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Jonathan Grave #11
Total Mayhem
In bestselling author John Gilstrap’s ticking time bomb of a thriller, freelance operative Jonathan Grave penetrates a terrorist cell to stop the detonation of total mayhem on home ground . . .
America is under fire. One by one, simultaneous terror attacks have left the country reeling. The perpetrators are former Special Forces operatives working for ISIS. Jonathan Grave and his team are called to go undercover and eliminate the traitors. No need to collect intel. No need for arrest. Wipe them out—and get out.
The assaults are rehearsals for extreme disaster. A plot codenamed Retribution. One terrorist is willing to talk—for a price. Grave’s only resort is to slip into a dark web where everything can be exposed. Where the rules of engagement do not hold. The bombs have been set and Grave is the one being hunted. Unless he can save himself first, a terrorist plot of unimaginable scope will become history’s deadliest disaster . . .
America is under fire. One by one, simultaneous terror attacks have left the country reeling. The perpetrators are former Special Forces operatives working for ISIS. Jonathan Grave and his team are called to go undercover and eliminate the traitors. No need to collect intel. No need for arrest. Wipe them out—and get out.
The assaults are rehearsals for extreme disaster. A plot codenamed Retribution. One terrorist is willing to talk—for a price. Grave’s only resort is to slip into a dark web where everything can be exposed. Where the rules of engagement do not hold. The bombs have been set and Grave is the one being hunted. Unless he can save himself first, a terrorist plot of unimaginable scope will become history’s deadliest disaster . . .
458 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 25, 2019
697 people are currently reading
1444 people want to read
About the author
John Gilstrap
79 books1,210 followersA little bit about my background... I've always been a closet-writer. As a kid, I lived for the opportunity to write short stories. I was the editor of my high school newspaper for a while (the Valor Dictus, Robinson High School, class of 1975), until I quit ("You can't fire me! I quit!") over a lofty First Amendment issue that seemed very important at the time. My goal, in fact, was to become a journalist in the vein of Woodward or Bernstein. Okay, I confess, I wanted to be Woodward; Robert Redford played him in the movie, and chicks really dug Robert Redford.
I graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1979, and armed with a degree in American history, I couldn't find a job. I ended up settling for a position with a little-noticed trade journal serving the construction industry. They called me the managing editor and they paid me food stamp wages. I hated it. About this time, I joined the Burke Volunteer Fire Department in Fairfax County, Virginia, if only to find relief from the boredom of my job. Running about a thousand calls my first year with the department, I was hooked, and the volunteer fire service became an important part of my life for the next 15 years. In the early eighties, hating my job, I went the way of all frustrated liberal arts undergrads—back to graduate school. Earning a Master of Science degree in safety engineering from the University of Southern California, I started down a whole new road. For the next decade and a half, I became an expert (don't you hate that word?) on explosives safety and hazardous waste. Meanwhile, I kept writing. I didn't tell anyone, of course, because, well, you just don't share artistic dreams with fellow engineers. They look at you funny.
My first novel, Nathan's Run, was in fact my fourth novel, and when it sold, it sold big. At a time in my life when things were going well—I was president of my own consulting firm—things were suddenly going very well. Warner Bros. bought the movie rights to Nathan's Run two days after the first book rights were sold, and as of this date, the novel has been translated and published in one form or another in over 20 countries. With Nathan's Run in the can, as it were, I thought I might finally be on to something, but I didn't quit my "day job" until after I sold the book and movie rights to my second novel, At All Costs. I figured that while one-in-a-row might be luck, two-in-a-row was a trend. So, I started writing full-time.
More novels followed, and then a few screenplays. I was living the dream.
But I really didn't like it much. I learned pretty quickly that when you're born a Type-A personality, those extrovert tendencies don't go away just because you're practicing a craft you love. In fact, after just a couple of years of dream fulfillment, I was pretty friggin' bored with the company of my imaginary friends, so I did something that I've never heard a full-time artist do before: I went back to a day job. At first, it was just a matter of reactivating my consulting business, but then, in 2004, I was handed my ideal Big-Boy Job (that's what my wife calls it) working as the director of safety for a trade association in Washington, DC.
And I continue to write. In 2006, Six Minutes to Freedom was published to considerable acclaim. My first (and probably last) foray into book-length non-fiction, SixMin tells the story of Kurt Muse, the only civilian of record ever rescued by the super-secret Delta Force. Thanks to Kurt's cooperation (he is co-author), I gained access to people and places that lifelong civilians like me should never see. The heroic warriors I met during that research turned out to be nothing like their movie stereotypes. These were not only gentlemen, but gentle men, who remained free of the kind of boasting and self-aggrandizement that I was expecting. They were supreme professionals, and very nice guys.
And through them I got the idea for my new series character, Jonathan Grave. He's fo
I graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1979, and armed with a degree in American history, I couldn't find a job. I ended up settling for a position with a little-noticed trade journal serving the construction industry. They called me the managing editor and they paid me food stamp wages. I hated it. About this time, I joined the Burke Volunteer Fire Department in Fairfax County, Virginia, if only to find relief from the boredom of my job. Running about a thousand calls my first year with the department, I was hooked, and the volunteer fire service became an important part of my life for the next 15 years. In the early eighties, hating my job, I went the way of all frustrated liberal arts undergrads—back to graduate school. Earning a Master of Science degree in safety engineering from the University of Southern California, I started down a whole new road. For the next decade and a half, I became an expert (don't you hate that word?) on explosives safety and hazardous waste. Meanwhile, I kept writing. I didn't tell anyone, of course, because, well, you just don't share artistic dreams with fellow engineers. They look at you funny.
My first novel, Nathan's Run, was in fact my fourth novel, and when it sold, it sold big. At a time in my life when things were going well—I was president of my own consulting firm—things were suddenly going very well. Warner Bros. bought the movie rights to Nathan's Run two days after the first book rights were sold, and as of this date, the novel has been translated and published in one form or another in over 20 countries. With Nathan's Run in the can, as it were, I thought I might finally be on to something, but I didn't quit my "day job" until after I sold the book and movie rights to my second novel, At All Costs. I figured that while one-in-a-row might be luck, two-in-a-row was a trend. So, I started writing full-time.
More novels followed, and then a few screenplays. I was living the dream.
But I really didn't like it much. I learned pretty quickly that when you're born a Type-A personality, those extrovert tendencies don't go away just because you're practicing a craft you love. In fact, after just a couple of years of dream fulfillment, I was pretty friggin' bored with the company of my imaginary friends, so I did something that I've never heard a full-time artist do before: I went back to a day job. At first, it was just a matter of reactivating my consulting business, but then, in 2004, I was handed my ideal Big-Boy Job (that's what my wife calls it) working as the director of safety for a trade association in Washington, DC.
And I continue to write. In 2006, Six Minutes to Freedom was published to considerable acclaim. My first (and probably last) foray into book-length non-fiction, SixMin tells the story of Kurt Muse, the only civilian of record ever rescued by the super-secret Delta Force. Thanks to Kurt's cooperation (he is co-author), I gained access to people and places that lifelong civilians like me should never see. The heroic warriors I met during that research turned out to be nothing like their movie stereotypes. These were not only gentlemen, but gentle men, who remained free of the kind of boasting and self-aggrandizement that I was expecting. They were supreme professionals, and very nice guys.
And through them I got the idea for my new series character, Jonathan Grave. He's fo
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
March 25, 2023
This book had me on a road of adventure. Things like this could happen and have in sorts. A book to read.
June 4, 2019
Okay I'm a series girl and when I find a new author to me and I like the book and its characters I always want it to be a series, so Yay! I have ten books I can go back and read. You can bet I'll start in that immediately as this book is amazing.
Great characters, great plot and even better action. Who can not love Boxers and his love of violence and pain? But he is well balanced by Digger (Jonathan) who has a moral compass. Gail (Gunslinger) is the former police side of the unit and we can never forget Ven who is the absolute tech guru and ultimate support during the missions and before.
There are more characters of course but wow this is a wonderful group if you love action and I'm not only a series junkie but I'm also an action junkie.
I can wait to read more! I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Great characters, great plot and even better action. Who can not love Boxers and his love of violence and pain? But he is well balanced by Digger (Jonathan) who has a moral compass. Gail (Gunslinger) is the former police side of the unit and we can never forget Ven who is the absolute tech guru and ultimate support during the missions and before.
There are more characters of course but wow this is a wonderful group if you love action and I'm not only a series junkie but I'm also an action junkie.
