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The Hubley Case
American businessman Peter Hubley lays sprawled across the floor of a Brazilian airport, cappuccino dripping down what remains of his forehead. Within an hour, his killers are dead and their bodies stolen. When an organized crime syndicate claims responsibility for the savage murder of the seemingly innocuous Hubley, questions are raised and the case is assigned to Special Agent Nikki Benton.
For Benton, a straight-laced FBI veteran, the Hubley case is an unusual and much-anticipated opportunity to prove herself and get out from under the thumb of her misogynistic boss. She quickly realizes that nothing about the murders adds up and she might be in over her head. Benton’s instincts prove true when the investigation leads to Ben Siebert, a rebellious ex-Marine with a questionable past, and his Glock 27 pressed to her temple.
The two are forced to work together when they learn that everything – the murders, the public rumors Hubley was hiding something, even the case being assigned to Benton – was part of a carefully orchestrated plan…and they are the next targets. In order to stop a formidable perpetrator intent on killing thousands of innocent people, they must risk everything and reveal the shocking truth behind the Hubley case.
For Benton, a straight-laced FBI veteran, the Hubley case is an unusual and much-anticipated opportunity to prove herself and get out from under the thumb of her misogynistic boss. She quickly realizes that nothing about the murders adds up and she might be in over her head. Benton’s instincts prove true when the investigation leads to Ben Siebert, a rebellious ex-Marine with a questionable past, and his Glock 27 pressed to her temple.
The two are forced to work together when they learn that everything – the murders, the public rumors Hubley was hiding something, even the case being assigned to Benton – was part of a carefully orchestrated plan…and they are the next targets. In order to stop a formidable perpetrator intent on killing thousands of innocent people, they must risk everything and reveal the shocking truth behind the Hubley case.
- GenresMystery ThrillerFiction
270 pages, Paperback
Published November 6, 2018
7 people are currently reading
1257 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
April 17, 2019
The Hubley Case is an intense international thriller that opens with American businessman Peter Hubley being murdered in a very public, daring manner in the Brazilian Airport. The two gunmen responsible dropped their weapons immediately, lying down to await arrest. In a strange twist, they both mysteriously died before they could be interrogated for murder, and their bodies are stolen leaving no chance of an autopsy. And that's just the beginning of this strange, twisted case in which nothing and/or no one is as they seem.
Relatively inexperienced FBI Agent Nikki Benton is surprised but happy to be assigned the Hubley case. It doesn't take long for her to cross paths, investigate, and then supposedly team up with Ex-Marine Ben Siebert who's looking into the murder as a favor to Hubley's widow. It's soon clear Ben is one intense, complicated, deadly man with much more to him than meets the eye as he harbors secrets and nurses old wounds. I found Ben to be an intriguing, well-fleshed out character with an aura of mystery surrounding him. On the other hand, I struggled with Nikki and felt she couldn't carry her weight as she came off a bit too naïve with repeated displays of childish behavior - especially for her status as an FBI agent. The chemistry I had hoped for between them just never completely gelled, and I had trouble viewing Nikki as a professional or reliable partner. The story plays out through several twists and turns as the author shows expertise in manipulating these characters through a convoluted plotline, keeping readers engaged and guessing. It took me some time to figure out what was going on and while I wasn't shocked by the big reveal at the end, it didn't lessen the enjoyment of the journey in getting there.
The Hubley Case is an intriguing mystery thriller, and I was engaged throughout trying to unmask the man directing the deadly, mysterious, masterfully planned game. Bodies fall like dominoes as the villain meticulously eliminates every threat to his endgame. He's always a step ahead of Ben and Nikki with his identity unknown to both them and readers until the very end. The author delivers some heart-pounding moments in this debut novel and while I felt the story labored a little under the weight of excessive details in the middle, Lee brings it home with a bang. All in all, an enjoyable, manipulative, cunning tale of greed and murder. A Must Read!
*Many thanks to the author and publicist for a review copy of this book.
