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Devin Gray #1
Deep Sleep
Stopping the most dangerous conspiracy to ever threaten America means believing the unthinkable in an explosive novel by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Steven Konkoly.
Countersurveillance expert Devin Gray is unwittingly thrown headfirst into dangerous new territory after the death of his mother. Helen Gray, a paranoid and disgraced former CIA officer, believed she was on the verge of preventing a national catastrophe—a mission worth dying for. Others, including Devin, believe she was chasing delusions. Until he finds what she left behind.
With the help of longtime friend and former Marine helicopter pilot Marnie Young and a loyal team of covert operatives Helen summoned just before her death, Devin is propelled into a high-stakes chase across the country. What he uncovers, clue by clue, is a conspiracy more widespread and insidious than anyone could have imagined.
Now it’s Devin’s mission to destroy a covert network poised to deliver a fatal blow to the future of the United States. And also to vindicate his mother, by seeing the mission through to its treacherous end.
Countersurveillance expert Devin Gray is unwittingly thrown headfirst into dangerous new territory after the death of his mother. Helen Gray, a paranoid and disgraced former CIA officer, believed she was on the verge of preventing a national catastrophe—a mission worth dying for. Others, including Devin, believe she was chasing delusions. Until he finds what she left behind.
With the help of longtime friend and former Marine helicopter pilot Marnie Young and a loyal team of covert operatives Helen summoned just before her death, Devin is propelled into a high-stakes chase across the country. What he uncovers, clue by clue, is a conspiracy more widespread and insidious than anyone could have imagined.
Now it’s Devin’s mission to destroy a covert network poised to deliver a fatal blow to the future of the United States. And also to vindicate his mother, by seeing the mission through to its treacherous end.
365 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2022
5922 people are currently reading
4609 people want to read
About the author
Steven Konkoly
70 books1,228 followersSteven graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1993, receiving a bachelor of science in English literature. He served the next eight years on active duty, traveling the world as a naval officer assigned to various Navy and Marine Corps units. His extensive journey spanned the globe, including a two-year tour of duty in Japan and travel to more than twenty countries throughout Asia and the Middle East.
From enforcing United Nations sanctions against Iraq as a maritime boarding officer in the Arabian Gulf, to directing aircraft bombing runs and naval gunfire strikes as a Forward Air Controller (FAC) assigned to a specialized Marine Corps unit, Steven's "in-house" experience with a wide range of regular and elite military units brings a unique authenticity to his thrillers.
He still wakes up at "zero dark thirty" to write for most of the day. When "off duty," he spends as much time as possible outdoors or travelling with his family--and dog.
Steven is the bestselling author of ten novels and several novellas, including a commissioned trilogy of novellas based on the popular Wayward Pines series. His canon of work includes the popular Black Flagged Series, a gritty, no-holds barred covert operations and espionage saga; The Perseid Collapse series, a post-apocalyptic thriller epic chronicling the events surrounding an inconceivable attack on the United States; and The Fractured State series, a near future, dystopian thriller trilogy set in the drought ravaged southwest
You can contact Steven directly by email (stevekonkoly@striblingmedia.com) or through his blog (www.stevenkonkoly.com).
From enforcing United Nations sanctions against Iraq as a maritime boarding officer in the Arabian Gulf, to directing aircraft bombing runs and naval gunfire strikes as a Forward Air Controller (FAC) assigned to a specialized Marine Corps unit, Steven's "in-house" experience with a wide range of regular and elite military units brings a unique authenticity to his thrillers.
He still wakes up at "zero dark thirty" to write for most of the day. When "off duty," he spends as much time as possible outdoors or travelling with his family--and dog.
Steven is the bestselling author of ten novels and several novellas, including a commissioned trilogy of novellas based on the popular Wayward Pines series. His canon of work includes the popular Black Flagged Series, a gritty, no-holds barred covert operations and espionage saga; The Perseid Collapse series, a post-apocalyptic thriller epic chronicling the events surrounding an inconceivable attack on the United States; and The Fractured State series, a near future, dystopian thriller trilogy set in the drought ravaged southwest
You can contact Steven directly by email (stevekonkoly@striblingmedia.com) or through his blog (www.stevenkonkoly.com).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 625 reviews
December 8, 2022
Steven Konkoly’s first book in the Devin Gray series is disconcerting, suspenseful, and action-packed. It has aspects of both political and military thrillers as well as a conspiracy thriller. Devin Gray is a counter surveillance expert and a former FBI agent. When his mother, Helen Gray dies, she’s a disgraced former CIA officer and viewed as paranoid and unstable, even by Devin. However, when he finds what she has left behind, he enlists help from a long-time friend, Marnie Young, and a team of covert operatives. They need hard evidence before taking this shocking information to others. Devin’s mission becomes searching for a way to destroy a covert network in the United States and to prove his mother’s claims and clear her name.
As always, this author brings characters to life, especially Devin and Marnie. They’re intelligent, patriotic, self-confident, strong, and bold. However, they also have some shortcomings that readers find as the story progresses and their natures and backstories become known to readers. It was also great to visit with old friends from the Black Flagged series.
The prologue is a strong start to the novel with action, strength, and heartbreak. However, it took a while to determine how it fit into the rest of the story, which takes readers from Washington DC to multiple US states. This novel kept me captivated from the first page to its astonishing conclusion, which sets up the next book in the series but leaves several threads open that left me wanting more.
The plot is deeply involved with several twists to the story, although many of the activities are over-the-top. It was so full of action and excitement that it kept me turning the pages to find out what was going to happen next. I was kept fully invested in the mission becoming a success. But is that what happens?
Konkoly continues to bring great characters, entertaining story lines, and lots of action together in exhilarating novels. Certain aspects of Devin’s character were especially gratifying when compared to some of the covert operatives. The gripping scenes and great plot kept me on the edge of my seat. Konkoly has become one of my favorite authors and I look forward to reading more from him.
Overall, this book was suspenseful, riveting, fast-paced, action-oriented, and highly entertaining. It was an exhilarating first book in the series and I’m looking forward to reading the next book soon. If you enjoy intriguing action, military, and espionage thrillers that have strong male and female characters, then this may be the series for you.
Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date was February 1, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 4.5 rounded to 5 stars review is coming soon.
As always, this author brings characters to life, especially Devin and Marnie. They’re intelligent, patriotic, self-confident, strong, and bold. However, they also have some shortcomings that readers find as the story progresses and their natures and backstories become known to readers. It was also great to visit with old friends from the Black Flagged series.