I can wait to read more! I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 23, 2019
Al-Faisel wants to punish the Great Satan (U.S.) so he forces an ex-Special Forces guy to recruit colleagues with financial hardships for coordinated, simultaneous attacks: first, snipers killing scores of people at high school football games in the mid-West to show nobody is safe. One sniper is captured and hidden by the FBI and Director Irene Rivers asks Jonathan Grave (Digger) and his team to use their skills extrajudicially to stop the plot. Time and again, developments suggest that there is a major security breach in the FBI, such as when the prisoner is killed before he can be offered clemency to identify others in his cabal. The second round involves bombings in public places. Very fast paced, and Digger's hometown comes under attack by the vindictive leader of the Retribution team. Venice's new boyfriend tries his best to find his way into Security Solutions before being fired by the NSA for helping our heroes. My disappointment with Book 11 is excess information about the private lives and travails of the perpetrators. 3.5 stars, rounded down.
June 23, 2019
OMG. This book starts with a bang, goes for the throat, and never lets up. Gilstrap, an excellent writer and plotter, keeps the suspense going throughout the book, ratcheting it up so that this reader had to stop and take a deep breath before plunging back into the maelstrom.
I don’t like spoilers, so I don’t want to give anything away, but suffice it to say that just when the reader thinks there is going to be a break in the action, something else happens; Gilstrap is relentless. If you have read any others in this series; this is the eleventh of the Jonathan Grave books, the usual gang is all here and active.
This is such a good book, not cheerful by any means, but simply compelling. You won’t be able to put it down, whether this is your first Jonathan Grave book, or your eleventh. Gilstrap pulls no punches, and the reader is the beneficiary of his outsize talent. Read “Total Mayhem,” you will be glad you did.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I don’t like spoilers, so I don’t want to give anything away, but suffice it to say that just when the reader thinks there is going to be a break in the action, something else happens; Gilstrap is relentless. If you have read any others in this series; this is the eleventh of the Jonathan Grave books, the usual gang is all here and active.
This is such a good book, not cheerful by any means, but simply compelling. You won’t be able to put it down, whether this is your first Jonathan Grave book, or your eleventh. Gilstrap pulls no punches, and the reader is the beneficiary of his outsize talent. Read “Total Mayhem,” you will be glad you did.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
February 9, 2024
Audiobook Review - Total Mayhem - John Gilstrap
This audiobook "Total Mayhem" by author John JT Gilstrap was a ticking time bomb of action, excitement and thrills! He is such a great story teller in the action thriller genre. The buildup and suspense in book #11 in the Jonathan Grave series was exceptional! I'm a huge fan of the Jonathan Grave series and Gilstrap keeps getting better and better with each new story. Freelance special operations operative Jonathan Grave - no s at the end of Grave - and his team are called to go undercover and eliminate some terrorists and traitors. No need to collect intel, no need to arrest any of them, just go in and wipe them out...! Super intense action thriller that is sure to please any action thriller enthusiasts. Awesome listen, especially with Basil Sands narrating...
This audiobook "Total Mayhem" by author John JT Gilstrap was a ticking time bomb of action, excitement and thrills! He is such a great story teller in the action thriller genre. The buildup and suspense in book #11 in the Jonathan Grave series was exceptional! I'm a huge fan of the Jonathan Grave series and Gilstrap keeps getting better and better with each new story. Freelance special operations operative Jonathan Grave - no s at the end of Grave - and his team are called to go undercover and eliminate some terrorists and traitors. No need to collect intel, no need to arrest any of them, just go in and wipe them out...! Super intense action thriller that is sure to please any action thriller enthusiasts. Awesome listen, especially with Basil Sands narrating...
June 27, 2019
Rating 3.5 Stars
Mayhem grew to critical proportions in mere seconds.
Graves team of coverts for the FBI are on the case when a handful of high school shootings occur at the same time. The shootings were professional and did not discriminate. Done at a high school football game where all mayhem broke lose. Grave's team has a lead when a shooter is apprehended but on meeting with the shooter, they only come up with more questions and a deeper concern arise. They only know one thing, more mayhem is to come.
This is a fast paced action packed read. Gilstrap does his research on this that even the unbelievable is made believable. Thoroughly enjoyed this one.
A Special Thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
Mayhem grew to critical proportions in mere seconds.
Graves team of coverts for the FBI are on the case when a handful of high school shootings occur at the same time. The shootings were professional and did not discriminate. Done at a high school football game where all mayhem broke lose. Grave's team has a lead when a shooter is apprehended but on meeting with the shooter, they only come up with more questions and a deeper concern arise. They only know one thing, more mayhem is to come.