**Reviewed at Cross My Heart Reviews
Relatively inexperienced FBI Agent Nikki Benton is surprised but happy to be assigned the Hubley case. It doesn't take long for her to cross paths, investigate, and then supposedly team up with Ex-Marine Ben Siebert who's looking into the murder as a favor to Hubley's widow. It's soon clear Ben is one intense, complicated, deadly man with much more to him than meets the eye as he harbors secrets and nurses old wounds. I found Ben to be an intriguing, well-fleshed out character with an aura of mystery surrounding him. On the other hand, I struggled with Nikki and felt she couldn't carry her weight as she came off a bit too naïve with repeated displays of childish behavior - especially for her status as an FBI agent. The chemistry I had hoped for between them just never completely gelled, and I had trouble viewing Nikki as a professional or reliable partner. The story plays out through several twists and turns as the author shows expertise in manipulating these characters through a convoluted plotline, keeping readers engaged and guessing. It took me some time to figure out what was going on and while I wasn't shocked by the big reveal at the end, it didn't lessen the enjoyment of the journey in getting there.
The Hubley Case is an intriguing mystery thriller, and I was engaged throughout trying to unmask the man directing the deadly, mysterious, masterfully planned game. Bodies fall like dominoes as the villain meticulously eliminates every threat to his endgame. He's always a step ahead of Ben and Nikki with his identity unknown to both them and readers until the very end. The author delivers some heart-pounding moments in this debut novel and while I felt the story labored a little under the weight of excessive details in the middle, Lee brings it home with a bang. All in all, an enjoyable, manipulative, cunning tale of greed and murder. A Must Read!
*Many thanks to the author and publicist for a review copy of this book.
**Reviewed at Cross My Heart Reviews
October 21, 2018
Lindas Book Obsession Review of "The Hubley Case" by J. Lee
J. Lee, Debut Author of "The Hubley Case" has written a captivating, intense, riveting, suspenseful, mystery and thriller. An American businessman, Peter Hubley is killed publicly in a Brazilian airport. The two killers suddenly go into spasm, and collapse, and the ambulance taking the killers away disappears. This certainly is perplexing, and suddenly becomes an international incident.
The FBI becomes involved and Nikki Benton is the agent that is looking for information. Peter Hubley's widow asks her brother Ben Siebert, a former Marine to look into why her husband was killed. The author describes his characters as complex and complicated. Many of the characters are suspect and it is hard to determine who can be trusted. Agent Benton and Ben Siebert manage to work together at times to solve this case, which has more danger than any one could have predicted.
The search for the master-mind killer is a global one, with many false leads. At one point a story appears in the newspaper the accuses Peter Hubley of being involved with a serious gang. Ben Siebert is determined to give his sister closure and prove he is innocent.There are twists and turns. This is a great adventure with espionage, murders, and the chase. I would recommend this thrilling and suspenseful mystery to those readers who enjoy sitting on the edge of their seats.
J. Lee, Debut Author of "The Hubley Case" has written a captivating, intense, riveting, suspenseful, mystery and thriller. An American businessman, Peter Hubley is killed publicly in a Brazilian airport. The two killers suddenly go into spasm, and collapse, and the ambulance taking the killers away disappears. This certainly is perplexing, and suddenly becomes an international incident.
The FBI becomes involved and Nikki Benton is the agent that is looking for information. Peter Hubley's widow asks her brother Ben Siebert, a former Marine to look into why her husband was killed. The author describes his characters as complex and complicated. Many of the characters are suspect and it is hard to determine who can be trusted. Agent Benton and Ben Siebert manage to work together at times to solve this case, which has more danger than any one could have predicted.
The search for the master-mind killer is a global one, with many false leads. At one point a story appears in the newspaper the accuses Peter Hubley of being involved with a serious gang. Ben Siebert is determined to give his sister closure and prove he is innocent.There are twists and turns. This is a great adventure with espionage, murders, and the chase. I would recommend this thrilling and suspenseful mystery to those readers who enjoy sitting on the edge of their seats.
November 6, 2018
Captivating plot, badass characters and strong emotions make up this excellent novel that grabs your attention till the very last page.
I was genuinely surprised by how refreshing I found The Hubley Case to be. It is J.Lee's debut novel, but I simply would not have been able to come to that conclusion had I not been told beforehand. The entire narrative is written with the finesse of that of a veteran writer.
Slight Spoiler Alert
The story picks up from the first chapter itself, where Mr. Peter Hubley is gunned down brutally and publicly in Brazil. This sets in motions the exciting and gripping chain of events full of interesting twists and turns that go far beyond the consequences of a simple murder. I was not prepared for how dangerous the main protagonist is. Ben Siebert, a man with a particular set of skills and a Marine in his previous life, rivals Jack Reacher, Evan Smoak and more in their brutality and sharp-wittiness. The characterization of all the brilliantly written characters in the novel is beautiful to say the least and it is a whole lot of fun reading through the interactions of these characters. Ben Siebert is joined by FBI's Special Agent Nikki Benson, who is a delight to read as a strong, driven federal employee with a desire to find the truth about the deceivingly seeming simple case. Mr. Siebert's and Miss Benson's chemistry is on point, there is no denying that. While there are no major action set pieces, The Hubley Case provides thrilling turn of events and sequences with technical prowess that pleased the tactical nut in me. There are strong emotional arcs for the characters that take us deep into the mindset of our beloved protagonists to help us empathize with what they have been through and what pushes them ahead, while still leaving some room for mystery for future novels to expand upon. Even before the epilogue, there is a strong desire to have another Ben Siebert and Nikki Benson novel waiting for us.
The Hubley Case is an excellent debut of J.Lee and I for one am deeply intrigued by Ben Siebert's character and many others within the world Mr. Lee has so proficiently created. By the end of the epilogue, it is clear Mr. Lee has bigger plans for the future of his characters. Absolutely in love with The Hubley Case.
I was genuinely surprised by how refreshing I found The Hubley Case to be. It is J.Lee's debut novel, but I simply would not have been able to come to that conclusion had I not been told beforehand. The entire narrative is written with the finesse of that of a veteran writer.
Slight Spoiler Alert
The story picks up from the first chapter itself, where Mr. Peter Hubley is gunned down brutally and publicly in Brazil. This sets in motions the exciting and gripping chain of events full of interesting twists and turns that go far beyond the consequences of a simple murder. I was not prepared for how dangerous the main protagonist is. Ben Siebert, a man with a particular set of skills and a Marine in his previous life, rivals Jack Reacher, Evan Smoak and more in their brutality and sharp-wittiness. The characterization of all the brilliantly written characters in the novel is beautiful to say the least and it is a whole lot of fun reading through the interactions of these characters. Ben Siebert is joined by FBI's Special Agent Nikki Benson, who is a delight to read as a strong, driven federal employee with a desire to find the truth about the deceivingly seeming simple case. Mr. Siebert's and Miss Benson's chemistry is on point, there is no denying that. While there are no major action set pieces, The Hubley Case provides thrilling turn of events and sequences with technical prowess that pleased the tactical nut in me. There are strong emotional arcs for the characters that take us deep into the mindset of our beloved protagonists to help us empathize with what they have been through and what pushes them ahead, while still leaving some room for mystery for future novels to expand upon. Even before the epilogue, there is a strong desire to have another Ben Siebert and Nikki Benson novel waiting for us.
The Hubley Case is an excellent debut of J.Lee and I for one am deeply intrigued by Ben Siebert's character and many others within the world Mr. Lee has so proficiently created. By the end of the epilogue, it is clear Mr. Lee has bigger plans for the future of his characters. Absolutely in love with The Hubley Case.
November 6, 2018
This book takes off running with the murder of Peter Hubley while in Brazil. Who is Peter Hubley and why was he murdered is not the only mystery. Everything surrounding this murder is bizarre.
FBI Special Agent Nikki Benton is assigned to this confusing case for unknown reasons. Ex
marine Ben Siebert, friend of Peter Hubley and his family, gets a call from the new widow to find answers she’s not getting from anyone. Benton and Siebert are both investigating this devastating crime. Turns out the murder of Peter Hubley is a symptom of a much bigger crime. Bodies are piling up. No one is cooperating with each other.
Friction builds between Benton and Siebert. Siebert is increasingly frustrated over the constant dead ends and the fact Siebert seems to always be ahead of her in the investigation. Why is Benton’s concern.
There is a lot going on in this book. Unknown covert operations are thrown into the mix. Who’s innocent? Who’s at the heart of this turmoil? This is a complicated page turner that will keep you guessing.
FBI Special Agent Nikki Benton is assigned to this confusing case for unknown reasons. Ex
marine Ben Siebert, friend of Peter Hubley and his family, gets a call from the new widow to find answers she’s not getting from anyone. Benton and Siebert are both investigating this devastating crime. Turns out the murder of Peter Hubley is a symptom of a much bigger crime. Bodies are piling up. No one is cooperating with each other.
Friction builds between Benton and Siebert. Siebert is increasingly frustrated over the constant dead ends and the fact Siebert seems to always be ahead of her in the investigation. Why is Benton’s concern.
There is a lot going on in this book. Unknown covert operations are thrown into the mix. Who’s innocent? Who’s at the heart of this turmoil? This is a complicated page turner that will keep you guessing.
October 26, 2018
J. Lee's debut novel starts off with a literal bang---Peter Hubley brutally murdered in Brazil. From there, the action picks up considerably. As a debut novel, I found this to be particularly well written and a quick-read. The 270 pages of the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) flew by and I found myself unable to put it down!
Lee weaves a tale of murder and international intrigue. I found myself gasping when twists would come--and come, they do! Do yourself a favor and purchase this book. It'll be worth your time and money.
Lee weaves a tale of murder and international intrigue. I found myself gasping when twists would come--and come, they do! Do yourself a favor and purchase this book. It'll be worth your time and money.
October 21, 2018
Thanks J. Lee for giving me the chance to read this before its release! I really liked this book. I was hooked right from the first chapter. It was well written and kept me guessing about just who was involved up to the last chapter.
I would definitely recommend this if you like murdrer mysteries with lots of twists.
I would definitely recommend this if you like murdrer mysteries with lots of twists.
December 1, 2018
Why was American Peter Hubley gunned down in a Brazilian airport and his two perpetrators were also killed.
The FBI sent their gal Nikki Benton to find answers. She has to work with Ben Siebert, a real challenge. These two could be the next victims . There could be more on the list.
I won this free book through Goodreads First- Reads.
The FBI sent their gal Nikki Benton to find answers. She has to work with Ben Siebert, a real challenge. These two could be the next victims . There could be more on the list.
I won this free book through Goodreads First- Reads.
June 28, 2025
I have had this book in my kindle for awhile and finally had time to read it. The "Real Book Spy" gave it a very nice write up. I trust his reviews - he has introduced me to quite a few new authors over the years through his book reviews!
I liked the story, interesting plot and I became involved with the characters. The bad guy needed to be skinned alive in my opinion. Mr. Lee's chestboard of characters did move around alot and I needed a score card to keep all of the victims in order, but that made it interesting. Not much suspense in this one folks.
Have a negative opinion about the way J. Lee wrote the female character who is a main player in this crime as a solver....he made her too wimpy for me. If I carried a gun to do my job and wanted to play in the big leagues I would have figured out what the hell was going on a lot sooner than she did.
The only other issue I had was that there were way too many unresolved questions about the main male character Ben, in this novel....I understand if there is going to be a sequel, but I really wanted to know a lot more about Ben and his backstory than was given to us readers thoughtout this book.
I still enjoyed the story and recommend it!
Cheers!
