The Loot

Charlie McCabe #1

by Craig Schaefer

She fought for her country. Now she’s fighting for her family.

When Sergeant Charlie McCabe returns from fighting in Afghanistan, she hopes to leave the war behind. Instead, she comes home to a father whose gambling has put him in deep trouble with a violent loan shark. She finds work as a professional bodyguard, but to save her father, she needs to get serious cash together fast.

However, her father isn’t the only one who needs saving. When Charlie’s first client—a wealthy executive with a shady past—narrowly escapes a bomb plot, Charlie’s investigation leads her into the heart of Boston’s criminal underworld. Along the way, she stumbles upon clues about a diamond heist gone wrong that’s been unsolved for decades.

With the clock ticking and chaos descending, Charlie sees a solution to both problems, but it won’t be easy, and it won’t be pretty. A “normal” life may await Charlie on the other side of this mess, but part of her knows that the battle has just begun.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Audiobook, Military Fiction, Amazon

329 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2019

About the author

Craig Schaefer's books have taken readers to the seamy edge of a criminal underworld drenched in shadow (the Daniel Faust series), to a world torn by war, poison and witchcraft (the Revanche Cycle), and across a modern America mired in occult mysteries and a conspiracy of lies (the Harmony Black series).

Despite this, people say he's strangely normal. Suspiciously normal, in fact. His home on the Web is www.craigschaeferbooks.com.

Reviews

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 3 out of 5]

My dearest, shrimpiest Craig Schaefer.

You know just I much I 💕lurves💕 you and stuff. You are, after all, one of the founding members of my Holy Quintuplicity of Utter Awesomeness (HQoUA™). And my Super Extra Yummy Boyfriend (SEYB™) Danny Faust's most beloved daddy (and therefore my most beloved daddy in law and stuff). Ergo, I very quite a lot logically well, um, you know, 💕lurves💕 you and stuff. (Also, Revanche Cycle and stuff. Also also, Jessie Temple Harmony Black. So QED and stuff.)

But unfortunately regrettably lamentably unluckily, Charlie McCabe for me is not, and kidnap and stash her safely away in my High Security Harem adopt her I shall not. She might be my Danny Boy's newborn little sister, but come to care for her I did not.

Yes, the plot of the book is fast-paced and entertaining enough (because you wrote it so duh and stuff), but [I never said what I'm about to say, ergo you never read it. Go home, you're drunk and stuff] it's nothing out of this word. And I never really got into it. Because it kinda sorta lacks the Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Schaefer Touch (SST™) that make all your other books Automatically Very Good (AVG™) and stuff.

Granted, my nefarious little self is not exactly a fan of plain old mysteries and thrillers, and tends to find the lack of yummy demons and delicious magic and scrumptiously evil pets (oh my) pretty boring and stuff. Which might partly maybe explain why I didn't enjoy Charlie's adventures in, um, babysitting that very much indeed.

Then again, there might be another, much simpler explanation to this very uncharacteristic Despicable Display of Despicable Book Taste (DDoDBT™) on my part. Yes, there might very well be. And what would that explanation be, you ask? Well that this book is Actually Quite Very Good Indeed (AQVGI™) and that I might perhaps have read it Very Terribly Wrong (VTW™). Maybe. Hahahahahaha. Just kidding.

Signed: Your very much beloved lurving, murderous crustacean-breeding daughter in law.



Yeah yeah yeah, I know this gif is disgustingly cute, but I have to try and make up for my revoltingly miserable rating here, okay? So cut me some bloody shrimping slack and stuff.

· Book 2: The Insider ★★★★



[February 2019]

A Craig Schaefer thriller? To be released August 1, 2019?



P.S. It's already available for pre-order and stuff.

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sale Alert: Kindle Deal Alert $1.99

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart

3.5 Really There is No Supernatural in this Stars?

The Loot is the first book in the brand-new Charlie McCabe series by Craig Shaefer.  Charlie MacCabe just got out of the army. She is used to high pressure situations having been part of the bomb squad in Afghanistan for the last eight years, but it seems like it is easier to diffuse a bomb than talk to her father.  

“I want you to remember something: no matter what they tell you, you might stop wearing the uniform, but you never stop being a soldier. And a soldier needs a mission.”
“Sir?” she’d said.
“This mission is over,” he’d told her. “Go find a new one. Dismissed.”

Charlie needs to do a few things:  

#1 Adjust to not being in constant danger.  Oh, oops scatch that, keep your guard up at all times.  Check.

#2 Figure out how to come up with twenty thousand dollars in ten days.  Remember daddy dearest, he has a little gambling problem and owes the mob some money. Check?

#3 Find a new mission in life, or at least a new gang to hang out with. Check Double Check.

#4 Try to stay out of trouble with the mob.  Well, that one might be a little harder than the others.

Charlie thought that once she left the army, she was done defusing bombs.  She is so so wrong. Her new job has a contract to protect a dirt bag with skeletons in his closet and plenty of people with a reason to kill him.  One of those people just so happens to have a few skills in bombing 101 and is making Charlie feel nostalgic.  

“Auribus teneo lupum,” he said.
Charlie stared at him over the mouth of her bottle. “Meaning?”
“It’s Latin. It means ‘holding a wolf by its ears.’” He set the cloth down and curled his hands in front of him, pantomiming. “You hold on, you’re screwed. You let go, you’re screwed.”
“Damned if I do, damned if I don’t?”
“Pretty much wolf chow all around.

I like Craig Schaefer because he isn’t afraid to have his characters make some choices that straddle the line between right and wrong.  Charlie is put into a situation where she might be able to come up with the money to save her dad, but it means some bodies could need to be disposed of.  She is going to have to make a few calls that might not sit well with the reading audience. I’m fine because I like when characters aren’t all good or all bad but somewhere in the grey area.

This is a solid first book in a series and I’m interested in Charlie and her new job as a professional bodyguard for a company having some cash flow problems.  The other characters we get to spend some time with, Beckett and Dom seem to have some good backstories happening. We don’t get to touch on them much, but I like the direction this is heading.

The only disappointment I really had for this was there is no magic, monsters or things of a supernatural nature that go bump in the night.  This is straight up real world who done it type mystery. Because I’ve read a lot of Schaefer books, I was both a little surprised and disappointed.  Still it's a really solid start to a series and I’ll be sure to check the next installment out too. 

Narration:
Susannah Jones is a narrator I know will always do a solid job on her performance and The Loot wasn’t any different.  I always think of the Rock Chick series anytime I hear her voice, but I’ve listened to well over twenty books narrated by her and I’m never disappointed.  I listened to this at my normal 1.5x speed.

Listen to a clip:
https://soundcloud.com/brilliance-aud...

[Gavin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Loot is a tough book to rate and review. As a thriller the plot is fairly run of the mill but Schaefer's writing is engaging so the story still ended up being a fast paced and fairly compelling read which would make it a success if I was only rating it against the other thriller books I've read. Unfortunately, for The Loot, I'm not just comparing this story to the stuff I've read in the thriller genre over the years but I'm also comparing it to all the other Schaefer books I've read in the fantasy and urban fantasy genres. The bad news for The Loot is that while it was a decent thriller it was a fairly weak Schaefer book compared to what we can normally expect from him!

The plot and set-up was fairly run of the mill and cliche for the genre. Sergeant Charlie McCabe had just returned home after serving 8 years fighting in Afghanistan for the US army. She takes up a gig as private security for a local firm. Her first assignment is as part of a team tasked with keeping a shady executive safe after he, and his firm, are blamed for deaths after a mine collapse in one of their operations. As an extra complication Charlie also has to deal with some personal stuff as her father has fallen into debt with the local branch of the Boston Mafia!

The story was engaging enough and Charlie was a likeable enough lead character so it was easy to root for her as she sought to keep her scumbag client safe and keep the thugs from breaking her deadbeat fathers legs. The big problem is Schaefer stories are usually more interesting than just "decent" and the plots are usually a lot less run of the mill. We did get a bit of intrigue as Charlie's investigation did get them caught up in solving a jewel heist from yesteryear but even that felt like something I've read in 100 other thriller stories over the years rather than anything fresh or original.

The biggest flaw this book suffered from when compared to Schaefer's other series was the lack of memorable or fun secondary characters. Charlie herself was nothing special but I liked her well enough and found it easy enough to root for her but the rest of the cast were a bit of a bust. The other members of Charlie's security team were so forgettable I can barely remember their names and I only finished this book yesterday! Worse was the fact that the villains were equally dull and forgettable. Schaefer villains are usually a ton of fun and so are the secondary back up characters so it was a real weakness for this tale that they all bombed in this book. Hopefully the sequel will see more fun characters introduced to add some much needed depth to the story.

I also found the humour to be a bit lacking compared to regular Schaefer books. I think this a common flaw when Schaefer writes in the third person. I find I enjoy his first person stories better. He just just does that style of story much better even if he seems to prefer writing third person POV stories.

All in all this was still a good and enjoyable story but in the end I was still left a bit disappointed as it was not great when compared to Schaefer's other books. This felt a bit like a cheap imitation Harmony Black book with all the fantasy elements, the humour, and the fun villains sucked out of the tale!!!

Rating: 3.5 stars. I'm rounding down to 3 stars here on Goodreads. That feels harsh as if this was a regular thriller I'd probably have rated it 4 stars. It is a Schaefer book though so it suffers from being judged more against his other books than it does being compared to your average thriller tale!

Audio Note: I'm a fan of Susannah Jones and feel like she gave a good performance of this one. If she has a flaw it is the fact that when I listen to Schaefer books narrated by Susannah Jones I tend to find them less humorous than normal. I'm not sure if that is just because she has the misfortune of narrating the more serious Schaefer books or if it is simply the case that she just fails to deliver the subtle humour in the dialogue as well as the likes of Adam Verner and Christina Traister do.

[Erth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlie McCabe, got her honorable discharge after years of disarming IED's in Afghanistan. Now she's home facing a different battleground with the consequences of her father's gambling addiction. Find $20,000 within 48 hours or those consequences could become fatal.
Getting a job with private security consultants - Boston Asset Protection - seems like a good way of easing herself back into civilian life, but nothing could be further from the truth and her explosives experience could be the difference between life and death for both herself and her client and colleagues.

[Alissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this crime story, it’s solid and entertaining with no frills attached. Schaefer’s writing is a win-win for me.


we are soldiers with no nation. Private security is mercenary work. Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t pick and choose. Doesn’t mean you can’t weigh your morals against a paycheck and decide which one is heavier on the scales. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. Life is nothing but one long string of decisions and consequences. You make your choices; you take your ride.”

[Lukasz · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a die-hard Schaefer fan, I’ll buy and read anything he writes. It’s good he writes in the genres I adore as a reader. The Loot is his first thriller novel. Having read all of Craig’s previous titles, I knew what to expect - an intoxicating flood of action, personal drama, and suspense. No supernatural elements this time, though.

Charlie (Charlene) McCabe is a leading character that you might recognize–a retired and worn soldier who hopes to leave the war behind. Unfortunately, her father’s gambling habit put him in deep trouble. Charlie wants to help him, but she needs serious cash to pay his debts before the violent loan shark teaches him a lesson. Because retired EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Technicians aren’t highly sought after in the labor market, she accepts a job as a professional bodyguard. When her client’s deadly secrets come to light, things go sideways, but there may be the long-lost loot to take away.

I loved the pacing of the story and its focus on the personal. Charlene no longer fights for the country, but she does for her family. I prefer smaller scale narratives so I loved her determination to save her father from himself and dangerous bookie while simultaneously trying to explain the attempted murder mystery.

In terms of character development, Charlie is compelling in her own right, with her own personal demons that color many of the scenes. Her troubled relationship with her father gives readers even more insight into her mental space. She may be willing to dip her fingers outside of the boundaries of the law, but she’s one of the good guys. Some motivation behind the antagonists of this story seems a bit trite, as do their tactics. On the whole, though, the characters are well developed, with backstories and moments of introspection that make them memorable. I especially enjoyed stoic Beckett who may (or may not) have a lethal past.

The Loot is a gripping thriller, and possibly a beginning of the exciting series with Charlie McCabe leading the charge. I can’t wait to read the sequel.

[Tracy P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the first book of this series. Charlie McCabe is like no other female detective I have come across. She is not loud with something to prove and just so bright and down to earth.

Charlie's father has a bad gambling addiction (which is highlighted in the synopsis) and the action she took in confronting/handling his misogynistic, arrogant bookie was perfection! Legendary and shined a bright light on just how clever and resourceful she is. Made my day and sealed the deal that I will be be moving one to book #2 - looking forward to finding out how the loose ends carry over.

[Vigasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars

I've read all of Craig Schaefer's previous books and I love them. This novel is the little different, mostly because of lack of the supernatural elements. But it is still a gripping book with interesting characters.

Our protagonist is Charlie recently retired soldier who try to make a life as a civilian. She gets a job as a profesional bodyguard where she fast prove herself and meet some interesting people. I loved that she was EOD Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician wchich mean that she knew how to disarm bombs.

It's obvious that Crag know what he's writing about, there are a lot of technical details about bodyguards work and, of course a lot of action. I may not like this as much as his fantasy books, but I think it is a worthy read.

[T. K. Elliott (Tiffany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, I thought, I'll just dip into this, just read the first few pages.

Famous last words.

Charlie McCabe is demobbed and looking for a job and a miracle; the former because everyone needs a job, the latter because her gambling-addict father is in deep with the local leg-breakers and even a job isn't going to pay the kind of money she needs... in ten days.

The story got started fast, and didn't slow down.

Schaefer is an author I follow, and he's made the jump from urban fantasy to thriller extremely well. Although he appears to be following in the footsteps of Zoë Sharp (who also writes about a female ex-soldier called Charlie who finds a second career as a bodyguard), Schaefer's Charlie is her own person and seems to be primed for a slightly different career trajectory to Sharp's Charlie.

Charlie is a sympathetic character who is easy to like - a competent professional who is neither too hard to care nor too soft to step over a line, and is clearly being set up for more than one book. Secondary characters - Beckett and Dom - have their own backstories and it's pretty clear that we're seeing the birth of a team here.

The plot moves quickly, and it's clear that Charlie McCabe's world is going to be one painted in shades of grey - there are no angels here. Even Charlie and her team tapdance along the line. It makes me wonder where they're going to end up.

I read this in pretty much one sitting - it's a fast, entertaining read, and I'll certainly be waiting for more Charlie McCabe books.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok series about a former military bomb specialist who's now working as a bodyguard near Boston.

[Mihir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall rating = 3.5 stars

Read Lukasz & my full review over at Fantasy Book Critic

ANALYSIS: Craig Schaefer's The Loot is his first official foray into the crime thriller genre. I say “official” because technically in his debut series, Craig has definitely explored aspects of the genre in a multitude of ways. However with The Loot (the first in the Charlie McCabe series), he gets to fully explore his literary muscles in a different world that’s perhaps nothing like he has done before.

When the story opens, we meet Charlene “Charlie” McCabe as she returns back to her New England roots from her military tour. She’s an explosive devices expert who has managed to stay whole physically (psychologically it’s a whole different matter). Arriving back, she’s confronted with a father whom she’s not on good terms and later discovers has a gambling problem. Taking on the onus of his debt, Charlie has to figure out a way to help her dad in ten days. She also takes on a job as a security detail bodyguard in a slightly unorthodox company managed by a brother –sister duo. Things get even more heated when their client is made a target for bombing attacks and doesn’t care enough to allow the security details to do their job. Hemmed in from all sides, Charlie is forced to consider her morals and utilize all the tricks and talents at her disposal to make things work on both the personal and professional fronts.

Right off the bat, this book conveys a sense of urgency, as we dive into a blue-collar world with Charlie. The home which she returns to is Spenser, Massachusetts, a poor area as one would imagine. Not doing so well but still proud and surviving. Charlie is able to fit in but it’s not something that she enjoys. The story is a lean one as we are immediately introduced to the main plot threads and from hen it’s a race to the end. Craig Schaefer fully utilizes the narrative thriller structure and gives us a story that keeps us guessing while also roaring towards a climax.

Characters are also another plus point, be it Charlie or her coworkers such as her quirky bosses Sofia & Jake Esposito, Dom Da Costa and her prayers to certain goddesses, Beckett a classical strong and silent type, and a few others. We get a solid cast of characters whom I’m presuming will play bigger parts in the future books. Also focusing on Charlie, she’s one tough cookie but at the same time, she’s also flexible with her morality when the need demands it. I often dislike moralistically rigid characters and so Charlie was a welcome addition. Especially when situations demanded that she go with the flow. She not only does that but often bends the flow in unexpected & thrilling directions. I loved this aspect about her and I hope the author allows her to go full tilt.

The only thing that perhaps didn’t jive with my overall enjoyment was the final end reveal about the titular loot which I thought was a bit too convenient. Overall it was a subjective thing because the end twist was a brilliant one and it sets up the next book superbly. The book also needed a bit more meat within its middle chapters as the author really streamlined the story. I wouldn’t have minded if the secondary characters had gotten more of a light shined on them (perhaps that’s what are sequels are for).

CONCLUSION: The Loot is Craig Schaefer’s first foray into a pure crime thriller story and as far as efforts go, it’s certainly a solid one. Charlie McCabe is a fiery character but not an all-consuming one. She’s of the slow-burn kind that smolders and is equally dangerous. The Loot is the start of another exciting series from one of my favourite writers, and I can’t wait to see what he surprises he springs in the sequel The Insider.

[Mimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like a female version of the Jack Reacher chronicles.

[Elke Sisco · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was good fun.
I wanted an easy read to start the Popsugar challenge, and this was just right.

For prompts, this fits the following:
- from an author who has written 20 or more books
- passes the Bechdel test
- the protagonist is in her twenties

[Abbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this. It was riveting from the get go. I loved the main character Charlie and read like I was watching a movie. I can't wait to read another one of these.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wee bit of a different direction for Craig Schaefer with this story of a sergeant returning from Afghanistan.

Not quite as good as his 'usual work', but you can see how easy it is for bad things to slip into someone's life. It's an entertaining story and will keep your attention the whole way through.

I received an early copy of this book via Kindle First. All opinions are my own.

[Vinay Badri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Craig Schaefer's newer branchout into a non-fantasy world is a solid and yet derivative work that is a quick read yet doing nothing for the genre. His Daniel Faust series had the undertones of crime and this crime novel harkens back to that. A strong female lead, back from war trying to find her place in the world is a good set up and Schaefer works on that element well. But the central mystery/ plot in itself did nothing for me and it kind of seemed to be by the numbers. I think I will stick to his Daniel Faust & Harmony Black series itself

[Lou Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sergeant Charlie (Charlene) McCabe returns from fighting in Afghanistan and hopes to leave the war behind. While in the service she specialized as an EOD (explosive ordinance disposal) technician ... who would think that these skills would be helpful in civilian life. She comes home to a distant father who not only is a drunk but also an unsuccessful gambler ... in debt for $20.000 to a loan shark who wants his pound of flesh. Charlie has 10 days to make good his debt ... but certainly no reasonable expectations of accomplishing this feat. She quickly finds work at a Boston private security company managed by a quirky brother and sister duo .. Sofia and Jake Esposito.
In Charlie's first assignment she finds herself part of team hired to protect a wealthy executive with a shady past and implicated in a recent mining disaster. There are forces who are trying to kidnap him or even possibly kill him. Charlie is quickly able to use her military skills when she finds the executive strapped to a bomb with a pressure plate and timer. In the course of providing protection she finds it necessary to investigate the motivation of the threat. Inadvertently Charlie uncovers a linkage to an unsolved decades old diamond heist with "missing loot"
Schaefer proves to be a masterful storyteller and spins a twisted and convoluted narrative that results in page turner action thriller. I've enjoyed his numerous dark urban fantasies but this appears to be his debut into a new genre ... without a hint of the supernatural element. Introduced are array of well developed co-worker characters to complement the main protagonist Charlie McCabe. The colorful Dom De Costa, ex-cop, a virtual Annie Oakley type with a questionable past. And, "Beckett", a "Shaft-like" stoic but dangerous force who is given the job of mentoring Charlie. I can't wait for the further development of these characters in the further tales of Charlie McCabe.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer publications for providing an Uncorrected Proof of this gem in exchange for an honest review.

[Dayanara Ryelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

It just wasn't all that exciting. And that makes me sad. Guns, bombs, death threats, action...the book should've had me on the edge of my seat and...nothing. I may not read mysteries as a rule (mostly Stephanie Plum, and that's because Janet Evanovich knows how to write a fucking funny book!), but I've also read some great ones outside of her work (The Speed of Sound and Where the Forest Meets the Stars come to mind) and know that I don't always find the genre boring.

Still, 20+ books before she writes a stinker isn't something to sneeze at.

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spencer, MA. There was no welcome home for Charlene “Charlie” McCabe (retired US Army Sergeant E-5, 89 D explosive ordnance disposal EOD expert, Afghanistan).
It had been 3 yrs. Charlie was not sure what to expect when she saw Harry McCabe (father, gambling addict).
2 men left as she waked through the door.
Charlie 1st stop was the Crab Walk. Dutch (bartender) welcomed her home & was buying the beer how many she wanted.

Boston, MA. Copley Square. Next stop for Charlie is to see if Jake Esposito (Boston Asset Protection co-partner) will hire her.
Sofia Esposito (sister, co-partner, Wharton MBA, summa cum laude) let her in.
Charlie would be on a 90-day probation as a professional bodyguard.
Deano’s tap house, Charlestown, Charlie went to see Jimmy Lassiter (bookmaker).
She made sure Reyburn (thug), & Grillo (thug) knew not to mess with her dad again.
Cambridge, MA. Boston Asset Protection conference meeting. Dominica “Dom” Da Costa (mafia Princess) introduced himself to Charlie.

The group along with internal would be providing security for a corporate banquet at the Stark House.
Mr. Sean Ellis (Boston U drop out, Deep Country private owned mining co.) will be attending.
Charlie was paired with Beckett.
Beckett took Charlie to the restaurant sushi bar to grab a bit to eat & explain how the security would work.
Clip board in hand Charlie started checking the guests in.
Later she defused a M112 demolition block (C-4 plastic explosive) someone had planted.
What happened when Reyburn, & Grillo came to remind Charlie about the money Harry owed Jimmy.

Grandview Hotel. Dom & Charlie rushed out of the elevator on the penthouse floor to Sean’s room.
He more than likely had been kidnapped.
What did Dr./Professor Gordon Kinzman (Boston U; economics), Sally Weinstein (former Boston U student), Leon Guster (former Boston U student), & Brock “the Brick” Kozlowski (former Boston U Terriers FB/student) want with Charlie?
McCormack Building (1972-1975).

Warning: This book contains adult content, violence, or expletive language which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive or have potential adverse psychological effects on the reader.

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.

A very awesome book cover, & proper great font & writing style. A very well written crime thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great crime thriller movie, or better yet a mini TV series. On/off again exciting but I will still rate it at 5 stars.

Thank you for the free author; Goodreads; MakingConnections; Making Connections discussion group talk; Thomas & Mercer; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Craig Shafaer, author of “ The Loot” writes in his afterword to the novel, that is the first crime/thriller he has written, though there are books in other genres to his credit. Well, “ The Loot” is an out-of- the-park line drive.
The blurb does not hint that the reader will be hooked from the first pages. Think of the story as a trip to the gym for a good cardio workout. A calm introduction, ramped up by stages until a breathless climax where everything hangs, almost literally by a thread, then followed by a cool down.
Sgt. Charlene (Charlie) McCabe is returning home after eight years in the Army, most of it spent fighting in the dangerous sand piles of the Middle East. She is headed to her family home near Boston, MA, not really knowing if a welcome awaits. What she finds there is her Boozy father , sprawled on his recliner nursing a cold beer and swollen black eye. His story is on old one to her - he is in hock to his bookie for a lot of money, $20k worth, and was just visited by the bookies enforcers. He doesn’t have that kind of money, nor does Charlie . What she has is a duffle of old clothes, a few bucks of “ goodbye and thanks for serving cash “ and no marketable skills. Not Much after years of disarming IEDs alongside cratered roads and bullet pitted villages. Worried about her coming up with that kind of money for her father and what future waits her , she talks to an old friend who runs the local pub, who steers her to his friend who runs a private security firm who might need someone. She is hired, provisionally.
If this sounds mundane with a predictable plot of her saving some rich dude from terrorists , falling in love with him and rescuing the day , that is not what awaits Charlie and the reader. It is just the first few chapters of a plot that is exciting , compelling and unpredictable.
Charlie’s first job is as a part of the team to protect the exec of a mining conglomerate at a scheduled business conference. One of his mines has had an accident that killed a number of miners, and company negligence was blamed. All goes well at the conference until a death threat is made. The businessman has something to hide, a secret that just might get him killed. The danger to everyone expands exponentially.

Charlie is a strong character , resourceful and sensible, but not a Wonder Woman superhero type. She uses the skills learned in war of how to be aware of hidden dangers and stay alive and “ complete the mission.” The plot of the book is not what I expected, but went in an entirely different direction. Mr Shafaer writes well, wastes no words and no time in getting and Keeping the reader into the storyline.
“ The Loot” describes the basis of everything, and I highly recommend that you read the book and enjoy a very good novel.
Notes: I do not recall any bad language. No sexual episodes. There is danger and violence.

[Brittney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should really go without saying at this point but I adore Craig Schaefer. When I saw this new book come out last year and I realized it was mystery, thriller and no magic I was intrigued. I mean, come on, Craig Schaefer is the brilliant man that brought us Daniel Faust, Harmony Black and the Revanche Cycle. When I saw this story didn’t hold a hint of magic, urban fantasy or anything in that realm I was curious. Obvious I’m a crime/thriller/mystery fan. So how would one of my favorite fantasy writers match up in a genre devoid of fantasy?

He blew the roof off.

I know, easy for me, a fan, to say. In all seriousness though Charlie McCabe is a worthy main character, a badass with flaws and strengths, completely human and completely believable.

As a newly honorably discharged soldier, having served her country and finished that part of her life, Charlie returns home to the Boston area and is looking to figure out what’s next. With years spent diffusing bombs (an explosive ordinance disposal expert) she can handle the high pressure that most of us would faint over. When she returns home she finds that life hasn’t changed that much, especially where her gambling addicted father is concerned. He’s in deep with a bookie, twenty grand deep, and Charlie is desperate to keep her father safe, from the leg-breakers and himself.

Finding work as a bodyguard Charlie meets a slew of characters that quickly become vital to her life at home in the states. Chief among them is Dom and Beckett, Charlie’s first friends and colleagues in this new venture as they protect a CEO of a mining company (Sean Ellis) whose bad business decisions lead to the death of thirty miners. With her new company Boston Asset Protection assigned to keep him safe the job is complicated by Ellis hiding things from those charged with protecting him.

Digging deeper Charlie and her friends discover a connection to a years old diamond heist and it’s a race against time as they try and keep Ellis alive, even if everything he does puts himself in more danger. As time runs out and tough calls need to be made Charlie and her team must make a move and hopefully one that gets all of them out alive.

Charlie is likable, tough, flawed and a total bad ass who understands the facts of life in a different way. Everything is still battlefield math and she has to make calls that I would never be able to make in a training scenario. Dom and Beckett are the perfect secondary characters to help Charlie out as they bring a different set of skills and prove that no one can do things alone.

Thinking back on it, Charlie supposed she’d spent her entire life fighting other people’s wars, for love or for money. As much as she’d denied it at the time, Saint was right about her. Charlie was a mercenary.

If you love Craig Schaefer’s writing and are curious about this new genre for him I encourage you to check it out. Book two, The Insider, is due out in early July of this year. I am currently plowing through my ARC copy (thank you Netgalley!) so expect me to have a review up for that soon. So far, I’m still so in love with these new characters and I can’t begin to express how exciting this new series is. Give it a chance, you won’t be disappointed.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best, new thriller-series debuts. It has everything. Bombs, gunfights, sniper-on-sniper clash, kidnapping, blackmailing.

This is a debut of a new crime-thriller (and non-fantasy) series with a tough woman lead. I enjoyed the storyline and various subplots, the quick pace, interesting new information (for me) about the private security business, and best of all, the characters that brought the story to life.

Charlene “Charlie” McCabe—ex-sergeant US Army and bomb disposal expert in Afghanistan—is now a security company newbie-in-training. Her first assignment: protect the most-hated man in America—Sean Ellis—whose mining company skimped on safety and caused the death of 30 miners. Charlie is an intelligent, strong and likable protagonist, as are her co-workers/mentors/co-conspirators: Beckett—the company’s MVP and quintessential security expert—and Dominica “Dom” Da Costa, sniper par excellence. Charlie has moments of soul-searching, questions about moral flexibility, and killing as a civilian.

Most characters have backstories, not all revealed: Dutch who’s more-than-a-barkeep; gambling boss Jimmy Lassiter who has Connections with a capital C; gun and explosives “merchant” Saint, who’s not; and worst of all, Charlie’s gambling addict father who blames everyone but himself for his debts.

There are: Beat-em-up/shoot-em-up action-scenes; C-4 wired to blow up everything within twenty feet; a long-missing haul of diamonds; violent ex-cons out for revenge; sleazy co-worker looking for anyone to sell-out; plus miscellaneous blackmailing and other morally-ambiguous dealings.

4.5 stars upped to 5, because I’ll read it again for info about private security. Plus, I’m sure Craig Schaefer will write more books in this series.

[Hans · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was somewhere between 3 and 4 stars for me.

Note that I'm a big fan of Craig Schaefer's writing and loved the Daniel Faust series and the Ghosts of Gotham standalone. I also liked the Harmony Black series, though not as much as the aforementioned.
Also note that there is technically nothing wrong with "The Loot". It is Schaefer's first foray into the "mundane" world, meaning there is no magic, no demons or anything like that. But that is not a problem, because "The Loot" is still a well crafted crime thriller that has a lot of the things I like about Schaefer's books even without the fantasy part: an unpretentious and on point writing style, a vivid sense of locality, an overall gritty atmosphere and a cast of diverse characters that don't exactly see the world in black and white and make some questionable choices.
What it lacked was the subtle sense of humour you can find in most of his other books. And I wasn't into the whole ex-military-turned-bodyguard setting. You can see that Schaefer did his homework but I must say that I'm not really into that kind of stuff and that kind of characters. I also didn't think the plot was especially engaging and while Schaefer's great writing style and sense of pacing kept me going, there wasn't a great feeling of suspense. That might sound a bit contradictory, I know. It's like when the story doesn't bore you, but it also doesn't exactly keep you on the edge of your seat.
Furthermore, I didn't really care about any of the characters. I didn't like or dislike any of them with a passion and I kinda think that's what a good story needs.

All in all, this is a good thriller, but not a great one. For that it is just too by the book.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlie McCabe just got back from Afghanistan and is trying to acclimate back into civilian life, and find a job. Coming back to a quiet life was hard, but it didn't stay quiet for long. She comes home to find out that her dad has gotten him self in some trouble, and she's forced to deal with it. With all of her military training, takes a job in security. She is used to danger, she would defuse bombs daily when deployed. This skill proved useful multiple times throughout the book.

This is the first time that I have read a Craig Schaefer book, and after looking at the reviews of all his books and how dedicated his fans are, I decided to give it a try. I was not disappointed. This type of genre, is not the one that I typically am drawn to, but I've been trying to expand recently. I'm a supernatural fantasy type of gal, and this has none of that.

Even though this is not my normal type of book, it really kept me intrigued and coming back to find out what happens next. Charlie proves time and again that she has a lot of knowledge and can be very useful. She gained the trust of those around her really quickly due to these skills.

If you like a kick ass chick that isn't trying to flaunt it in everyone face, this is a great book for that. I knew she could kick ass, I knew she was knowledgeable, but I didn't feel overwhelmed by it, or that she was trying to show off. That's a hard ledge to walk.

I'm not 100% in the Craig Schaefer fan club, YET! But a couple of his books have now been added to my "to read" shelf. Add this book plus supernatural? Yes, please!

I received this book free from the author in a Goodreads giveaway. These thoughts and opinions are all mine :-)

[Sue Morcumb · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read and a well-proven story and it was very nice to see a Girl playing the centre role, I cannot say a lot about the book as it would spoil it for you but it was fast-moving, kept you on the edge of your seats, and the story was feasible, whether the defusing of certain devices is accurate only the author would know but it was real enough whilst reading this book, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it was so well written, no swearing which I like, no sex or violence and someone proving themselves of being in a new job in a small town except the experimental test for the newcomer became a real situation which was handled like an expert, well to be honest she was, cannot say anymore, read this book, great fun, fast-moving, well written and kept you wondering up to the end. I would recommend that you read it as it is well worth the time to read it, and the 2nd book is out next year so I have prebooked it, it is worth pre-booking now with Amazon as you will get it delivered directly to your device and you will pay the cheaper price on the day of release. Try the book out you will not be disappointed. !!

[Peter Marsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off quite promisingly and once the main cast of characters was assembled it looked like it might turn out to be something very decent. Then, probably a little after halfway, I started to get a little concerned. The cast, who up to that point had been portrayed as conscientious, moral people dealing with personal and professional issues, quite quickly become amoral and ready to comfortably contemplate any number of felonies to meet their own needs. I had lost count of the tally by the end; possibly murder, accessory after the fact, handling stolen goods, conversion, weapons and explosives charges. A half arsed prosecutor could probably double that. Do ex-cop and ex-military really abandon principles and training that quickly? Then there is the plot issue, the scumbag business man who has been kidnapped. The gang should no longer have the level of hatred for him once it has been established beyond all doubt that he did not murder a member of the gang and did not steal their cut but the plot plays out as if he did both of these things. Apparently it's also OK for him to walk on the historical murder and robbery charges as well.

[SD · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first time reading anything by Craig Schaefer. The pace of the book reminded me of British mystery, more heady, less violence (more implied than "seen"). As a fan of strong female leads I was drawn to Charlie, short of Charlene, an honorably discharged army vet. Home only a few hours, she is already dealing with drama. As this is the first in the series, I am hopeful that some of the "holes" are covered in later outings.

I'm curious where things will go with Dom and Becker. I get the inner turmoil Charlie has about some of the decisions she makes trying to do what's right, trying to protect family, etc.

While Mr. Schaefer touched on a lot of everyday issues, I especially liked his poke at ageism. The setup may have you thinking this book is action packed from start to finish but it is more heady and thoughtful, with some action.

I am looking forward to the next installment.

Happy Reading!

[Just Jese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why can’t I give this more than 5 stars?

Absolutely GREAT from start to finish. Schaefer has been on a ROLL lately and I’m here for it.
At the beginning, as much as I was interested in this story, I was worried that it was giving me too many Harmony Black vibes and it does there’s no denying it.
However, this is a uniquely different story, we don’t have someone struggling with themselves to maintain some moral compass or do things by the book. Charlie is interested in helping her family and finding a place she can count as home. The characters were not one note and each had their own back story.
I can not wait for the next book in this series.
Mr. Schaefer, if possible, please end the Daniel Faust series with a final book and focus on building the worlds you set up with this McCabe series and Ghosts of Gotham!

[Heidi Hanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a totally different kind of book than the first one I read by Schaefer, but I enjoyed it just as much. Schaefer has created complex characters here with real,relatable problems that require thoughtful solutions that test their moral compass. The plot is also believable and intriguing. I like his choice of backgrounds for these characters and their jobs and skills are well researched. But, what I most enjoy about Schaefer 's novels is his extraordinary writing. Pacing, conflict, dialogue and details are all spot on for my taste. I listened to the audible version and a definite acknowledgement of Susannah Jones narration must accompany this review. I live in New England and would call her Boston accent fair, but I thought her Irish accent was great. Her ability to narrate male and female voices is stellar.

[Kateblue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure how I feel about this Schaefer book, which is without magic stuff in it. Kind of bland. Also, plotholes, which I am too tired to go look at my notes in order to list them here right now. I wonder if having magical abilities in a world makes it easier to plug plotholes? Or maybe they are just not so obvious when the magic is there to bolster everything.

And I think I invented better strategies for Charlie in a couple of places.

I liked Charlie sooner than I like a lot of Schaefer's protagonists. So there's that! And that's really why I upgraded this book to 3 stars

Reading this, it was just ok, I mean, there was no urgency to it and it didn't seem like a thriller, really. But I will try the next because I like Charlie.