This is a fast paced action packed read. Gilstrap does his research on this that even the unbelievable is made believable. Thoroughly enjoyed this one.
A Special Thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
December 15, 2021
That just might have been the best Digger Grave book. Excellent from start to finish. Every character was at their best, even Joe Dog. There’s going to be terrible fallout for every single one of them though.
This story frightened me too. It’s all too realistic given the state of our country. I hope it doesn’t come true because I’m not sure we have a cast of characters to bring it to and end like Gilstrap does.
This story frightened me too. It’s all too realistic given the state of our country. I hope it doesn’t come true because I’m not sure we have a cast of characters to bring it to and end like Gilstrap does.
June 6, 2019
John Gilstrap and Joanthan Graves...a match made in thriller suspense heaven! It's Friday Night Lights Out when terrorists simultaneously strike multiple targets in small town USA. Wolverine calls in Digger and team to track down the terrorists before they can strike again. That proves tricky when you can't tell the good guys from the bad and don't know who to trust. This is a fast paced thrill ride that zips from small towns to black site prisons and hospitals to the center of Justice in the USA and ultimately threatens those closest to Digger. The author knows his territory, has done his research and it shows. There's some editorializing along the way but only in a way to make one stop and think. If you love action and suspense you won't be disappointed. All the characters we've come to know in the series are back in full force, locked and loaded for bear, ready for this latest difficult challenge. It's a summer read you won't want to put down, so don't start reading at night!
December 12, 2022
EXPLOSIVE!
MAYHEM perfectly describes the plot of this novel. Domestic terrorists, fueled by greed and funded by foreign terrorists, wreck havoc, murder and mayhem in America with continuous, coordinated and multi prong attacks.
The pacing and thrills of a roller coaster ride! Explosive with shocking twists! Fun, fully-engaging and satisfying!
MAYHEM perfectly describes the plot of this novel. Domestic terrorists, fueled by greed and funded by foreign terrorists, wreck havoc, murder and mayhem in America with continuous, coordinated and multi prong attacks.
The pacing and thrills of a roller coaster ride! Explosive with shocking twists! Fun, fully-engaging and satisfying!
June 30, 2019
Another winner from John Gilstrap
I have read them all and they are all very, very good. Mr. Gilstrap is a master story crafter and is well worth the time spent reading his stories. My only complaint is that once you start reading it is hard to stop.
I have read them all and they are all very, very good. Mr. Gilstrap is a master story crafter and is well worth the time spent reading his stories. My only complaint is that once you start reading it is hard to stop.
June 30, 2019
Kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I didn’t want to put it down.
July 27, 2019
Another good one. Fast pace, lots of action & suspense, great characters.
Some humor w/that saracastic/smart aleck wit of Jonathon & his team.
I would just like to say I really, really appreciate the way the writer did simple, little summaries (ie. a few sentences) throughout the narrative to catch up any readers if it’d been a while or for a new reader so they wouldn’t be lost & would know who & what things were. Yeah Mr. Gilstrap!!!!!! :)
It’s come up in a some recent books by my book group where we picked a book that wasn’t first in a series, and were lost b/c that wasn’t done.
It was very long but it moves quickly.
My negative is this, w/out giving any spoilers: (and yes, i'm being nitpicky)
There was a detail that I thought all these experts on the “good guys” team should have figured out earlier.
And I thought there was a tiny thing in the end that I thought was left as a loose thread.
Some humor w/that saracastic/smart aleck wit of Jonathon & his team.
I would just like to say I really, really appreciate the way the writer did simple, little summaries (ie. a few sentences) throughout the narrative to catch up any readers if it’d been a while or for a new reader so they wouldn’t be lost & would know who & what things were. Yeah Mr. Gilstrap!!!!!! :)
It’s come up in a some recent books by my book group where we picked a book that wasn’t first in a series, and were lost b/c that wasn’t done.
It was very long but it moves quickly.
My negative is this, w/out giving any spoilers: (and yes, i'm being nitpicky)
There was a detail that I thought all these experts on the “good guys” team should have figured out earlier.
And I thought there was a tiny thing in the end that I thought was left as a loose thread.