The prologue is a strong start to the novel with action, strength, and heartbreak. However, it took a while to determine how it fit into the rest of the story, which takes readers from Washington DC to multiple US states. This novel kept me captivated from the first page to its astonishing conclusion, which sets up the next book in the series but leaves several threads open that left me wanting more.
The plot is deeply involved with several twists to the story, although many of the activities are over-the-top. It was so full of action and excitement that it kept me turning the pages to find out what was going to happen next. I was kept fully invested in the mission becoming a success. But is that what happens?
Konkoly continues to bring great characters, entertaining story lines, and lots of action together in exhilarating novels. Certain aspects of Devin’s character were especially gratifying when compared to some of the covert operatives. The gripping scenes and great plot kept me on the edge of my seat. Konkoly has become one of my favorite authors and I look forward to reading more from him.
Overall, this book was suspenseful, riveting, fast-paced, action-oriented, and highly entertaining. It was an exhilarating first book in the series and I’m looking forward to reading the next book soon. If you enjoy intriguing action, military, and espionage thrillers that have strong male and female characters, then this may be the series for you.
Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date was February 1, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
-------------------------------------------
My 4.5 rounded to 5 stars review is coming soon.
January 2, 2022
A techno-thriller chill ride from start to finish! Countersurveillance expert Devin Grey meets the unexpected when his Mom, a disgraced former CIA who thought she was still on a mission of supreme importance, dies. Well when Devin finds just what she has left behind, he is pulled into a high-stakes race across the country, and every clue he uncovers makes him realize how deep the conspiracy his Mom uncovered really goes! The USA may be dealt a deadly blow, soon, if Devin cannot see this mission through...
This is a long story, but the astounding twists, deceits, and action grab you by the throat and just do Not let up until the very end. The characters feel so real, like you are sitting right there with them and trying to figure out what to do next. I was so excited about this book when I was only 40% through I had to email the author about it's greatness! I didn't enjoy the way it ends, a little quickly. But I can see that the story does go on, so am Very excited about that! I highly recommend this to all who enjoy espionage, you will be reading as fast as you can until the end.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the author, who I thank, and I offer you my honest thoughts and feelings in this review.
This is a long story, but the astounding twists, deceits, and action grab you by the throat and just do Not let up until the very end. The characters feel so real, like you are sitting right there with them and trying to figure out what to do next. I was so excited about this book when I was only 40% through I had to email the author about it's greatness! I didn't enjoy the way it ends, a little quickly. But I can see that the story does go on, so am Very excited about that! I highly recommend this to all who enjoy espionage, you will be reading as fast as you can until the end.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the author, who I thank, and I offer you my honest thoughts and feelings in this review.
January 9, 2022
4.5 stars.
Well that was fun! Just occasionally I like to read to read a spy/intelligence/espionage thriller with all the latest toys for the boys.
When former CIA intelligence officer Helen Gray kills herself and others in a shootout miles from home everyone thinks she’s finally well and truly lost it. After all she had been getting more and more flaky for the last 20 years. Then her son, Devin a counterintelligence officer, gets a time delayed series of messages and instructions from his mother. He follows her instructions and finds….her secret lair - an apartment she had rented that could not be connected to her and where she had laid out all her research into an unthinkable conspiracy.
As Devin scans the files and the walls he realises his mother was not crazy at all. She had done all this in secret to protect herself and her family. She had uncovered a decades old Russian plan to insert sleeper agents into the US and their children, the second generation, were already, or poised to be, in positions of great influence. The numbers were staggering and the implications were frightening. His mother’s friend and mentor comes out of retirement and puts together a team of top notch operatives. Devin calls on his friend Marnie Young who had been a marine helicopter pilot with combat experience.
After a couple of narrow escapes where the Russians had used the aged, original sleepers, things got a lot more serious as proper troops were deployed. Devin and his lot need to find the secret training and indoctrination camp in the Ozarks and secure enough evidence to prove the conspiracy beyond a doubt.
There are lots of gun battles and it’s not just the lads having fun, there are some women on both sides too - yay for feminism! This was highly entertaining escapism which I do like as counterpoint to serial killers and child abuse and other dark things. I’m guessing it’s the start of a series. I hadn’t heard of Steven Konkoly before but his name is now definitely on my radar and I’d certainly like to read the follow up to this book. Many thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
Well that was fun! Just occasionally I like to read to read a spy/intelligence/espionage thriller with all the latest toys for the boys.
When former CIA intelligence officer Helen Gray kills herself and others in a shootout miles from home everyone thinks she’s finally well and truly lost it. After all she had been getting more and more flaky for the last 20 years. Then her son, Devin a counterintelligence officer, gets a time delayed series of messages and instructions from his mother. He follows her instructions and finds….her secret lair - an apartment she had rented that could not be connected to her and where she had laid out all her research into an unthinkable conspiracy.
As Devin scans the files and the walls he realises his mother was not crazy at all. She had done all this in secret to protect herself and her family. She had uncovered a decades old Russian plan to insert sleeper agents into the US and their children, the second generation, were already, or poised to be, in positions of great influence. The numbers were staggering and the implications were frightening. His mother’s friend and mentor comes out of retirement and puts together a team of top notch operatives. Devin calls on his friend Marnie Young who had been a marine helicopter pilot with combat experience.
After a couple of narrow escapes where the Russians had used the aged, original sleepers, things got a lot more serious as proper troops were deployed. Devin and his lot need to find the secret training and indoctrination camp in the Ozarks and secure enough evidence to prove the conspiracy beyond a doubt.
There are lots of gun battles and it’s not just the lads having fun, there are some women on both sides too - yay for feminism! This was highly entertaining escapism which I do like as counterpoint to serial killers and child abuse and other dark things. I’m guessing it’s the start of a series. I hadn’t heard of Steven Konkoly before but his name is now definitely on my radar and I’d certainly like to read the follow up to this book. Many thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
February 17, 2022
"(E)verything you see here is the work of a single person: Helen Gray. Devin’s mother. Helen took her life under what can only be described as inexplicable circumstances, though I have a theory, for another time. She put this together after trying to warn authorities for years. She even warned me back in 2007, but as most of you know, I was a bit preoccupied with another conspiracy. I just wanted everyone to know that one woman, a true American patriot in every sense of the word, easily spent several thousand hours of her time, at great cost, to assemble this. A truly remarkable accomplishment.”"
