Bright Lights

John Milton #15

by Mark Dawson

Is John Milton on the path to redemption or the road to revenge?

John Milton has done some bad things in his life. Very bad things. Now he's looking for ways to make amends. But trouble always seems to be looking for him.
Heading from San Francisco to Las Vegas, Milton's solo road trip takes an unexpected turn when he picks up Jessica Russo, a young woman in distress at the side of the road. She urgently needs a ride and he's happy to help her out.

But what starts out as a simple favour quickly becomes something more sinister. Once they get to their destination, it's clear something isn't right. Working for the Vegas casinos has got Jessica's father wrapped up with the wrong people. A mistake that could prove fatal for him and his family.

This is just the beginning of a dangerous journey that will take Milton from Sin City to Siena and beyond. As Milton goes deeper into a world of violence, ruthlessness and revenge, will he finally put his demons to rest? Or is he about to awaken the devil he's been trying to smother for so long?

"Mark Dawson has all the skills. A great thriller writer on the top of his game." - Sunday Times bestselling author Steve Cavanagh

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Audiobook, Crime, Action, Mystery, Espionage

368 pages, Paperback

First published September 6, 2019

About the author

For news and special offers join Mark's mailing list at:

http://eepurl.com/Cai5X

Mark Dawson was born in Lowestoft and grew up in Manchester and Chicago. He has worked as a lawyer and currently works in the London film industry. His first books, "The Art of Falling Apart" and "Subpoena Colada" have been published in multiple languages.

He is currently writing two series. Soho Noir is set in the West End of London between 1940 and 1970. The first book in the series, "The Black Mile", deals with the (real life but little known) serial killer who operated in the area during the Blitz. "The Imposter" traces the journey of a criminal family (think The Sopranos in austerity London and you'd be on the right track).

The John Milton series features a disgruntled special agent who aims to help people to make amends for the terrible things that he has done. Mark, as a child of the 80s, will freely admit that he watched a lot of The Equalizer in his youth.

Mark lives in Wiltshire with his family.

You can find him at www.markjdawson.com or www.facebook.com/markdawsonauthor.

Reviews

[Kathi Defranc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Milton at his BEST!! Milton continues his journey, attempting to clear his personal 'ledger' of wrongs he has done by making things Right for anyone having a struggle that he comes across. But when helping a stranded young lady get to Las Vegas, the tides turn and some folk intend to Use Him!! You do NOT back stab John Milton -There Will Be Hell To Pay!!
A thrill ride with disastrous consequences awaits...You Will hold your breathe and make sure your doors are Locked, with All your lights On in your house, as Milton turns the tale on those who thought He could be duped!
And I am SO very excited about the next adventure with Milton, as he allows his inner Beast to take over for a Revenge like we have Never seen..He has kept his 'devil' quiet for so long..Time to Turn It Loose!!!
A smashing adventure with the incredible man, ex-assassin, conqueror of All he comes up against-JOHN MILTON****

[Jennifer (Jaye) · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Hoodwinked*

John Milton a recovering alcoholic and is doing well on the AA program. He wants to make amends but in his case it’s difficult as a former Number One Assassin who worked for the government, most of his victims are dead. So let’s see he will help anyone where he can…..

He decides to buy an old Gto and have a road trip from San Francisco to Vegas. All goes well until he makes a stop for food.

A young woman named Jessica is crying because she can’t get into her car, electric car flat battery. John offers her a lift. She reluctantly accepts and on arrival at the destination it is clear all is not well. John quickly realises and sets about dealing with the culprits all the time Jessica is frightened.

They get away and after some expert driving on Milton’s part they shake off the criminals.

Well, Jessica’s Dad has gotten involved with the cartel and not just any cartel, with John enlisting help from a friend things take a turn that catches Milton off guard as he realises he has been hoodwinked and used. Jessica is not who she says she was. In the process things turn deadly when Milton is crossed will he let it slide?….. this is a man who takes on whoever with no fear and is resourceful, while others run away he runs towards trouble….

This was thrilling and this story continues in the next book ‘The Man who Never Was’

[Jim A · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to be able to read an ARC of this novel. As usual, Dawson's writing does not disappoint. Not a lot of wasted verbiage. A talent I really appreciate in an action thriller author.

What starts out to be a cross country drive for Milton in his recently purchased Pontiac GTO turns into another exciting adventure. By trying to help out a stranded young lady he becomes involved in a kidnapping by drug cartel members.

There are a few things in life that are really dangerous. Getting on the wrong side of a drug cartel is one. Getting on the wrong side of John Milton is another.

While the end game leads into the next story, it is not a cliff hanger and this can be read as a stand alone.

[Abibliofob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn, it was a cliffhanger book. I hate that now I have to wait for the next one. I really like this series and recommend it to those that follow me. Milton is a great character and Dawson is amazing at describing the setting. Thankfully I have other books related to this series to read.

[HoneyAhmad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always good to dip into my trusty potboiler in between reads. It’s a 3.5 coz well you ended it on a cliffhanger dude!

[Twobchelm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back to the action ….John gets the job done !

[Yasen Zhekov · Rating 2 out of 5]

The series lost it's edge. Still entertaining, but not the same as the first ones.

[Kevin Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Mark Dawson has written a superb addition to the John Milton series, these realy are unputdownable reads, highly recommended. Now on to the next in the series.

[Mick Grimble · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the story Milton at his best

[Giles Burrows · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Milton helps a young woman whose father has been kidnapped in Las Vegas. A lot of the time the plots for the John Milton books start by seeming derivative and predictable but then take an unexpected tangent and lead you somewhere unexpected. This is just such a case. I enjoyed it quite a lot. 3.5/5

[Judy Churchill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This harks back to the days when John was an active assassin. He has the fire in his belly again and we see him in action . . . only against very bad guys.

[Andrew Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of the Milton series and this was a 24 hour binge read for me. Thank goodness for lots of coffee at work this morning.

Milton has always had a bit of a rescue complex trying to make up for his violent past and it was fun to explore a different side of this in the new book. I loved that the places he visits in Vegas are real. The hotel and funky Evil Knievel themed pizza joint are exactly as described...now I want to take a trip to Vegas (but I am not rescuing any damsels in distress).

I wont give away any of the great surprises, but if you like Milton you will definitely enjoy this book.

Ends on a bit of a cliffhanger...now I have to wait a year for the next chapter. :(

[Marika Charalambous · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great entry in the John Milton series. Loved it, although the ending left a little to be desired. It was slightly unbelievable given the actions of those characters throughout the book. Otherwise great story, but do note that it doesn't end here, so we're now waiting for the next book for that most satisfactory ending.

Full review at https://mysterysequels.com/book-revie...

[ღ Carol jinx~☆~☔ʚϊɞ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved all 15 books in this series. I normally don't start reading books in a series but this is thrilling every minute and I don't want it to end. Poor John Milton just minding his own business and eating when all of a sudden a damsel in distress appears. I love it.

[John (JC) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boy! Did that leave me hanging!!!

[Gareth Otton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book started out as a solid 5 star read and I was loving every minute of it. When the mid act twist happened, I just loved it all the more. However, as we approached the climax things started to take a turn for the worse and my enjoyment slipped a little.

If I had to pick a flaw that really bugs me in this series it would be the way in which Milton uses his ‘friends’. Ziggy, Hicks and a few others don’t get much out of the relationship they have with Milton other than a hard time and maybe some cash now and again. Sure he has done stuff for them in the past, but we always just see him using them. This issue rears its ugly head again in this novel.


When Milton first caught up with Bo I was really enjoying it because for once they were acting like friends. However, it’s not long before Milton imposed on that friendship and bo paid the ultimate price.

Now, yes this has made Milton angry,but not in the way that I wanted to see. Bo deserved justice, but not just from the sicario, but everyone who put him in that situation. I was looking forward to seeing the whole Russo family get brought down and even though they didn’t exactly get away with it, it also wasn’t a satisfying ending for them considering what they caused.

However, my largest gripe is the ending. I am all for Milton taking this badly and wanting pay back and I’m looking forward to seeing him off the leash in the next novel; I just wish he wasn’t drawing his ‘friends’ into it again. Here he is finally showing an emotional reaction to what happened with a friend, and he just puts more friends in danger as a result. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not the end of the world, but it just annoys me.


My final worry about this book is a fear that Milton’s character is going to take a step backwards after this novel. Recently we have seen him start to grow content with his life. He has made peace with the fact that he will always be a violent man, but is taking solace in using his skills to help people. He has finally figured out how to be some sort of happy, or at least content, and I am not thrilled with the idea of drawing him back into the haunted character he was at the start of this series.

All that said though, this was a good read. I am yet to rate a John Milton book less than 4 stars and that isn’t loyalty but a genuine testament to how good this series is. Mark Dawson is an excellent writer and I will keep looking forward to reading John Milton novels as long as he keeps up this amazing quality. My issues with this one were more personal gripes than objective issues, and as always with these books, I highly recommend giving them a read.

[Greg Strom · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.2 I may have gotten hopes up that one book would segue smoothly into the next so the series would be just one very long book. Not so, in fact aside from passing mention you have no idea what the hell he was doing last, what injuries (emotional or physical) should he be healing from and is he fit to be thinking of another death defying adventure. Yeah yeah, needs to get to a meeting or he'll shrivel up and die (or start drinking heavily) but aside from steely blue eyes, stoicism, scars, the Smiths, and a couple tattoos, we really don't know much about the guy. Now we get a glimpse into his taste in cars as he snags a sweet GTO and drives from cali to Vegas , part of a dream and who an blame him. Sadly he meets a wench named Jessica who uses him to help her daddy steal money and that just ain't right.

Maybe he can atone for his misdeeds (ok, yes, multiple killings) by habitat for humanity or improving conditions in a refugee camp or maybe make a few new friends since he just lost an old one and killing the scario (very anticlimactic ending I must say) just won't be enough. We shall see cause I'm not giving up on you yet!

[Neelabh Pratap Singh · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Milton, a man of fortitude and action, stumbled upon Jessica Russo at a gas station when her Tesla was out of battery. He gallantly offers to take her to her destination, but upon arriving at her home, they discover the harrowing evidence of her father's abduction. Determined to help, Milton embarks on a perilous journey with Jessica to rescue her father, only to uncover a dangerous web of cartel involvement.

Although the storyline is straightforward, the short chapters and brisk pace maintain an exciting momentum. While the book does feature a few thrilling action scenes, they are tastefully executed without excessive theatrics. The plot takes a sudden turn at the halfway point, providing a surprising twist that may leave readers on the edge of their seats.

However, some readers may find the story's second half less captivating than the first. It is worth noting that Mark Dawson's writing style is distinctive and distinct from that of a detective or mystery novel, as there is no emphasis on solving puzzles or riddles. While the book's marketing may tout it as "Reacher-like," Dawson has his own unique brand of storytelling.

[Angela Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A change of team here as we once again meet up with Beau Baxter (whom we originally encountered in Saint Death and then saw again in The Driver). Beau is a complex character whom I liked so was glad to see him enter the fray again, along with the unexpected insertion of a new character - Beau's son, Chase Baxter.

Some pretty big twists here that I definitely didn't see coming and it was interesting to see Milton thrown off balance for a change. This was a 'can't put it down' kind of book.

I listed to the audio version of this book and found the narrator to be suited to the story.

Am I glad I read it - yes.
Was it a waste of my time - no.
Would I sit down and read it all over again - maybe.
Would I read more by this author based on this book - yes.

[George Pajunen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read all of the Mark Dawson ( John Milton ) books and this one stays true to form . It's a easy read and a fast read. John Milton constant struggle with himself and past life continues . He is always looking to help someone to make amends for his pass life in Group 15. He is a white knight with a black shadow in his passed life. John Milton ( John Smith ) doesn't mind helping a damsel in distress but this time he gets taken for a little ride . He gets into a pretty good fix but you'll have to read the rest yourself to see how John survives his demons and evens the field .

[Susan Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a continuation it’s wonderful to see John Milton follow-up with one of the characters he has saved. Since we can count on Mark Dawson for great content on a theme that is rewarding it’s good to see some of his characters highlighted once again and how they are doing. Mark Dawson never lets his readers down. One personal point, having had a ‘64 GTO ( Gran Turismo Omologato) in High School like John bought for his road trip in this book it was so nostalgic for me and I sure wish John would have gone back for his car.

[Mrs V · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thriller from the start to a cliffhanger ending.

After a couple of books that seemed to see Milton flagging in his desire to pursue hope of retribution for his violent past, this instalment gets Milton back on track.

Expertly written as usual, we find that Milton's casual offer of assistance to a stranded and seemingly innocent young woman turns out be the start of a bloody journey that leaves him planning violent revenge.

One day before finishing this book, I found that book 16 had been released, timing is excellent!!

[Gary Webster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t Mess With John Milton

Milton’s goal is to make amends. The Ninth step in the Twelve Step program of Alcoholics Anonymous. The only problem is Milton can’t make amends directly with those in his life. So he sets out to help others. This one goes wrong, as things can do in these situations. Milton’s best efforts will lead him in deeper that he wants to go, but as he says, we make choices and life takes us into the results of those choices. As with Dawson’s other John Milton novels, find some time in your calendar, this one requires a non stop read!

[Trish R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeez, John Milton is not afraid of anyone and is constantly tell bad guys that they should be afraid of him, but they never listen. This story was about the cartel screwing Las Vegas out of millions, of John having to deal with a traitor, of a friend being murdered, and ending with John, Hicks, Ziggy and Mason Baxter going after the people who ordered the death of his friend.

No romance and the F-bomb was used 15 times.

As for the narration: It's such a joy listening to David Thorpe; the accents, the different voices and the emotions when he reads. Wonderful.

[johnmarkie1905 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant from beginning to end Milton aka Smith simply doesn't disappoint the locations for this in this are fabulous at one stage I was on my balcony reading that I forgot where I was and envisaged myself in the desert I was that taken in by the storyline I felt I could reach out and touch the characters the characters themselves are awesome and I was always hooked by the storyline Jessica fooled most people I think brilliant so easy to give a well deserved 5 stars from me

[Tony Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just Deserts

One of the best in the Milton series. The writing has become more confident and slightly tighter. Many series are irritating in the padding that comes with the later volumes but Mark Dawson avoids that nicely, the later books are slightly longer but the crisp style is kept at a good pace throughout which I enjoyed. I have great expectations for the sixteenth but hopefully not the last volume.

[Neep Saud · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here's a quick suggestion for Mark Dawson. Slow down, buddy !! Your aim of trying to churn out books at a rate equivalent to a mobile manufacturer launching smartphones in a year doesn't seem like a great idea. The result is the quality of the Milton novels seem to be declining. There seems to be so little in terms of plot in this book. Let's hope that people just don't blindly leave a high rating on this book and encourage such writings.

[Kayleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yoooo! They killed Beau! WTF?!


I’m so excited to see Milton go back to his Assassin mindset to get revenge though.

One of my favourite things, and one of the things that sets this series apart from other espionage books, is that Milton is not a good man and he doesn’t pretend to be, but he’s trying to balance out his ledger.

It’ll be interesting to see how he handles going back to his previous work without falling back into bad habits.

[Diane E · Rating 5 out of 5]

The usual great thriller

I just reread most of the series and first read a few more. John Milton goes to Las Vegas to watch Elijha/Mustapha Mohamed fight in a pro boxing match. On the way he meets a young woman whose Tesla battery is dead 😄. He gives her a ride the 90 miles to her home. Then the Mexicans show up. John investigates her story. Sounded good,she appeared to be telling the truth. It's not a good idea to double cross John Milton.

[Dennis Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Been a while since I read a John Milton thriller. Forgot how good a character he is. John helps a lady in distress by giving her a ride to her father’s home in Vegas. All is good until they enter the home. From there on it is action central. Not giving any spoilers. ENJOY!