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Monument #1
The Last Monument
One small handwritten letter,
Sent from a dark, remote corner of the planet,
And lost in the system for sixty years,
Is about to change the entire human race.
Outside Denver, Colorado, Joe Rickards stands over a small aircraft wreckage, studying burnt remains still smoldering in a field of freshly fallen snow...an investigator for the NTSB, working to carefully roll back the last several hours and identify the cause of the accident.
But this time, he can't.
The details behind this tragedy don't add up. Unlike every other investigation of Joe's career, the facts make no sense. Each new piece of information only makes the accident more mysterious, and more baffling.
Why would a person receive an age-old letter and suddenly disappear into the thick of night...paying to be flown out of a closed airport in the worst possible weather conditions, by a pilot who hadn't had his hand on the stick in years?
With the only surviving relative insisting her grandfather would never have climbed into a small airplane in the first place, even in perfect weather.
A bizarre string of events culminating in a horrible accident unlike anything Rickards has experienced. Leaving his only hope at understanding it in the hands of the victim's sole remaining relative. Beginning with how a mysterious letter could turn up after being lost in the system for sixty years. Sent by someone who should have already been long dead.
A single letter, Joe Rickards is about to discover, with a secret that will change the entire world.
Sent from a dark, remote corner of the planet,
And lost in the system for sixty years,
Is about to change the entire human race.
Outside Denver, Colorado, Joe Rickards stands over a small aircraft wreckage, studying burnt remains still smoldering in a field of freshly fallen snow...an investigator for the NTSB, working to carefully roll back the last several hours and identify the cause of the accident.
But this time, he can't.
The details behind this tragedy don't add up. Unlike every other investigation of Joe's career, the facts make no sense. Each new piece of information only makes the accident more mysterious, and more baffling.
Why would a person receive an age-old letter and suddenly disappear into the thick of night...paying to be flown out of a closed airport in the worst possible weather conditions, by a pilot who hadn't had his hand on the stick in years?
With the only surviving relative insisting her grandfather would never have climbed into a small airplane in the first place, even in perfect weather.
A bizarre string of events culminating in a horrible accident unlike anything Rickards has experienced. Leaving his only hope at understanding it in the hands of the victim's sole remaining relative. Beginning with how a mysterious letter could turn up after being lost in the system for sixty years. Sent by someone who should have already been long dead.
A single letter, Joe Rickards is about to discover, with a secret that will change the entire world.
329 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 30, 2020
12172 people are currently reading
2703 people want to read
About the author
Michael C. Grumley
18 books1,312 followersMichael C. Grumley is the author of the best-selling BREAKTHROUGH series with over two million books sold. He lives in Northern California with his two young daughters. He’s an avid reader, runner and most of all father, and dotes on his girls every chance he gets. He loves hearing from readers while he works on the next ROLLBACK book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,000 reviews
May 14, 2020
Not sure who recommended this but they owe me twelve bucks 😠
October 11, 2022
The Last Monument
(Monument #1)
by Michael C. Grumley
I picked this audio version up on sale from chirp and it was wonderful! Great thriller adventure with twists and turns and an ending I really enjoyed. Suspense, great characters, and exciting plot kept me listening and loving every bit. Can't wait to catch the next Monument book!
(Monument #1)
by Michael C. Grumley
I picked this audio version up on sale from chirp and it was wonderful! Great thriller adventure with twists and turns and an ending I really enjoyed. Suspense, great characters, and exciting plot kept me listening and loving every bit. Can't wait to catch the next Monument book!
August 16, 2023
I am hooked on a book when my attention is engaged to the point of being oblivious to what is going on around me. There is a sequel, which I have already added to my kindle. The ending was just slightly disappointing, but the ride getting there was worthwhile. Can t write more - going to be busy reading. To author Michael C. Grumley, thank you for the good work!
April 17, 2020
This book should be made into a movie
This book starts a little slowly and then picks up speed. I think it would be a fine movie and I already have the name “Monument Men 2”. The plot of the story concerns one of the monument men who left the group in Germany and, went to South America to discover a bigger treasure. The who’s, what’s, and why’s are the plot of the story and what makes it so intriguing. I can only imagine what Hollywood could do with it.
This book starts a little slowly and then picks up speed. I think it would be a fine movie and I already have the name “Monument Men 2”. The plot of the story concerns one of the monument men who left the group in Germany and, went to South America to discover a bigger treasure. The who’s, what’s, and why’s are the plot of the story and what makes it so intriguing. I can only imagine what Hollywood could do with it.
June 2, 2020
Huh. This novel disappointed me. It relied heavily on coincidence to advance the plot and reveal character. The writting seemed muddled at times, and poorly conceived at others. And the ending, while not predictable, was emotionally predictable in a way that didn't satisfy.
August 3, 2020
Started good but went downhill fast
Started with an interesting plot. What was her grandfather searching for when he died? But then the whole plot got tangled up with Nazis chasing them for lost papers and then meeting a former NASA engineering searching for a mysterious energy force. Whaaaattt? Then, (spoiler alert), the main characters somehow being reunited with their lost loved ones. One final fight with the Nazis and then all is right with the world. Don’t waste your time. I want my money back
Started with an interesting plot. What was her grandfather searching for when he died? But then the whole plot got tangled up with Nazis chasing them for lost papers and then meeting a former NASA engineering searching for a mysterious energy force. Whaaaattt? Then, (spoiler alert), the main characters somehow being reunited with their lost loved ones. One final fight with the Nazis and then all is right with the world. Don’t waste your time. I want my money back
April 2, 2022
This book was a great adventure for me. It did start a little slow but the second half made up for it in my opinion.
It’s like a DaVinci code mixed with Indiana Jones.
The 2 main characters; Annette and Joe meet each other when Annette’s grandfather crashes a small plane outside of Denver and Joe, who works for the NTSB, is assigned to the investigation.
Family secrets going back to WWII with Annette’s long deceased great uncle, who was a Monument Man in the war, must be figured out to solve the puzzle of why her grandfather left his nursing home and was trying to fly a plane in the middle of a snowstorm.
You’ll travel to South America and have to stay 2 steps ahead of a dangerous man who was the son of a Nazi to be sure the secret doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.
It’s like a DaVinci code mixed with Indiana Jones.
The 2 main characters; Annette and Joe meet each other when Annette’s grandfather crashes a small plane outside of Denver and Joe, who works for the NTSB, is assigned to the investigation.
Family secrets going back to WWII with Annette’s long deceased great uncle, who was a Monument Man in the war, must be figured out to solve the puzzle of why her grandfather left his nursing home and was trying to fly a plane in the middle of a snowstorm.
You’ll travel to South America and have to stay 2 steps ahead of a dangerous man who was the son of a Nazi to be sure the secret doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.
June 5, 2020
I have not read a Michael Grumley book that I have not liked. They have always been a surprise and fun to read. Joe and Angela made a good team even if it didn't start out that way. I did feel like I got lost in some of the explanation of certain topics, but overall this is a great book and I'm looking forward to reading more about the "last monument".
Rating: PG -some violence, use of deity
Language: use of deity a couple of times, very little profanity (if any)
Recommend: Yes
Rating: PG -some violence, use of deity
Language: use of deity a couple of times, very little profanity (if any)
Recommend: Yes
July 29, 2020
Interesting novel, but with an abrupt ending!
August 9, 2020
Nope. Don’t bother. The ending was especially unsatisfying and vague and there were so many lose ends left hanging.
July 5, 2021
Had a lot of promise but there were some glaring errors that I imagine (or hope) a proof reader would have found. Then the story takes a supernatural turn which was out of place for me
December 5, 2023
An aviation inspector starts looking into a small plane crash. For some reason, two elderly men leave an old folks' home and try to fly a plane somewhere. When he learns the reason, it's off to the races.
Tries to cash in on the whole Monument Men fad, but still a decent read.
Tries to cash in on the whole Monument Men fad, but still a decent read.
January 3, 2021
This was a Xmas gift.
At first it really grabbed my attention. Reading the back of the book and the cover page and even the first chapter... you have literally no idea what the book is about. Something I am totally not used to, as I generally know what I am getting into when I am reading something.
It started off decent... but no exaggeration... 25 chapters in and I am still trying to figure out what the heck is going on. Also at first, the cliff hangers at the end of each chapter really did have me wondering what is going to happen next and had be turning pages trying to figure things out.
When things do start to unfold, the multiple bombs that are dropped are just too numerous and too absurd. If the author would of picked one or two things to focus on, it would have been plausible... but he just ends up word vomiting too many things in too many different directions.
The ending was so weak and unsatisfying and overall poor writing of the author who seems to lack an editor or just writing experience in general... this book is a solid 1/5 and earns the much deserved label of the worst book of 2021 thus far.
At over 80 chapters long... totally not worth it. I absolutely would not recommend this and it really astonishes me how many positive reviews this book has.
At first it really grabbed my attention. Reading the back of the book and the cover page and even the first chapter... you have literally no idea what the book is about. Something I am totally not used to, as I generally know what I am getting into when I am reading something.
It started off decent... but no exaggeration... 25 chapters in and I am still trying to figure out what the heck is going on. Also at first, the cliff hangers at the end of each chapter really did have me wondering what is going to happen next and had be turning pages trying to figure things out.
When things do start to unfold, the multiple bombs that are dropped are just too numerous and too absurd. If the author would of picked one or two things to focus on, it would have been plausible... but he just ends up word vomiting too many things in too many different directions.
The ending was so weak and unsatisfying and overall poor writing of the author who seems to lack an editor or just writing experience in general... this book is a solid 1/5 and earns the much deserved label of the worst book of 2021 thus far.
At over 80 chapters long... totally not worth it. I absolutely would not recommend this and it really astonishes me how many positive reviews this book has.
January 30, 2024
Notes:
Yay for libraries!
- I usually enjoy Scott Brick's narration. However, it felt abrasively dramatic for this story. The story wasn't well constructed and the narration made all the jagged parts more obvious.
- There were a couple of nice scenes towards the end that saved this story from 1 star land.
I can't recommend this one to anyone. Cool ideas, poor execution.
Yay for libraries!
- I usually enjoy Scott Brick's narration. However, it felt abrasively dramatic for this story. The story wasn't well constructed and the narration made all the jagged parts more obvious.
- There were a couple of nice scenes towards the end that saved this story from 1 star land.
I can't recommend this one to anyone. Cool ideas, poor execution.
April 7, 2020
Enjoyable
I read this book right when it came out, and I completely enjoyed do so. Our world is going through something that brings uncertainty and worries for everyone. Being able to escape into a good book was just the thing that I needed. Thank you to Mr. Grumley.
I read this book right when it came out, and I completely enjoyed do so. Our world is going through something that brings uncertainty and worries for everyone. Being able to escape into a good book was just the thing that I needed. Thank you to Mr. Grumley.
June 30, 2020
Poorly written and an even worse plot. No wonder he had to self publish.
May 12, 2020
Having read and thoroughly enjoyed his Breakthrough series, which is imaginative, bold and well-written, I was so excited to see another Grumley book published. I bought it straight away and read it swiftly. This time, Grumley steps away from his almost other-worldly action series and gives the readers what is an unashamedly Indiana Jones type mystery involving an air-traffic inspector, Joe Rickards, with a sad secret, and a young female academic, an anthropologist, who also bears a heavy burden.
These two are thrown together when the anthropologist’s elderly great-uncle dies in a plane crash. Terrified of flying and an octogenarian, he nonetheless boarded a small aircraft in terrible weather with an old pilot friend. Where was he going? And what drove him to take such a terrible risk? When it’s discovered the great-uncle is carrying a letter sent to him sixty years earlier but which has only just been delivered and that it was sent by his brother who was thought dead after the war (something great-uncle never believed), a train of events is set in motion. Joe is roped into helping the great-niece learn the truth of not just what the letter meant, but what mystery lies at its heart. It’s a journey that will take both of them not only into the depths of South America, but into the deadly sights of others who have been searching for the answer to the mystery contained in the letter ever since the end of the war and will do whatever it takes to ensure only they discover the truth.
Grumley knows how to write good, page-turning novels and grip the reader. This one is no different except, for some reason, the story didn’t quite grab me in the way the Breakthrough novels did. The lead characters aren’t as rounded as I’ve become accustomed to in his novels and, while their back stories, when revealed, were heart-breaking, there was a sense in which they felt a little too contrived. Maybe that’s a bit unfair and maybe it’s more to do with the climax of the novel (which relates to the back stories as well). After devoting all the book to this mystery at the heart of the letter, the brother’s disappearance after the war, the deaths that are occurring and the Nazis determination to uncover and keep the secret, when all is revealed, it’s a bit of an anti-climax. The finale was also very schmaltzy and while I love a bit of schmaltz, it was a little overplayed. It was also unclear exactly how and why what happened - when this mystery is uncovered - did (I’m trying not to do spoilers). Yes, we were given the explanation of matter and energy and all that, and it was fascinating and easy to follow... but.... Again, this is just my very humble opinion, but the ending happened so fast and it felt like there was a rush to resolve and end the tale, even though Grumley has left it open for another book.
Overall, I would give The Last Monument between 3-3.5 stars. Some great writing and an interesting plot that for me didn’t quite live up to its initial promise.
These two are thrown together when the anthropologist’s elderly great-uncle dies in a plane crash. Terrified of flying and an octogenarian, he nonetheless boarded a small aircraft in terrible weather with an old pilot friend. Where was he going? And what drove him to take such a terrible risk? When it’s discovered the great-uncle is carrying a letter sent to him sixty years earlier but which has only just been delivered and that it was sent by his brother who was thought dead after the war (something great-uncle never believed), a train of events is set in motion. Joe is roped into helping the great-niece learn the truth of not just what the letter meant, but what mystery lies at its heart. It’s a journey that will take both of them not only into the depths of South America, but into the deadly sights of others who have been searching for the answer to the mystery contained in the letter ever since the end of the war and will do whatever it takes to ensure only they discover the truth.
Grumley knows how to write good, page-turning novels and grip the reader. This one is no different except, for some reason, the story didn’t quite grab me in the way the Breakthrough novels did. The lead characters aren’t as rounded as I’ve become accustomed to in his novels and, while their back stories, when revealed, were heart-breaking, there was a sense in which they felt a little too contrived. Maybe that’s a bit unfair and maybe it’s more to do with the climax of the novel (which relates to the back stories as well). After devoting all the book to this mystery at the heart of the letter, the brother’s disappearance after the war, the deaths that are occurring and the Nazis determination to uncover and keep the secret, when all is revealed, it’s a bit of an anti-climax. The finale was also very schmaltzy and while I love a bit of schmaltz, it was a little overplayed. It was also unclear exactly how and why what happened - when this mystery is uncovered - did (I’m trying not to do spoilers). Yes, we were given the explanation of matter and energy and all that, and it was fascinating and easy to follow... but.... Again, this is just my very humble opinion, but the ending happened so fast and it felt like there was a rush to resolve and end the tale, even though Grumley has left it open for another book.
Overall, I would give The Last Monument between 3-3.5 stars. Some great writing and an interesting plot that for me didn’t quite live up to its initial promise.
May 27, 2022
Amateurishly written, and with a very unsatisfying and ridiculously fantastical conclusion. It's just silly, to the point that there's simply not enough "suspension of disbelief" in the universe to make it readable.
I'd call it neither science fiction nor fantasy, because the author didn't provide any narrative justification for the denouement at all, either via science or via fantasy world-building. It reminds me a little bit of my 7th grade English teacher telling us, for a fiction writing assignment, that we couldn't use the cop-out ending of, "... and then he woke up and realized it was all a dream."
I'd call it neither science fiction nor fantasy, because the author didn't provide any narrative justification for the denouement at all, either via science or via fantasy world-building. It reminds me a little bit of my 7th grade English teacher telling us, for a fiction writing assignment, that we couldn't use the cop-out ending of, "... and then he woke up and realized it was all a dream."
November 19, 2020
3.5 stars. Kind of Indiana Jones meets Ghost. Not a bad story. Held my interest, just the escapism I needed.
December 30, 2022
Easy read with an interesting premise but the ending is a mess and clumsily forces overly emotional character backstories out of nowhere into the last fifty pages
December 22, 2020
A SIMPLE MAN'S REVIEW:
Evidence #32,323 that Amazon reviews are fake. Based on those reviews, you'd think this was the best book ever written! But in reality, it's just another formulaic book centered around one mystery from the past.
You want to write a book like this? No problem. Take one, male protagonist with a traumatic past who happens to be an expert in most things and combine with a younger, naïve, female protagonist to follow his lead. Mix in an antagonist with almost unlimited funds that has spent their whole life (bonus points if their father also spent his life) dedicated to the main "secret" of the book. Obviously the story will take place in several locations, so be sure to read a bunch of Wikipedia articles so you can throw in random facts to seem more knowledgeable. And, since there's not much of an actual story to lead the reader on, you need to leave annoying hints to your "secret" to try build false intrigue that might encourage the reader to get to the end of the book. Now you have a book to sell on Amazon with fake reviews!
Skip it!
Evidence #32,323 that Amazon reviews are fake. Based on those reviews, you'd think this was the best book ever written! But in reality, it's just another formulaic book centered around one mystery from the past.
You want to write a book like this? No problem. Take one, male protagonist with a traumatic past who happens to be an expert in most things and combine with a younger, naïve, female protagonist to follow his lead. Mix in an antagonist with almost unlimited funds that has spent their whole life (bonus points if their father also spent his life) dedicated to the main "secret" of the book. Obviously the story will take place in several locations, so be sure to read a bunch of Wikipedia articles so you can throw in random facts to seem more knowledgeable. And, since there's not much of an actual story to lead the reader on, you need to leave annoying hints to your "secret" to try build false intrigue that might encourage the reader to get to the end of the book. Now you have a book to sell on Amazon with fake reviews!
Skip it!
April 12, 2020
I was disappointed when I found that Michael Grumley's latest book was not a continuation of the Breakthrough series. I bought it anyway. The Last Monument was as original in concept as Breakthrough. I read it in one sitting and at the end, Like Breakthrough, I wanted more.
Grumley’s next book is a continuation of Breakthrough which I will order as soon as it is announced. I will also be waiting for a continuation of The Last Monument.
Will some one please buy the movie rights to Breakthrough so that Mr. Grumley can sit at home and write more books.
Grumley’s next book is a continuation of Breakthrough which I will order as soon as it is announced. I will also be waiting for a continuation of The Last Monument.
Will some one please buy the movie rights to Breakthrough so that Mr. Grumley can sit at home and write more books.
October 21, 2020
This one started off slow, but I am so glad I stuck with it! I really enjoyed reading this novel. I would have given 5 stars, but I think the first half could have been written better, it was a bit blah. It builds up into a great second half, a real page turner.
January 12, 2021
Intriguing
While I found this book difficult to follow & stay with in the beginning, the story slowly develops & pulls you in. Interesting characters, suspense, wonder, and a deep caring for mankind & the complexities of this earth.
While I found this book difficult to follow & stay with in the beginning, the story slowly develops & pulls you in. Interesting characters, suspense, wonder, and a deep caring for mankind & the complexities of this earth.
April 18, 2020
Mesmerizing!!
Can't wait to read more! I loved every second of it and loved the suspense. Plus the fact it didn't get mushy lol!
Can't wait to read more! I loved every second of it and loved the suspense. Plus the fact it didn't get mushy lol!
April 19, 2020
Great read
I have never read any books by Mr. Grumley, but will read some of his other books. I liked the characters and the storyline. Nice ending!
I have never read any books by Mr. Grumley, but will read some of his other books. I liked the characters and the storyline. Nice ending!
May 5, 2020
Loved it. Grumley, you are quickly becoming a favorite!
March 30, 2023
Honestly, I did not have high expectations for this book but I loved it. It felt a little drug out in the middle but the ending was great and not at all what I was expecting. I love the way this story uses real history and/or science combined with the legends that go along with them. I really enjoyed this and immediately started the second book!
April 19, 2020
Captivating
I wanted to read this book when I saw it was written by Michael Grumley. Having read his other books I was thrilled to see this one. It was truly remarkable. His writing is superb. This one is especially touching and inspiring.
I wanted to read this book when I saw it was written by Michael Grumley. Having read his other books I was thrilled to see this one. It was truly remarkable. His writing is superb. This one is especially touching and inspiring.
January 26, 2024
Outside of my typical genres, but still enjoyable!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,000 reviews