This book starts off at a very quick pace -
"The guy knew what he was doing. Devin considered scrambling up the stairs but just as quickly dismissed the idea. Timed with the right baton strike, Devin might be able to disengage from the fight and get up the stairs unscathed, but the chances were just as likely that he wouldn’t. He’d be giving up a controlled close-quarters engagement for a mad dash—that might or might not work. The guy made the decision for him, thrusting with the knife and taking a small, noncommittal step forward—a basic feint designed to test Devin’s discipline. He kept the baton raised and remained in place, eliciting a grimace from his attacker. The man had just accepted the basic reality of their predicament. This would end terribly for one of them, and there was no guarantee it wouldn’t be him."
What makes this a particularly captivating thriller is the time Konkoly spends developing the characters of the “opponents.”
"He had a bad feeling about this one. CONTROL was essentially throwing two borderline-retired teams that hadn’t worked together in several years at a fairly complex hostage-rescue mission. In other words, a mad scramble to keep a kidnapped VIP from disappearing. To make matters worse, the target was on the move—and CONTROL wanted the teams together and moving to intercept in under two hours. No small feat, considering that the team comprised eight operatives spread across four states."
The main character, Devin Gray, finds himself dropped into something beyond his imagination: "Devin opened the file and started reading. By the time he finished skimming his mother’s summary, he wondered if he shouldn’t go back and tell Frank to hold off on refurbishing the boat. If any of what his mother had written turned out to be true, he didn’t foresee a lot of time in his immediate future for sailing lessons. For the first time ever, he actually hoped his mom had been crazy, because if she had been sane all along, the United States of America had one hell of a problem on its hands. The kind of problem that could dramatically and permanently alter the course of the nation’s trajectory—in the wrong direction."
And the threat is both contemporary to 2022 and astoundingly believable: "“Hey. Earth to Devin,” said Berg, waving a hand in front of him. “Sorry I was so blunt. But I’ve seen what the Russians are capable of when they’re trying to protect a secret. We have the fight of our lives ahead of us, with no room for error.”" It has a historical basis to it: "One of Stalin’s main objectives in the aftermath of World War II was to create a buffer from future European and Middle Eastern invaders, which he did by creating the Eastern Bloc. This need for geographical security is ingrained in their DNA.”"
This is Konkoly’s “onion” and he will gently and carefully peel it layer by layer for us until its core is revealed. This goes on while both Gray and his opponents try to conduct a battle that neither wants the world at large to get any hint of.
"A map of the United States filled the remaining two-thirds—red dots appearing across the country. Devin guessed immediately that they were looking at a list of the 109 sleepers and a map corresponding to their locations. Frighteningly, but not surprisingly, a majority of them resided around Washington, DC. The rest were scattered across the country, corresponding with a major military base, state capital, or larger city."
"I fear it won’t work,” said Berg. “One: The Russians will deny everything and feign outrage. Two: We have things like due process, courts, evidentiary standards, and a whole list of other safeguards designed to protect our own citizens, and everyone on Helen’s list is entitled to them, particularly the second-generation sleepers who were born in the US. The names would be public, so the government couldn’t pull any of their secret shenanigans. And all of the first generation is deceased, so they can’t confess."
If you have seen the series, The Americans with Keri Russell or Smiley’s People with Alec Guinness or read the books you understand the concept of sleepers: individuals planted in another country to be “awakened” for insurrection or sabotage. Konkoly takes this up by a power of ten. It is so believable and so detailed that I found myself out of breath trying to keep up with the pace and action.
A fine yarn. Just don’t expect everything to be resolved in this single volume. 4.5*
This book starts off at a very quick pace -
"The guy knew what he was doing. Devin considered scrambling up the stairs but just as quickly dismissed the idea. Timed with the right baton strike, Devin might be able to disengage from the fight and get up the stairs unscathed, but the chances were just as likely that he wouldn’t. He’d be giving up a controlled close-quarters engagement for a mad dash—that might or might not work. The guy made the decision for him, thrusting with the knife and taking a small, noncommittal step forward—a basic feint designed to test Devin’s discipline. He kept the baton raised and remained in place, eliciting a grimace from his attacker. The man had just accepted the basic reality of their predicament. This would end terribly for one of them, and there was no guarantee it wouldn’t be him."
What makes this a particularly captivating thriller is the time Konkoly spends developing the characters of the “opponents.”
"He had a bad feeling about this one. CONTROL was essentially throwing two borderline-retired teams that hadn’t worked together in several years at a fairly complex hostage-rescue mission. In other words, a mad scramble to keep a kidnapped VIP from disappearing. To make matters worse, the target was on the move—and CONTROL wanted the teams together and moving to intercept in under two hours. No small feat, considering that the team comprised eight operatives spread across four states."
The main character, Devin Gray, finds himself dropped into something beyond his imagination: "Devin opened the file and started reading. By the time he finished skimming his mother’s summary, he wondered if he shouldn’t go back and tell Frank to hold off on refurbishing the boat. If any of what his mother had written turned out to be true, he didn’t foresee a lot of time in his immediate future for sailing lessons. For the first time ever, he actually hoped his mom had been crazy, because if she had been sane all along, the United States of America had one hell of a problem on its hands. The kind of problem that could dramatically and permanently alter the course of the nation’s trajectory—in the wrong direction."
And the threat is both contemporary to 2022 and astoundingly believable: "“Hey. Earth to Devin,” said Berg, waving a hand in front of him. “Sorry I was so blunt. But I’ve seen what the Russians are capable of when they’re trying to protect a secret. We have the fight of our lives ahead of us, with no room for error.”" It has a historical basis to it: "One of Stalin’s main objectives in the aftermath of World War II was to create a buffer from future European and Middle Eastern invaders, which he did by creating the Eastern Bloc. This need for geographical security is ingrained in their DNA.”"
This is Konkoly’s “onion” and he will gently and carefully peel it layer by layer for us until its core is revealed. This goes on while both Gray and his opponents try to conduct a battle that neither wants the world at large to get any hint of.
"A map of the United States filled the remaining two-thirds—red dots appearing across the country. Devin guessed immediately that they were looking at a list of the 109 sleepers and a map corresponding to their locations. Frighteningly, but not surprisingly, a majority of them resided around Washington, DC. The rest were scattered across the country, corresponding with a major military base, state capital, or larger city."
"I fear it won’t work,” said Berg. “One: The Russians will deny everything and feign outrage. Two: We have things like due process, courts, evidentiary standards, and a whole list of other safeguards designed to protect our own citizens, and everyone on Helen’s list is entitled to them, particularly the second-generation sleepers who were born in the US. The names would be public, so the government couldn’t pull any of their secret shenanigans. And all of the first generation is deceased, so they can’t confess."
If you have seen the series, The Americans with Keri Russell or Smiley’s People with Alec Guinness or read the books you understand the concept of sleepers: individuals planted in another country to be “awakened” for insurrection or sabotage. Konkoly takes this up by a power of ten. It is so believable and so detailed that I found myself out of breath trying to keep up with the pace and action.
A fine yarn. Just don’t expect everything to be resolved in this single volume. 4.5*
January 1, 2022
First review of 2022. I started the year with Deep Sleep by Steven Konkoly. It's a brand new series featuring Devin Gray. I found this book really great and well written with a terrifying storyline. I am a big fan of the tv show The Americans and if you like me liked it you will love this book. This book has its share of suspense, intrigue, action and thrills. I am really looking forward to see where Konkoly will bring my new hero and his band of miscreants. Hats of to you sir for once again coming up with a set of characters to my liking. I will recommend this to anyone who will listen to me. I have to thank @netgalley @amazonpublishing and #Thomas AndMercer for giving me this advance copy of #DeepSleep by #StevenKonkoly #NetGalley
January 16, 2022
Almost ended up in my DNF folder. A decent story but brutal dialogue, poor character development and thick mud pacing. A real slog. To be fair the last 30% of the book picked up and became interesting but. BUT! There was no closure!!! The story just ended with the multiple open plot lines. I slogged through this story only to have it get interesting at the end then the author ends it. Ridiculous.
June 15, 2023
This concept of this story made me nervous. I know it is only fiction but I found myself asking, “What if?” It was a good start for a series. Sometimes the names were difficult to keep straight but with a little diligence everything worked out. I like the lead character being resourceful. The references to specific hardware was accurate showing some very good research. My BS meter did not go off once during my digestion of the books content. It may not be a book for all but it is a book for many.
December 29, 2022
And they are back!!
I wasn’t expecting to read about my favourite mercenary group in this book , I’d skipped reading the blurb and I’m glad I did because it was a pleasant surprise, I’m so excited 😁
I wasn’t expecting to read about my favourite mercenary group in this book , I’d skipped reading the blurb and I’m glad I did because it was a pleasant surprise, I’m so excited 😁
July 25, 2021
Deep Sleep falls into that category of fast-paced US thrillers with a military/espionage/intelligence background, in which everyone always has the latest gear, the most secret of secret societies are doing secret things and the heroes win against all the oddest of odds - a wonderful genre to just get stuck in and lose yourself in explosions and crazy hunts for a while. It's also a genre that has changed very little in the past years and can feel a bit stuffy for that reason.
That is why I was so pleasantly surprised that Deep Sleep takes some of this genre's conventions and turns them on their head: the operatives aren't young and fit; they're in their 50s (okay, and still fit) and not sure if they should be glad or complain about the likelihood of being retired soon; and our hero, Devin Grey, while a master at his own brand of spy work, is not one of those protagonists who can run 10 miles after nearly drowning, can fly anything, shoot anything, knows anything and who can get a little boring in their very perfection. Instead, he stumbles around loudly while sneaking up on the enemy because he has never worn night vision goggles, causing his buddies to roll their eyes and wish they'd left him at home.
Another thing I really enjoyed was that we're finally beginning to see some women naturally portrayed both in positions of power (without laboriously explaining why she is so very special that she deserves this extreme reward) as well as part of the operatives teams, where they not only hold their own but also often save the day, not because or although they are women, but merely because they're good operatives, period.
The lengthy explanations of the conspiracy plot in the middle of the book were a little tedious at times, but necessary to get the required information across. As usual, these quickly lost me, but in these cases I just lean back and trust that the author knows what he's talking about (and I'm sure Mr Konkoly, with his military background, does), and your mileage with these may very well differ.
The book wraps its plot neatly enough to be read as a stand-alone, but the main conspiracy plot leaves more to be explored at the end of the novel, and I would not be surprised if we saw at least one sequel coming out in the near future.
I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
That is why I was so pleasantly surprised that Deep Sleep takes some of this genre's conventions and turns them on their head: the operatives aren't young and fit; they're in their 50s (okay, and still fit) and not sure if they should be glad or complain about the likelihood of being retired soon; and our hero, Devin Grey, while a master at his own brand of spy work, is not one of those protagonists who can run 10 miles after nearly drowning, can fly anything, shoot anything, knows anything and who can get a little boring in their very perfection. Instead, he stumbles around loudly while sneaking up on the enemy because he has never worn night vision goggles, causing his buddies to roll their eyes and wish they'd left him at home.
Another thing I really enjoyed was that we're finally beginning to see some women naturally portrayed both in positions of power (without laboriously explaining why she is so very special that she deserves this extreme reward) as well as part of the operatives teams, where they not only hold their own but also often save the day, not because or although they are women, but merely because they're good operatives, period.
The lengthy explanations of the conspiracy plot in the middle of the book were a little tedious at times, but necessary to get the required information across. As usual, these quickly lost me, but in these cases I just lean back and trust that the author knows what he's talking about (and I'm sure Mr Konkoly, with his military background, does), and your mileage with these may very well differ.
The book wraps its plot neatly enough to be read as a stand-alone, but the main conspiracy plot leaves more to be explored at the end of the novel, and I would not be surprised if we saw at least one sequel coming out in the near future.
I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
February 22, 2022
New series from Steven Konkoly. Devin Gray 1
Stopping the most dangerous conspiracy to ever threaten America means believing the unthinkable in an explosive novel by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Steven Konkoly.
Countersurveillance expert Devin Gray is unwittingly thrown headfirst into dangerous new territory after the death of his mother. Helen Gray, a paranoid and disgraced former CIA officer, believed she was on the verge of preventing a national catastrophe—a mission worth dying for. Others, including Devin, believe she was chasing delusions. Until he finds what she left behind.
With the help of longtime friend and former Marine helicopter pilot Marnie Young and a loyal team of covert operatives Helen summoned just before her death, Devin is propelled into a high-stakes chase across the country. What he uncovers, clue by clue, is a conspiracy more widespread and insidious than anyone could have imagined.
A good story, good characters, reasonable pace, but a step below his exciting Ryan Decker books, which was a let down. Read all four of the Ryan Decker series and found this not quite so action packed, humour or strength of characters.
Expected a powerful last part of the story, but again not quite as action packed as expected.
Still good, but not as good as I would have liked, maybe with improve as the characters grow.
Three stars
Now it’s Devin’s mission to destroy a covert network poised to deliver a fatal blow to the future of the United States. And also to vindicate his mother, by seeing the mission through to its treacherous end.
Stopping the most dangerous conspiracy to ever threaten America means believing the unthinkable in an explosive novel by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Steven Konkoly.
Countersurveillance expert Devin Gray is unwittingly thrown headfirst into dangerous new territory after the death of his mother. Helen Gray, a paranoid and disgraced former CIA officer, believed she was on the verge of preventing a national catastrophe—a mission worth dying for. Others, including Devin, believe she was chasing delusions. Until he finds what she left behind.
With the help of longtime friend and former Marine helicopter pilot Marnie Young and a loyal team of covert operatives Helen summoned just before her death, Devin is propelled into a high-stakes chase across the country. What he uncovers, clue by clue, is a conspiracy more widespread and insidious than anyone could have imagined.
A good story, good characters, reasonable pace, but a step below his exciting Ryan Decker books, which was a let down. Read all four of the Ryan Decker series and found this not quite so action packed, humour or strength of characters.
Expected a powerful last part of the story, but again not quite as action packed as expected.
Still good, but not as good as I would have liked, maybe with improve as the characters grow.
Three stars
Now it’s Devin’s mission to destroy a covert network poised to deliver a fatal blow to the future of the United States. And also to vindicate his mother, by seeing the mission through to its treacherous end.
October 4, 2023
לסקירה מפורטת בעברית ואנגלית, קישור לבלוג שלי -
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/תרדמ...
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/תרדמ...
January 27, 2022
*groan* I mean, it totally seemed a fine choice of book from Amazon First Reads. It had a semi-intriguing premise, and it even sorta started out being mildly entertaining. It did manage to catch and hold my interest, too. At first, anyway. But then there came a point in time that the story, in all its unravelling to reveal the meat of it all, started to lose me. Badly. There are many things that can make or break a story for me, and this one fell to the latter category.
Characters were FAR too numerous with too similar personalities, and often introduced far too late into the story. I didn't really know most of them, wasn't given much a chance to know them. Interactions were either boring, uninteresting, or downright messy. Characters often felt like they were being used as the author's alternate tools to narrate what was happening via LARGE portions of their dialogue. It was all so tiring to read, served more to confuse me than to help me get to know them. Half the time I didn't understand whatever the hell they were talking about, or how they would even know what THEY are talking about. Huge info dumps on stuff seeming to be plucked outta thin air. Why should I even care about any of these people? I wasn't granted a reason, particularly the ones introduced too late in the story. There wasn't enough development for anyone, even the main characters. No chemistry to get me to fixate on anyone. Everyone was so 1-dimensional, and I kept forgetting who was who.
The plot, which was so easy to follow at first, mutated into this massive undertaking just to keep things straight, and I failed to do even THAT. It was just way too convoluted for its own good. Sludge fest bogged down by droning and blah, blah, blahs. Once the official mission was revealed and implemented, I was hopelessly lost. And I never had an easy time finding the way again. Sleeper agent conspiraces and the like was NOT a compelling plot for me. I didn't feel the urgency that the plot seemed to want to get out of me. I could never really grasp WHY things were a big deal. I couldn't follow what was happening, was exhausted even doing so. And the more things were "explained," the more it would lose me.
Once I realized this story was failing to keep my attention, I had to escape into other more interesting books, which thankfully saved me each and every time before I had to return to this one and drag myself through it. I did this multiple times. Obviously, once that happens, a book crashing and burning and severing my initial interest, it will be written off as a failure. A lost cause. I was hoping to at least give it a 2-star rating for being MILDLY interesting in the beginning, but the rest of the story did me in too badly. I simply couldn't like it.
Total waste of my time, unfortunately. A series I will not continue.
Characters were FAR too numerous with too similar personalities, and often introduced far too late into the story. I didn't really know most of them, wasn't given much a chance to know them. Interactions were either boring, uninteresting, or downright messy. Characters often felt like they were being used as the author's alternate tools to narrate what was happening via LARGE portions of their dialogue. It was all so tiring to read, served more to confuse me than to help me get to know them. Half the time I didn't understand whatever the hell they were talking about, or how they would even know what THEY are talking about. Huge info dumps on stuff seeming to be plucked outta thin air. Why should I even care about any of these people? I wasn't granted a reason, particularly the ones introduced too late in the story. There wasn't enough development for anyone, even the main characters. No chemistry to get me to fixate on anyone. Everyone was so 1-dimensional, and I kept forgetting who was who.
The plot, which was so easy to follow at first, mutated into this massive undertaking just to keep things straight, and I failed to do even THAT. It was just way too convoluted for its own good. Sludge fest bogged down by droning and blah, blah, blahs. Once the official mission was revealed and implemented, I was hopelessly lost. And I never had an easy time finding the way again. Sleeper agent conspiraces and the like was NOT a compelling plot for me. I didn't feel the urgency that the plot seemed to want to get out of me. I could never really grasp WHY things were a big deal. I couldn't follow what was happening, was exhausted even doing so. And the more things were "explained," the more it would lose me.
Once I realized this story was failing to keep my attention, I had to escape into other more interesting books, which thankfully saved me each and every time before I had to return to this one and drag myself through it. I did this multiple times. Obviously, once that happens, a book crashing and burning and severing my initial interest, it will be written off as a failure. A lost cause. I was hoping to at least give it a 2-star rating for being MILDLY interesting in the beginning, but the rest of the story did me in too badly. I simply couldn't like it.
Total waste of my time, unfortunately. A series I will not continue.
February 2, 2022
I rarely review but this was such a bad book and advertising stunt that I wanted to warn others!
Stuck at home recovering from Covid. Desperate for a good read. As I am bored and captive ANY book would be good to me. BUT I WAS WRONG! This was a complete waste of time. 70% of the way through this book I was waiting for the "thriller" part to arrive. We'd learned immediately about a Russian network of sleepers...so...what was going to happen? A few near misses in terms of shootouts with Russian operatives. And, just when the book COULD get interesting... it JUST STOPPED...with an ad for the 2nd in the series... I'm okay with series...There are a lot of great thriller series.. Jack Ryan, Bourne.. you name them.... but forget this series and forget this book...this wasn't even a first novel. It was a slowly written prologue that just stopped....
Stuck at home recovering from Covid. Desperate for a good read. As I am bored and captive ANY book would be good to me. BUT I WAS WRONG! This was a complete waste of time. 70% of the way through this book I was waiting for the "thriller" part to arrive. We'd learned immediately about a Russian network of sleepers...so...what was going to happen? A few near misses in terms of shootouts with Russian operatives. And, just when the book COULD get interesting... it JUST STOPPED...with an ad for the 2nd in the series... I'm okay with series...There are a lot of great thriller series.. Jack Ryan, Bourne.. you name them.... but forget this series and forget this book...this wasn't even a first novel. It was a slowly written prologue that just stopped....
February 14, 2022
Fast-paced, suspenseful, and entertaining. I really enjoyed this and will definitely check put more of the authors work.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this copy.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this copy.
June 1, 2022
Two and a half stars, rounded to three.
I had a difficult time maintaining interest in this novel. The characters are not well defined and either rely on genre cliches or are indistinguishable from one another. There are numerous plot holes and incongruencies, as well as shifts in character behavior that demonstrate the difficulty in putting together a novel of this nature. My other issues with the novel are first, it’s just a starter novel for a series and not at all satisfying in its wrap-up, and second, it has way too much filler.
On the plus side, Konkoly has some interesting observations about the worldview of Russian politicians and military that add the extra half star to my assessment of the book.
I had a difficult time maintaining interest in this novel. The characters are not well defined and either rely on genre cliches or are indistinguishable from one another. There are numerous plot holes and incongruencies, as well as shifts in character behavior that demonstrate the difficulty in putting together a novel of this nature. My other issues with the novel are first, it’s just a starter novel for a series and not at all satisfying in its wrap-up, and second, it has way too much filler.
On the plus side, Konkoly has some interesting observations about the worldview of Russian politicians and military that add the extra half star to my assessment of the book.
February 3, 2022
Well, this was just not my thing. Read it with some of my family and now I know political thriller books just aren’t for me.
September 30, 2025
Exciting book and I look forward to #2. I did find Devin a little hesitent and sometimes ill equiped for the journey but I am sure he'll learn and move ahead.
December 27, 2022
Published in February of 2022 by Brilliance Audio.
Read by Seth Podowitz.
Duration: 10 hours, 18 minutes.
Unabridged.
Synopsis:
Devin Gray is a retired military operator working for a high-end private security contractor. He is on assignment that goes a little sideways in the D.C. metro area and he is sent away to let things cool off.
While packing up to go, he is contacted about his mother. She is estranged from the rest of the family because she is always off researching a conspiracy theory, which is kind of ironic because she works in a government intelligence agency that looks for conspiracies. She is dead after some short of shoot out in Tennessee and everyone is keeping it quiet.
Gray discovers a note from his mother to him with instructions. It turns out to lead to her evidence that proves the conspiracy and he finds it to be plausible enough to reach out to others. Once they start digging, they find more than it is worse than they ever imagined...
My review:
I was excited about this book. I really enjoyed the first two book of an his unfinished Rogue State series. That series is full of non-stop and, frankly, ridiculous action - but it is fun and demands your attention.
This book had a complicated conspiracy that you know in your head is simply too complicated to work, but your gut says, "Oh crap! This could really happen!" I had no problem with the premise of the book.
I had problems with the pacing of the book and the proliferation of characters. Konkoly decided to make characters out of some of the bad guys in an effort to confuse the reader at first. It worked and it was kind of a good choice except that he keeps on adding character after character after character and this audiobook reader got confused as to who exactly was who. I just decided to ignore character names and label them "good guy" and "bad guy" in my head. That totally defeated the purpose of creating a named character with lines and a personality, but I couldn't keep up. When one of them goes down in a gun fight, I didn't care a whole lot - I just kept a little running tally in my head to see if any of the good guys were going to survive.
For an action story, this book has an awful lot of sitting around and talking. Sitting around and talking in a restaurant, in a car, in a secret hideout, in another car, in an SUV, in a rented house, in another SUV, in a hotel, in a mansion, in a helicopter, in another hotel.
So many of these conversations were repeats of other conversations. The conspiracy is discovered and then explained to another person. That person explains it to a small group. That group explains and discusses with another group and by that point I felt like I could have stepped in and gave the explanation myself.
So, to sum up - too many characters makes the story hard to follow. Too much repeat conversations stretched the story out for no real reason.
On a pet peeve note: Konkoly is from Indianapolis and lives in Indianapolis. So do I. I was pleased to see part of the book took place in an Indianapolis suburb that he described perfectly (Carmel.) However, the audiobook reader mispronounced it. It is pronounced the way many people mispronounce the candy "caramel." He pronounced it like the California city "Carmel by the Sea." This was not important to the story and people who do not live in Indiana would have no idea but considering that the author lives here...
I rate this audiobook 2 stars out of 5. I will not be moving on to book two in this series.
To see all of my reviews of Steven Konkoly books click here:https://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/sear...
Read by Seth Podowitz.
Duration: 10 hours, 18 minutes.
Unabridged.
Synopsis:
Devin Gray is a retired military operator working for a high-end private security contractor. He is on assignment that goes a little sideways in the D.C. metro area and he is sent away to let things cool off.
While packing up to go, he is contacted about his mother. She is estranged from the rest of the family because she is always off researching a conspiracy theory, which is kind of ironic because she works in a government intelligence agency that looks for conspiracies. She is dead after some short of shoot out in Tennessee and everyone is keeping it quiet.
Gray discovers a note from his mother to him with instructions. It turns out to lead to her evidence that proves the conspiracy and he finds it to be plausible enough to reach out to others. Once they start digging, they find more than it is worse than they ever imagined...
My review:
I was excited about this book. I really enjoyed the first two book of an his unfinished Rogue State series. That series is full of non-stop and, frankly, ridiculous action - but it is fun and demands your attention.
This book had a complicated conspiracy that you know in your head is simply too complicated to work, but your gut says, "Oh crap! This could really happen!" I had no problem with the premise of the book.
I had problems with the pacing of the book and the proliferation of characters. Konkoly decided to make characters out of some of the bad guys in an effort to confuse the reader at first. It worked and it was kind of a good choice except that he keeps on adding character after character after character and this audiobook reader got confused as to who exactly was who. I just decided to ignore character names and label them "good guy" and "bad guy" in my head. That totally defeated the purpose of creating a named character with lines and a personality, but I couldn't keep up. When one of them goes down in a gun fight, I didn't care a whole lot - I just kept a little running tally in my head to see if any of the good guys were going to survive.
For an action story, this book has an awful lot of sitting around and talking. Sitting around and talking in a restaurant, in a car, in a secret hideout, in another car, in an SUV, in a rented house, in another SUV, in a hotel, in a mansion, in a helicopter, in another hotel.
So many of these conversations were repeats of other conversations. The conspiracy is discovered and then explained to another person. That person explains it to a small group. That group explains and discusses with another group and by that point I felt like I could have stepped in and gave the explanation myself.
So, to sum up - too many characters makes the story hard to follow. Too much repeat conversations stretched the story out for no real reason.
On a pet peeve note: Konkoly is from Indianapolis and lives in Indianapolis. So do I. I was pleased to see part of the book took place in an Indianapolis suburb that he described perfectly (Carmel.) However, the audiobook reader mispronounced it. It is pronounced the way many people mispronounce the candy "caramel." He pronounced it like the California city "Carmel by the Sea." This was not important to the story and people who do not live in Indiana would have no idea but considering that the author lives here...
I rate this audiobook 2 stars out of 5. I will not be moving on to book two in this series.
To see all of my reviews of Steven Konkoly books click here:https://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/sear...
September 12, 2021
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Fans of espionage and breakneck action are the audience for this political thriller from Konkoly (Black Flagged series). Unusually, the catalyst for the action is a dead woman: former CIA agent Helen Grey meets her end early in the book on a mysterious solo mission to kidnap a man from a retirement home. Her son, Devin, is not surprised to hear that his mother is behind this bizarre crime; she’s been paranoid about a government conspiracy for years. But carefully coded messages she left in anticipation of her death lead Devin to the truth of the old saying that just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you. Devin and his former-Marine friend Marnie (will they or won’t they get together by book’s end?) realize that long-swirling rumors about Russian agents infiltrating the U.S. government, working to sabotage the country from within, might be true. While the premise here is interesting, the action makes the book; it’s almost one long fight scene, and those who are nerdy for specs on drones, weapons, and surveillance tech will eat it up. A must for Tom Clancy devotees.—Henrietta Verma
Fans of espionage and breakneck action are the audience for this political thriller from Konkoly (Black Flagged series). Unusually, the catalyst for the action is a dead woman: former CIA agent Helen Grey meets her end early in the book on a mysterious solo mission to kidnap a man from a retirement home. Her son, Devin, is not surprised to hear that his mother is behind this bizarre crime; she’s been paranoid about a government conspiracy for years. But carefully coded messages she left in anticipation of her death lead Devin to the truth of the old saying that just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you. Devin and his former-Marine friend Marnie (will they or won’t they get together by book’s end?) realize that long-swirling rumors about Russian agents infiltrating the U.S. government, working to sabotage the country from within, might be true. While the premise here is interesting, the action makes the book; it’s almost one long fight scene, and those who are nerdy for specs on drones, weapons, and surveillance tech will eat it up. A must for Tom Clancy devotees.—Henrietta Verma
January 9, 2022
Huge waste of time!
Plot to uncover russian sleeper cells imbedded in US society had promise. But book has many flaws. Way too many characters 70+ and NONE of them are ever developed. Takes a lot of work when reading a book with that many characters to keep them straight. Many are introduced and then they dont weave back into the story. The author seemed to have a page limit and when reached the book ends. The plot does not get wrapped up with an ending. Even series books should be able to wrap up a plot by the end of the book.
Waste of time to stay up reading to get to the end. No ending. Would never consider reading another book in the series!
Plot to uncover russian sleeper cells imbedded in US society had promise. But book has many flaws. Way too many characters 70+ and NONE of them are ever developed. Takes a lot of work when reading a book with that many characters to keep them straight. Many are introduced and then they dont weave back into the story. The author seemed to have a page limit and when reached the book ends. The plot does not get wrapped up with an ending. Even series books should be able to wrap up a plot by the end of the book.
Waste of time to stay up reading to get to the end. No ending. Would never consider reading another book in the series!
February 5, 2022
A phenomenal techno spy/ counter espionage thriller! A 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Intrigue, Suspense, Unsuspecting twists and action full story!
February 14, 2022
Fast-paced, suspenseful, and entertaining. I really enjoyed this and will definitely check put more of the authors work.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this copy.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this copy.
January 5, 2022
Book Review: Deep Sleep (Devin Gray #1) by Steven Konkoly
Published by Thomas & Mercer, February 1, 2022
★★★★☆ (4.25 Stars)
Following his action-packed four-book "Ryan Decker" series, author Steven Konkoly's new "Devin Gray" military /political thriller reads like a crescendo rising to the apogee of his body of work, as he injects vintage John le Carré and Richard Condon cold war themes into his own brand of fast-paced, non-stop action thrillers.
-----
Haifa, Israel.
The Israeli seaport city is dealt a death blow by rocket attacks, undeterred, due to a sudden and mysterious failure of Israel's vaunted Iron Dome missile defense system.
Somewhere in Tennessee.
An ex-CIA operator believes she'd uncovered something insidious that had taken root in America and had somehow gone unnoticed for fifty years. Rejected by her superiors, she sacrifices her job and family in a two-decade pursuit to track names disclosed to her by a GRU general.
"Don't let them waste it", he had said.
And now she finally has in her grasp a man shrouded in mystery.
Washington, D.C.
An ex-Special Agent and twelve-year veteran of the FBI's Special Surveillance Group leads a private industrial espionage, counterintelligence and surveillance team to secure a defecting Defense software engineer.
Chattanooga, Tennessee.
For over thirty years, a team of foreign operators, all American citizens, have executed dirty wet work and blind delivery jobs for someone they'd never met and only knew by a codename: CONTROL.
Enter an ace Marine helicopter pilot, battle-hardened in Iraq where she'd served several tours. Along with the ex-FBI Special Agent and a mercenary team of ex-CIA operators, they see the existential threat to the country, all too aware of lamentable shortcomings in their own government.
They decide to do something about it.
Enter a post-Soviet Putin-disciple and Russian industrialist, billionaire and spymaster with his hands on three generations of sleepers imbedded in American politics, academia, technology, industry, intelligence, the Pentagon and the US military.
All highly trained in a camp deeply buried in the Ozarks.
All with the singular ultimate purpose of sabotage and destruction.
-----
This is one series that promises to enter veritably explosive complications.
Compelling. Unputdownable!
Review based on an advance reading copy courtesy of Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley.
Published by Thomas & Mercer, February 1, 2022
★★★★☆ (4.25 Stars)
Following his action-packed four-book "Ryan Decker" series, author Steven Konkoly's new "Devin Gray" military /political thriller reads like a crescendo rising to the apogee of his body of work, as he injects vintage John le Carré and Richard Condon cold war themes into his own brand of fast-paced, non-stop action thrillers.
-----
Haifa, Israel.
The Israeli seaport city is dealt a death blow by rocket attacks, undeterred, due to a sudden and mysterious failure of Israel's vaunted Iron Dome missile defense system.
Somewhere in Tennessee.
An ex-CIA operator believes she'd uncovered something insidious that had taken root in America and had somehow gone unnoticed for fifty years. Rejected by her superiors, she sacrifices her job and family in a two-decade pursuit to track names disclosed to her by a GRU general.
"Don't let them waste it", he had said.
And now she finally has in her grasp a man shrouded in mystery.
Washington, D.C.
An ex-Special Agent and twelve-year veteran of the FBI's Special Surveillance Group leads a private industrial espionage, counterintelligence and surveillance team to secure a defecting Defense software engineer.
Chattanooga, Tennessee.
For over thirty years, a team of foreign operators, all American citizens, have executed dirty wet work and blind delivery jobs for someone they'd never met and only knew by a codename: CONTROL.
Enter an ace Marine helicopter pilot, battle-hardened in Iraq where she'd served several tours. Along with the ex-FBI Special Agent and a mercenary team of ex-CIA operators, they see the existential threat to the country, all too aware of lamentable shortcomings in their own government.
They decide to do something about it.
Enter a post-Soviet Putin-disciple and Russian industrialist, billionaire and spymaster with his hands on three generations of sleepers imbedded in American politics, academia, technology, industry, intelligence, the Pentagon and the US military.
All highly trained in a camp deeply buried in the Ozarks.
All with the singular ultimate purpose of sabotage and destruction.
-----
This is one series that promises to enter veritably explosive complications.
Compelling. Unputdownable!
Review based on an advance reading copy courtesy of Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley.
June 22, 2024
What was Devin Gray's mother's secret?
Steven Konkoly certainly proves that he has an extensive background in military operations, both domestic and foreign. Deep Sleep (Devin Gray Book1) is one of those thrillers that start out exciting and builds up to a fevered pitch, where you realize you've stuffed your entire hand in your mouth at least an hour ago.
Konkoly plots his book as strategically as a General in battle. While you, the reader, are focused on the apparent target, you've been flanked on all sides without any clues. Just when you think there is no way out, another brilliant idea from another character saves the moment.
I think I was most impressed by the number of offensive teams and counter-offensive teams that Konkoly kept in play without giving away the underlying secret of the novel. In fact, Deep Sleep ends without revealing that secret. I'm still not sure how happy I am about that. Although I do love series.
If you like spy thrillers, and excellent writing, you must read Steven Konkoly. Although I had begun to think high quality Tom Clancy level thrillers were all in the past, I was obviously very wrong. And how happy I am that I was.
Steven Konkoly certainly proves that he has an extensive background in military operations, both domestic and foreign. Deep Sleep (Devin Gray Book1) is one of those thrillers that start out exciting and builds up to a fevered pitch, where you realize you've stuffed your entire hand in your mouth at least an hour ago.
Konkoly plots his book as strategically as a General in battle. While you, the reader, are focused on the apparent target, you've been flanked on all sides without any clues. Just when you think there is no way out, another brilliant idea from another character saves the moment.
I think I was most impressed by the number of offensive teams and counter-offensive teams that Konkoly kept in play without giving away the underlying secret of the novel. In fact, Deep Sleep ends without revealing that secret. I'm still not sure how happy I am about that. Although I do love series.
If you like spy thrillers, and excellent writing, you must read Steven Konkoly. Although I had begun to think high quality Tom Clancy level thrillers were all in the past, I was obviously very wrong. And how happy I am that I was.
January 21, 2022
Devin Gray is a former FBI agent, now working in the private sector. After foiling a honey pot scheme, he learns his mother has died. She was thought to be an insane conspiracy theorist, which cost her a career in the CIA, and even affected the careers of the rest of her family.
Turns out the conspiracy theory is real. Devin has shape up fast or he'll be just another corpse dumped into a container of lye.
Lots of action and breakneck speed.
Turns out the conspiracy theory is real. Devin has shape up fast or he'll be just another corpse dumped into a container of lye.
Lots of action and breakneck speed.
March 2, 2022
Oh my gosh! This one keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. Don't start it the night before you have to get up early--trust me. The character Devin Gray (I assume this is the beginning of a series) is an interesting take on someone who works for the FBI. However the most interesting character is Marnie Young a decorated marine helicopter pilot.
It will keep you engaged and guessing until the end.
It will keep you engaged and guessing until the end.
February 11, 2022
The typical formulaic thriller in which the lead off action is about a character we will never meet again. Still I needed a book that would grab my attention and mandate turning the pages. Binge page turning. It succeeded.
I’d read another conspiracy thriller series by Konkoly and enjoyed it. This was no different except instead of high tech moguls it’s the Russians with sleeper agents embedded during the Cold War. Second and third generation Russians who have risen to power posItions within the government, industry, and military- all indoctrinated through an annual summer camp. Fast paced action in Baltimore, DC, Tennessee, and the Ozarks. With a conspiracy and plot this portentous there’s no resolution. Just a skirmish in a war and onto further volumes in the series for resolution.
I’d read another conspiracy thriller series by Konkoly and enjoyed it. This was no different except instead of high tech moguls it’s the Russians with sleeper agents embedded during the Cold War. Second and third generation Russians who have risen to power posItions within the government, industry, and military- all indoctrinated through an annual summer camp. Fast paced action in Baltimore, DC, Tennessee, and the Ozarks. With a conspiracy and plot this portentous there’s no resolution. Just a skirmish in a war and onto further volumes in the series for resolution.
June 5, 2023
These characters did not come off as real, 3-dimensional people. More like what you’d see in a bad action movie. And though it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, things are in no way resolved. There are multiple loose ends for future books so you’d have to read more to get the whole story.
January 16, 2022
A good premise, slightly disappointed by the way it petered out to make way for the next book in the series to follow.
However, well constructed and written, would recommend
However, well constructed and written, would recommend
February 17, 2022
Full of witty tricks and actions!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 625 reviews