June 29, 2019
What a great continuation of this series. To those of us who have been with Digger, Boxer and Ven from the beginning, this one hit close to home. The relationships, especially that between Dig and Big Guy, are so real and you can just feel their connection. There is a bit of stress with Ven, but that just adds to the feeling of true life reactions with a team that has been through the fire many times, for many years.
Yes, the premise is disturbing ( but unfortunately, clearly possible) and if anything, I wish the ending was a bit more - oh, I don’t know, complete? There are still a few strings that may or may not be tied up, but all in all the wrap up was sufficient. I held my breath many times. Especially at the ending. Gilstrap did a phenomenal job of making the reader feel like they were directly in the middle of all the chaos. And it was crazy!
Great book. If you haven’t started this series, you are REALLY missing out.
Yes, the premise is disturbing ( but unfortunately, clearly possible) and if anything, I wish the ending was a bit more - oh, I don’t know, complete? There are still a few strings that may or may not be tied up, but all in all the wrap up was sufficient. I held my breath many times. Especially at the ending. Gilstrap did a phenomenal job of making the reader feel like they were directly in the middle of all the chaos. And it was crazy!
Great book. If you haven’t started this series, you are REALLY missing out.
February 8, 2021
I recently finished Total Mayhem by John Gilstrap. This was another new kind of plot from this author. Even though I thought the ending was sort of wrong. It still was a great read. It is interesting to read about what ex soldiers is prepared to do and about rendition sites, remember that it is fiction but still... Now I am finally current on this series and eagerly waiting for book 13 that comes later this year.
January 26, 2021
Exactly what I was in the mood for and I just love Boxers.
October 3, 2019
In this 11th volume of his Jonathan Grave series, John Gilstrap very much sticks to the formula that has worked well in the past 10 books but the setting remains much closer (perhaps too close?) to home this time.
Readers with a weaponry fetisch will perhaps be a little disappointed this time, whereas readers missing a little romance in the past books will be more fulfilled. The dialogue is still not super impressive as the macho field operator lingo is prevalent with cool radio call signs and talk limited to the bare necessities (and sometimes even less than that!).
Although the series most likely has many fans, and me still being one of them, I think that Gilstrap should consider calling it quits before he starts moving too much in circles with his rather one-dimensional characters.
[An ARC of the book was generously provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]
Readers with a weaponry fetisch will perhaps be a little disappointed this time, whereas readers missing a little romance in the past books will be more fulfilled. The dialogue is still not super impressive as the macho field operator lingo is prevalent with cool radio call signs and talk limited to the bare necessities (and sometimes even less than that!).
Although the series most likely has many fans, and me still being one of them, I think that Gilstrap should consider calling it quits before he starts moving too much in circles with his rather one-dimensional characters.
[An ARC of the book was generously provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]
June 28, 2019
The Greatest- Gilstap
This is the most exciting action packed adventure I’ve read in years. The characters are bigger than life. Do everyone you know a favor and turn them onto this book. I can’t wait until the next book!!!! GMR
This is the most exciting action packed adventure I’ve read in years. The characters are bigger than life. Do everyone you know a favor and turn them onto this book. I can’t wait until the next book!!!! GMR
June 22, 2019
First, thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the Advance Readers Copy of TOTAL MAYHEM. This is John Gilstrap's 11th Digger Grave novel, and one of the best so far. Digger and his team are called into action by FBI Director Irene Rivers, who needs a covert team to hunt down a home-grown terrorist group that is coordinating mass-murder attacks in Middle America. The writing, as usual, is excellent, and the team gives their best performance to date. Gilstrap remains on my MUST-READ list with this series.
June 17, 2019
I have read a number of books from this author and like the rest…this book is starts out with a bang and does not let up after that. I have to admit that I was a little unnerved by the body count and I also felt that the ending was a little abrupt.. I wish that there was an Epilogue to tie loose ends up. Other than that, a very good read if you like a thriller and suspense! I would rate this a solid 4-1/4 stars
I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review
I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review
June 17, 2019
I have read a number of books from this author and like the rest…from the get go this book is starts out with a bang and does not let up after that. I have to admit that I was a little unnerved by the body count and I also felt that the ending was a little abrupt. I wish the author added an Epilogue to tie up loose ends! Other than that, a very good read if you like a thriller and suspense! I would rate this a solid 4-1/4 stars
I would like to thank the author, the publisher and Net Galley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review
I would like to thank the author, the publisher and Net Galley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review
June 9, 2019
Total Mayhem is the eleventh book in the Jonathan Graves series by John Gilstrap.
Coordinated attacks wreak terror on middle America. Jonathan and his team are asked by Wolverine, the Director of the FBI, to find who is behind it and stop them. At whatever the cost...
I've been a fan of John Gilstrap since Nathan's Run. And I've enjoyed the Jonathan Graves series. This book is a departure from previous books in that Jonathan and team look for domestic terrorists, instead of hostage rescue. Gilstrap makes a lot of observations about what happens when soldiers come back from deployment and find their special skills may not always match civilian requirements. Some strong female characters and lots of Gilstrap action. and some interesting back and forth about the rule of law during extenuating circumstances.
Another great read from Gilstrap. You should definitely check this out out when it releases 6/25.
Coordinated attacks wreak terror on middle America. Jonathan and his team are asked by Wolverine, the Director of the FBI, to find who is behind it and stop them. At whatever the cost...
I've been a fan of John Gilstrap since Nathan's Run. And I've enjoyed the Jonathan Graves series. This book is a departure from previous books in that Jonathan and team look for domestic terrorists, instead of hostage rescue. Gilstrap makes a lot of observations about what happens when soldiers come back from deployment and find their special skills may not always match civilian requirements. Some strong female characters and lots of Gilstrap action. and some interesting back and forth about the rule of law during extenuating circumstances.
Another great read from Gilstrap. You should definitely check this out out when it releases 6/25.
June 14, 2019
Middle America is under fire and Digger, Boxer & Gunslinger are trying to learn all they can about what happened. Small town school football games were attacked all at the same time. This time the attacks are directed at innocents of all ages. It is a 'on the edge of your seat' story from beginning to the end. Every time the group think they are getting near they lose their advantage. Who are these guys and why are they doing this terrible thing? The closer Digger and his group get the more the terror comes their way. Can they stop it in time?
May 26, 2019
Another exciting and excellent thriller from John Gilstrap. His novels never disappoint. I can only hope he continues to write such intense and satisfying books. The action never ceases, while still providing authentic characterizations and personalities that draw the reader in. These novels could be HBO’s next great series. I hope they are considering the possibility. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy. I loved it!
July 6, 2019
Well-written story with plenty of action, explosions, shootouts, surprises, intrigue, with a little romance thrown in. And a high body count. Good story flow. The storyline about stopping domestic terrorists deviates from the previous books that were about rescuing kidnap victims. The ending definitely had me on the edge of my chair, but left loose ends that I suppose lead to the next book, and that rally house was very convenient.
The plot was very scary in that this could happen at any time in real life and fictional characters would not be able to stop it. I don’t know if this is going to be a trend, but I just went from Ty Patterson’s Terror about (random) lone gunmen shooting into crowds to this book about (coordinated) lone gunmen shooting into crowds.
Good lines-
“Jonathan wondered sometimes how children in general, but boys in particular, could be so stupid in adolescence yet still live long enough to become adults.” Ain’t that the truth?
“I love you Americans and your swagger. You all learned to speak by watching Bruce Willis movies.”
The plot was very scary in that this could happen at any time in real life and fictional characters would not be able to stop it. I don’t know if this is going to be a trend, but I just went from Ty Patterson’s Terror about (random) lone gunmen shooting into crowds to this book about (coordinated) lone gunmen shooting into crowds.
Good lines-
“Jonathan wondered sometimes how children in general, but boys in particular, could be so stupid in adolescence yet still live long enough to become adults.” Ain’t that the truth?
“I love you Americans and your swagger. You all learned to speak by watching Bruce Willis movies.”
July 6, 2020
Typical Digger Graves-Boxers thriller. High body count. Readers of the series will recognize all of the major players, but it really can be read as a stand alone. The relationship between Graves and the FBI director goes back so many novels that one would have to start at the beginning to fully understand.
August 21, 2019
This book falls squarely in the thriller genre, and is a work of fiction. The plot involves using ex-US military, dishonorably discharged from the military, in debt for various reasons, through the use of external (middle-eastern) money to bring “total mayhem” to mid-America through coordinated sniper attacks at football games, huge bombings of small-town courthouses, and ultimately major terrorist attempts in larger cities.
I heard the author speak at my local bookstore, One More Page in Falls Church Virginia. He is local to the area, has had a varied set of experiences and contacts that allows him to bring realism to the story. This story started out (as I understand it) by the terror a pair of gunman brought to the DC area (shooting drivers on the highway apparently randomly and with ease) back in the 1990’s. The region was gripped in terror, people always looking over their own shoulder to wonder whether a shot will be fired. Using that as a starting put, this plot is based on scaling that terror up to the entire country.
The protagonists of the store are Jonathan Graves and his team of men and women that work with him. And he does have the backing of the head of the FBI to allow him to do the work against terrorists outside the law. The author does build the suspense, and his knowledge of explosives, the military, and law help him keep the story realistic.
If you like this genre, this is a fine book, and will be a great book to bring on a cross-country flight if you don’t like watching movies (or they don’t show any on your airline of choice)! However, if this is not your genre, then you might skip this. Many, many years ago I did read this genre more frequently, but tired of it (at least the formula used by Robert Ludlum; and some of the dialog from John Sanford – sorry to his fans).
I heard the author speak at my local bookstore, One More Page in Falls Church Virginia. He is local to the area, has had a varied set of experiences and contacts that allows him to bring realism to the story. This story started out (as I understand it) by the terror a pair of gunman brought to the DC area (shooting drivers on the highway apparently randomly and with ease) back in the 1990’s. The region was gripped in terror, people always looking over their own shoulder to wonder whether a shot will be fired. Using that as a starting put, this plot is based on scaling that terror up to the entire country.
The protagonists of the store are Jonathan Graves and his team of men and women that work with him. And he does have the backing of the head of the FBI to allow him to do the work against terrorists outside the law. The author does build the suspense, and his knowledge of explosives, the military, and law help him keep the story realistic.
If you like this genre, this is a fine book, and will be a great book to bring on a cross-country flight if you don’t like watching movies (or they don’t show any on your airline of choice)! However, if this is not your genre, then you might skip this. Many, many years ago I did read this genre more frequently, but tired of it (at least the formula used by Robert Ludlum; and some of the dialog from John Sanford – sorry to his fans).
November 17, 2019
If you’re searching for a read that is breathtaking and terrifying, I have a recommendation for you. John Gilstrap’s Total Mayhem (Pinnacle Books, Kensignton Publishing Corp., 2019) will grip you from its first sentence—“Tom Darone had seen a lot of people die in his day, but not like this”—to the gut-wrenching first paragraph to one of the fastest moving chapters I’ve ever read. And it doesn’t let up much from there.
I’ve read several of Gilstrap’s earlier entries in the Jonathan Grave series that features his Security Solutions team of Digger, Boxer, Gunslinger and Venice, and have never been disappointed. But Total Mayhem—with one of the most apropos titles I’ve seen in a long time—has carved out new territory. The narrative focuses on one of our greatest fears and nightmares—simultaneous terrorist attacks on popular large venues, think football stadiums, city festivals, small town centers. Chillingly close to reality.
This novel has all the hallmarks Gilstrap has become famous for—lightning quick pace, dramatic action, humor in the face of danger and really nasty bad guys, but total Mayhem takes all this to a whole new level. With the shootings and attacks in the news lately, this fictional danger seems almost too real, the crisis almost too imminent, the death and tragedies almost too close to home. Of course with Gilstrap’s team of operatives, you’re certain the good guys will prevail—though not without some personal sorrow and pain—but, dear reader, you might sweat a little blood yourself before the novel comes to its harrowing conclusion.
If you want your books to be the kind that you can’t put down, but will keep you up at night, you’d do well to get your own copy. I’m keeping mine, just to remind me that the horrendous events captures in the pages are fictional.
I’ve read several of Gilstrap’s earlier entries in the Jonathan Grave series that features his Security Solutions team of Digger, Boxer, Gunslinger and Venice, and have never been disappointed. But Total Mayhem—with one of the most apropos titles I’ve seen in a long time—has carved out new territory. The narrative focuses on one of our greatest fears and nightmares—simultaneous terrorist attacks on popular large venues, think football stadiums, city festivals, small town centers. Chillingly close to reality.
This novel has all the hallmarks Gilstrap has become famous for—lightning quick pace, dramatic action, humor in the face of danger and really nasty bad guys, but total Mayhem takes all this to a whole new level. With the shootings and attacks in the news lately, this fictional danger seems almost too real, the crisis almost too imminent, the death and tragedies almost too close to home. Of course with Gilstrap’s team of operatives, you’re certain the good guys will prevail—though not without some personal sorrow and pain—but, dear reader, you might sweat a little blood yourself before the novel comes to its harrowing conclusion.
If you want your books to be the kind that you can’t put down, but will keep you up at night, you’d do well to get your own copy. I’m keeping mine, just to remind me that the horrendous events captures in the pages are fictional.
July 2, 2019
Three generations of two patrician families and secrets that echo down the decades drive this luminous novel - but not quickly, which is part of its charm. Chap and Wyatt Collier were born to follow their father into the executive suite of the stheel company that built a nation and gave the town - and the book itself - its name. Susannah and India Parrish, daughters of an a similarly wealthy and influential family, grow into young womanhood, and Susannah' s eventual betrothal to Wyatt is assumed by both families. Their story, which largely takes place in the twenties, has particular resonance for Joanna , who several decades later moves with her husband Frank and their two young children into Brynmoor, the palatial estate where Susannah, now widowed, lives with her mother Hedy, the matriarch of the Collins family. The gradual ripening of the relationship between the women as Joanna attempts to find her own way and make a place for herself in Bethlehem is the most interesting aspect of the novel, as secrets are revealed and resonate through her journey. With not a glimmer of violence, hardly any raised voices, no tricky surprises and hardly any plot, it's an ideal way to spend a summer day in a hammock or a beach chair- in good company, with memorable characters, well-rendered scenes of a privileged sliver of society, and little to stop you from falling into a pleasant reverie when your eyes grow heavy.
July 22, 2019
Total Mayhem certainly kept me riveted, and that's the main point with a book read for entertainment. I went through its over 400 pages in a day and a half. I started reading Saturday evening and finished at 3am Monday morning. That's another sign--that I stayed up way too late reading.
I was just a little disappointed in this particular book. I've read plenty of Mr. Gilstrap's work before, so I pretty well know what to expect, but authors in this genre can get a little too cavalier with human life and I feel like he turned that corner here. That may sound silly, since the whole concept is that Jonathan Grave runs a company that, among other things, deals with violent criminals bent on hurting innocent people. It just felt like this particular installment was looking for ways to take innocents and bring them to horrible ends, whereas the other installments generally had a feel, at least as I remember them, of saving innocents from wanton destruction.
That disappointment aside, I tore through this book. So if you want a good guys versus bad guys type of novel, go for it.
I was just a little disappointed in this particular book. I've read plenty of Mr. Gilstrap's work before, so I pretty well know what to expect, but authors in this genre can get a little too cavalier with human life and I feel like he turned that corner here. That may sound silly, since the whole concept is that Jonathan Grave runs a company that, among other things, deals with violent criminals bent on hurting innocent people. It just felt like this particular installment was looking for ways to take innocents and bring them to horrible ends, whereas the other installments generally had a feel, at least as I remember them, of saving innocents from wanton destruction.
That disappointment aside, I tore through this book. So if you want a good guys versus bad guys type of novel, go for it.
July 28, 2019
Total Mayhem is the eleventh book in the Jonathan Graves series by John Gilstrap.
Coordinated attacks wreak terror on middle America. Jonathan and his team are asked by Wolverine, the Director of the FBI, to find who is behind it and stop them. At whatever the cost...
I've been a fan of John Gilstrap since Nathan's Run. And I've enjoyed the Jonathan Graves series. This book is a departure from previous books in that Jonathan and team look for domestic terrorists, instead of hostage rescue. Gilstrap makes a lot of observations about what happens when soldiers come back from deployment and find their special skills may not always match civilian requirements. Some strong female characters and lots of Gilstrap action. and some interesting back and forth about the rule of law during extenuating circumstances.
Another great read from Gilstrap. You should definitely check this out out when it releases 6/25.
Coordinated attacks wreak terror on middle America. Jonathan and his team are asked by Wolverine, the Director of the FBI, to find who is behind it and stop them. At whatever the cost...
I've been a fan of John Gilstrap since Nathan's Run. And I've enjoyed the Jonathan Graves series. This book is a departure from previous books in that Jonathan and team look for domestic terrorists, instead of hostage rescue. Gilstrap makes a lot of observations about what happens when soldiers come back from deployment and find their special skills may not always match civilian requirements. Some strong female characters and lots of Gilstrap action. and some interesting back and forth about the rule of law during extenuating circumstances.
Another great read from Gilstrap. You should definitely check this out out when it releases 6/25.
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