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Bolt
Power-broker Hollywood talent manager Lyndon Fox's wife Deirdre hires epileptic LA private detective Scott Brody after a previous private detective she assigned to keep tabs on her husband’s suspected infidelity is killed in Cabo San Lucas when she and her husband vacation there. An unknown assailant stalks her after she returns home. A secretive FBI agent named Peltz tells Brody that Lyndon Fox is involved with a cabal burrowed inside the FBI who, with the help of the deep state, are conspiring to take down the president of the United States. Peltz wants Brody to help him obtain evidence to expose Fox, as assailants ramp up their terrorism of the Fox family. Lyndon Fox is a man not to be taken lightly, but his burning desire to advance his career has terrifying consequences.
Praise for Bryan Cassiday's thriller Force of Impact:
"A fast-paced detective novel enhanced by exceptional characters and a striking ending."--Kirkus Reviews
"A potent shot of contemporary LA noir that will have readers hooked from page one. Fans of Dennis Lehane and James Ellroy will love Force of Impact."--BestThrillers.com
Praise for Bryan Cassiday's thriller Force of Impact:
"A fast-paced detective novel enhanced by exceptional characters and a striking ending."--Kirkus Reviews
"A potent shot of contemporary LA noir that will have readers hooked from page one. Fans of Dennis Lehane and James Ellroy will love Force of Impact."--BestThrillers.com
- GenresFiction
431 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 17, 2019
12 people are currently reading
646 people want to read
About the author
Bryan Cassiday
64 books213 followersAward-winning author Bryan Cassiday writes thrillers and horror fiction. His novel Horde (Zombie Apocalypse: The Chad Halverson Series Book 6) won the 2022 Independent Press Award and the 2021 American Fiction Award for Best Horror novel. His novel Electric Green Mambas was a Finalist in the Reader Views Award for Thrillers 2021-22. His short story "Boxed" was published in the anthology Shadows and Teeth Volume Two, which won both the 2017 International Book Award for best adult horror fiction anthology and the Florida Association of Publishers and Authors President's Award gold medal for best adult horror fiction anthology 2017.
"A bracing page-turner with an unconventional hero."--Kirkus Reviews on Bryan's thriller Murder LLC
His thrillers include the psychological thriller The Payout and the Ethan Carr thriller Force of Impact, which Kirkus Reviews called "A fast-paced detective novel enhanced by exceptional characters and a striking ending."
Praise for Bryan Cassiday's Thriller Bolt
“From the very start, Bryan Cassiday spins what appears to be a typical Southern Californian private investigation novel in Bolt, but quickly takes off in a direction that speaks to our current troubled times. Well-plotted and crisply written, with great characterization, this is one to look for.”--Brendan DuBois, coauthor with James Patterson of The Cornwalls Are Gone.
"Noir suspense at its best! Private eyes, hit men, globe-trotting, and characters you don't know whether you can trust or not. Fans of James Ellroy, Dennis Lehane, and Fredrick Forsyth will love Bolt!"--Matthew Farrell, best-selling author of What Have You Done
Praise for Bryan Cassiday's Zombie Books
"The plot engages from the beginning and holds the reader's interest until the last page."--The Booklife Prize on Horde
"Cassiday blends thoughtful suspense and pulse-pounding terror to deliver a novel with both bite and creeping dread."--David Dunwoody, author of Empire and The Harvest Cycle
"Written with the epic scope of World War Z and infused with the gritty spook works derring-do of a Robert Ludlum spy thriller, Sanctuary in Steel is full of zombie mayhem through and through."--Joe McKinney, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Flesh Eaters and Inheritance
"Sanctuary in Steel made me feel like I did the first time I watched Romero. Fresh, exciting and engaging like any outbreak story should be."--Iain McKinnon, author of Domain of the Dead
"A bracing page-turner with an unconventional hero."--Kirkus Reviews on Bryan's thriller Murder LLC
His thrillers include the psychological thriller The Payout and the Ethan Carr thriller Force of Impact, which Kirkus Reviews called "A fast-paced detective novel enhanced by exceptional characters and a striking ending."
Praise for Bryan Cassiday's Thriller Bolt
“From the very start, Bryan Cassiday spins what appears to be a typical Southern Californian private investigation novel in Bolt, but quickly takes off in a direction that speaks to our current troubled times. Well-plotted and crisply written, with great characterization, this is one to look for.”--Brendan DuBois, coauthor with James Patterson of The Cornwalls Are Gone.
"Noir suspense at its best! Private eyes, hit men, globe-trotting, and characters you don't know whether you can trust or not. Fans of James Ellroy, Dennis Lehane, and Fredrick Forsyth will love Bolt!"--Matthew Farrell, best-selling author of What Have You Done
Praise for Bryan Cassiday's Zombie Books
"The plot engages from the beginning and holds the reader's interest until the last page."--The Booklife Prize on Horde
"Cassiday blends thoughtful suspense and pulse-pounding terror to deliver a novel with both bite and creeping dread."--David Dunwoody, author of Empire and The Harvest Cycle
"Written with the epic scope of World War Z and infused with the gritty spook works derring-do of a Robert Ludlum spy thriller, Sanctuary in Steel is full of zombie mayhem through and through."--Joe McKinney, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Flesh Eaters and Inheritance
"Sanctuary in Steel made me feel like I did the first time I watched Romero. Fresh, exciting and engaging like any outbreak story should be."--Iain McKinnon, author of Domain of the Dead
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 20, 2019
It's an amazing book. It is a tale of deception and betrayal. If you are habituated with violence reads or have no objections with violence reads, then you can try this book. It may make you satisfied. And it’s also for the secret lovers. I found a fault in this book. That was the developing of the characters. It may become the reason for the annoyance to readers.
At the end I should give thanks to NetGalley for giving me a free epub of this book.
At the end I should give thanks to NetGalley for giving me a free epub of this book.
October 16, 2019
Scott Brody is a PI in Los Angeles hired by a worried wife who thinks her husband has hired someone to stalk her in retaliation for her hiring a PI to investigate him. The PI she hired wound up murdered in Mexico while the couple was on vacation there, and now that they’re home she thinks someone is after her. In reality, they’re both in a lot more trouble then they can begin to imagine.
Bolt is full of secrets, violence, and intrigue – and I’m really not sure what to make of it. The book frustrated me at many points, mostly because I couldn’t help thinking that the hero was such an idiot. But I didn’t see some of plot twists coming and as I reached the end I stayed up until 2:30 AM because I simply couldn’t put it down. And then there’s the ending … I hope there’s a sequel, because otherwise I’ll never explain that. Be prepared to be surprised.
Bolt is full of secrets, violence, and intrigue – and I’m really not sure what to make of it. The book frustrated me at many points, mostly because I couldn’t help thinking that the hero was such an idiot. But I didn’t see some of plot twists coming and as I reached the end I stayed up until 2:30 AM because I simply couldn’t put it down. And then there’s the ending … I hope there’s a sequel, because otherwise I’ll never explain that. Be prepared to be surprised.
November 7, 2019
In Bolt we find ourselves amidst a tale of initial infidelity, murder, and national espionage. We follow the harassment of the entitled and shallow Hollywood Fox family. The wife and mother has hired an epileptic PI Scott Brody after the prior PI hired to tail her husband Lyndon is murdered while they're vacationing in Cabo San Lucas.
Although I did finish this book it really was a struggle. I just couldn't get into it. The premise of this novel could have been a really good read and instead for me it was only alright. I will highlight the things that contributed to my dislike of the book but that doesn't necessarily mean that someone else might enjoy this kind of novel.
In the beginning there is a constant rehash between Brody and some of the other characters regarding what happened to the previous PI without coming to any different conclusions, new evidence or opinions. I find the premise that Marcello thinks he is in a "VR game" not believable - maybe if he were actually a gamer his delusions could present that way but as he stands... nope. The epilepsy chatroom discussions are really odd to me and they didn't really help further the plot of the book itself. Sometimes the authors word choice is strange; overly descriptive of random things like clothes. The short chapters serve as a major drawback for me (there's 120) and it makes the novel seem disjointed. Lastly, the reactions of the Fox family just in general but more specifically regarding Busby & their daughter's "problem".
I really really wanted to like this book and I kept going to give it a chance but I cannot recommend it. If you think that you may like it and have Kindle Unlimited it is available - otherwise it's $4.99 in Kindle format. This book could appeal to readers of suspense and thrillers. I received this book through a GoodReads Giveaway and I appreciated the opportunity to read this book.
Although I did finish this book it really was a struggle. I just couldn't get into it. The premise of this novel could have been a really good read and instead for me it was only alright. I will highlight the things that contributed to my dislike of the book but that doesn't necessarily mean that someone else might enjoy this kind of novel.
In the beginning there is a constant rehash between Brody and some of the other characters regarding what happened to the previous PI without coming to any different conclusions, new evidence or opinions. I find the premise that Marcello thinks he is in a "VR game" not believable - maybe if he were actually a gamer his delusions could present that way but as he stands... nope. The epilepsy chatroom discussions are really odd to me and they didn't really help further the plot of the book itself. Sometimes the authors word choice is strange; overly descriptive of random things like clothes. The short chapters serve as a major drawback for me (there's 120) and it makes the novel seem disjointed. Lastly, the reactions of the Fox family just in general but more specifically regarding Busby & their daughter's "problem".
I really really wanted to like this book and I kept going to give it a chance but I cannot recommend it. If you think that you may like it and have Kindle Unlimited it is available - otherwise it's $4.99 in Kindle format. This book could appeal to readers of suspense and thrillers. I received this book through a GoodReads Giveaway and I appreciated the opportunity to read this book.
October 1, 2019
Prepare yourself for a fast moving tale of love, hate, paranoia, murder, stalking, and terrorism.
Deirdre Fox is married to Lyndon, a well-known talent manager in Hollywood. She once hired a Private Investigator to follow her husband since she believed he was having an affair. Unfortunately, that PI was killed at a vacation resort .... where Dierdre and her husband were vacationing. An unknown assailant stalks her after she returns home.
She has now turned to Scott Brody, an epileptic private eye in Los Angeles. (Book Blurb ) Is her husband playing the field or is he trying to drive her mad with self-doubt and paranoia? Or worse--is he trying to kill her?
A secretive FBI Agent believes Fox is involved with other FBI Agents in taking down the President of the United States and reaches out to Brody for his help in exposing Fox.
There's lot of action ... lots of violence ... leading to an explosive ending. The story premise is a good one, although not unique. I couldn't quite get a handle on the characters. They weren't developed enough to add a little credibility to the story line.
Many thanks to the author / Edelweiss for the digital copy of BOLT. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Deirdre Fox is married to Lyndon, a well-known talent manager in Hollywood. She once hired a Private Investigator to follow her husband since she believed he was having an affair. Unfortunately, that PI was killed at a vacation resort .... where Dierdre and her husband were vacationing. An unknown assailant stalks her after she returns home.
She has now turned to Scott Brody, an epileptic private eye in Los Angeles. (Book Blurb ) Is her husband playing the field or is he trying to drive her mad with self-doubt and paranoia? Or worse--is he trying to kill her?
A secretive FBI Agent believes Fox is involved with other FBI Agents in taking down the President of the United States and reaches out to Brody for his help in exposing Fox.
There's lot of action ... lots of violence ... leading to an explosive ending. The story premise is a good one, although not unique. I couldn't quite get a handle on the characters. They weren't developed enough to add a little credibility to the story line.
Many thanks to the author / Edelweiss for the digital copy of BOLT. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
September 29, 2020
I was very curious about how the story progressed and ended, but honestly haven't enjoyed that much the book.
I haven't liked at all the dialogues, which I found quite stupid, too many empty (useless) sentences which felt like pages and pages of going nowhere.
Then at some points fast paced action.
In the same way, the characters are a mix of skilled/smart people for some things but not thinking on what may come next. Not being able of putting 2 and 2 together.
I may understand some people liking the book, I cannot say I would recommend it, the story had some good points... But didn't catch me.
My problem now? I know there's a continuation and I'm wondering whether to read it or not!
------
And that's not a spoiler, but please if anyone could explain me the reason of spending so much time talking about epilepsy... It was annoying me big time!!
I haven't liked at all the dialogues, which I found quite stupid, too many empty (useless) sentences which felt like pages and pages of going nowhere.
Then at some points fast paced action.
In the same way, the characters are a mix of skilled/smart people for some things but not thinking on what may come next. Not being able of putting 2 and 2 together.
I may understand some people liking the book, I cannot say I would recommend it, the story had some good points... But didn't catch me.
My problem now? I know there's a continuation and I'm wondering whether to read it or not!
------
And that's not a spoiler, but please if anyone could explain me the reason of spending so much time talking about epilepsy... It was annoying me big time!!
December 22, 2019
Bolt was a combination of a frustrating and somewhat crazy story with less than likeable characters. While there is plenty of action the storyline did not move forward in a cohesive manner.
3 star read.
My thanks to goodreads and the book's giveaway sponsors for the opportunity to obtain and read a copy of this book.
3 star read.
My thanks to goodreads and the book's giveaway sponsors for the opportunity to obtain and read a copy of this book.
