What do you think?
Rate this book
Stronghold #1
Minute Zero
When the world ends in a heartbeat, suddenly old secrets don’t matter anymore. But new ones still do, and protecting the ones you love is the only thing that still matters.
Two sisters, one a trendy caterer on the run from a vicious killer, the other a country midwife...
Because of a simple mistake, Lori Dovner must flee from the vicious mafioso Raoul Saldata, and her life goes from routine to a terrifying journey with an uncertain outcome in a single moment. On the road with her two children, her only goal is to get to her sister’s Montana farm alive. But both Lori and Louise have been hiding a secret for years.
Two brothers, one a Navy Seal on leave, the other a good man who wants to do right by his family…
Deacon Hale is taking two weeks to help his brother Roger and his wife Louise on their remote Montana farm. He loved Lori once, but has finally put her behind him. Roger Hale just wants to give his pregnant wife and two young children a good life. He has no idea the about the secrets that have been kept from him for years.
Dangerous identity…
Angela Jones is an FBI agent with a terrible debt that she knows she will someday have to pay. And when Raoul Saldata calls in that debt is called in she has no choice but to comply.
Evil incarnate…
Raoul Saldata as a child in Albania, would pretend he was a dhampir, the child resulting from the mating between a human female and a vampire. That was a myth of course, but the evil Saldata practices is anything but. And when he finds Lori Dovner, he intends to do a lot more than just kill her.
“Minute Zero” Stronghold: Book One is a thriller (with a touch of romance) about an ordinary family struggling to stay safe and find each other in the face of insurmountable odds, an abysmal loss of life and the dawn of a new, post-apocalyptic dark age.
Two sisters, one a trendy caterer on the run from a vicious killer, the other a country midwife...
Because of a simple mistake, Lori Dovner must flee from the vicious mafioso Raoul Saldata, and her life goes from routine to a terrifying journey with an uncertain outcome in a single moment. On the road with her two children, her only goal is to get to her sister’s Montana farm alive. But both Lori and Louise have been hiding a secret for years.
Two brothers, one a Navy Seal on leave, the other a good man who wants to do right by his family…
Deacon Hale is taking two weeks to help his brother Roger and his wife Louise on their remote Montana farm. He loved Lori once, but has finally put her behind him. Roger Hale just wants to give his pregnant wife and two young children a good life. He has no idea the about the secrets that have been kept from him for years.
Dangerous identity…
Angela Jones is an FBI agent with a terrible debt that she knows she will someday have to pay. And when Raoul Saldata calls in that debt is called in she has no choice but to comply.
Evil incarnate…
Raoul Saldata as a child in Albania, would pretend he was a dhampir, the child resulting from the mating between a human female and a vampire. That was a myth of course, but the evil Saldata practices is anything but. And when he finds Lori Dovner, he intends to do a lot more than just kill her.
“Minute Zero” Stronghold: Book One is a thriller (with a touch of romance) about an ordinary family struggling to stay safe and find each other in the face of insurmountable odds, an abysmal loss of life and the dawn of a new, post-apocalyptic dark age.
- GenresDystopiaPost Apocalyptic
326 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 11, 2020
275 people are currently reading
134 people want to read
About the author
Chris Jayne
3 books17 followershttps://www.facebook.com/authorchrisj...
chris@chrisjayne.com
Could it happen? Would you survive?
Chris Jayne is author of the apocalyptic EMP series Stronghold. Jayne is also the penname of a USA Today bestselling romance and thriller author who has started asking "what if?" What if the lights go off? What if the food supply chain just... stops? The world could become an unfriendly place in a hurry.
Three years ago, Chris began exploring the 'prepper' lifestyle, and hopes that if TEOTWAWKI would actually happen, she would be in a position to protect her family and loved ones.
She now spends her days splitting her time between her romance writing and her apocalyptic and dystopian fiction novels. Because what's more fun than imagining the end of the world from the comfort of your couch? And if the end of the world has a few sexy Navy Seals in it? All the better!
She loves writing stories exploring how ordinary people cope with extraordinary circumstances, especially situations where the normal comforts, conveniences, and rules are stripped away.
chris@chrisjayne.com
Could it happen? Would you survive?
Chris Jayne is author of the apocalyptic EMP series Stronghold. Jayne is also the penname of a USA Today bestselling romance and thriller author who has started asking "what if?" What if the lights go off? What if the food supply chain just... stops? The world could become an unfriendly place in a hurry.
Three years ago, Chris began exploring the 'prepper' lifestyle, and hopes that if TEOTWAWKI would actually happen, she would be in a position to protect her family and loved ones.
She now spends her days splitting her time between her romance writing and her apocalyptic and dystopian fiction novels. Because what's more fun than imagining the end of the world from the comfort of your couch? And if the end of the world has a few sexy Navy Seals in it? All the better!
She loves writing stories exploring how ordinary people cope with extraordinary circumstances, especially situations where the normal comforts, conveniences, and rules are stripped away.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 10, 2020
This is book one of the Stronghold series and the main character is Lori Dovner, who is a single mother following the death of her husband and now runs a high end and trendy catering company, where she caters at people’s homes with a small team. She has two children Brandon (6) and Grace (9), and doesn’t have any family living close by. Her sister Louise and husband Roger Hale live in Montana and until recently were living and working on an intentional community, not quite a cult, but after the death of its leader, it was taken over by his son, who had many different ideas on how it should be run and how its residents should act! On her last job, she realised the morning after that she had left her bag, wallet, laptop and lots of important information that she needed urgently, at the client’s home. She tried contacting him, but received no answer. She tried the housekeeper, but she was out of state. She did however, provide her with codes to get in for her bag.
When she does, she walks into something she should never have witnessed, a senator announced dead on the news that morning, alive and being tortured! Now, the owner and vicious mafioso Raoul Saldata, comes after her, but she manages to get away. She escapes to her late husband’s grandmother’s home, knowing she is away and hides her car and stops to think what she needs to do next. There were police everywhere, shortly after she ran and it seemed like some were heading after her, rather than going to the scene of the crime at Saldata’s home! She realises after the shock has begun to wear off, that she needs to collect her kids from school, before they become pawns for this vicious man. She only just manages to get them before the police call the school ad it is placed in lockdown! She knows from the small dinner party she catered to that this man has influential people on his side, including top Miami police officers, the FBI and even maybe some political figures. She can’t trust anyone and knows that the crime scene will no doubt be cleaned up completely before she could get anyone to investigate it, if they even believed her, or didn’t arrest her on sight!
Her only option, is to try and get to her sister’s home in Montana, with her kids, the au pair Simone and their dog. They can only safely travel by car, but they have nothing with them and can’t use anything that might be able to be linked back to them, like credit cards or even phones. It will take a couple of days at least to drive there, but it seems that Saldata knows where she is heading and is on her trail. He has a Miami cop, Rossi, and an FBI agent, Angela Jones with him. Angela has no choice but to do as he asks, as her own family are under threat from him and his minions if she doesn’t. He has his hooks into her and he isn’t someone that you can get away from alive. Saldata speaks Spanish, but isn’t a native Spanish speaker like he pretends to be. He is actually raised in Albania and pretends he is the offspring of a vampire, giving vent to some of his most vile practices. If he gets ahold of Lori and her children, then he will kill them all, but will ensure he has his fun with her beforehand!
Roger Hale has managed to escape the community they bought a home in, thinking it would be an ideal place to raise their children, but has now had to stretch to buy a farm for them to live in, once they left with their lives. He and his wife Louise have two children and another on the way. His brother Captain Deacon Hale has taken some leave from his Special Forces role, to help his brother fix up the farm. He loved Lori once, but has finally gotten over her, and Lori didn’t know he would be there, otherwise she would never have started to travel there! Roger picks him up from the small local airport a couple of hours away and they make their way to the farm. Lori and her family have stopped at a rest area, where the FBI agent saw her in the bathroom, but since Lori had changed her appearance, she didn’t recognise her at first. When she realises, she knows she can’t lie to Saldata and they turn back to catch Lori. As they do, their car stops and all the phones go dead. Louise is at the hospital with a friend and her daughter who broke her arm, when all the lights go out. Lori was told to wait at the rest area, for Roger. Now they are all stuck with no transport, nor any communications.
An EMP apocalyptic tale with an evil man already after the main character, whilst she is just trying to get to safety with her family. Now, all three branches of the family will have to try and find each other, while staying safe in an ever descending state of affairs. Being chased by a mad man who she knows will kill her and anyone else with her, without the slightest flicker of emotion. Each part of the story is told from the specific characters view and gives you their location and the current time, this part of the story takes place. As the story advances, you get to go back in time to other parts of the timeline for the characters and see how they are coping or what they are doing. Lori was being chased by a deadly foe, before the EMP struck and now life has just gotten even more dangerous for all! A great change to most EMP tales and one that has action the whole way through. You worry for Lori, her kids and au pair with such a determined psycho on her tail, but she is a resourceful woman and knows how to plan for the unexpected. I bet she didn’t expect this though! A great read that leaves you wanting more, as matters escalate and the world as they knew it has changed. What will happen next, I can’t wait to find out, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
When she does, she walks into something she should never have witnessed, a senator announced dead on the news that morning, alive and being tortured! Now, the owner and vicious mafioso Raoul Saldata, comes after her, but she manages to get away. She escapes to her late husband’s grandmother’s home, knowing she is away and hides her car and stops to think what she needs to do next. There were police everywhere, shortly after she ran and it seemed like some were heading after her, rather than going to the scene of the crime at Saldata’s home! She realises after the shock has begun to wear off, that she needs to collect her kids from school, before they become pawns for this vicious man. She only just manages to get them before the police call the school ad it is placed in lockdown! She knows from the small dinner party she catered to that this man has influential people on his side, including top Miami police officers, the FBI and even maybe some political figures. She can’t trust anyone and knows that the crime scene will no doubt be cleaned up completely before she could get anyone to investigate it, if they even believed her, or didn’t arrest her on sight!
Her only option, is to try and get to her sister’s home in Montana, with her kids, the au pair Simone and their dog. They can only safely travel by car, but they have nothing with them and can’t use anything that might be able to be linked back to them, like credit cards or even phones. It will take a couple of days at least to drive there, but it seems that Saldata knows where she is heading and is on her trail. He has a Miami cop, Rossi, and an FBI agent, Angela Jones with him. Angela has no choice but to do as he asks, as her own family are under threat from him and his minions if she doesn’t. He has his hooks into her and he isn’t someone that you can get away from alive. Saldata speaks Spanish, but isn’t a native Spanish speaker like he pretends to be. He is actually raised in Albania and pretends he is the offspring of a vampire, giving vent to some of his most vile practices. If he gets ahold of Lori and her children, then he will kill them all, but will ensure he has his fun with her beforehand!
Roger Hale has managed to escape the community they bought a home in, thinking it would be an ideal place to raise their children, but has now had to stretch to buy a farm for them to live in, once they left with their lives. He and his wife Louise have two children and another on the way. His brother Captain Deacon Hale has taken some leave from his Special Forces role, to help his brother fix up the farm. He loved Lori once, but has finally gotten over her, and Lori didn’t know he would be there, otherwise she would never have started to travel there! Roger picks him up from the small local airport a couple of hours away and they make their way to the farm. Lori and her family have stopped at a rest area, where the FBI agent saw her in the bathroom, but since Lori had changed her appearance, she didn’t recognise her at first. When she realises, she knows she can’t lie to Saldata and they turn back to catch Lori. As they do, their car stops and all the phones go dead. Louise is at the hospital with a friend and her daughter who broke her arm, when all the lights go out. Lori was told to wait at the rest area, for Roger. Now they are all stuck with no transport, nor any communications.
An EMP apocalyptic tale with an evil man already after the main character, whilst she is just trying to get to safety with her family. Now, all three branches of the family will have to try and find each other, while staying safe in an ever descending state of affairs. Being chased by a mad man who she knows will kill her and anyone else with her, without the slightest flicker of emotion. Each part of the story is told from the specific characters view and gives you their location and the current time, this part of the story takes place. As the story advances, you get to go back in time to other parts of the timeline for the characters and see how they are coping or what they are doing. Lori was being chased by a deadly foe, before the EMP struck and now life has just gotten even more dangerous for all! A great change to most EMP tales and one that has action the whole way through. You worry for Lori, her kids and au pair with such a determined psycho on her tail, but she is a resourceful woman and knows how to plan for the unexpected. I bet she didn’t expect this though! A great read that leaves you wanting more, as matters escalate and the world as they knew it has changed. What will happen next, I can’t wait to find out, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
September 25, 2020
Lately, I’ve been looking for more opportunities to find books I can review with book tours. It didn’t take long for me to find iRead Book Tours. It seemed interesting so I signed up to receive tour requests. The very first book offered was Minute Zero by Chris Jayne.
While this isn’t my usual genre, I found myself totally engrossed in this book from the very first page!! It’s not often that I read a book where someone’s on the run for their life and driving 2,400 miles just to figure out what to do next! And then finding the person they’re running from at an interstate rest stop!
The entire book kept me engaged and interested in what will happen next. At first I was worried I wouldn’t finish the book in time to write a review by my scheduled date of Friday, September 25, 2020. there was nothing to be concerned about, though!
I highly recommend readers to venture into different genders occasionally. Staying stuck in the usual genres doesn’t help readers to go on mew adventures like I did when I read Minute Zero! This book is so good that I’ve pre-ordered book 2, Day Zero, which releases October 9, 2020! I just need to find out what happens next!
Minute Zero by Chris Jayne is part of the Stronghold series, published by Inferis Press. I pre-ordered Minute Zero ebook on Amazon for my Kindle Paperwhite. I give this book five out of five stars because it kept me engaged from cover to cover with so much action and curiosity to what I would do in these situations!
While this isn’t my usual genre, I found myself totally engrossed in this book from the very first page!! It’s not often that I read a book where someone’s on the run for their life and driving 2,400 miles just to figure out what to do next! And then finding the person they’re running from at an interstate rest stop!
The entire book kept me engaged and interested in what will happen next. At first I was worried I wouldn’t finish the book in time to write a review by my scheduled date of Friday, September 25, 2020. there was nothing to be concerned about, though!
I highly recommend readers to venture into different genders occasionally. Staying stuck in the usual genres doesn’t help readers to go on mew adventures like I did when I read Minute Zero! This book is so good that I’ve pre-ordered book 2, Day Zero, which releases October 9, 2020! I just need to find out what happens next!
Minute Zero by Chris Jayne is part of the Stronghold series, published by Inferis Press. I pre-ordered Minute Zero ebook on Amazon for my Kindle Paperwhite. I give this book five out of five stars because it kept me engaged from cover to cover with so much action and curiosity to what I would do in these situations!
June 7, 2021
Sometimes, I amaze myself, usually not in a great way LOL! This time it worked out okay but please don’t follow my crazy example. Way back in December 2020 I read I read books 2-3 pages of this series. Yes, I somehow started on book 2! I really enjoyed it but had a few questions about the beginning. But, I know how series can be so I just accepted it. By the end of book 2 I was sucked into the storyline and just grabbed book 3, duh! Well, late yesterday I saw in my TBR’s Minute Zero and it’s by an author I know and like (I have trouble remembering titles but not so much authors’ names). Anyway I was so excited I see started reading even though I knew I should be going to sleep in an hour or so. WOW, was the surprised to discover all of the answers I wanted by finally reading book one 6 months later. I recognized the characters immediately and now at 5AM I’ve finished reading it and am thrilled with the entire series! I highly recommend it and hope you begin with book 1.
I don’t know how I came to own this book but this is my honest opinion.
I don’t know how I came to own this book but this is my honest opinion.
April 21, 2021
For most of the book, this is really an action thriller with bad guys on two fronts and the EMP disaster is just going to add another wrinkle to all of their lives. There were some cliché elements: crime lord trying to track and kill an innocent woman, religious nuts, two people who hooked up an now hate each other. There was one kind of glaring improbability for me--who leaves their computer, wallet etc when asked to leave a home where they are working? Would you not make sure you got every single thing belonging to you and your business? I guess if Lori was on-the-ball there would not be such a suspenseful windup to the disaster. There were some editing issues, but nothing major. I did enjoy this book for the most part and will read the next.
October 2, 2020
This fast-paced book is my first time reading this author. I enjoyed the plot and how the characters are all connected whether they know each other or not in some cases. It’s a good read and I’m looking forward to book 2 to see where these characters go next and more importantly why they make the choices they do.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 15, 2022
I was enjoying this book. The characters were well drawn. An independent, strong women sees something she shouldn't have. She is frightened and runs across country trying to protect her children and their Nanny. Just as the suspense builds up you suddenly stop and say read the next book. I hate this. They are left hanging. I have too many books waiting for me to read to go looking for the next book and perhaps a number after that. Otherwise I did like the story,
November 20, 2020
Chris Jayne electrifies
Who would expect that private catering in Miami could be potentially life threatening? Lori Dovner is running from the Albanian mob and heads to Montana with a car full of kids, a nanny, and a dog. Lets add dirty police, a sick kid, and a FBI turn coat to the mix. Oh, and now an EMP. Lots of twists, and thoroughly engaging!
Who would expect that private catering in Miami could be potentially life threatening? Lori Dovner is running from the Albanian mob and heads to Montana with a car full of kids, a nanny, and a dog. Lets add dirty police, a sick kid, and a FBI turn coat to the mix. Oh, and now an EMP. Lots of twists, and thoroughly engaging!
February 21, 2021
Which will be the bigger danger?
There is a steady buildup of tension that runs through the book, with sudden bursts of heart stopping moments. There is more than one danger facing Lori and her family. It is very easy to slip into the story. I was disappointed when I got to the end. This is riveting read!
There is a steady buildup of tension that runs through the book, with sudden bursts of heart stopping moments. There is more than one danger facing Lori and her family. It is very easy to slip into the story. I was disappointed when I got to the end. This is riveting read!
Read
February 28, 2021Good story.
Fast paced mystery. Three complaints. Not edited well enough. Bad language: yes people use it all the time these days, but does not add any good to the story. I would just rather no have to read it. And third: book one ends abruptly: with no conclusion. So, unless you purchase all three books: don't bother. I was enjoying it so much, except these three things.
Fast paced mystery. Three complaints. Not edited well enough. Bad language: yes people use it all the time these days, but does not add any good to the story. I would just rather no have to read it. And third: book one ends abruptly: with no conclusion. So, unless you purchase all three books: don't bother. I was enjoying it so much, except these three things.
March 24, 2021
Good book
Again, I have been up all night reading a book I couldn't put down. As soon as I finish typing this I'm looking for the next book that continues with the story. Read this book you all. Bye guys.
Again, I have been up all night reading a book I couldn't put down. As soon as I finish typing this I'm looking for the next book that continues with the story. Read this book you all. Bye guys.
April 10, 2021
Cliffhanger
The title of this review says it all. I was enjoying the story until it came to an abrupt end with a couple of storylines left dangling. That infuriates me rather than whetting my appetite for more. DNR
The title of this review says it all. I was enjoying the story until it came to an abrupt end with a couple of storylines left dangling. That infuriates me rather than whetting my appetite for more. DNR
April 11, 2021
Apocalypse romance
Well, a romance with an Apocalypse background world. The plot was not deep and I got bored fast. But consider i got this book for free, its already good enough for a free book
Well, a romance with an Apocalypse background world. The plot was not deep and I got bored fast. But consider i got this book for free, its already good enough for a free book
August 11, 2021
What's up
Just when you thought you had everything figured out. Th shoe drops. Going across country for up. The author did a great job building the characters so that you can relate.
Just when you thought you had everything figured out. Th shoe drops. Going across country for up. The author did a great job building the characters so that you can relate.
November 22, 2021
A Different Take
This is a new tale on TEOTWAWKI. A single Mom, a nanny, two kids fleeing murderer must travel 3000 miles to safety .Who knew the lights would go out? With a more careful editing this would be a 5 star read.
.
This is a new tale on TEOTWAWKI. A single Mom, a nanny, two kids fleeing murderer must travel 3000 miles to safety .Who knew the lights would go out? With a more careful editing this would be a 5 star read.
.
July 9, 2021
Good read
This has started off with a running jump. Interesting storyline and I'm curious to see where we go from here. Off to grab book 2.
This has started off with a running jump. Interesting storyline and I'm curious to see where we go from here. Off to grab book 2.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews