Sometimes being good at your job has devastating consequences.
Former FBI rising star, Lawson Raines, isn't the man he used to be. He's become a monster. Losing your wife, your daughter, and spending ten years behind bars will do that to a man. Especially an innocent one.
Now Lawson's life sentence has been pardoned, and the people that conspired to put him away are desperately scrambling to bury their little secret in the Las Vegas desert once and for all.
They know he's smart, they trained him. They know he's dangerous, he almost caught them. What they don't understand is that when the law he swore to protect failed him, the rules no longer apply. And when a well trained man, with nothing to lose, who's endured years of suffering comes for you, all the money and power on earth can't save you. But having the one thing left in the world that he is willing to die for, just might do the trick.
WOW...What an exciting new story introducing us to Lawson Raines, FBI Agent living a good life with his beautiful wife and 2 year old daughter. A man who believes in the justice system and works daily to protect the right and stop the wrong. Only to have his beliefs pulled out from underneath him when he walks up to his house and sees a pool of blood on the ground, his wife's body laying in a twisted heap. The justice system Lawson worked so hard for turns against him, he is found guilty of murdering his wife and is sent to life in prison. His daughter Lexi is pulled from his arms, his wife's sister takes her to raise. The years in prison are real tough for any officer, we see the fights and hardship, fear and disgust by inmates and guards. The adventure we go on with Lawson deals with revenge, love,back-stabbing, and friendship. The action is non-stop, scenes so well described that I could feel myself right there, and the plot worked through with some twisted turns, leading to the end. This is an explosive thriller that grabs you right away and has you completely hooked by the end of the prologue! When you start reading you can't put it down! I received an ARC of this story from author Bradley Wright, who I thank for this volatile adventure, and I am able to put my thoughts in this review so you too may want to meet Lawson Raines!
Really fun story. Nothing too deep in terms of Characters but a guy who seeks revenge for being falsely accused of killing his wife. It just happens to be in Vegas and all hell breaks loose!
Lawson Raines was a man on the wise within the FBI in Las Vegas. Not only that, he had a beautiful wife and gorgeous little 2 year girl. Then in the blink of an eye, all of that changed when he finds his wife and to make things worse, he is found guilty of the crime and sentenced to life in prison.
Flash forward 10 years, Lawson has been behind bars fighting (and winning) for his life. Just like that he is released from prison. Now the only thing on his mind is finding the killer of his wife and making him pay!
The moment he steps out there the action ramps up. All I can say is you will not be able to put this book down. Every chapter the plot gets deeper and deeper.
Mr. Wright made his mark with the Xander King series, but this is by far his best piece of work in his young career. Great action, great story and its one of the best books I have read in 2018.
Even when reading, it is always exciting to meet a new character in law enforcement that if ever someone was in some type of situation when he/she (or in his/her family) needed justice that there would be someone to call upon, to rely upon, with absolute faith that the person would see the case through to the end regardless of the danger and with absolute confidence that the person was incorruptible. I knew that I had read about that guy when I "met" Jack Reacher as created by Lee Childs. [Also to clarify, that is not the Jack Reacher that Tom Cruise is portraying in the movies as he "doesn't even come close" to my imaginative character portrayal which I prefer to retain.]
Now there's "a new kid on the block" in law enforcement in Lawson Raines as created by Bradley Wright. Especially if you're on the East Coast, you may not have heard about him as he's been in prison for the last 10 years but Lawson was considered a rising star in the FBI out in Las Vegas. I have to emphasize the past tense as a rising star as he's been serving a life sentence for murdering his wife. Justice failed him 10 years ago. Is justice still possible after all this time? Will he ever be able to see his daughter again? What has she been told for the last 10 years?
This was a fast-paced thriller with some unexpected twists in Lawson's journey for justice that I didn't see coming. I couldn't seem to read fast enough to get the answers I wanted and yet I didn't want to miss a clue to figure out everything. That's a good story!
After finishing this novel, the first thing I did was to check to see whether this novel might be a series opener and was so excited to discover that Lawson's story will continue in "Shooting Star" (Lawson Raines #2).
Great action, couldn't put it down. Lawson Raines, former big shot with the FBI, was imprisoned for killing his wife. Ten years and learning how to survive in prison have hardened him and trained him to be ruthless. He's gotten pardoned and now he wants revenge. HIs wife dead, his little girl taken away, and 10 years of his life lost in prison. The people that put him away are scrambling to get him put away again forever this time. Lawson isn't having it. He's a top detective, smart and dangerous. He feels he has nothing to lose and the law didn't work out so well. So he starts to unravel the story and go after the people that framed him. Don't want to say anymore as that would give it away...but Highly recommended if you like action and mystery. Will be looking for more books from this author.
Lawson Raines had the perfect life. Beautiful wife and daughter and a career that he had sacrificed a lot for. Then one day the bottom dropped out from under him and his life would never be the same.
The new Lawson Raines wants justice any way he can get it, legal or not. Doesn’t matter. He also wants his life back. Friends from the past will help. Whether he takes it or not is another matter. Someone was out to get him but he didn’t know who or why.
Finding those answers will take us all in a roller coaster ride until the very end.
I’m a big Bradley Wright fan and his Xander King series is what hooked me on his book. This book is this about another complex man who takes whatever means necessary.
This story reminds me of Harrison Ford in Proven Innocent.
I won’t say any more. I’ll only say that this is a book 📖 you will definitely want to read.
The excitement begins building on the first page and accelerates until the climatic last page. It's definitely a five star book. This story has it all, murder, revenge, criminal activity. You won't be able to put the book down!
I received this book as an ARC from the author. I am so happy that I did. This is an explosive book. There are cover ups, betrayal, revenge, and a love between a father and his daughter. This is the first in a new series and I look forward to reading more. If Bradley Wright is the author I will read it.
The author keeps you guessing from beginning to end with non stop action, fabulous story line and characters. I was totally captivated by the lead character Lawson Raines. Can't say enough. Hop on and enjoy the wild ride!
Unrealistic but action-packed. Started somewhat decently but turned awful in the last quarter. So many stupid things but some highlights are:
Doubt I'll read any more books by this author but he should really stay on the side where his protagonists are invincible badasses that can outmaneuver anyone. When he puts them in perilous situations he has no idea how to write even remotely plausible scenarios to get them out. And by that I mean book-plausible, not even real-life-plausible.
Who hasn't thought about getting revenge on someone who has wronged you? How far would you go? What if it was someone you knew? From the author who brought us The Xander King series, we have a new hero to look up to.
If revenge is a great motivator, Lawson Raines has the ultimate motivation when his perfect life is ripped from his grasp and his world is torn apart. Husband, father, friend, and now...prisoner.
From the beginning of the book, when Lawson's wife is brutally murdered and he's set up to take the fall, author Bradley Wright takes you on a non-stop adventure thru the streets of Las Vegas and in the middle of a mob war.
Lawson is released from prison after serving 10 years for a crime he didn't commit. After a surprise pardon from the Governor, he's on the streets and looking for revenge. He's going to find out who killed his wife and took his family from him, and he's going to make them pay...with their lives.
Struggling with his inner demons through-out the book, Lawson's need for vengeance is balanced with the desire to have a relationship with his daughter, who is living with his wife's sister while he's in prison. This book isn't just about killing everyone who gets in his way either. He goes after the people responsible and along the way, he spares the life of an FBI hitman that will later turn out to be a lifesaver...literally.
The details in this book are so descriptive, you'll think you've been to Vegas when you're done reading. Wright does a great job of taking the reader into the action with details about the location so that you feel like you're right there along with the characters. Also, this entire book encompasses a 2 day period. That's a lot of action packed into a short time frame. Hang on for the ride.
It's gonna hit the fan...when the man comes around.
When the Man Comes Around is a display of what a man who is wrongfully accused and imprisoned for the murder of his wife will do to find those responsible once he is set free. Lawson Raines, former FBI agent, using the connections developed in jail, with the skills he learned in the FBI before wrongfully imprisoned, ends up looking for those responsible in the midst of a mob war in Vegas, that he is reluctantly drawn into.
Bradley Wright’s prose perfectly captures the tortured soul of a man hell bent on revenge, and his struggle between whether he is the monster prison created, the man he was before, or something entirely different. The development of the character in essentially 30 hours of book time is wonderfully done, as each situation presented forces Lawson to confront who he is, and what he has become.
The mark of a great book is that you do not know where the author is going to take the character next, and Bradley Wright accomplishes this perfectly with the ending of this book. It is left open to countless possibilities for the future.
The events of the book are fast paced and action packed, with one chapter flowing perfectly into the next. I finished the book in one day because I had to know how it finished. I eagerly anticipate the next installment for such a compelling character.
Every now and then an author comes along that has a style of writing where you are immediately hooked from page one and then kept on the edge of your seat until the very end and your left wanting more. Bradley Wright is just one of these authors. His style of writing is exciting and his story is full of amazing twists.
If you are a fan of Jack Reacher or Mitch Rapp or any of the other big name characters out there today, I dare you to read this book and not instantly become a fan of Lawson Raines. Raines is a huge character that is both likable and believable. There are so many twists and turns in this book your head will be spinning BUT you will not be able to put it down.
Bradley Wright has done it again. This is the first of hopefully many Lawson Raines novels.
When your finished with this book and you too become a huge Bradley Wright fan, I would definitely recommend Wright's other character, Xander King. I will guarantee that you too will love each and every one of this author's books.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I would have given a million. I loved the new Lawson character. The setting of Vegas was so real I felt the heat of the desert on my skin & heard the slots in my mind. The bad guys better beware there is a new force to deal with in town. Never saw who the killer was till the end. I had someone else in mind. Nice! Wow! Bravo! Bradley Wright has done it again in the creation of Lawson. This fast paced read will have you glued to the pages. Love the Las Vegas setting. I could feel the heat & rythmn of the city. Lawson is a extraordinary man with a code of morals & values. But what happens when doing the right thing is turned on you? Lawson had it all family & FBI career but in the blink of an eye it was all gone. Now the " beast " left in his place will right the wrong done him. Those that did him wrong better fear " When The Man Comes Around " because he is playing for keeps. Can't wait for the next installment. Hurry! Hurry!
Lawson Raines is a 6'4" badass. An FBI agent from Las Vegas wrongly sentenced to prison for the murder of his wife, his desire for vengeance drives him to become the super Alpha of the prison. When he gets out ten years later, after a special pardon from the governor, two goals obsess him: reuniting with his daughter Lexi, now twelve, and getting whoever masterminded the hit on his wife.
Was it De Luca of the Mafia empire or maybe the Russian mob? There is corruption in the police department, the D.A..'s office, and the FBI itself. Can he at least trust his old partner Cassie?
Everyone wants to kill this determined hero. but he is relentless, and the novel is an ongoing summary of all kinds of fight encounters across Vegas: with knives, guns, fists, and one memorable corkscrew. Sometimes Lawson stops and lets someone go for some reason, but mostly he kills,m kills, kills, and keeps going.
To the author's credit, he stuck to his pretty thin plot with little deviation. Other reviewers mentioned that you're following his 24 hour descent into revenge - a 24 hours in which he doesn't stop the killing to have a sandwich or go pee. The body count is high...without going back and counting, I'd say there were probably 30 people killed by our hero because they stood in the way of his vigilante justice. They totes deserved it! Which is why *******spoiler ahead******** he gets away with not only 30 murders BUT is also offered a job with the FBI. And he gets his daughter back. Perfect.
Except it wasn't because it was kind of boring and super violent, and his super hero schtick wore thin. Meh.
Framed for his wife’s murder, life ruined, daughter lost and the real killer walking free while Lawson spends 10 years in prison. He gets released and the book is nonstop action from there to the end. Loved his daughter, Lexi, and his partner, Cassie. I think there will be more of Lawson Raines in my future reading list. I loved that the actual killer was a surprise twist. Good job, Mr. Wright! I knew the author mentioned Lexington, Kentucky, several times in his book but no idea he actually lived in my neighborhood until I read his bio at the end. Maybe you can include Winchester in your next Raines novel? Love it!
Very unfortunate that I had literally just finished Harlen Coben’s audiobook No Second Chance before I read this book. I’m not sure how this particular book fell into my lap, but it did. My buying history must’ve recommended it. Had I read this six months down the road, I would’ve rated it higher I’m sure.
Here’s my problem: This book is almost the exact same story as Harlen Coben’s book. The main character in this book is an ex agent, not a physician. He spends time in prison and is pardoned. That is where the story differs. I will continue with this series. Good writing.
This is a very good book. I just didn’t feel it was original.
Lawson Raines, FBI agent, husband to Lauren, father of Lexie and partner of Cassie takes a swim off the family boat. When he returns Lauren is dead, Lexie is screaming and Lawson is convicted of murder. Suddenly paroled after 10 years, an exciting game of cat and mouse begins, except how many cats are chasing this poor mouse, and why? If you're new to author Bradley Wright, this is a wonderful place to start, and if you're already an Xander King fan, I think you will love meeting Lawson Raines and his new series.
OMG!! Yeah this is all that and some more! This was first and will not be my last time engaging in this pleasure from this writer. I loved how each scene just jumped from the pages and you just felt and envisioned everything. While reading this I kept imagining who could play Lawson and Joe Manganiello comes to mind. I mean other readers can weight in but he was my first pick. I am hooked on this writer and will continue on my journey of just enjoying and yelling when Lawson kicks a$$!
Other reviews presented this as a "Jack Reacher" type of book - which I really like, so I downloaded it. Sadly, it is not even close. The dialogue is stilted and stereotypical, the plot shallow and the characters poorly developed. Lawson Raines in particular has none of the moral code of Reacher; he is just violent and blood thirsty. I have read the one and only in this series that I will bother with. Not even sure why I bothered finishing it. If you are looking for Jack Reacher II keep looking.
Intricate plot with lots of twists and turns. The body count really piles up as Lawson Raines tries to determine who killed his wife 10 years earlier. Raines' ability to beat the odds and escape one attempt on his life after another strains credulity after a while; but hey, the good guy has to come out on top, doesn't he. Fairly satisfying ending, even if two days of virtually non-stop killings, car hijacks and law breaking does seem to be resolved to police/FBI satisfaction rather quickly.
Started okay, I thought maybe like two stars and a beach read when you don't have anything else. Had to labor through few chapters but have up before it even reached the middle of the book, life's too short to read books that bad. It's not totally garbage but it's such a cliche - almost super spy story. He is the one that always is smarter than anybody else. He plays people, reads their minds. And so many other things. Sorry don't waste your time on this
Lawson Raines is an FBI agent. He is on a long due vacation with his wife and small child. The unthinkable happens. His wife is murdered. He is framed. Ten long, hard years in prison. A different man emerges when he is pardoned. A governors pardon? He is different. A hard man. Vengence. Extremely fast paced action thriller. Twists and turns to the very end. Enjoyed immensely!!
Lawson Raines spent 10 years in prison for killing his wife. While he was in prison, he’d learned valuable secrets about drug king pins who probably had the power and money to frame him. Now that he was out, could he use the secrets told in prison to find out who really killed his wife. This is a page turning thriller that will be very hard to put down.
This ones comes with plenty of violence. Lawson Raines has to put himself through an unbelievable amount of danger and pain to accomplish his goals: find out who murdered his wife and re-unite with his daughter. I thought for a while I wouldn't be able to finish it, but I did and it turned out to be a fast-paced, exciting story. I do plan to read the next in the series and I rate this one 5 stars.
The story starts with a bang and quickly fades. The first several chapters draw you in and you think "this is good.". However as the story progresses it decreases. The characters who seemed so real in the beginning fade into translucency. The plot which was so exciting becomes weak and bland. I've read more disappointing stories but the bottom really drops out of this one.