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Executive #4
Executive Force
The fourth standalone thriller in The Executive Series finds Secret Service Agent Scott Roarke on a serial assassin’s trail—one that leads to a clandestine North Korean plot and a nuclear standoff.
Instability and fear seize the nation. Local and national political figures are systematically assassinated. A growing secessionist movement stirs up anti-government fervor. The combination creates nationwide unrest and lack of confidence in leadership. With the clock ticking toward a monumental constitutional crisis, President Morgan Taylor assigns Secret Service Agent Scott Roarke to investigate the assassinations. Meanwhile, Roarke’s fiancée, an assistant to the U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice, is tasked with researching the separatists. Attorney Katie Kessler goes rogue to gather evidence for the court. Roarke hunts a lone assassin across two continents. Their paths lead them both to a decades-old plot hatched at a private school in Switzerland, now leading to North Korea.
With the assassin ready to make his greatest kill and critical destabilizing votes occurring state-by-state, the president must decide whether to activate America’s own secretive, long-incubating active measures against an enemy that can’t be exposed, but must be stopped. Timely and revealing, with an inside-out view of real and present dangers, Executive Force brings a political reality to the page that feels like breaking news.
Instability and fear seize the nation. Local and national political figures are systematically assassinated. A growing secessionist movement stirs up anti-government fervor. The combination creates nationwide unrest and lack of confidence in leadership. With the clock ticking toward a monumental constitutional crisis, President Morgan Taylor assigns Secret Service Agent Scott Roarke to investigate the assassinations. Meanwhile, Roarke’s fiancée, an assistant to the U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice, is tasked with researching the separatists. Attorney Katie Kessler goes rogue to gather evidence for the court. Roarke hunts a lone assassin across two continents. Their paths lead them both to a decades-old plot hatched at a private school in Switzerland, now leading to North Korea.
With the assassin ready to make his greatest kill and critical destabilizing votes occurring state-by-state, the president must decide whether to activate America’s own secretive, long-incubating active measures against an enemy that can’t be exposed, but must be stopped. Timely and revealing, with an inside-out view of real and present dangers, Executive Force brings a political reality to the page that feels like breaking news.
424 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 21, 2018
60 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Gary Grossman
17 books61 followersGary Grossman, author of EXECUTIVE ACTIONS, EXECUTIVE TREASON, and EXECUTIVE COMMAND, is a print and television journalist, an Emmy Award-winning network television producer, and a film and TV historian.
His career has included stints producing for NBC News, ABC, CBS NBC, Fox, PBS, and more than 27 cable networks.
Grossman is partner with Robb Weller in Weller/Grossman Productions, a prolific documentary and service and information television production company. Together, they have produced more than 6,000 programs and earned numerous awards including the prestigious Governor's Emmy Award for their 1996 USA Network special, "Healing the Hate," and an Emmy for Best Informational series with the 2002 production of "Wolfgang Puck" for Food Network.
The company's widely recognized series and specials have aired on NBC, Fox News, CNBC, History Channel, A&E, Discovery Channel, Food Network, Discovery Health, National Geographic Channel, HGTV, Fine Living, Do It Yourself, The Learning Channel, USA Network, and Sci Fi Channel, among other channels.
Grossman earned a Bachelors Degree in Communications from Emerson College in Boston and a Master's Degree in Urban Affairs from Boston University.
He began his career at 15 as a disc jockey at WHUC, his local radio station in Hudson, New York. He went on to work at Boston television station, WBZ; joined The Boston Globe as a special contributor, and then became a full-time television critic and columnist at The Boston Herald American, before moving to Los Angeles. His articles have also appeared in The New York Times and numerous magazines. He has taught journalism and media classes at Emerson College, Boston University, and USC. Grossman's two previous acclaimed non-fiction books, Superman: Serial to Cereal and Saturday Morning TV, cover television history.
Grossman lives in Los Angeles with his wife, writer Helene Seifer, and their children Sasha, Zachary, and Jacob. He serves on the Emerson College Board of Trustees and the Boston University Metropolitan Advisory Board. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers Association.
His career has included stints producing for NBC News, ABC, CBS NBC, Fox, PBS, and more than 27 cable networks.
Grossman is partner with Robb Weller in Weller/Grossman Productions, a prolific documentary and service and information television production company. Together, they have produced more than 6,000 programs and earned numerous awards including the prestigious Governor's Emmy Award for their 1996 USA Network special, "Healing the Hate," and an Emmy for Best Informational series with the 2002 production of "Wolfgang Puck" for Food Network.
The company's widely recognized series and specials have aired on NBC, Fox News, CNBC, History Channel, A&E, Discovery Channel, Food Network, Discovery Health, National Geographic Channel, HGTV, Fine Living, Do It Yourself, The Learning Channel, USA Network, and Sci Fi Channel, among other channels.
Grossman earned a Bachelors Degree in Communications from Emerson College in Boston and a Master's Degree in Urban Affairs from Boston University.
He began his career at 15 as a disc jockey at WHUC, his local radio station in Hudson, New York. He went on to work at Boston television station, WBZ; joined The Boston Globe as a special contributor, and then became a full-time television critic and columnist at The Boston Herald American, before moving to Los Angeles. His articles have also appeared in The New York Times and numerous magazines. He has taught journalism and media classes at Emerson College, Boston University, and USC. Grossman's two previous acclaimed non-fiction books, Superman: Serial to Cereal and Saturday Morning TV, cover television history.
Grossman lives in Los Angeles with his wife, writer Helene Seifer, and their children Sasha, Zachary, and Jacob. He serves on the Emerson College Board of Trustees and the Boston University Metropolitan Advisory Board. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers Association.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
August 22, 2018
Excellent thriller! I had a hard time putting it down. Uses current events ripped out of today's headlines (North Korea and white supremacists) to give an exciting, non-stop ride. I will definitely be reading the author's earlier works!
And, I can't let this go without mentioning some parallels with today's actual events.
1-Texas Governor Rick Perry suggested in 2009 that the state might secede from the Union (that's today's Energy Secretary Perry).
2 - He's the walking embodiment of the big six constellations of personality disorders; sadistic, antisocial, paranoid, narcissistic, schizoid, and schizotypal. A person who has exteme difficulty making or maintaining close relationships. He seeks, demands, and requires adoration. The associated mannerisms include preoccupation on an equal basis with both minor and grandiose decisions....may be predisposed to having a superior manner and the obsessive belief in their own self-worth above all others". No, not DJT (but if the shoe fits...), the North Korean Leader.
3 - regarding danger signs that a leader might be losing it...from the Army Field Manual, "a leader should demonstrate control over behavior and bring it in line with the needs of the organization...cannot act viscerally or angrily when receiving bad news or conflicting information. This man is known for impulsive emotional outbursts. He allows his selfish personal agenda, emotions...to dictate his reaction to threats." Again, it's regarding the NK Leader, but, oh, how the Joint Chief of Staffs must be wringing their hands currently!
This was a really good book. Taking the story as just that, a story, it's a fun read. Reading into it the descriptions of our own leader's traits, however, makes it chilling!
And, I can't let this go without mentioning some parallels with today's actual events.
1-Texas Governor Rick Perry suggested in 2009 that the state might secede from the Union (that's today's Energy Secretary Perry).
2 - He's the walking embodiment of the big six constellations of personality disorders; sadistic, antisocial, paranoid, narcissistic, schizoid, and schizotypal. A person who has exteme difficulty making or maintaining close relationships. He seeks, demands, and requires adoration. The associated mannerisms include preoccupation on an equal basis with both minor and grandiose decisions....may be predisposed to having a superior manner and the obsessive belief in their own self-worth above all others". No, not DJT (but if the shoe fits...), the North Korean Leader.
3 - regarding danger signs that a leader might be losing it...from the Army Field Manual, "a leader should demonstrate control over behavior and bring it in line with the needs of the organization...cannot act viscerally or angrily when receiving bad news or conflicting information. This man is known for impulsive emotional outbursts. He allows his selfish personal agenda, emotions...to dictate his reaction to threats." Again, it's regarding the NK Leader, but, oh, how the Joint Chief of Staffs must be wringing their hands currently!
This was a really good book. Taking the story as just that, a story, it's a fun read. Reading into it the descriptions of our own leader's traits, however, makes it chilling!
August 15, 2018
This is a masterfully crafted geo-political thriller, the fourth book in the “Executive” series by Gary Grossman. This book is a stand-alone thriller, but after reading it I definitely want to read the other books in the series. The plot is multi-layered, some parts spanning decades in a long game of espionage, and could seemingly be ripped from today’s headlines.
Scott Roarke is an agent with the US Secret Service, but he does not have the typical role most people think. Roarke does research and field tests to determine the safety and security of certain institutions. He was handpicked for this role by the president, a man he has close ties to from the past.
The nation is paralyzed. A serial assassin that is taking out elected officials across the country, from school board members to governors, judges to senators. Scott Roarke is tapped by the president to investigate these assassinations, but the bodies are piling up faster than Roarke can move. He teams up with a rival from the FBI and a close friend from the CIA to track down leads and eliminate the threat before his final act. They soon discover that the threats to the country are both foreign and domestic, and the implications are far greater than they ever imagined.
Roarke’s fiancee, Katie Kessler, is a senior lawyer in the Supreme Court that works for Chief Justice Leopold Browning. While researching an assignment given to her by Browning, Katie discovers a grassroots secessionist movement that is sweeping the country. She goes rogue and attempts to infiltrate the secessionists to determine their ultimate plan.
The author provides a lengthy cast of characters at the beginning of the book to help you keep track as you read. This thriller is full of espionage, treason, and cyber warfare. As the plot lines converge, Scott and Katie are on a race against time to put the pieces together and save the nation. This leads up to a fascinating conclusion that will leave you thinking about it long after the final page.
I would recommend this book to fans of political thrillers and espionage. I received this as a free ARC from Diversion Books on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Scott Roarke is an agent with the US Secret Service, but he does not have the typical role most people think. Roarke does research and field tests to determine the safety and security of certain institutions. He was handpicked for this role by the president, a man he has close ties to from the past.
The nation is paralyzed. A serial assassin that is taking out elected officials across the country, from school board members to governors, judges to senators. Scott Roarke is tapped by the president to investigate these assassinations, but the bodies are piling up faster than Roarke can move. He teams up with a rival from the FBI and a close friend from the CIA to track down leads and eliminate the threat before his final act. They soon discover that the threats to the country are both foreign and domestic, and the implications are far greater than they ever imagined.
Roarke’s fiancee, Katie Kessler, is a senior lawyer in the Supreme Court that works for Chief Justice Leopold Browning. While researching an assignment given to her by Browning, Katie discovers a grassroots secessionist movement that is sweeping the country. She goes rogue and attempts to infiltrate the secessionists to determine their ultimate plan.
The author provides a lengthy cast of characters at the beginning of the book to help you keep track as you read. This thriller is full of espionage, treason, and cyber warfare. As the plot lines converge, Scott and Katie are on a race against time to put the pieces together and save the nation. This leads up to a fascinating conclusion that will leave you thinking about it long after the final page.
I would recommend this book to fans of political thrillers and espionage. I received this as a free ARC from Diversion Books on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 28, 2018
At times this beautifully balanced action thriller hits a little close to home, with its ripped from the headlines characters and situations. It's billed as and works as a stand alone, but based on how much enjoyment I got from Executive Force, I will be seeking out the rest of the series. I think that what I appreciated most was the complexity and depth of the characters and the ratio of story to action. The action sequences seemed to move the story along and seemed well placed. The pacing is measured but fast and the settings are perfectly detailed. I was highly entertained.
August 21, 2018
An enjoyable and entertaining spy thriller. Most of the American government actors are good guys that can be trusted to always do the right thing. The outcome is never in doubt just the path getting there. Well written but not really high quality drama.
December 6, 2018
"Executive Force" eBook was published in 2018 and was written by Gary Grossman (https://www.garygrossman.com). Mr. Grossman has published four novels. This is the fourth in his "Executive" series.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is set in the contemporary US. The primary characters are Secret Service Agent Scott Roarke and his fiancée Katie Kessler, a lawyer and assistant to the US Supreme Court Chief Justice.
A series of assassinations of political leaders is driving the US into chaos. A growing secessionist movement is being fueled by this and threatens the US. Roarke must find the assassin and stop him before there are more deaths. Kessler is looking into the secessionist movement for the Chief Justice and goes undercover within the leading organization. Both find themselves in danger and on trails of evidence that lead to the same conclusion.
I thoroughly enjoyed the 10.5 hours I spent reading this 448-page thriller. While this is the fourth book in this series, it reads well on its own. I liked the characters and the plot created by the author. The cover art is kind of bland. Something related to the story would have been better in my opinion. I give this novel a 4.5 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is set in the contemporary US. The primary characters are Secret Service Agent Scott Roarke and his fiancée Katie Kessler, a lawyer and assistant to the US Supreme Court Chief Justice.
A series of assassinations of political leaders is driving the US into chaos. A growing secessionist movement is being fueled by this and threatens the US. Roarke must find the assassin and stop him before there are more deaths. Kessler is looking into the secessionist movement for the Chief Justice and goes undercover within the leading organization. Both find themselves in danger and on trails of evidence that lead to the same conclusion.
I thoroughly enjoyed the 10.5 hours I spent reading this 448-page thriller. While this is the fourth book in this series, it reads well on its own. I liked the characters and the plot created by the author. The cover art is kind of bland. Something related to the story would have been better in my opinion. I give this novel a 4.5 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
February 5, 2019
How does an international political thriller open?
With a sniper putting the cross-hairs of a 6.5 Creedmore Bolt-Action Rifle on a politician’s forehead in a sleepy New England town and squeezing the trigger? With an operative cutting a fence, breaking into LAX, making his way across the runway, posing as a TSA officer, getting into a plane and successfully putting a bag in the overhead compartment? With an autopsy on a U.S. Senator in Kansas City revealing ricin poisoning? With a spy inserting a malware-laden thumb drive into the computer of a Whale Class ballistic missile submarine docked at Yuktae-dong, North Korea?
Yes, any of these would make great openings – and all of these can be found in Executive Force (Diversion Books), the latest thriller in The Executive Series by Gary Grossman.
Read the rest of the review here: https://booktrib.com/2018/10/executiv...
With a sniper putting the cross-hairs of a 6.5 Creedmore Bolt-Action Rifle on a politician’s forehead in a sleepy New England town and squeezing the trigger? With an operative cutting a fence, breaking into LAX, making his way across the runway, posing as a TSA officer, getting into a plane and successfully putting a bag in the overhead compartment? With an autopsy on a U.S. Senator in Kansas City revealing ricin poisoning? With a spy inserting a malware-laden thumb drive into the computer of a Whale Class ballistic missile submarine docked at Yuktae-dong, North Korea?
Yes, any of these would make great openings – and all of these can be found in Executive Force (Diversion Books), the latest thriller in The Executive Series by Gary Grossman.
Read the rest of the review here: https://booktrib.com/2018/10/executiv...
December 5, 2018
This is the fourth in a series by Gary Grossman but that did not matter. This novel stood well on its own without the prior knowledge of the previous books. The author unlike a lot of other series did not dwell on bios of the main characters, this was built on as the story progressed. The story was and should be the main event, here it did not disappoint. Scott Roarke is your all american secret service hero who is going to save the USA from an ingenious plot that has been many years in the making and threatens the stability of the union itself. Full of action and real tension making this an exceptionally good thriller.
December 8, 2018
One Damn Good Book!
I’ve now read each book in the Executive series and each is as riveting and terrific as the last. Gary Grossman deserves to be included in the likes of Clancy, Flynn, Coes and Thor. His books are that exciting with layers of storylines. I hope there will be another.
I’ve now read each book in the Executive series and each is as riveting and terrific as the last. Gary Grossman deserves to be included in the likes of Clancy, Flynn, Coes and Thor. His books are that exciting with layers of storylines. I hope there will be another.
May 25, 2022
Good read
Another good read from Grossman in the Executive series.
N Korea is trying destabilize USA politically and by using an assassin to kill leaders.
The book is not as good as the 3 previous “Executive “ books but well worth a read
Another good read from Grossman in the Executive series.
N Korea is trying destabilize USA politically and by using an assassin to kill leaders.
The book is not as good as the 3 previous “Executive “ books but well worth a read
October 23, 2025
Gary Grossman's Executive Series may be one of the best political thriller series I've ever read. These books have everything. Non-stop action and thrilling writing is fantastic. I hope to see more of Scott Roarke in the future.
December 16, 2025
This book is bad for your blood pressure - my heart was pounding so hard near the end. A great book - the whole concept of the series is realistic and terrifying. The characters just get more complex with each book in the series.
December 23, 2018
Wonderful
March 10, 2019
Wow. Excellent. Lots of research went into this incredible action thriller. Highly recommend!
June 5, 2019
Another excellent read
February 1, 2020
A page turner. An excellent series. I highly recommend this author
December 26, 2020
Loved the series. Loved the characters. A home run read.
March 12, 2021
Very good book. Only complaint - chase scene at end was way too long.
November 16, 2022
A great read.
December 10, 2024
Excellent book and story. It was hard following some of the fights, but... One complaint: Nebraska is abbreviated NE, not NB.
December 28, 2024
A page turner
Fantastic story development and detail of how the government works or doesn't work. The character development is excellent along with geographical protrayal.
Fantastic story development and detail of how the government works or doesn't work. The character development is excellent along with geographical protrayal.
April 4, 2023
What an amazing, wild, terrifying ride The Executive Series was. It came to an epic conclusion in Executive Force.
Once again, Scott Roark teams up with various FBI CIA, NSA operatives to help track down the latest attack against the United States. With all of the characters from the previous three books and a new super assassin, Executive Force was heart pounding and terrifying in its implications.
We go through a ride to figure out who the ultimate villain is in the latest terroristic attack, utilizing random assassinations of political figures on all spectrums- low level school board members - all the way to federal judges. The assassin even has higher up individuals in his sights.
Mr. Grossman was able to wrap up all of the story lines from previous books that were dangling and bring some to shocking conclusions. This was a win for series wrap up.
Recommend?
I recommend to anyone who loves psychological and geopolitical thrillers and has any interest in world politics.
This review appeared on my website.
Disclaimer
I received via the OverDrive/Libby app from the Harris County Library system. It was read as a Kindle Book.
Once again, Scott Roark teams up with various FBI CIA, NSA operatives to help track down the latest attack against the United States. With all of the characters from the previous three books and a new super assassin, Executive Force was heart pounding and terrifying in its implications.
We go through a ride to figure out who the ultimate villain is in the latest terroristic attack, utilizing random assassinations of political figures on all spectrums- low level school board members - all the way to federal judges. The assassin even has higher up individuals in his sights.
Mr. Grossman was able to wrap up all of the story lines from previous books that were dangling and bring some to shocking conclusions. This was a win for series wrap up.
Recommend?
I recommend to anyone who loves psychological and geopolitical thrillers and has any interest in world politics.
This review appeared on my website.
Disclaimer
I received via the OverDrive/Libby app from the Harris County Library system. It was read as a Kindle Book.
January 4, 2025
Great plot, fast action
This is the fourth & final book in this series. Another excellent plot with great characters. You can read any of them as a standalone but I recommend reading all four in short fashion.
This is the fourth & final book in this series. Another excellent plot with great characters. You can read any of them as a standalone but I recommend reading all four in short fashion.
October 20, 2018
Executive Force
By Gary Grossman
5 stars
Engaging from the first page to the last.
In the genre of Tom Clancy, the Executive series by Grossman are action packed, imaginative thrillers that take the reader on a journey to the very last pages.
Executive Force is the fourth book in the series, which features Secret Service Agent Scott Roarke on a serial assassin’s trail—one that leads to a clandestine North Korean plot and a nuclear standoff. The assassin is picking off American political figures, one by one, creating uncertainty and havoc.
Meanwhile, Roarke’s fiancée, an assistant to the U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice, is tasked with researching the separatists. Attorney Katie Kessler goes rogue to gather evidence for the court. Roarke hunts a lone assassin across two continents. Their paths lead them both to a decades-old plot hatched at a private school in Switzerland, now leading to North Korea.
The plot is tight, so that even the build up encourages the reader to keep turning pages to unravel what is coming next.
While this is the fourth in the series, it can be read by itself. Although a warning, reading it will encourage you to go out and buy the first three books in the series.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#ExecutiveForce #NetGalley
Reviewed by Heath Henwood
www.books-reviewed.weebly.com
By Gary Grossman
5 stars
Engaging from the first page to the last.
In the genre of Tom Clancy, the Executive series by Grossman are action packed, imaginative thrillers that take the reader on a journey to the very last pages.
Executive Force is the fourth book in the series, which features Secret Service Agent Scott Roarke on a serial assassin’s trail—one that leads to a clandestine North Korean plot and a nuclear standoff. The assassin is picking off American political figures, one by one, creating uncertainty and havoc.
Meanwhile, Roarke’s fiancée, an assistant to the U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice, is tasked with researching the separatists. Attorney Katie Kessler goes rogue to gather evidence for the court. Roarke hunts a lone assassin across two continents. Their paths lead them both to a decades-old plot hatched at a private school in Switzerland, now leading to North Korea.
The plot is tight, so that even the build up encourages the reader to keep turning pages to unravel what is coming next.
While this is the fourth in the series, it can be read by itself. Although a warning, reading it will encourage you to go out and buy the first three books in the series.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#ExecutiveForce #NetGalley
Reviewed by Heath Henwood
www.books-reviewed.weebly.com
December 20, 2018
One of the best books I have read in a while. A story about a grand plan to destroy America through targeted assassinations of influential lawmakers. A well thought out plot that seems somewhat feasible during these contentious times. I don't know how I missed this author before but I plan on starting with this series from the beginning. Pick up this book and you will not be disappointed. Thank you Netgalley, Gary Grossman and Diversion Books
January 7, 2019
Special Agent Scott Roarke and his fiance, Katie Kessler, Assistant to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Leopold Browning, are tasked with what initially looks to be separate issues: Roarke to determine who is killing off up and coming political appointees with no clear sense of pattern; and Kessler to dig into "The Declaration of Clauses" to determine just how much worry there may need to be on the federal level of state succession activities that are being pumped into specific states by an "independent", Lucas Burke. But Burke's strings are being pulled by his political strategist, Clay Lindstrom. Both issues collide with frightening rapidity as key political figures are assassinated by a man only known as "The Phantom" and the depths of Lindstrom's betrayal toward his own gain...and the destruction of the United States of America...is a connection that runs well into his past with an explosively unstable world leader as partner. A fascinating and frighteningly complex look at the deepest of divisiveness within our country and the potential fallout world wide. Could not put it down!
January 8, 2019
Usually if someone says here is a political action thriller....I'd say, no thanks, I'll pass. The one exception is Tom Clancy books and now Gary Grossman. This author took the time to build his characters and story into a believable calendar of events that you really hope would never happen. Following the story as it builds from a slow start to multiple political assassinations to the POTUS setting in motion a squad dedicated to stopping the killings. At the same time, secessionists are working against the current administration. After living in Alaska during the time when secessionists were working to make Alaska it's own country, I recognized many of the consequences in this book as real life. Mr Grossman remained true to his story while making sure the story line was exciting and engrossing. I'm definitely reading more of his books.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews