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Finn O'Brien #2
Foreign Relations
Death has no borders.
Traffic in downtown Los Angeles turns hellish when a woman hurtles from an overpass and crashes through the windshield of a car on the 110 Freeway. When her autopsy reveals a gruesome secret, Detective Finn O'Brien is determined to prove her death was no accident.
Together with his partner, Cori Anderson, he follows a twisted trail that leads into the veiled and exotic world of L.A.'s exiled African community, the luxurious enclaves of Hollywood and finally to the doorstep of a third world despot whose cruelty knows no bounds and whose influence has a stranglehold on the City of the Angels.
“Both heart-rending and heart-warming, Rebecca Forster assures us that despite the reality and the odds, justice, loyalty and love, still reign and rule the day.”
Traffic in downtown Los Angeles turns hellish when a woman hurtles from an overpass and crashes through the windshield of a car on the 110 Freeway. When her autopsy reveals a gruesome secret, Detective Finn O'Brien is determined to prove her death was no accident.
Together with his partner, Cori Anderson, he follows a twisted trail that leads into the veiled and exotic world of L.A.'s exiled African community, the luxurious enclaves of Hollywood and finally to the doorstep of a third world despot whose cruelty knows no bounds and whose influence has a stranglehold on the City of the Angels.
“Both heart-rending and heart-warming, Rebecca Forster assures us that despite the reality and the odds, justice, loyalty and love, still reign and rule the day.”
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2017
359 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Forster
48 books516 followersRebecca Forster began writing on a crazy dare and found her passion.
Now with over 40 books to her name, she is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling thriller author. Rebecca likes hands-on research and is a graduate of the DEA and ATF Citizens Academies. She is an avid court watcher, has taken numerous weapons courses, and even landed by tail hook on the USS Nimitz to make sure she has lived what she writes.
Rebecca is married to a Superior Court judge and is the mother of two grown sons. She resides in Southern California
Now with over 40 books to her name, she is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling thriller author. Rebecca likes hands-on research and is a graduate of the DEA and ATF Citizens Academies. She is an avid court watcher, has taken numerous weapons courses, and even landed by tail hook on the USS Nimitz to make sure she has lived what she writes.
Rebecca is married to a Superior Court judge and is the mother of two grown sons. She resides in Southern California
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 8, 2017
This expertly crafted mystery is a thrill ride from beginning to end! Ms. Forster has used her excellent writing skills to create a story that keeps the reader guessing from the first to the last page.
Read full review in the 2017 November issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2017 November issue of InD'tale Magazine.
April 22, 2019
Foreign Relations (The Finn O’Brien Thriller Series Book 2) by Rebecca Forster
Amazon Digital Services 2017 ASIN B071RJZ4LD
Miraculously surviving torture Takrit, a political activist, smuggles evidence of human rights atrocities out of her home country of Eritrea and she escapes to the United States.
Also in the U.S., both hunting for Takrit, and hoping to close a lucrative business deal for a port of trade that will cement his power and his fortune is, Emanuel Dega Abu, the President of Eritrea and…the man responsible for the human rights abuses, and Takrit’s torment.
If Takrit’s video evidence goes public, Dega Abu’s empire will come crashing down and so will he. He must find Takrit and eliminate her. She must find a way to stay alive and tell the world her story.
In Foreign Relations, book 2 of the Finn O’Brien Series, Rebecca Forster immerses us in the world of political wheeling and dealing at home and abroad, and the disparate parties that the matchmaker, Money, unites with ease.
When the first dead body turns up, Finn O’Brien starts to fit the pieces together. He gets too close to the source so a local congresswoman, with her sights on a seat in the Senate, deters him by shutting down the case. But Finn is haunted by what he’s discovered. And the spirit of the dead body ‘sits on his shoulder asking him to put it to rest.’
Never one to back down or cringe before the brass or the most degenerate criminal, O’Brien tackles crime, money, and politics. With help from where he least expects it, he plows through the mire of government contracts, kickbacks, and money laundering, and dents the unbreachable wall of diplomatic immunity.
Intriguing. Thrilling. Page-turning. With Finn O’Brien on the scene, crime doesn’t pay.
Both heart-rending and heart-warming, Rebecca Forster assures us that despite the reality and the odds, justice, loyalty and love, still reign and rule the day.
A fantastic read you will never forget!
Veronica Jorge
Amazon Digital Services 2017 ASIN B071RJZ4LD
Miraculously surviving torture Takrit, a political activist, smuggles evidence of human rights atrocities out of her home country of Eritrea and she escapes to the United States.
Also in the U.S., both hunting for Takrit, and hoping to close a lucrative business deal for a port of trade that will cement his power and his fortune is, Emanuel Dega Abu, the President of Eritrea and…the man responsible for the human rights abuses, and Takrit’s torment.
If Takrit’s video evidence goes public, Dega Abu’s empire will come crashing down and so will he. He must find Takrit and eliminate her. She must find a way to stay alive and tell the world her story.
In Foreign Relations, book 2 of the Finn O’Brien Series, Rebecca Forster immerses us in the world of political wheeling and dealing at home and abroad, and the disparate parties that the matchmaker, Money, unites with ease.
When the first dead body turns up, Finn O’Brien starts to fit the pieces together. He gets too close to the source so a local congresswoman, with her sights on a seat in the Senate, deters him by shutting down the case. But Finn is haunted by what he’s discovered. And the spirit of the dead body ‘sits on his shoulder asking him to put it to rest.’
Never one to back down or cringe before the brass or the most degenerate criminal, O’Brien tackles crime, money, and politics. With help from where he least expects it, he plows through the mire of government contracts, kickbacks, and money laundering, and dents the unbreachable wall of diplomatic immunity.
Intriguing. Thrilling. Page-turning. With Finn O’Brien on the scene, crime doesn’t pay.
Both heart-rending and heart-warming, Rebecca Forster assures us that despite the reality and the odds, justice, loyalty and love, still reign and rule the day.
A fantastic read you will never forget!
Veronica Jorge
July 12, 2017
Review by Gloria Lakritz
Sr Reviewer and Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Guild
5 *****Stars
Book: Foreign Relations
Series: Finn O’Brien Thrillers
Author: Rebecca Foster
Publisher: Amazon Digital
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Rated: Mature
Release Date: July 1, 2017
Page Count: 448 pages
Again, Ms. Foster dominates the pages with superb story, wonderful dialogue and a winding path to who-dunnit. The pair of detectives chosen for this path are humanized by their passion and dedication; their need to help the community they serve, no matter what the threat, even if it is to themselves.
This unlikely pair realize the importance their lives mean to each other, the underlying possibilities of it resonate through the books. Finn is not well liked in his precinct we learned in the first book of the series Severed Relations. His chief has had his old partner, Cori Anderson transferred in to work with him.
They both have personal baggage they bring to the table, he a messy divorce;she an unwed daughter with her own baby. But with all their problems at home, when they walk out the door, these things do not stop them. Focus is the job and the people they help.
This story begins as Finn and Cori watch a young woman plummet off a high bridge, hitting a car on Los Angeles’ 101 highway, causing a gigantic pile up. They go into survivor mode, helping the wounded, saving lives, before they find themselves embroiled in a mystery spanning two countries. The path we follow with them is an act of kindness. Finding the story to allow this young soul to rest in peace.
Again Rebecca, cannot say enough about your story telling. Outstanding would be the word.
Sr Reviewer and Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Guild
5 *****Stars
Book: Foreign Relations
Series: Finn O’Brien Thrillers
Author: Rebecca Foster
Publisher: Amazon Digital
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Rated: Mature
Release Date: July 1, 2017
Page Count: 448 pages
Again, Ms. Foster dominates the pages with superb story, wonderful dialogue and a winding path to who-dunnit. The pair of detectives chosen for this path are humanized by their passion and dedication; their need to help the community they serve, no matter what the threat, even if it is to themselves.
This unlikely pair realize the importance their lives mean to each other, the underlying possibilities of it resonate through the books. Finn is not well liked in his precinct we learned in the first book of the series Severed Relations. His chief has had his old partner, Cori Anderson transferred in to work with him.
They both have personal baggage they bring to the table, he a messy divorce;she an unwed daughter with her own baby. But with all their problems at home, when they walk out the door, these things do not stop them. Focus is the job and the people they help.
This story begins as Finn and Cori watch a young woman plummet off a high bridge, hitting a car on Los Angeles’ 101 highway, causing a gigantic pile up. They go into survivor mode, helping the wounded, saving lives, before they find themselves embroiled in a mystery spanning two countries. The path we follow with them is an act of kindness. Finding the story to allow this young soul to rest in peace.
Again Rebecca, cannot say enough about your story telling. Outstanding would be the word.
October 3, 2017
This is only the second book in the Finn O’Brien Thriller series and already I feel like I’ve turned into a raving fan. In my mind, the case Finn and his partner Cori are working on doesn’t matter. They’re the reason I’m reading. The police procedural series that I’ve liked the most drew me in because of the appeal of the regular characters. That’s the solid foundation that’s needed for any series to succeed. Here, it’s not only the positive attributes Finn and Cori bring to the table (integrity, doggedness, and loyalty to name a few), but their imperfections as well, which lay that foundation. Not being able to tell the other how they feel about them is just one imperfection both share.
Of course, the story still has to work, and this one does. It combines international intrigue and Hollywood in the kind of story that could only take place in Los Angeles. Multiple story threads take unexpected twists before they all come together as Finn and Cori nail the culprit. I’d like to claim I saw it coming. The clues were there. But nope, that’s not who I would have guessed was whodunit.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
Of course, the story still has to work, and this one does. It combines international intrigue and Hollywood in the kind of story that could only take place in Los Angeles. Multiple story threads take unexpected twists before they all come together as Finn and Cori nail the culprit. I’d like to claim I saw it coming. The clues were there. But nope, that’s not who I would have guessed was whodunit.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
October 10, 2018
Rebecca Forster crafts interesting, complex characters. Her storyline is believable and her descriptions of LA are spot on, from the glitz and glamor to the sad, poor and dangerous people who live in the shadow of the wealthy. And her endings are always just a little to the left of what you’re expecting. The only reason I deducted a star is because of the editing. Commas are thrown in willy-nilly and then not used where they’re needed, spelling errors pop up and then my favorite error - Finn speaks his “peace” and not “piece.” He could have kept the “peace” by speaking his “piece.” Poor editing is distracting when I’m into a good book. I’ve even skipped to the end of a story just to save myself from the irritation of reading through crappy editing. Small thing to most people but major to me and will even keep me from buying more books from an author whose work I enjoy.
July 3, 2017
Like the Characters, Plot is Ponderous
Too many switches at the beginning in an effort to set up the story made it hard to follow. I like Finn and Cori and the minor characters, but there wasn't much development of them as the story wore on. A few too many proofreading misses for an experienced author to let slip through.
Too many switches at the beginning in an effort to set up the story made it hard to follow. I like Finn and Cori and the minor characters, but there wasn't much development of them as the story wore on. A few too many proofreading misses for an experienced author to let slip through.
April 2, 2019
I am really starting to love O'Brien and Corey.
Finn O'Brien and Corey are in for another case I don't think they were ready to take on, but when the opportunity arises they were right there head on. When a young women is facing a life time of tragedies and ends up losing her life will O'Brien and Anderson be able to take down the one responsible?
Finn O'Brien and Corey are in for another case I don't think they were ready to take on, but when the opportunity arises they were right there head on. When a young women is facing a life time of tragedies and ends up losing her life will O'Brien and Anderson be able to take down the one responsible?
May 4, 2021
Great read!
Found this second book in the Finn O'Brien's series an excellent read. Fast paced, held my attention the whole way through. Great storyline(s), without giving anything away bringing another country's customs into play in graphic detail, hard to put down, great characters.
Found this second book in the Finn O'Brien's series an excellent read. Fast paced, held my attention the whole way through. Great storyline(s), without giving anything away bringing another country's customs into play in graphic detail, hard to put down, great characters.
August 15, 2021
The first book was good enough that ai was willing to read this one. The story took too long to build and had too many storylines to follow. Finn’s use of missus has becoming annoying. It also didn’t help the the maid used missus as well. The characters are flat, and none are very likable in this book. Because I did enjoy the first book I may try one more.
November 14, 2017
My rating is more accurately a 3.5. This is book 2 in the Finn O’Brien series and I’d enjoyed the first one so I was anxious to read this novel. It was an easy read with an interesting plot but I confess I preferred the earlier book. But I would recommend it.
March 27, 2018
Suspense and kindness! reality at its best!
A series of exciting work by great author! Anyone wanting good characters with only good intentions and honesty in their souls will enjoy these policemen do their best for the city they work for!!
A series of exciting work by great author! Anyone wanting good characters with only good intentions and honesty in their souls will enjoy these policemen do their best for the city they work for!!
November 5, 2018
Great book
I really enjoyed this book and am reading all three. I like the characters and the gritty action. A real page turner from front to back. I highly recommend you read all three in the series.
I really enjoyed this book and am reading all three. I like the characters and the gritty action. A real page turner from front to back. I highly recommend you read all three in the series.
July 19, 2022
Hostile Witness series is a favorite to have read. This is Finn O’Brien
What are the chances of a murder case or suicide landing right in front of
a detective while driving. A story that takes you through LA the good and bad to uncover what happened. A good series to enjoy.
What are the chances of a murder case or suicide landing right in front of
a detective while driving. A story that takes you through LA the good and bad to uncover what happened. A good series to enjoy.
July 11, 2024
Though this is a fictional story, once you read it you will see that it could've been based on true circumstances. Women being abused in foreign countries only to be exploited in the US.
Heartwrenching!!
Heartwrenching!!
January 25, 2019
Finn
Fast paced with an intriguing storyline. Great chemistry between all the characters. A book which is hard to put down
Fast paced with an intriguing storyline. Great chemistry between all the characters. A book which is hard to put down
December 8, 2019
Well worth picking up
Loved it. Twists and turns with various story lines that kept my interest throughout. Strong characters with a dynamite duo as lead.
Loved it. Twists and turns with various story lines that kept my interest throughout. Strong characters with a dynamite duo as lead.
November 29, 2022
You can never go wrong with a book by Rebecca Forster. She is a fabulous writer. Her characters grab you and keep your interest. I love all her books.
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April 8, 2024Read 8/24
April 30, 2018
Since discovering Rebecca Forster in 2017, I've become a huge fan, reading the entire Witness series and, now, I've begun reading the Relations series with Finn O'Brien and Cori Anderson. I must say that Forster has developed these characters to a finer detail and more quickly than in the previous series. We get to know them more deeply and intimately than in Witness and we see these two as more flawed and multi-dimensional. I feel drawn to them because of this.
"Foreign Relations" is a truly scary book or, rather, Forster has written some frightening villains. A few times, I had to put the book down and take a break they were so disturbing. Forster's attention to detail and her wonderful ability to write in a style that is contextually appropriate to the characters and situations has me coming back for more as I finish each book. Perhaps, I've spent too much time reading non-fiction but this technique is not something I've seen before in works of fiction. Am I wrong about this? I really enjoy it because it puts me more in the scene than a writer maintaining a certain style all the way through a book.
As quickly as I could download it, I started reading Forster's newest book, "Secret Relations." Can't get enough of Rebecca Forster. What a remarkably talented writer!
"Foreign Relations" is a truly scary book or, rather, Forster has written some frightening villains. A few times, I had to put the book down and take a break they were so disturbing. Forster's attention to detail and her wonderful ability to write in a style that is contextually appropriate to the characters and situations has me coming back for more as I finish each book. Perhaps, I've spent too much time reading non-fiction but this technique is not something I've seen before in works of fiction. Am I wrong about this? I really enjoy it because it puts me more in the scene than a writer maintaining a certain style all the way through a book.
As quickly as I could download it, I started reading Forster's newest book, "Secret Relations." Can't get enough of Rebecca Forster. What a remarkably talented writer!
April 9, 2021
Finn and his partner Cori are SO GOOD together! Their interplay is another feather in Ms Forster's cap! Well done! LOVE the characters/plot-line/story arc across the books . . . thank you!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews