After the brutal slaying of his family, British Special Forces ex-agent John Steel arrives in New York with a singular purpose: find the person in the photograph.
Judicious NYPD detective Samantha McCall is investigating a triple homicide when Steel shows up to help find the perpetrator and bring him to justice. What at first appears to be the work of a serial killer soon turns out to be a deeper level of darkness and deceit, with relentless mercenaries, a shadowy informant and ghosts from the past for both McCall and Steel all involved.
As unexpected alliances and Steel’s personal mission reveal a complex web of treachery, will he and McCall find a way to work together and solve the case?
Well hello, Mr Field that is one way to introduce yourself to the world and with this exciting new series nonetheless!!
It is always terrifying when reading about women being attacked in such a cold and sadistic way, and whilst John Steel is trying to protect his family at home, Sam McCall and her team are on the hunt! Then their worlds collide.
It is always good to get such a strong, takes no rubbish kind of woman in charge, and well Mr Steel is very challenging! I loved Steel, he is definitely a man of mystery. You never know he is there unless he wants you to know, and sometimes that could be too late. He reminded me in a way of the Liam Neeson character from Taken, just a powerhouse of a man, living in the shadows.
This is a fast-paced book, a page-turner, riveting from start to finish, you are given enough information to tease you but not enough to guess what is going on. It reminded me of an early Jack Reacher book, so hello I am happy and he is just like Reacher, he never dies! I think I may have got a papercut from the speed I was turning the pages. It is my kind of book, my kind of “hero” and my kind of writing. This author was new to me, not anymore I will be keeping a close eye on you now Mr Field.
I'm not going to lie. When I started reading this book I thought I was getting one kind of story but within a couple of chapters I was taken somewhere else entirely. Not in a bad way but if you read it you will understand what I mean. the scene opens on what appears to be a true action thriller kind of story, a team of mercenaries invading a garden party to welcome home a true hero, their methods far from peaceful, leaving only one person, our hero, John Steel, on the outside, trying desperately to save his family. The action is fast, and thrilling, the killing indiscriminate, the tension palpable. You are left with the impression that this could be one of the shortest lived action heroes in literary history ...
But there is one thing you perhaps need to understand about John Steel. He is no ordinary hero. I'm not saying he's like Superman or anything, there doesn't appear to be anything especially Marvel-esque about his character and he does indeed scar and bleed, but by golly he is mysterious. In a good way. Following the scenes in Steel's family home we are taken to New York city, where a sadistic killer is taking women off the streets and murdering them, leaving their bodies in a truly macabre way. It is down to Sam McCall and her team to find out why and stop them before they claim more victims. It is far from a straight forward case, made all the more complicated by the arrival of the mysterious and, at least in Sam's eyes, infuriating Mr Steel.
I have to say I kind of liked Sam McCall. She is a strong, no nonsense kind of character who leads her team well. In fact the whole team of the NYPD were easy to get to know, even if Sam's immediate superior was clearly holding something back about who Steel was and why he was there. Steel on the other hand ... well there is something about him, although I'm not sure I can exactly describe what. Although I said he isn't like a Marvel creation, I guess in some ways he is. Or maybe Lazarus in that nothing seems able to keep him down. He moves in and out of the shadows, insinuating himself in the case and disappearing as quickly and quietly as he arrived. He's like a little ninja. You've no idea he is there until he is tapping you on the shoulder. He's the fixer. The man you call to resolve a problem before you even knew you had one. There is a strong chemistry between Steel and McCall which I'd be interested to see if the author develops in the series moving forward.
The pacing in this book is fast and there is little time to breathe between the murders. While the bodies are left in a gruesome way, it is largely kept off the page. That said, I think in the era of #metoo, the book may come in for some criticism over the choice of all female victims and the language that is used throughout. While Sam is undoubtedly a strong female role model, the description of her and some of the victims was a little old fashioned and I am not sure that I needed to know that they had 'ample bosoms' even if they did. It wasn't that which go them killed so I don't know that it was relevant to the story.
The odd choice of language blunder aside, this was a very enjoyable read. I had to suspend disbelief a few times and occasionally just accept that the strangely charismatic Mr Steel was like a cross between Teflon and Diamonds - nothing sticks and he's very hard to crush - but I still found myself fully immersed and storming towards the dramatic and highly entertaining ending. Looking forward to reading more in the series.
A new action hero bursts onto the scene in the first book in exciting series from Stuart Field. As well as the fast-paced action scenes (of which there are lots), there's also the intriguing relationship between Detective John Steel (who has a whole lot of back story) and US Homicide Detective Sam MacCall - clearly one to follow.
A mix between Lee Child and Ian Fleming, brought bang up to date, with great characters and an enjoyably complex plot.
A great page turner in the vein of Clive Cussler, Lee Child and Wilbur Smith - there are a few minor formatting issues, but that doesn't detract from the pace and readability of the book.
The female characters are strongly realised and the pace is breakneck - thoroughly enjoyable beach read with plenty of bang for your buck.
High octane, brain in gear, belter of an all action crime thriller
From the opening pages this high octane novel hardly gives a chance for the heart to stop thumping. The opening scenes in Britain are not for the faint-hearted and then, it really takes off as it switches to New York. Gruesome murders, seemingly one after the other, in rapid succession. Variable body parts stolen as trophies, all corpses drained of their blood, killed somewhere else and place into different scenes, no tangible links to each victim, scenarios set so the brain has to work overtime to keep up with the pace of the writing. Highs and lows, light and shade, a tantalising hint of romance, and all the time wondering where does the opening chapter fit in; revenge? Certainly it is a thread that will carry on into later books I am guessing, and I for one, want to find out what happens. There is complexity and action. Great characters, well-formed and readily engaging. A scary and elusive villain, or is it villains? And how do the street people fit in? How many crimes are there? You just never seem to know. And then there is the central character, the enigmatic John Steel, who is destined to become an all-time favourite; dark with a heart. That’s it, you’re on your own now, and don’t say I didn’t warn you. I recommend this book, 5 stars all the way.
Interesting start to a series, spy, cop, setting up the main character. He is damaged and cynical (hero with no super powers) and the plot wanders a bit. Worth trying if you like this type.
This is an excellent debut novel and I cannot wait to see what the author releases next!
I loved the start of the book, it really set off at a great pace and carried on like that until the end. I loved the setting for the story and I really felt at times like I was there with them (or peeking from side anyway!)
The characters were very well developed and I loved the contrast between them. Steel for me was brilliant, a great lead character and one that can really be developed going forward too – I can see lots of adventures for him – exciting!
Five stars from me, a brilliant start to the series and what an introduction to this author!! Fabulous!
I don't know how to describe this book other than to call it disconnected. I found myself finishing a chapter, and at the beginning of the next was an action or character that didn't seem to be a part of this story. McCall was completely unlikeable and John Steel just randomly disappeared on a regular basis. Anyway I rated this 2 stars.
Sorry, but I just can't give this anything but one star. I kept reading trying to figure out what was going on. Very disjointed. Lots of separate things seemingly totally unrelated. Finally gave up.
The worst writing I have experienced for a very long time. I really struggled from about half way, not to give up as it seemed to get worse. Standard felt as if a 10-year-old had written it!
This is the first in if the first book is anything to go by an action packed, hi octane thrill of a read.
Introducing John Steel and NYPD Detective Samantha McCall.
The opening scenes of the book, are that of a family holding a surprise party, marking the return of their son from his latest tour in the military. His wife is also waiting for his return. Until something happens that changes everything, gunmen have taken over the house and begin killing the family. By the time Jonny arrives home he finds his family is wiped out, including his wife.
The story then picks up later in New York, where a mysterious man keeps appearing at crime scenes where women have been murdered and parts removed. NYPD Homicide squad are on the case Detective Sam McCall is a good detective, along with Tony Marinelli and Joshua Tooms, the medical examiner Tina, and the Captain.
Then from nowhere appears John Steel, well not exactly nowhere as Sam has already seen this man at the other crime scenes, but he has a habit of creeping up, without making a sound.
Steel gives the Captain his details from then on he is part of the NYPD, some of the others aren’t, so sure of Steel, but he does end up continuing to impress them with his skills as a detective and as someone with more than detecting skills, he is a marksman, an all round expert.
But he still dreams of his dead wife and family and wants to catch those responsible. In the meantime he is working with NYPD to catch the killer and many more things.
This is definitely an action packed read.
My only criticism if it’s that is that there are a couple of mistakes here and there, and for me at times too much description, not so much when the action is happening, it’s more being written than needs to be, words could be removed to tighten the story. But at the end of the day that is just my opinion. I am now going to read book two.
So if you like action packed reads, with thrills and spills, a little bit of romance, some humour then give this book a go, you could just find a new Hero. This is an entertaining read.
I'm a big fan of military skill-led novels, and as a result I tend to be more picky about how I rate and appraise a book on this type of subject. I can honestly say this book was brilliant and the characters were well fleshed out to the point that you believed and cared about the whole team, the story was well crafted and flowed along at a decent pace. Yes in places you have to suspend your belief but you are reading a fictional story at break neck speed and if you can't just let yourself enjoy the ride, then maybe reading a book isn't for you and you should stick to movies. Having said that if the book doesn't take you to that special place then the author hasn't done a good enough job at grabbing your attention. My only criticism of the book is Stuart Field should employ a proof reader, because although it didn't happen often there were some places where grammar or spelling was distracting but not enough to spoil the read. Excellent characters and I will be getting the whole series.
After the brutal slaying of his family, British Special Forces ex-agent John Steel arrives in New York with a singular purpose: find the person in the photograph. Judicious NYPD detective Samantha McCall is investigating a triple homicide when Steel shows up to help find the perpetrator and bring him to justice. What at first appears to be the work of a serial killer soon turns out to be a deeper level of darkness and deceit, with relentless mercenaries, a shadowy informant and ghosts from the past for both McCall and Steel all involved. As unexpected alliances and Steel’s personal mission reveal a complex web of treachery, will he and McCall find a way to work together and solve the case? This was a lot better than I first thought it would be, characters were interesting and fairly filled out. The slow burn attraction between John and Sam, a serial killer that is one step ahead of them, keeps you turning the pages.
Even with the spelling mistakes this is a great action packed thriller.
Yes there are some spelling errors in this book but it didn't spoil what for me was an excellent flat out action packed thriller. Steel is about to board a cruise ship when he sends McCall a message but just as she's written it down the first of half a dozen unlinked cases flood the understaffed homicide department. Meanwhile as Steel settles in his cabin and the leviathan of the seas cast off with over seven thousand passengers on board and another five hundred to join as the ship docks to replenish before heading for its final destination of New York. Steel gets an idea of who the players are on his first night but what game are they playing and when will it begin? This is a really exciting book from start to finish with plenty of twists, lies, action and backstabbing. I'm completely hooked on the Steel series.
This book started off at a breakneck pace and was looking really promising. Then we took a turn to New York and the police trying to solve cases of murder of some young women. A diversion I thought and we'd soon get back on track. But we didn't and I felt that the story suffered for it. WE did eventually find out where the start came in and we would continue that if we read on in the series. I have to be honest and say that I probably won't read on. Although the writing was good enough and the characters interesting, I felt that Steel was a little too good. He solved everything and seemed to know everything. As for his ability to survive the worst imaginable situation - well that stretched credulity too far. The writing was also let down by any proofreading and editing which took place. There were too many errors for me and it spoilt my enjoyment.
This is clearly a first book - either first in a series or first publication. It has all the elements of a thriller, it’s one that I think needed more time to cook. John Steel was a mighty covert ops warrior who come home to find his family being killed. Then we jump to the real three dimensional character, Detective Sam McCall. Does she fall for Steel? Of course. Does she have a buddy who is the Medical Examiner? Yes. But the problem here is that Steel simply and consistently saves the day time after time, the disappears, then reappears.
The book was enjoyable but lacks the main factor in crafting a successful series: a magnetic, well crafted hero. Perhaps the next book will see him emerge, but I’ve got a lot of other things on my bookshelf that will take the place of further research into his development.
It starts out with a horrific slaughter in England that was run by some mysterious miscreant mastermind. Then the story switches to New York and the police are after a group of thieves and espionage agents. Some dark figure in the shadows will save a couple members of their team. Then the shadow becomes one of them even though he is from England. The police try to corner the murderer of several young women and discover why body parts are chopped from them. As they close in, the murder suddenly turns to other activities. What is this danger to the world and who is the man behind all the evil activity? Steel from the shadows almost has his answer when he must escape the exploding ship. Will he unite with beautiful police officer or will he continue his relentless search?
Look,.there are so many errors in the spelling and grammar and with disjointed sentences which detracted badly from my enjoyment of the story. The story was fast paced and after the initial opening which, to me, had no real relevance to the rest of the story, it slightly improved. Even though I was left with questions as to some of the events painted in the irrelevant opening, I kept going and could see the kernel of a good story. As the story got near the end the relevance of the opening was sort of explained but still left a lot of questions? It was like reading two books in one really. Please get this book edited and proofread...you may then have a chance of selling on more of the series. I know you have done well, but going back and re-releasing this as a better version would be an asset to you.
Jumps right into a massacre where the hero is killed. I only made it in 15% since it seemed to jump from killings to killings with a little time to start a story of some sort. From another review, I see the hero died 3 times with no resurrection discussion. I've wasted too much time hoping for books to turn better. This time I killed it at 15% and don't expect a resurrection. Maybe this is the author's dream and he just wrote stuff down? Oh, also silly stuff, tying a few bullets around a smoke grenade to heat up and go off? Killers lost in a smoky tent and shoot each other instead of figuring how to get out? Probably Get Smart rejected plots.
I'm sorry but this book is just comically bad. The action and characters are unrealistic. Maybe the writing is earnest but it's just not at a level that's good enough. The author is poor at portraying how real people act and think. The characters were a bit comic book like. The characters acted mechanically and without realism. I dnf'd this at 7% and that was quite enough for me.
I really enjoyed the premise of this novel, which would have earned a solid 4 1/2 stars from me, but the excessive grammatical errors were like speed bumps to my reading, and really destroyed my enjoyment of this book. I understand the novel was written by a Briton, so phrasing and some spelling may be different, but that wasn't the issue. A half-decent editor could have contributed so much more to this novel.
At times it had promise stranglehold your attention, while at other times it felt very rushed and incomplete. Swapping back and forth between scenes/POV with no real transition, and it felt like the author was trying way to hard to make the main character overly mysterious.
Good story. Interesting man. Reason for 3 stars? Mr. Field really needs an editor. There were way too many mistakes to just overlook. Plus needed to put more separation between certain paragraphs. One group could be talking, then suddenly the next sentence is somewhere completely different. Much too irritating.
New author (to me) and a new main character. Interesting storyline but jumps in the action, without any explanation, make it hard to believe at times. Never-the-less the book holds attention and I quickly wanted to turn to the next page!
Lee Child on steroids?
Be interested to see if the plot can be developed further without becoming too fantastic.
The hero is larger than life, mysterious and, of course handsome. The plot is intricate and realistic. The characters are well fleshed and interesting. Highly recommend.
This is a very action packed mystery and intriguing story. It could be 5 star except there are too many editing errors - wrong words, words missing. It takes away from the flow and enjoyment.