January 13, 2020
Very busy book with multiple sub-stories going on. This made the book a little long in my opinion and also left reader up in the air, no closure on these stories. Ending also leaves the reader with questions unless the story continues in another book?
December 31, 2019
Lots of Action
There was plenty of action in this book. I liked the short chapters because it kept the flow going. Just make sure you get the right luggage next time you travel.
There was plenty of action in this book. I liked the short chapters because it kept the flow going. Just make sure you get the right luggage next time you travel.
December 9, 2019
This is an action packed thriller that is filled with unrelenting gruesome violence and deception. Everyone has a secret and nothing is to be trusted. At first I had a problem with the protagonist, Brody; he seemed to be just shuffling around and ineffective but, when the crisis reached its peak, he stepped up to the challenge and proved his mettle. There’s a lot of madness in this storyline and the ending proved that it was going to continue. If you are looking for an engrossing fast-paced story that takes you into the world of the drug cartel, this is the book for you.
Note: I do have some difficulty figuring out how the epilepsy discussions played into the story. I understand that they proved that Brody’s private life had been invaded but somehow it didn’t seem to be in sync with the tone of the rest of the book.
I won a copy of this book in a Gooreads giveaway for this honest review.
Note: I do have some difficulty figuring out how the epilepsy discussions played into the story. I understand that they proved that Brody’s private life had been invaded but somehow it didn’t seem to be in sync with the tone of the rest of the book.
I won a copy of this book in a Gooreads giveaway for this honest review.
November 3, 2019
Is her husband playing the field or is he trying to drive her mad with self-doubt and paranoia? Or worse--is he trying to kill her?
Power-broker Hollywood talent manager Lyndon Fox's wife Deirdre hires epileptic LA private detective Scott Brody after a previous private detective she assigned to keep tabs on her husband’s suspected infidelity is killed in Cabo San Lucas when she and her husband vacation there. An unknown assailant stalks her after she returns home. A secretive FBI agent named Peltz tells Brody that Lyndon Fox is involved with a cabal burrowed inside the FBI who, with the help of the deep state, are conspiring to take down the president of the United States. Peltz wants Brody to help him obtain evidence to expose Fox, as assailants ramp up their terrorism of the Fox family. As Deirdre's world collapses around her, she must find out the truth about who is responsible before she loses everything--including her life.
This was a great whodunit that kept me gripped til the end.
Really well written plot and storyline that was very engaging.
You don't know who to believe in this one as the suspense keeps you glued to your seat.
Characters so well written and engaging.
I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to more from this author.
Recommend reading.
Many many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me access to this eARC. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Power-broker Hollywood talent manager Lyndon Fox's wife Deirdre hires epileptic LA private detective Scott Brody after a previous private detective she assigned to keep tabs on her husband’s suspected infidelity is killed in Cabo San Lucas when she and her husband vacation there. An unknown assailant stalks her after she returns home. A secretive FBI agent named Peltz tells Brody that Lyndon Fox is involved with a cabal burrowed inside the FBI who, with the help of the deep state, are conspiring to take down the president of the United States. Peltz wants Brody to help him obtain evidence to expose Fox, as assailants ramp up their terrorism of the Fox family. As Deirdre's world collapses around her, she must find out the truth about who is responsible before she loses everything--including her life.
This was a great whodunit that kept me gripped til the end.
Really well written plot and storyline that was very engaging.
You don't know who to believe in this one as the suspense keeps you glued to your seat.
Characters so well written and engaging.
I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to more from this author.
Recommend reading.
Many many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me access to this eARC. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
August 18, 2019
Try as I might I just couldn’t get into this story. I found the characters a bit lacking; not fully developed – not flushed out enough. The story however has potential. If you like violence, deceit, betrayal, hit men and secrets then this is something you might enjoy.
October 14, 2019
New author for me
Really good read. PI, takes on a case of a cheating spouse. It turns out to be more than that. Drug dealing, murders with a bow and arrow, FBI and gangs, made this an interesting read. Wish more back story given, though. Unhappy about the dog!
Really good read. PI, takes on a case of a cheating spouse. It turns out to be more than that. Drug dealing, murders with a bow and arrow, FBI and gangs, made this an interesting read. Wish more back story given, though. Unhappy about the dog!
August 20, 2019
This was a lot of whodunit and guessing if the wife was crazy or not. I had a lot of fun reading this and look forward to more from the author.
October 26, 2019
Good book. Won from Goodreads. Will read more by this author.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews