some coming from the circumstances and some coming from a skewering of Hollywood thanks to the movie Ian is there to help promote. I did feel some of the humor fell into the adolescent male category, which I didn’t always appreciate, but this isn’t something new for this author. Thanks to well done multiple viewpoint storytelling, we know the slow burn that is happening before Ian and Margo realize they’ve attracted the wrong attention, but once the book really takes off, it becomes impossible to put down. I love the fact that Ian is not a typical thriller hero since he is an overweight, middle age, writer. He and Margo are great main characters. If you are looking for a fun mix of humor and thrills, this is the book for you.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
I enjoyed this one just as much as the first in the series. There is plenty of humor as events progress, some coming from the circumstances and some coming from a skewering of Hollywood thanks to the movie Ian is there to help promote. I did feel some of the humor fell into the adolescent male category, which I didn’t always appreciate, but this isn’t something new for this author. Thanks to well done multiple viewpoint storytelling, we know the slow burn that is happening before Ian and Margo realize they’ve attracted the wrong attention, but once the book really takes off, it becomes impossible to put down. I love the fact that Ian is not a typical thriller hero since he is an overweight, middle age, writer. He and Margo are great main characters. If you are looking for a fun mix of humor and thrills, this is the book for you.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
January 5, 2021
In the past, I've chuckled through some of the Lee Goldberg/Janet Evanovich collaborations (Fox & O'hare), so I picked up this, the 2nd in the "Ian Ludlow/Margo French series"...Ian is a best-selling spy series author whose plots anticipate evil attacks on the US...Conveniently, authorities, find his creativity to be a great asset in preventing attacks on America...In this one, China attempts an economic takeover of the nation through the movie industry...Improbable plot and thoroughly, fun irreverent characters entertain throughout...decent!
dnf
September 16, 2019*DNF*
Copy kindly received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm just not feeling this one. Time for me to put it down.
Copy kindly received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm just not feeling this one. Time for me to put it down.
October 31, 2020
Bubblegum. But good bubblegum. But not quite as funny as the first book in the series.
August 17, 2022
A fun fast paced mystery....liked!
June 12, 2020
Did not finish. Got about a third of the way through and just didn’t care any more.
May 25, 2019
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
In True Fiction, Lee Goldberg introduced us to Ian Ludlow -- former TV writer, now thriller writer extraordinaire -- who discovered (the hard way) that terrorists were using his fiction as a playbook. Then he had to go on the run for his life from these people who didn't appreciate the fact that he'd be able to identify what they were doing. Running alongside him (frequently behind, more frequently ahead of him) was the poor girl who was supposed to schlep him from bookstore event to bookstore event in Seattle. Margo didn't like Ludlow, but finding their fates bound together, she threw herself into surviving -- and is very likely the reason he did survive.
Not only did they survive, they uncovered and defeated a group within US Intelligence that were actively plotting against the US. It's a highly improbable story that didn't feel that improbable -- yet was told in a way that played up the tension, the suspense and the fun. It was one of the funniest and most enjoyable books I read last year.
Now it's time for the inevitable sequel -- Killer Thriller -- and Lee Goldberg has somehow done what almost every good sequel strives to do (and few succeed) -- he tells pretty much the same story with just a couple of differences, yet does so in a way that feels completely fresh and original -- in most ways, superior to the original. I don't think it'd be hard to take a semi-thorough outline of both novels to compare against each other and find that they're freakishly similar. But I only thought about that when I sat back to think about the book and its predecessor. While reading, I didn't care about True Fiction or any similarities the current book had to it. I just had too much fun while reading the sequel I couldn't be bothered to compare it.
Which is a pretty neat trick, really. It's like when Chandler Bing said, " Oh--I think this is the episode of "Three's Company" where there's some kind of misunderstanding." Just because every episode of Three's Company featured a few misunderstandings -- it didn't keep things (usually) from not being funny. The same kind of thing here -- just because Ludlow and Margo are once again thrown in to the middle of things they're not ready for, it doesn't keep the action scenes from being riveting and the funny bits from being funny.
So, if you haven't read the first book, let me tell you a little bit about Ian Ludlow. He's overweight, doesn't take care of himself in anyway, shape or form. He doesn't seem to be attractive (and bounces between knowing it and forgetting it). His ego is pretty big, but he's also realistic about himself. He's lazy about everything but his writing -- and he could likely be more disciplined about it. Okay, based on what we're told about his greatest creation, Clint Straker -- imagine the combination of Bond and Reacher -- he's pretty lazy. Still, he comes up with incredible plots (don't take my word for it, take the word of people who based terror campaigns on his work). Deep down (Margo would argue very, very deep) he's a decent guy. Especially for the 15-25 minutes a day he's not hitting on some unwilling woman, or thinking about hitting on her.
Margo, meanwhile, is a would-be singer/songwriter, a former dog walker, and is really vocationally lost. She's smart, she's tough, and adaptable -- even if she's still trying to figure out how to adapt after the events of True Fiction. She's picked up some self-defense skills along the way, which will prove to be handy.
Ludlow brings Margo with him to Hong Kong to act as his research assistant and hopefully relax a little from the stress that's eating at her from her recent harrowing experiences (almost being killed counts as harrowing, right?). He's going to Hong Kong to do a little promotion for the studio that's turning his first Straker book into a movie. While there, he wants Margo to scope out some places and things he can use in his upcoming novel. In this novel, the Chinese government is waging a secret campaign to take over the US through political manipulation and selling us cheap products they can use to spy on us. Straker's going to fight against them in Hong Kong, so he needs some local color.
Once in the hotel (and on the hotel's wi-fi), a group of Chinese espionage agents tap into Ludlow's laptop and make an unsettling discovery. The plot laid out in Ludlows "novel" is ridiculously close to the plan this same group has spent years devising and implementing to take over the US government through manipulation, cash, and fear. Clearly this man's novels are just a cover story, he has to be the most wily of secret agents -- using this preposterous writer character as a cover for his actual abilities and mission to stop this Chinese plot.
So the Chinese begin their dangerous game of cat and mouse with the "spy" Ian Ludlow. It's more of a cat-and-clueless-yet-incredibly-lucky-mouse game. But you get the point. But hey, it works. Think Inspector Gadget and Penny -- without the robotic arms and sentient dog.
Like Ludlow, Goldberg spent a lot of time as a writer/producer of television. And in both books he does a great job of lampooning the men and women writing, directing and starring in TV and movies. You can't help but feel Goldberg exorcising some personal demons as he does so -- particularly in the table read scene and everything that Damon Matthews (the actor playing Straker) says and does. Incidentally, I'm sure any parallels people might draw between Matthews/Straker and Cruise/Reacher are completely unintentional on Goldberg's part. For my money, if doing this sort of thing helps Goldberg deal with the frustrations that seem to plague most TV writers/screenwriters, I hope he keeps pouring out his frustrations on the page -- I love 'em.
Goldberg seems to have learned a lot from the Fox and O'Hare books he co-wrote with Janet Evanovich -- there are huge chunks of this book that feel like they were originally planned for one of them. Whether Goldberg repurposed the scenes or was just influenced by his time with that series really doesn't matter -- the sensibility that made that series work so well is making this one work very well, too.
From the big things -- like fight scenes or car chases -- to the way he describes a Washington D. C. restaurant, to little touches like the way that someone smuggles information out of China, Goldberg is at the top of his game -- which is an accomplishment. I think I've read almost 30 of his books and there are maybe one or two that are more satisfying than Killer Thriller. Thrills and laughs together -- and maybe maybe a little surprising character depth and development (just a bit, we don't want Ludlow to stop being a cad and a loser), this is a whole lotta fun. You can come into this one fresh, you won't appreciate the changes in character (particularly Margo), but you'll have just about as much fun as the rest of us.
---
"...I want Ludlow under constant and total visual, audio, digital, and personal surveillance,” Yat added. If anybody in Beijing asked about it, he’d explain that it was part of his ongoing investigation into Wang Kang’s activities, which wasn’t far from the truth. Those were always the most effective lies. “Mobilize every resource that we have.”
“Including the assassins?”
“Especially the assassins,” Yat said.
In True Fiction, Lee Goldberg introduced us to Ian Ludlow -- former TV writer, now thriller writer extraordinaire -- who discovered (the hard way) that terrorists were using his fiction as a playbook. Then he had to go on the run for his life from these people who didn't appreciate the fact that he'd be able to identify what they were doing. Running alongside him (frequently behind, more frequently ahead of him) was the poor girl who was supposed to schlep him from bookstore event to bookstore event in Seattle. Margo didn't like Ludlow, but finding their fates bound together, she threw herself into surviving -- and is very likely the reason he did survive.
Not only did they survive, they uncovered and defeated a group within US Intelligence that were actively plotting against the US. It's a highly improbable story that didn't feel that improbable -- yet was told in a way that played up the tension, the suspense and the fun. It was one of the funniest and most enjoyable books I read last year.
Now it's time for the inevitable sequel -- Killer Thriller -- and Lee Goldberg has somehow done what almost every good sequel strives to do (and few succeed) -- he tells pretty much the same story with just a couple of differences, yet does so in a way that feels completely fresh and original -- in most ways, superior to the original. I don't think it'd be hard to take a semi-thorough outline of both novels to compare against each other and find that they're freakishly similar. But I only thought about that when I sat back to think about the book and its predecessor. While reading, I didn't care about True Fiction or any similarities the current book had to it. I just had too much fun while reading the sequel I couldn't be bothered to compare it.
Which is a pretty neat trick, really. It's like when Chandler Bing said, " Oh--I think this is the episode of "Three's Company" where there's some kind of misunderstanding." Just because every episode of Three's Company featured a few misunderstandings -- it didn't keep things (usually) from not being funny. The same kind of thing here -- just because Ludlow and Margo are once again thrown in to the middle of things they're not ready for, it doesn't keep the action scenes from being riveting and the funny bits from being funny.
So, if you haven't read the first book, let me tell you a little bit about Ian Ludlow. He's overweight, doesn't take care of himself in anyway, shape or form. He doesn't seem to be attractive (and bounces between knowing it and forgetting it). His ego is pretty big, but he's also realistic about himself. He's lazy about everything but his writing -- and he could likely be more disciplined about it. Okay, based on what we're told about his greatest creation, Clint Straker -- imagine the combination of Bond and Reacher -- he's pretty lazy. Still, he comes up with incredible plots (don't take my word for it, take the word of people who based terror campaigns on his work). Deep down (Margo would argue very, very deep) he's a decent guy. Especially for the 15-25 minutes a day he's not hitting on some unwilling woman, or thinking about hitting on her.
Margo, meanwhile, is a would-be singer/songwriter, a former dog walker, and is really vocationally lost. She's smart, she's tough, and adaptable -- even if she's still trying to figure out how to adapt after the events of True Fiction. She's picked up some self-defense skills along the way, which will prove to be handy.
Ludlow brings Margo with him to Hong Kong to act as his research assistant and hopefully relax a little from the stress that's eating at her from her recent harrowing experiences (almost being killed counts as harrowing, right?). He's going to Hong Kong to do a little promotion for the studio that's turning his first Straker book into a movie. While there, he wants Margo to scope out some places and things he can use in his upcoming novel. In this novel, the Chinese government is waging a secret campaign to take over the US through political manipulation and selling us cheap products they can use to spy on us. Straker's going to fight against them in Hong Kong, so he needs some local color.
Once in the hotel (and on the hotel's wi-fi), a group of Chinese espionage agents tap into Ludlow's laptop and make an unsettling discovery. The plot laid out in Ludlows "novel" is ridiculously close to the plan this same group has spent years devising and implementing to take over the US government through manipulation, cash, and fear. Clearly this man's novels are just a cover story, he has to be the most wily of secret agents -- using this preposterous writer character as a cover for his actual abilities and mission to stop this Chinese plot.
So the Chinese begin their dangerous game of cat and mouse with the "spy" Ian Ludlow. It's more of a cat-and-clueless-yet-incredibly-lucky-mouse game. But you get the point. But hey, it works. Think Inspector Gadget and Penny -- without the robotic arms and sentient dog.
Like Ludlow, Goldberg spent a lot of time as a writer/producer of television. And in both books he does a great job of lampooning the men and women writing, directing and starring in TV and movies. You can't help but feel Goldberg exorcising some personal demons as he does so -- particularly in the table read scene and everything that Damon Matthews (the actor playing Straker) says and does. Incidentally, I'm sure any parallels people might draw between Matthews/Straker and Cruise/Reacher are completely unintentional on Goldberg's part. For my money, if doing this sort of thing helps Goldberg deal with the frustrations that seem to plague most TV writers/screenwriters, I hope he keeps pouring out his frustrations on the page -- I love 'em.
Goldberg seems to have learned a lot from the Fox and O'Hare books he co-wrote with Janet Evanovich -- there are huge chunks of this book that feel like they were originally planned for one of them. Whether Goldberg repurposed the scenes or was just influenced by his time with that series really doesn't matter -- the sensibility that made that series work so well is making this one work very well, too.
From the big things -- like fight scenes or car chases -- to the way he describes a Washington D. C. restaurant, to little touches like the way that someone smuggles information out of China, Goldberg is at the top of his game -- which is an accomplishment. I think I've read almost 30 of his books and there are maybe one or two that are more satisfying than Killer Thriller. Thrills and laughs together -- and maybe maybe a little surprising character depth and development (just a bit, we don't want Ludlow to stop being a cad and a loser), this is a whole lotta fun. You can come into this one fresh, you won't appreciate the changes in character (particularly Margo), but you'll have just about as much fun as the rest of us.
February 25, 2019
"Killer Thriller" by Lee Goldberg is as wonderful as the title promises. The second novel in his Ian Ludlow/Margo French series the author builds upon their adventures after they teamed up in book one. Ludlow is an author of popular novels and Margo who was merely an author escort (for signings and such) find themselves in adventures right out of the pages of fiction.
This time around Ian and Margo head to Hong Kong where Lee can oversee the filming of one of his novels. There, the plot of the film has gained the attention of people who believe that the film company, Ludlow, French and all are a onto their crimes. From this begins an adventure which is truly hard to put down. Reading the novel can only be compared to the most enjoyable roller coaster ride that does not let up until the "whoosh" of the air breaks leading the reader in to the satisfying conclusion.
Though it might help to read the first book in the series - "True Fiction" - it is not necessary. Goldberg is one of those good authors who serves his readers well. If you forgot the plot of the first, or pick this one up first, he provides the reader with enough back story to remain fully engaged with this book.
This time around Ian and Margo head to Hong Kong where Lee can oversee the filming of one of his novels. There, the plot of the film has gained the attention of people who believe that the film company, Ludlow, French and all are a onto their crimes. From this begins an adventure which is truly hard to put down. Reading the novel can only be compared to the most enjoyable roller coaster ride that does not let up until the "whoosh" of the air breaks leading the reader in to the satisfying conclusion.
Though it might help to read the first book in the series - "True Fiction" - it is not necessary. Goldberg is one of those good authors who serves his readers well. If you forgot the plot of the first, or pick this one up first, he provides the reader with enough back story to remain fully engaged with this book.
April 14, 2020
My rating is an average between the first c. 30 percent of the novel, which I found inane and disappointing, and the rest of the novel which started to perk up around the eighteenth chapter, give or take, when it actually started getting funny, even if a bit dumb, but eventually it became fun.
The blurb says more, but basically Ian Ludlow turned down the offer to work for the CIA and is going to Hong Kong for some publicity shots for a movie being made that is based on one of his novels. His former author escort tags along, because she has shown up at his door homeless and suffering from PTSD. One thing leads to another, and it isn't long before someone thinks that Ludlow's story that he is carrying along is actually intelligence and that he's a spy. In between all this there are some rather darkish things going on. I might read the next one, but haven't decided for sure yet.
The blurb says more, but basically Ian Ludlow turned down the offer to work for the CIA and is going to Hong Kong for some publicity shots for a movie being made that is based on one of his novels. His former author escort tags along, because she has shown up at his door homeless and suffering from PTSD. One thing leads to another, and it isn't long before someone thinks that Ludlow's story that he is carrying along is actually intelligence and that he's a spy. In between all this there are some rather darkish things going on. I might read the next one, but haven't decided for sure yet.
July 24, 2023
Story 4 stars. Narration 3 stars.
Humorous thriller although I still like the first one better. I will be reading the next one as well. Because I listened I kept getting lost with the Chinese names and who was doing what in Chinese. That was not the narrators fault. That being said the narration was almost ruined for me. The sing song tone of voice not only for the Chinese characters but others as well about drove me nuts. Took me out of the story over and over again. Otherwise, it was a pretty good thriller and a bit over the top at times. Lots of humorous situations until they weren’t humorous. I really wasn’t laughing though. Still I did like the characters and the thriller aspects. Enjoyed it mostly.
Humorous thriller although I still like the first one better. I will be reading the next one as well. Because I listened I kept getting lost with the Chinese names and who was doing what in Chinese. That was not the narrators fault. That being said the narration was almost ruined for me. The sing song tone of voice not only for the Chinese characters but others as well about drove me nuts. Took me out of the story over and over again. Otherwise, it was a pretty good thriller and a bit over the top at times. Lots of humorous situations until they weren’t humorous. I really wasn’t laughing though. Still I did like the characters and the thriller aspects. Enjoyed it mostly.
October 11, 2018
Ian Ludlow, best selling author of the Clint Straker action series, is back with his erstwhile author escort Margo French in the second entry of Lee Goldberg's latest series, and his writer's imagination has once against thrust him inadvertently into the middle of an international espionage plot to take down the U.S. government.
I'm not going to walk you through that plot, not even its early set-up -- watching it unfold from the start is part of the fun of Killer Thriller. But even more than that, the plot is far less important than how Ian and Margo handle it, as they go with its flow from Seattle to Hong Kong to Singapore to Paris.
In the first entry of the series, True Fiction (which by the way you need not have read to enjoy this follow-up), Ludlow is hired by the CIA, along with other writers, to imagine terrorist scenarios, the idea being that the CIA can then prepare for the most credible of those fictional schemes. When his imagined act of terror comes true, Ian finds his life is in danger, with Margo unwittingly dragged into it with him. What gets them out of it is Ian asking himself, despite being an avowed nebbish, "What would Clint Straker do?" and (reluctantly, because he is after all just a nebbish) doing it.
In Killer Thriller, Ian takes a different approach once he realizes what he and Margo have gotten themselves into. This time it's not what would Straker do, it's what would Ian Ludlow, bestselling author of spy novels, imagine as the best possible story line? The theory being that that is likely the real-life story line (a bit meta-fictional and self-fulfulling, but it works). In a way, that's much more satisfying than him trying to be Straker, since that's who he actually is (Ian, not Straker).
I find myself in thrall to Goldberg's ability as a writer. I only just discovered him last summer and have since read four of his titles (including the two in this Ian Ludlow series -- there is actually an earlier Ian Ludlow series, though not as a character, Goldberg having written his first novel and its sequels under that pseudonym). I listened to the prior three books in audio before reading the print edition of Killer Thriller, kindly provided to me in advance of the February 2019 publication date by NetGalley.com.
For someone writing the present-day version of pulp fiction -- quick-read crime and action tales -- and cranking them out at a mind-boggling pace (around 70 titles in the past 15 years, roughly half on his own, the rest co-written with others) -- Goldberg does a remarkable job with character. Come up with all the clever plots in the world, write the snappiest of dialogue, and it's not going to work if you don't have good characters. Or (saying pretty much the same thing) create some good characters, and a good story and good dialogue will naturally ensue.
Of course it doesn't hurt that Goldberg does indeed come up with clever plots and seems to effortlessly write snappy, humorous dialogue. Together with his ability to base it all on solid characterization, it's a formula that works extremely well, at least for me. I value literary fiction more than anything, even if I do love to mix in good genre fiction (science fiction, mystery, historical, conspiracy thrillers, political and spy thrillers). The best of all worlds is when a good genre writer is also a good literary craftsman, and having read four of his books, I will state unequivocally that Lee Goldberg fits that bill.
Having said all that, I give Killer Thriller four stars (I want to give it four and a half) rather than five. Two reasons:
1. It takes a while for this story to get going. I went back and checked, and the build-up is good, the story is all there, the new characters are well developed and they're fun (especially those involved in the Straker movie). But it's not until about halfway through that Ian and Margo are thrown into the frying pan -- in True Fiction, they're in the fire just about from the start.
2. No Ronnie? What truly elevated True Fiction for me was when Ronnie came in to help Ian and Margo. He was a great character who added a new element to the story right when it was needed -- changed the whole paradigm, in fact, at the exact moment where the plot was in danger of losing steam. Not only does Ronnie himself not make an appearance in Killer Thriller, no one like him enters the picture. That added dimension in True Fiction is notably missing.
But those are minor quibbles. The slow start did blunt my enthusiasm through the first third of the book, but thereafter was forgotten as the pace picked up. That Ian figured this out for himself rather than having Ronnie come in to save his butt, that's OK. Overall, Killer Thriller is an excellent character-based, plot-driven, dialogue-fueled book that does its series justice.
I'm not going to walk you through that plot, not even its early set-up -- watching it unfold from the start is part of the fun of Killer Thriller. But even more than that, the plot is far less important than how Ian and Margo handle it, as they go with its flow from Seattle to Hong Kong to Singapore to Paris.
In the first entry of the series, True Fiction (which by the way you need not have read to enjoy this follow-up), Ludlow is hired by the CIA, along with other writers, to imagine terrorist scenarios, the idea being that the CIA can then prepare for the most credible of those fictional schemes. When his imagined act of terror comes true, Ian finds his life is in danger, with Margo unwittingly dragged into it with him. What gets them out of it is Ian asking himself, despite being an avowed nebbish, "What would Clint Straker do?" and (reluctantly, because he is after all just a nebbish) doing it.
In Killer Thriller, Ian takes a different approach once he realizes what he and Margo have gotten themselves into. This time it's not what would Straker do, it's what would Ian Ludlow, bestselling author of spy novels, imagine as the best possible story line? The theory being that that is likely the real-life story line (a bit meta-fictional and self-fulfulling, but it works). In a way, that's much more satisfying than him trying to be Straker, since that's who he actually is (Ian, not Straker).
I find myself in thrall to Goldberg's ability as a writer. I only just discovered him last summer and have since read four of his titles (including the two in this Ian Ludlow series -- there is actually an earlier Ian Ludlow series, though not as a character, Goldberg having written his first novel and its sequels under that pseudonym). I listened to the prior three books in audio before reading the print edition of Killer Thriller, kindly provided to me in advance of the February 2019 publication date by NetGalley.com.
For someone writing the present-day version of pulp fiction -- quick-read crime and action tales -- and cranking them out at a mind-boggling pace (around 70 titles in the past 15 years, roughly half on his own, the rest co-written with others) -- Goldberg does a remarkable job with character. Come up with all the clever plots in the world, write the snappiest of dialogue, and it's not going to work if you don't have good characters. Or (saying pretty much the same thing) create some good characters, and a good story and good dialogue will naturally ensue.
Of course it doesn't hurt that Goldberg does indeed come up with clever plots and seems to effortlessly write snappy, humorous dialogue. Together with his ability to base it all on solid characterization, it's a formula that works extremely well, at least for me. I value literary fiction more than anything, even if I do love to mix in good genre fiction (science fiction, mystery, historical, conspiracy thrillers, political and spy thrillers). The best of all worlds is when a good genre writer is also a good literary craftsman, and having read four of his books, I will state unequivocally that Lee Goldberg fits that bill.
Having said all that, I give Killer Thriller four stars (I want to give it four and a half) rather than five. Two reasons:
1. It takes a while for this story to get going. I went back and checked, and the build-up is good, the story is all there, the new characters are well developed and they're fun (especially those involved in the Straker movie). But it's not until about halfway through that Ian and Margo are thrown into the frying pan -- in True Fiction, they're in the fire just about from the start.
2. No Ronnie? What truly elevated True Fiction for me was when Ronnie came in to help Ian and Margo. He was a great character who added a new element to the story right when it was needed -- changed the whole paradigm, in fact, at the exact moment where the plot was in danger of losing steam. Not only does Ronnie himself not make an appearance in Killer Thriller, no one like him enters the picture. That added dimension in True Fiction is notably missing.
But those are minor quibbles. The slow start did blunt my enthusiasm through the first third of the book, but thereafter was forgotten as the pace picked up. That Ian figured this out for himself rather than having Ronnie come in to save his butt, that's OK. Overall, Killer Thriller is an excellent character-based, plot-driven, dialogue-fueled book that does its series justice.
March 18, 2019
“Killer Thriller” is the 2019 follow-up to Lee Goldberg’s comedic action bestseller, “True Fiction” about Ian Ludlow, a men’s adventure novelist who is unexpectedly thrust into the life of a bona fide action hero. Like the first installment, the novel straddles the line between being a parody of the Jack Reacher-style of adventure paperbacks and delivering a genuine kick-ass thrill-ride of a novel.
The character of Ian Ludlow is a fictionalized version of Goldberg himself - a TV mystery scriptwriter turned successful novelist. In fact, Goldberg began his career writing the macho “.357 Vigilante” series using the pseudonym of Ian Ludlow. “Killer Thriller” begins with Ludlow on a book tour hyping his latest testosterone-fueled novel, and Goldberg does a nice job of getting readers up to speed on the events of “True Fiction,” so no one is left behind.
Because Ludlow’s fiction has an uncanny way of becoming fact, he is approached by the CIA to become an operative using his writing job as cover. And because this is a fun - and sometimes silly - action novel send-up, Ludlow is soon in the mix with an international conspiracy to cripple America in a manner similar to a novel Ludlow is currently outlining.
The backdrop of “Killer Thriller” is a potential trade war with China during an internal U.S. policy debate over free trade vs. protectionism. Meanwhile, Chinese interests are putting a giant thumb on the scale with political assassinations in the U.S. and the kidnapping of Hong Kong’s best and brightest business minds. Production is also beginning in Hong Kong on a film based on Ludlow’s recurring character, which gives Goldberg a chance to poke some fun at Hollywood preposterous adaptations of outlandish contemporary men’s fiction and the influence of the China market on modern Hollywood.
As with the first installment, there are tons of Easter eggs in the novel for genre fanatics. For example, the movie studio adapting Ludlow’s novel is “Pinnacle Pictures” - presumably a nod to the iconic 1970s paperback house. Current events also get a send-up with a billionaire fictional U.S. President tweeting too much while alienating our NATO allies.
Joined by his hot and heroic lesbian sidekick Margo, Ludlow is off to China to monitor the adaptive filming of his old novel while researching the plot of his next one. As expected, he gets swept up in a real-life Chinese conspiracy that eerily mirrors his own plot outline for an unwritten novel.
Like it’s predecessor, “Killer Thriller” is a helluva lot of fun to read. The plot and action sequences are both absurd and absorbing. If you’re a fan of men’s action novels and their film adaptations, you are the intended audience for this love letter to our genre. Time will tell how many times Goldberg will be able to go to this same well, but I’m all-in for the Ian Ludlow thrillers. Highly recommended.
Critic Note: A version of this review appeared on the Paperback Warrior Blog.
The character of Ian Ludlow is a fictionalized version of Goldberg himself - a TV mystery scriptwriter turned successful novelist. In fact, Goldberg began his career writing the macho “.357 Vigilante” series using the pseudonym of Ian Ludlow. “Killer Thriller” begins with Ludlow on a book tour hyping his latest testosterone-fueled novel, and Goldberg does a nice job of getting readers up to speed on the events of “True Fiction,” so no one is left behind.
Because Ludlow’s fiction has an uncanny way of becoming fact, he is approached by the CIA to become an operative using his writing job as cover. And because this is a fun - and sometimes silly - action novel send-up, Ludlow is soon in the mix with an international conspiracy to cripple America in a manner similar to a novel Ludlow is currently outlining.
The backdrop of “Killer Thriller” is a potential trade war with China during an internal U.S. policy debate over free trade vs. protectionism. Meanwhile, Chinese interests are putting a giant thumb on the scale with political assassinations in the U.S. and the kidnapping of Hong Kong’s best and brightest business minds. Production is also beginning in Hong Kong on a film based on Ludlow’s recurring character, which gives Goldberg a chance to poke some fun at Hollywood preposterous adaptations of outlandish contemporary men’s fiction and the influence of the China market on modern Hollywood.
As with the first installment, there are tons of Easter eggs in the novel for genre fanatics. For example, the movie studio adapting Ludlow’s novel is “Pinnacle Pictures” - presumably a nod to the iconic 1970s paperback house. Current events also get a send-up with a billionaire fictional U.S. President tweeting too much while alienating our NATO allies.
Joined by his hot and heroic lesbian sidekick Margo, Ludlow is off to China to monitor the adaptive filming of his old novel while researching the plot of his next one. As expected, he gets swept up in a real-life Chinese conspiracy that eerily mirrors his own plot outline for an unwritten novel.
Like it’s predecessor, “Killer Thriller” is a helluva lot of fun to read. The plot and action sequences are both absurd and absorbing. If you’re a fan of men’s action novels and their film adaptations, you are the intended audience for this love letter to our genre. Time will tell how many times Goldberg will be able to go to this same well, but I’m all-in for the Ian Ludlow thrillers. Highly recommended.
Critic Note: A version of this review appeared on the Paperback Warrior Blog.
April 5, 2019
iller Thriller is fun and funny and over the top, and it knows it. This is the second in the series and although it works as a stand-alone, the first one is a blast, so I’d read it first.
Ian Ludlow writes cheesy thrillers and one is being turned into a movie. He and his assistant Margo head to Hong Kong to participate in some of the publicity surrounding the shooting and to do some research for the novel he’s working on. The problem: once again Ian’s plot, although outrageous is too close to reality for him to be safe. This time, his story’s about how the Chinese government is planning a coup of the U.S.A using sleeper agents in high government positions and the surveillance technology that they have hidden in all of our electronics we have purchased. The trouble for Ludlow is this is actually happening and the Chinese government thinks he knows about all their top-secret espionage. So, of course, they need to kill/kidnap him. Happily, Margo has acquired all kinds of lethal skills that help keep them safe until they can uncover the plot and save the world.
Killer Thriller does not take itself too seriously. The situations are ridiculous and dangerous and crazy and funny. It’s a great light read. The plot holds together well enough and the characters are all perfect for the story.
Ian Ludlow writes cheesy thrillers and one is being turned into a movie. He and his assistant Margo head to Hong Kong to participate in some of the publicity surrounding the shooting and to do some research for the novel he’s working on. The problem: once again Ian’s plot, although outrageous is too close to reality for him to be safe. This time, his story’s about how the Chinese government is planning a coup of the U.S.A using sleeper agents in high government positions and the surveillance technology that they have hidden in all of our electronics we have purchased. The trouble for Ludlow is this is actually happening and the Chinese government thinks he knows about all their top-secret espionage. So, of course, they need to kill/kidnap him. Happily, Margo has acquired all kinds of lethal skills that help keep them safe until they can uncover the plot and save the world.
Killer Thriller does not take itself too seriously. The situations are ridiculous and dangerous and crazy and funny. It’s a great light read. The plot holds together well enough and the characters are all perfect for the story.
February 27, 2019
KILLER THRILLER is the second in author Lee Goldberg's new Ian Ludlow series. It stands well on its own, but I highly recommend you read TRUE FICTION first. Both chronicle the adventures of best selling thriller author and former TV writer, Ian Ludlow.
Ian is a typical guy who has invented a character named Clint Straker who makes James Bond look mild mannered. Clint Straker is not only the hero of best selling books, but the titular character of a movie, "Straker", to be filmed on location in Hong Kong.
Ian has been invited to go to Hong Kong to meet with the cast and crew of the movie and do a little PR. Right about the time he is set to leave, his former book escort and partner in previous wild adventures, Margo French, shows up. She claims to be practically homeless, so Ian takes her along as an assistant.
Almost as soon as the two set foot in Hong Kong, things begin to go in very unexpected directions. Once again, Ian and Margo are in trouble that seems impossible to survive. The vivid description of Hong Kong helped me visualize the location, even though I have never traveled there.
The action is fast paced, but there is a huge amount of Mr. Goldberg's traditional humor liberally mixed in. He pokes fun at politics and actors among other things. Once you start this novel, it will hard to put it down.
I have been a big fan of Lee Goldberg's for many years. He has written and/or produced many TV series over the years, with "Monk" being my favorite. I have also loved the Mr. Monk book series. They could always cheer me up. His collaborations with Janet Evanovich had double the fun since they are both experts on mysteries and laugh out loud humor.
I hope Lee Goldberg will continue this series. I will read anything that has his name on it because I know I will be entertained.
Ian is a typical guy who has invented a character named Clint Straker who makes James Bond look mild mannered. Clint Straker is not only the hero of best selling books, but the titular character of a movie, "Straker", to be filmed on location in Hong Kong.
Ian has been invited to go to Hong Kong to meet with the cast and crew of the movie and do a little PR. Right about the time he is set to leave, his former book escort and partner in previous wild adventures, Margo French, shows up. She claims to be practically homeless, so Ian takes her along as an assistant.
Almost as soon as the two set foot in Hong Kong, things begin to go in very unexpected directions. Once again, Ian and Margo are in trouble that seems impossible to survive. The vivid description of Hong Kong helped me visualize the location, even though I have never traveled there.
The action is fast paced, but there is a huge amount of Mr. Goldberg's traditional humor liberally mixed in. He pokes fun at politics and actors among other things. Once you start this novel, it will hard to put it down.
I have been a big fan of Lee Goldberg's for many years. He has written and/or produced many TV series over the years, with "Monk" being my favorite. I have also loved the Mr. Monk book series. They could always cheer me up. His collaborations with Janet Evanovich had double the fun since they are both experts on mysteries and laugh out loud humor.
I hope Lee Goldberg will continue this series. I will read anything that has his name on it because I know I will be entertained.
June 11, 2018
I received an ARC of this book, courtesy of the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Ian Ludlow and Margo French are back - Ludlow has hired French to be his research assistant after French turned up on his doorstep, scared and alone, telling Ludlow that she had PTSD that prevented her from living alone or working after being on the run in Goldberg's first Ludlow book, True Fiction. Ludlow is preparing for a trip to Hong Kong to research his latest book and shoot some promotional photos for his book-turned-action movie so he brings French along to help him with his research. Upon arrival in Hong Kong, the Chinese government thinks Ludlow is a superspy sent to investigate a Chinese plot to topple and control the United States - Ludlow's latest manuscript has outlined this as the plot line of his next story but the Chinese really have the scheme and after hacking his computer and reviewing the manuscript, they believe Ludlow has uncovered it. Now Ludlow and French are on the run from Chinese government assassins and racing against the clock to outwit the Chinese plot to destroy the U.S.
I love the Ludlow series and this was another fun installment. Ludlow writes espionage fiction about dashing superspy Clint Straker - a James Bond style hero. But Ludlow's fictional storylines have a disturbing tendency to end up coming to life - and Ludlow uses his cunning, storytelling skills, and gift for intrigue to suss out the villains' plans and put a stop to them. Lee Goldberg writes Ludlow and French's adventures with humor and panache, with a nod and a wink to the over the top hijinks of spy thrillers. Killer Thriller is another great installment in what will hopefully continue to be a long and creative storyline.
Ian Ludlow and Margo French are back - Ludlow has hired French to be his research assistant after French turned up on his doorstep, scared and alone, telling Ludlow that she had PTSD that prevented her from living alone or working after being on the run in Goldberg's first Ludlow book, True Fiction. Ludlow is preparing for a trip to Hong Kong to research his latest book and shoot some promotional photos for his book-turned-action movie so he brings French along to help him with his research. Upon arrival in Hong Kong, the Chinese government thinks Ludlow is a superspy sent to investigate a Chinese plot to topple and control the United States - Ludlow's latest manuscript has outlined this as the plot line of his next story but the Chinese really have the scheme and after hacking his computer and reviewing the manuscript, they believe Ludlow has uncovered it. Now Ludlow and French are on the run from Chinese government assassins and racing against the clock to outwit the Chinese plot to destroy the U.S.
I love the Ludlow series and this was another fun installment. Ludlow writes espionage fiction about dashing superspy Clint Straker - a James Bond style hero. But Ludlow's fictional storylines have a disturbing tendency to end up coming to life - and Ludlow uses his cunning, storytelling skills, and gift for intrigue to suss out the villains' plans and put a stop to them. Lee Goldberg writes Ludlow and French's adventures with humor and panache, with a nod and a wink to the over the top hijinks of spy thrillers. Killer Thriller is another great installment in what will hopefully continue to be a long and creative storyline.
December 8, 2018
Killer Thriller by Lee Goldberg, this is the 2nd book in this series but can be read as a stand alone....this was a pretty quick, interesting read the writing flowed and characters were pretty fleshed out, storyline was good..maybe not as good as the 1st in this series but I am looking forward to seeing where the next book takes us! Thank you Netgalley and the Publishers Thomas & Mercer for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC and give an honest review.
October 15, 2018
A delight from start to finish—a round-the-world, thrill-a-minute Walter Mitty story that had me torn between wanting to be Ian Ludlow and wanting to be Lee Goldberg, for having written such a laser-guided missile of a book. Too much fun.
March 11, 2019
Quite the concept
Hard not to like the idea of an author having to rely on his fiction to save the day and to stay alive. While I may have liked the first book in this series a little better (novelty factor), this one was still a lot of fun to read.
Hard not to like the idea of an author having to rely on his fiction to save the day and to stay alive. While I may have liked the first book in this series a little better (novelty factor), this one was still a lot of fun to read.
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