I liked the story, interesting plot and I became involved with the characters. The bad guy needed to be skinned alive in my opinion. Mr. Lee's chestboard of characters did move around alot and I needed a score card to keep all of the victims in order, but that made it interesting. Not much suspense in this one folks.
Have a negative opinion about the way J. Lee wrote the female character who is a main player in this crime as a solver....he made her too wimpy for me. If I carried a gun to do my job and wanted to play in the big leagues I would have figured out what the hell was going on a lot sooner than she did.
The only other issue I had was that there were way too many unresolved questions about the main male character Ben, in this novel....I understand if there is going to be a sequel, but I really wanted to know a lot more about Ben and his backstory than was given to us readers thoughtout this book.
I still enjoyed the story and recommend it!
Cheers!
November 16, 2018
Excellent debut book from this author!! The first chapter or so were a little slow however once it picked up, it never lost momentum. Quite a few twists, and a surprise at the end - I didn't see it coming. I'm guessing a #2 will be in the works? If so, I can't wait. If you enjoy psychological thrillers with a touch of real-life possibilities, then this is the book for you. Not quite spy/espionage, however it just borders on the outer fringes of it, with FBI and police involvement. I don't want to say anymore, without giving away any spoilers. I will say that the plot is engaging and the characters are well developed.
If this author continues to write books at this level, I may have found myself a new go-to author!! Well done!
I wish to thank the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read such a fantastic book by winning in their recent giveaway. I give this review honestly and of my own free will. I have also left a review for the book on Amazon.
If this author continues to write books at this level, I may have found myself a new go-to author!! Well done!
I wish to thank the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read such a fantastic book by winning in their recent giveaway. I give this review honestly and of my own free will. I have also left a review for the book on Amazon.
December 14, 2018
*I was given a free copy of this book for my honest review*
Agent Benton and Ben Siebert are an unlikely pair to solve the very public murder of Peter Hubley. When everything known about the murder point in one direction but the truth seems to be running in the other FBI agent Nikki Benton enlists the help of Ben a former Marine and friend of Hubley. Together they have their work cut out for them with this case. They have to learn to trust and depend on each other to survive the twists & turns the truth brings out.
I really enjoyed this book. I can't think of anything I didn't like about it. There was a great crime story, a lot of thrilling parts, and an exciting conclusion. If you like crime reads this is a book for you.
Agent Benton and Ben Siebert are an unlikely pair to solve the very public murder of Peter Hubley. When everything known about the murder point in one direction but the truth seems to be running in the other FBI agent Nikki Benton enlists the help of Ben a former Marine and friend of Hubley. Together they have their work cut out for them with this case. They have to learn to trust and depend on each other to survive the twists & turns the truth brings out.
I really enjoyed this book. I can't think of anything I didn't like about it. There was a great crime story, a lot of thrilling parts, and an exciting conclusion. If you like crime reads this is a book for you.
November 24, 2018
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Although it starts with the murder of an American businessman in Brazil, the story turns into so much more. The two main characters find themselves embroiled in a fight to bring down an unscrupulous mastermind. The storyline is convoluted with some surprises along the way that add to its interest. From time to time I got confused with the introduction or reintroduction of some of the members of the cast, but the style of writing makes this book very readable.
Although it starts with the murder of an American businessman in Brazil, the story turns into so much more. The two main characters find themselves embroiled in a fight to bring down an unscrupulous mastermind. The storyline is convoluted with some surprises along the way that add to its interest. From time to time I got confused with the introduction or reintroduction of some of the members of the cast, but the style of writing makes this book very readable.
September 27, 2018
J. Lee throws you right into the action on the very first page of this book, and it's a non-stop roller coaster of well executed twists and turns the whole way through! Thriller is not usually my go to genre, but I may have to start reading more if I can find books like The Hubley Case.
The character development is really what left me wanting more, I hope he's got more of agent Benton and Ben Siebert on the horizon!
The character development is really what left me wanting more, I hope he's got more of agent Benton and Ben Siebert on the horizon!
September 26, 2018
THE HUBLEY CASE is a compelling and exciting first novel for author J. Lee. Readers will love the complex characters, investigators Nikki Benton and Ben Siebert, as they search for Peter Hubley's murderer. Anyone in the market for an exhilarating new thriller needs to definitely read THE HUBLEY CASE.
October 13, 2018
If this is the first novel from this author, it's a good start. It's well written with a good story and OK plot. The things I didn't like were some improbable actions, a few factual mistakes and some "dead meat" (2 pages about why a journalist wanted to be a journalist seems unnecessary). But all in all a good read!
November 8, 2018
The Hubley Case was a great debut for J. Lee! It has a great storyline, awesome misdirection, and a great group of characters that keep a steady pace of curiosity building from the first page! I honestly couldn’t put this down and it took a few days bc of a surgery I had. Again J Lee couldn’t have done a better job!
September 26, 2018
WOW! I cannot believe how amazing this book is. J.Lee writes such an exciting thriller. I was so drawn into the murder of Peter Hubley that I wanted to become an investigator. I can definitely say readers are in for treat when they pick up THE HUBLEY CASE. I can see J.Lee work going far.
December 28, 2018
Oh my, I can’t believe that this is a first novel for this author. I would highly recommend this novel to everyone that loves thriller novels. I greatly look forward to reading more novels written by this great new talented author. I won this book through a giveaway on Goodreads website.
June 17, 2019
A strong debut, with an intricate yet plausible plot, and two compelling leads (Ben and Nikki). I thought the level of violence at the end, on the part of the hero, seemed a little over the top, but that might be me not knowing the genre well enough. A fun read!
October 25, 2020
This isn't the typical book I would read but I gave it a shot. This book kept me which direction it was going. It kept me on my toes and it was like diving into a movie. I can't wait to see if there will be any more releases.
February 8, 2019
I won this book in the goodreads giveaway! I love J. Lee's writing style and easily found myself involved with the characters.
May 13, 2019
Wow!! A fantastic, suspenseful debut thriller!!! So many twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat all the way to the end.
November 18, 2018
An exceptional book. A fantastic story line with great character build up. This book stands up to and with books by Vince Flynn and Ben Coes. It will be very hard to wait for the next book. Do yourself a favor and read this book.
November 15, 2018
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
A great story wrapped up in extremely poor formatting/editing. Possibly because I downloaded the free copy in a format that is not 100% compatible with my e-reader, but the formatting was all messed up, no chapter breaks, inverted commas instead of apostrophes and other items which were a major distraction for the first half of the book. Having got used to the formatting, and once the story started to pick up, I really enjoyed it. Definitely out of the Jack Reacher "box", Ben Siebert is ex-military and finds himself recruited through a personal connection to investigate the brutal slaying of an American business man in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Siebert stumbles into a strange symbiotic relationship with FBI Agent Nikki Benton and between them they become embroiled in a major conspiracy headed by a genuinely bad "Bad Guy" with his various henchmen and conspirators.
The pace of the tale picks up towards the last third and really rips through to a satisfying conclusion. Would have been 4 stars if not for the formatting & editing issues.
A great story wrapped up in extremely poor formatting/editing. Possibly because I downloaded the free copy in a format that is not 100% compatible with my e-reader, but the formatting was all messed up, no chapter breaks, inverted commas instead of apostrophes and other items which were a major distraction for the first half of the book. Having got used to the formatting, and once the story started to pick up, I really enjoyed it. Definitely out of the Jack Reacher "box", Ben Siebert is ex-military and finds himself recruited through a personal connection to investigate the brutal slaying of an American business man in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Siebert stumbles into a strange symbiotic relationship with FBI Agent Nikki Benton and between them they become embroiled in a major conspiracy headed by a genuinely bad "Bad Guy" with his various henchmen and conspirators.
The pace of the tale picks up towards the last third and really rips through to a satisfying conclusion. Would have been 4 stars if not for the formatting & editing issues.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews