False Horizon

Seth Walker #2

by Joseph Reid

The Amazon Charts bestselling series continues as ruthless ecoterrorists, heavily armed miners, and cold-blooded drug smugglers clash in the Appalachians, where air marshal Seth Walker is investigating a mysterious plane crash.

A commuter flight has fallen from clear skies over West Virginia, its wing sheared off at twenty thousand feet. Air marshal Seth Walker is called to the mountains of Appalachia to investigate. But what he stumbles into is a ground war as unpredictable and combustible as a mason jar full of nitroglycerin.

Before he can even start searching for what might have downed the plane, Walker finds himself caught in the confounding—and deadly—cross fire between drone-deploying ecoterrorists, unstable frackers, ruthless drug smugglers, and armed miners pushed to the breaking point.

The escalating mystery takes a personal turn as Seth gets closer to the truth about the money, power, and politics motivating everyone involved—including those Seth believed he could trust. Can he dodge the danger lurking in every hill and holler long enough to discover what may be the biggest threat of all?

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction

303 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 18, 2019

About the author

Joseph Reid is the debut author of TAKEOFF, the first adventure of air marshal-turned-investigator Seth Walker.
The son of a navy helicopter pilot, Reid chased great white sharks as a marine biologist before becoming a patent lawyer who litigates multi-million-dollar cases for high-tech companies. He has flown millions of miles on commercial aircraft and has spent countless hours in airports around the world. A graduate of Duke University and the University of Notre Dame, he lives in San Diego with his wife and children.

Reviews

[Christi M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This thriller is full of action sequences and characters that kept my interest through-out the entire book. Plus, I got to learn a lot about drones that I didn’t know before.

Thoughts:

False Horizons is a book full of action and perfect for those who enjoy tense moments. I’ll be honest, when I first started reading I only expected action toward the end and maybe a moment in the middle, but was pleasantly surprised when the action started fairly early on and continued through-out the entire book. Each action sequence was descriptive, well thought-out, and unique, but there are also moments in between the action where the characters regroup, rethink, and discuss what may be going on and what their next step may be providing a moment for your heart to stop beating so fast. However, all this action can also come at a cost and not every character is always safe.

The characters, both main and secondary, are well written. While the main character is Seth Walker, my favorite was Sheriff Heather Simon, who was capable, resourceful, and likeable. It’s easy to write a sheriff as someone difficult the main character has to work with or someone who puts up roadblocks, but in False Horizons Sheriff Simon is a person you would like to know in real life, someone with a neighborly demeanor who treats everyone with respect.

My only issue I did have with the book was at the beginning when the story referenced events or people in Seth’s life without any context. For example, in Chapter 1, someone named Emma is referenced, but we aren’t told if she is his wife, daughter, or past client. I started with book 2, so my knowledge is limited to only False Horizons. However, none of these events or individuals play a major role in this book so once I got past the first couple of chapters this issue did not pop-up again for me.

Thank you to the author and GoodReads for the opportunity to review the book, which I won in a GoodReads Giveaway.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

This is the second book in the Seth Walker air marshall series. When I picked this book up I was afraid that I might need to start with the first entry in the series, TAKEOFF but luckily I discovered pretty quickly it was easy to get into the storyline without the backstory of book one. Thank goodness. It is always nice to know an author can get us up to speed without making it seem like he is dumping a ton of information on us in the beginning.

Seth is a combination of tattooed bouncer, air marshall and MacGyver all wrapped up in one perfect package. I was almost afraid some of the technical stuff in this storyline might be over my head but Reid did a great job of making all the musings in Walker’s brain understandable. Thank you so much for that. Sometimes I am afraid to pick up books that I know I might not get through due to all the mind-bending aspects.

This book will please the action adventure enthusiast in you while making you wonder how Walker lives a life so removed from others. The closer he gets to the truth, the more people on his team end up dead. It was quite a thrilling book that I think would make a great movie. I don’t want to give too much away since it is the journey that makes a book like this thrilling.

I will definitely pick up book one in the series just to catch myself up since I anticipate Seth Walker is not through yet.

If you love action adventure and thrillers, definitely pick this one up.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the most part, False Horizon is a localized thriller that allows the reader to get a solid dose of this part of the country. And even though this is the second Walker novel, Reid provides some backstory of first book. This is informative, but not distracting. He does a good job of describing Walker’s transition from engineer to marshal to field investigator.

Drones. Fracking. Drugs. Appalacia. West Virginia. Drones, and booby traps, and stink bombs. How and why? Follow Walker as he speeds along windy two-lane roads on the path to the truth.

4 out of 5 stars.

For my full review: https://paulspicks.blog/2019/05/28/fa...

For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog

[Teresa McCloud · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read

I've read 2 of his books. This being the 2nd. The main character, Seth, is believable, interesting, and non superhero. His brain turns him into the hero. I enjoyed the process of deduction. The read was action packed with enough diets and turns to keep you from figuring out who the real villain is. In thoroughly enjoy the way Model Reid takes you on his journey. Can't wait to watch him become a famous writer. Always 5 stars. Wish I could give 10 stars.

[Rick Fagereng · Rating 2 out of 5]

I always like a good shoot ‘em up book but this book was so far over the top with killing it had me struggling to keep reading it. Nearly every significant character died along with at least 3 or 4 dozen others and had Seth performing actions with a broken rib and a gunshot wound.

I liked the books direction but way to ‘unbelievable.’

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads drawing.

Seth Walker is an air marshal with some emotional baggage. When a plane mysteriously crashes over West Virginia, he is sent there to investigate. Everyone suspects a drone, and there's a high-tech protest group harassing local frackers in town, local drug dealers, and all kinds of suspects.

Not bad, if a bit cliched.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Joseph Reid's False Horizon, the 2nd installment in the Seth Walker thriller series, this novel would take you places and compel you to keep reading to the end. For Air Marshal Seth Walker, he's been called on a case in West Virginia when an airplane had been downed with no living survivors. While he investigates on this plane crash, he works with Sheriff Heather Simon and Mitchell Devers on the debris from the fallen plane and picks up the pieces to develop suspects on the list. And it's far and many that ranges from eco-terrorists who's waging a war against frackers when they use drones to target those targets. Some of those drones carry guns that could be lethal and also deadly leaving a trail of carnage behind. When they were under an attack of drones, things turns serious and complicated when Sheriff Simon loses her backup, leaving them outnumbered. When they think they have it figured out, they guessed wrong and turn to one guy who was number one on this suspect list, something that Heather Simon knew. When they thought he would be a greatest asset to the case, they were wrong when they learned what he was all about and what he's planning to do. It's up to Seth and Devers and Agent Melissa Cooke from the FBI to stop this person in his tracks before it might too late to save others lives in his path of self-destruction.

[Plum Report (Kimberly) · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I'd like to thank Joseph Reid for providing me an advance reader copy of False Horizon in exchange for an honest review...thank you!

This is book 2 of the Seth Walker series, and I have to say Joseph knows how to write a crime fiction action-packed thriller mystery with thorough details and terminology. The bullets are flying in book 2 as Air Marshal Seth Walker helps to investigate a mysterious plane crash in the mountains of West Virginia.

There are so many angles to this mystery, and the action was intense to read. I was also impressed with the supporting characters that assisted Seth Walker in his investigation.

The story held my attention to the end. I liked how snippets of book 1 come back in book 2 so that there's a connection between books in the series; even though they are standalone stories and not one continuous journey. I like that we get to go on a new adventure or solve a new crime or watch Seth save another person within each book. The writing is exciting, well organized, and well researched for the amount of scientific and technology lingo used in the story.

Look for my full review, coming soon to the Plum Report book blog:)

[DS · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a lot of things I like about this author and this series. 1.) I love how detailed he gets in describing things I know nothing about. In this book it was drones. Makes me want to Google drones and learn even more. 2.) He's great at descriptive details. Having spent some time in WV, his descriptions were dead on. 3.) Great character development. He really gets deep and personal with his main character and minor characters are very well developed. What drives me crazy about his books? 1.) Information dump! He just suddenly dumps all the information on why the bad guy is doing all the bad things in one chapter. In this book it all gets dumped from one character in a hospital bed. Very dramatic paragraph after paragraph. In his first book, the information dump takes place in an interrogation room........for pages and PAGES!! Seriously dude, learn out to let your clues out piece by piece throughout the book. The information dump in a single chapter is annoying and tedious. Makes me want to throw the book across the room! I've already preordered the 3rd book. I'm ever the optimist and hoping he's figured out how to be more subtle.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story gets your interest right from the beginning. Seth, is sent to investigate a crash in West Virginia. The investigation by the NTSB has not come up with any definite conclusions. Seth is teamed with an FBI agent as well as working with a sheriff. The investigation has them looking into an environmental group who is disrupting Fracking efforts. Their investigation also leads them to another group who is trying to cause trouble with that specific environmental group. They also become in another group who are drug dealers.

The team after visiting one site winds up with all of the sheriff's deputies killed along with members of the National Guard who were called out to assist as well. This killing also carries on later when the sheriff is killed as well.

Seth has an idea who the individual involved is as well as where the next attack might take place. Seth, another FBI associated who was added later and the original FBI agent each go to one of the areas that Seth believes will be attacked.

To find out who is responsible for all of these attacks and whether Seth and his team are able to stop the attack, then you must read this book. You won't be disappointed.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this & realised I had already read it.

Another fast-paced adventure for Seth Walker - I have taken a liking to this character.

Seth's career took an unplanned change of direction after the first instalment; his identity was compromised, which meant he could no longer carry out his role as an air marshall, so he was given a new role, with similar responsibilities, but a few less perks when it comes to air travel.

There are some likeable characters, as well as the usual bunch of dislikeable one with nefarious intentions.

Seth mentions Emma from his first instalment, as he became quite fond of her after travelling around the world, trying to protect her, so I liked that aspect, because although the book is a stand-alone story, for those of us who have read the first one, we get to find out how Emma is getting on now, giving the story a bit more of a believable aspect.

It was interesting learning a bit more about drones, & Seth's technology past, again another little detail making the storyline seem more realistic.

[Loy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second in the Seth Walker series. I have read the first one which helped me with background in this one.
Seth is an Air Marshal who is now helps investigates air crashes. He is called to West Virginia to find out what really happened when a flight crashed. He is helped again by Malissa Cooke FBI. A couple of new characters are introduced, a county sheriff and another FBI agent.

I enjoyed the writing but if I had not read the first book, I would not have known what was going on with Seth. I believe that you will need to read them in order to get the most enjoyment.

Lots of action, lots of shooting and lots of improvised actions by Seth. 3 to 4 stars. Thank you, Net Galley, for the read. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[CR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man I really need book one of this! The author did a good job rehashing what happened in book one quickly without it feeling like info dumping. I will say that I think this one would have been much better if I would have been able to read book one first. But overall, I still enjoyed it. This book was easy to follow and very interesting to get through. If you love action then this will be up your alley, it was well paced and man I could see this one becoming a movie.

[Jen M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this second book in the Seth Walker series. It's a thriller a la Jack Ryan or Jason Bourne, and makes for a great beach read! You can tell that the author did his research into the issues impacting the West Virginia setting. I also really like the glimpses into Seth's background. The author sprinkles in clues about the deaths of some loved one that impact him today. Next up, Departure - the third book in the series.

[Pippa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having enjoyed book #1 I pre-ordered this one as soon as it was listed. I am pleased to report it was all that I expected, a well paced action story with enough technical information to make it sound convincing but not so much that it made me zone out. Admittedly I'm not very up on the sort of physics & electronics so can't say how accurate that aspect of the book is.

[Vikki Vaught · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finally had to give up on this one. While there is plenty of action, I didn't really care about the characters. I liked Seth, but he needed a strong relationship with someone in this book. He either needed to be protecting someone like he did in the first book or perhaps a love interest? Happy reading/listening!

[Neil Harmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the Audible version of this book. It was well narrated. I enjoyed the story. The plot line was a little over the top but not so fluctuations couldn't roll with it and suspend disbelief. The main character is a little quirky but overall is well developed. It was an enjoyable read that was a welcome escape from a stressful time.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, but draggy

Even with all the relentless action, the story dragged. Too many details about the engineering stuff. Seth moans and groans and survives impossible wounds and still gets the job done, like every action hero. The ending with Congresswoman Rapp stinks. Seth and Loretta are the best part.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wordy

So many scenes and actions went into such trivial drawn out detail - it seemed the author was going for word count rather than substance. Unrelated sides seemed superfluous- the earpiece that made no sense kept coming up and seemed just a distraction when a scene was struggling. This was my second and last of this author

[John W Trustman · Rating 2 out of 5]

A disappointing sequel

After a great first novel, Reid and Walker went woke with totally disappointing results. I won't be reading the third. Reid's science is pretty silly, Walkers electronics, let alone his software, are just silly, but his environmental science fallacies are beyond ignorant and work against his story.

[Doug Yonce · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in the Seth Walker series lives up to the high standard set by the earlier book. To complete his investigation, the protagonist faces bad guys of many different types, all intent on stopping him. Navigating these roadblocks leads to an exciting conclusion.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

Another action packed outing for Seth Walker. I can't always keep up with his thought process but I love trying! However clever he is, he's relatable and down to earth. Looking forward to the next one.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to put down.

This is one of those series where you can’t wait for the next one to come out. It has an interesting- relevant to today - plot with a great main character and supporting characters. Start with the first book in the series to understand the main character better.

[Joan Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

It all comes down to money

A compelling story of big business fighting to retain its market share. Riveting detail and personalities keep the reader on edge. Eagerly awaiting the sequel. I received this book from Goodreads for free.

[Michael A Lunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced and clever

This book achieves two things telling a good interesting story, and having very realistic characters you can empathise with. I recommend it without any reservations. I look eagerly to the next in this series.

[Mark Zeid]

A good story but you definitely needed to suspend disbelief for this book. It was accurate in the information about drones and the danger they present to aircraft. Some parts were hard to follow, but the novel did keep my interest.

[jeffjames · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisty

No real “dead spots” in this book. Every page kept my interest. While I suspected the villain about halfway through, I wish the book would have explored the party backing the terrorist

[Ramona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gripping

I like that we have good knowledge of Seth's character and abilities. He walks us through the action, and keeps us on the edge of our seats. I appreciate the relationships with the supporting characters. I was engaged from the first page, to the last.

[rester725 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seth Walker #2

Great Book #2

On the East coast this time with another case. Working with local Sheriff & FBI to solve attacks on fracking & oil well. It has great twist & turns & surprises in this book!!

[Lane · Rating 3 out of 5]

A goodreads giveaway.
A fast paced mystery with an interesting story. Could it occur? Nice coverup aspect to the ending.