Rob Walker has served in countless operations in combat zones across the globe. Now, his mission is personal.
He's a U.S. Army Special Forces sniper who's seen the worst the world has to offer.
When his sister is kidnapped off the streets of New York City and sold to a Mexican drug cartel, Rob knows he must act fast. With time running out, Rob sets off on a mission to rescue his sister from the clutches of a brutal criminal underworld.
He is determined to send a message of brutality to her captors and bring her back home safe. But with each passing minute, it becomes increasingly unclear if he will reach her in time.
Will Rob succeed in his mission or will his sister be lost forever to the global sex trade?
If you enjoyed the intense suspense and action of Lee Child's Jack Reacher series, you'll love Rob Walker's story in Mexican Blood.
John Etterlee is a retired U.S. Army combat Veteran, thriller author, lover of horses and other animals, and adventurer. Born in Augusta, Georgia, he joined the United States Army in 2001, shortly after the attacks of September 11th, 2001 and served multiple tours overseas before being medically retired in 2013.
Having been to many countries, the Army really opened his eyes to different cultures around the world and inspired many of the books that he has in the works.
John’s longest deployment was a thirteen-month tour to southeastern Baghdad with 2-30 Infantry, 4th Brigade, 10th Mountain Division from 2007 to 2009. This was by far his toughest.
Having been in two IED blasts himself, his unit also came under indirect mortar fire, small arms, rocket and RPG fire on a regular basis. John lost a few friends on that deployment.
Although John has always enjoyed writing, it wasn’t until recovering from surgery that he began to take it more seriously. Writing has since become a passion for him, and he loves to share his stories with the world of book lovers.
Aside from writing, some of John’s hobbies and interests include traveling, (especially to Europe) shooting, learning new languages such as German, meeting new people, and music. He is a huge fan of rock music; his newest favorite being Breaking Benjamin. The oldest being Def Leppard.
John now lives in North Carolina with his wife Elizabeth, whom he met while stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington State in 2011. He is also a lover of cats. John and his wife share their home with two beautiful Sphynx cats. Feel free to drop him a line any time. Vielen Dank!
FUN FACT: When John is not writing he enjoys being outdoors, and especially shooting his guns. John is into all firearms, but especially long-range sniper weapon systems.
ANOTHER FUN FACT: John is a huge fan of rock music; His newest favorite band being Breaking Benjamin. The oldest being Def Leppard.
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My first book by this author and another name on my action thrillers genre.
Rob Walker has served in countless operations in combat zones across the globe. Now, his mission is personal.
After returning home from a combat mission in Afghanistan, U.S. Army Special Forces sniper Rob Walker is in a race for time to rescue his kidnapped sister from the clutches of a Mexican drug cartel.
Having seen too much during a botched drug deal, she is snatched up off the New York City streets and handed over to cartel members who are after their payday. Suspecting her of being sold into sex slavery to satisfy the unpaid debt, Rob must act before it’s too late. But, taken deep into the Mexican criminal underworld, Marianne completely drops off the radar.
Heading south on a quest to find her, Rob teams up with his best friend and spotter. He decides to do the only thing he can do: commit violence and punish everyone involved in his sister’s disappearance.
Rob’s mission: save Marianne and send a clear message of brutality to her captors.
But once a cartel hitman picks up their trail, it becomes a dangerous game of cat and mouse.
Will they get to Marianne in time? Or will she vanish forever into the global sex trade?
From war thriller, to action thriller in this well paced action adventure thriller, good strong characters and another character to keep up with.
A clear four stars as plenty of action and yes quite brutal and realistic.
How a novel such as this ever garners more than two stars is a mystery to me. It is just another ho-hum super soldiers dispense justice, killing bad guys and saving good guys. Yeah, super soldiers! The end.
(M) erçy... (E) ver (S) earching... (S) eeking (E) xplanations... (N) ecessary (G) uns... (E) xhorting (R) elease!
THE MESSENGER equates abduction, with war. He's out to get them, for sure.
His friend with him, without question. Will bring them down, save sister.
From bottom to top, will find. It is a matter, of time.
Her safety at stake, won't stop. Follow along with them, to end.
You truly will not, be disappointed. The details all there, dig in.
************************************************* I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. *************************************************
John has carved a new story and series with Rob Walker that begs for a book two follow-up. I found it a very intriguing story with many individual parts that stand by themselves. They will be great beginnings for other stories. Cartel control being so complete. Cartel brutalism. Cartel ownership of everyone and anything. I enjoyed the characters and their interplay with each other. The story jumps off the pages and into your mind.
A taut, non-stop, action-filled story line full of mayhem, murder and danger. John Etterlee has created a detailed and beautifully crafted story of brotherhood, dedication and REVENGE. Language and plot are not for the fainthearted. The best of Etterlee's thrillers to date! Can't wait to get my hands on the next novel in the series.
Kunar Province, Afghanistan Korangal Valley. Sergeant 1st Class Rob Walker (33, sniper/spotter US Army 5th Special Forces Group) looked through the scope on the M107 Barrett .50-caliber sniper rifle, its bipod resting sturdily on the flat rock surface amid the undergrowth as Staff Sergeant Kyle Branch (30, sniper/spotter, US Army 5th Special Forces Group) zeroed in on the target with the Leupold Mark 4 spotting scope.
Captain Jonathan Wells (33, US Army 5th Special Forces Group, West Point grad), Chief Warrant Officer Dylan Henderson (asst. detachment commander), & Master Sergeant Brian Hobbs received the message the target Adeel Abbas (ISIL leader) had been spotted. Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) wanted his head on a platter. Successful mission. MH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter emerged over the mountain skyline to Medevac Captain Wells who had been hit. Bagram Airbase, Afghanistan. Major Bradford showed the next top priority target on the screen Ahmed Atallah (IEDs master maker, ISIL bomb-makers cell leader, former Afghan police officer). 2 M1161 Special Operations strike vehicles carrying ODA-595 members headed for the city limits of Bagram, Afghanistan. 1 shot/1 kill Ahmed Atallah would not be a terror ever again. Sergeant 1st Class Terry Miles (Intelligence) had been hit. Sergeant 1st Class Oscar Ramírez (team medic) was looking after him. Brooklyn, NYC. Robert “Rob” caught a cab to # 402 Gold St. Louise (mother) was thrilled to see her son Rob. O’Malley’s bar. Rob went to visit with Mitch Buchanan (30+, Marianne’s BF, drug dealer). Rob carried Marianne (younger sister) out the exit door. Gold’s gym. Rob & Sergeant Anthony Rossi (workout partner, NYPD Intelligence) were pumping iron. Lieutenant Richard Miller (NYPD Major Case Squad) went to see Rob. Rob went to see Mike “Lion” Buchanan (gang leader). Denton, TX. Rob went to see Kyle. José US citizen told Rob & Kyle about Juan Luis & the ruthless Los Lobos Cartel. Culiacán capital, Sinaloa, Mexico. Rob & Kyle checked into Hotel Jiménez & then went to eat at Santa Cruz Restaurant. San Pedro, Monterey, Mexico. Next stop Rob & Kyle went to visit with Eduardo Hernández. Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico. Rob & Kyle went to speak with Juan “Butcher” Luis. El Milagro, Mexico. Officer Ramos (Mexican National Guard) was explaining how things are to Rob & Kyle.
Will the sex trafficking ring be taken down & all those involved prosecuted?
Warning: This book contains descriptive accounts of extremely graphic adult content (racial hatred), violence, or expletive language &/or uncensored sexually explicit material (minor/adult verbal, psychological, emotional, physical & sexual abuse, kidnapping/prostitution trafficking (slavery) of a human for sexual exploitation) which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive or have potential adverse psychological effects on the reader. If you are especially sensitive to this type of material, it is strongly advised not to read any further.
I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.
An awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very professionally written crime thriller book. It was quite easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge description list of unique characters, settings, facts etc. to keep track of. This could also make another great crime thriller movie, or better yet a mini-TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is an extremely easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; BookFunnel; Amazon Digital Services LLC. Kindle Mobi; book Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
This one is a fast read. It sucks you in and holds on tight. The action is fast paced, rehearsed down to the inth and has a realism only vet can produce. The grit is there. I love it!
It also touches on the drug trade, corruption and sex trafficking as well and still maintains a cohesive story together. It reminded me a lot of the film Skin Trade with Dolph Lundgren, but this story has a much more satisfying end to it.
Memorial Day was a perfect day to release this book into the wild and I only can hope it serves to reminds others, as it did for me that while we are free, that always comes with a price.
I received a copy from himself and am volunteering an honest review for the benefit of others.
Fast paced, non-stop action! John Etterlee has given us another superb action/thriller book. Army Special Forces sniper, Rob Walker, is home from a mission & finds his sister, Marianne, in trouble. She's been hanging out with the wrong crowd & winds up being kidnapped after witnessing things she shouldn;'t have seen. Rob Walker, the star of this new series, calls on his buddy Kyle, who happened to be his spotter, to help him on his mission of finding his sister & bringing her home. The depths they'll go to rescue her from the Cartel that took her knows no bounds. This is a pager turner ... you won't want to put it down once you start. Can hardly wait for the next installment in this new series by John Etterlee.
I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of this book. I read the book Strike Point last year that he wrote. I had enjoyed that one. This one I enjoyed even more than the last one. It is a fast paced story about Rob Walker who returns home after completing a mission overseas. When he returns home he discovers his sister is continuing to hang around in a bad crowd and is possibly doing drugs. One night Marianne witnesses a drug deal and gets abducted. Rob begins his own mission to bring his sister Marianne home.
If you enjoy thrillers that are fast paced. I would highly recommend this book. I can’t wait for his next book.
The thin plot line is used to describe vigilantism and gruesome violence. Little care is made about details like geography (does the author have any idea how large the Sonoran desert is or what the border areas and towns and cities look like?) or police procedures. Even if the police comes up short some times, a kidnapping of a young woman would at least warrant a proper report to be made, for instance. I sincerely hope that our military isn’t accurately represented.
In the first few pages it is apparent that the book will be lacking when a Barrett M107 50 cal is described as a bolt action rifle. Then, the sound emitted from the weapon doesn't arouse anyone's attention. A simple Google search will describe the sound of a M107 as being reduced from freaking loud to just ear damaging loud with a suppressor. The continuity of the story line is just so improbable! I put it down several times with the thought that it was just so unbelievable, but then, I eventually picked it back up. At least it had a happy ending.
Unfortunately, this story is written as though by a boy with illusions of grandiose. Lots of skips from reality. Lots of unnecessary verbage-unless you're being paid by the word, clean it up. Lots of grammatical errors and typos. On the positive side, who doesn't like an Alpha hero that can take a bullet and keep on kicking arse? Or several beatings. Unless you've suffered a bruised rib or been shot, you have no idea how debilitating it can be, even a 'flesh' wound. Lots of suspense and repetitive action that will appeal to many. Too fantastical for my tastes., but maybe not others.
This was one of the best novels I have ever seen or read. It just grabbed me right then and there and I was hooked from the first page. I especially love how the plot reminded me of both taken the first one that is, and Rambo last blood. Rob Walker is the ultimate bad ass and if he were a real guy, I would gladly shake his hand, and say thank you for killing all those assholes. I would gladly recommend this series for anyone who loves good action. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series and anything else from John Etterlee
Good lead in to a thriller of special forces friends and comrades on home leave after a deployment. While on leave a sister of one is kidnapped by drug dealing criminals for sale as part of their human trafficking operations which results in the comrades setting out to find her and take vengeance on the gang and it’s leader. Fast moving storyline of good versus evil and the misery that drugs inflicts on society.
It was a chore to get through. Extensive use of the F-word does not improve the story but it does make wonder if the author knows any other descriptive words. Also not realistic. The number two character was shot by a sniper through the chest and not only did not die but was back in action the next day??! The velocity alone of such a weapon would destroy the organs in the vicinity of the strike. No way you'd walk away from that.
This is my first book by Etterlee. He presents a story line of revenge that is well described where a special forces soldier is home on leave and is compelled to rescue a family member. The soldier is like a Jack Reacher on steroids, he kills a lot of perple to accomplish his rescue. The story is a page turner, fast paced and have a good-guys ending.
When the cartel kidnaps the sister of a US Army Special Forces soldier in a drug deal gone bad, they don't know what kind of fury they've released. If you love revenge thrillers then you'll love The Messenger by John Etterlee. Etterlee keeps the pedal down as Rob and Kyle track Rob's sister to Mexico. The actions plentiful and brutal as Rob and Kyle work their way one (or more) body at a time to rescue the victims of the sex trade. Hang on tight.
*I got a free copy of this book via Voracious Readers Only* This put me in mind of the monthly Mack 'The Executioner' Bolan pulps that appeared in the corner shop. The main character goes on a murderous hunt for the abductors of his sister and creates widespread carnage. Commando without the comedy, Shooter without the style, Taken without the tactics. As much depth as a postage stamp and about the same tackiness.
Really! I have not read such a poorly written book in a long time. Killing bad guys on every second page and inconsistencies on the other pages. We might want to consider this as escapism, but the dialogue of all of the characters is so exaggerated, that it was difficult to follow. Definitely not a recommended reading even if it didn't cost anything from Kindle Unlimited.
Author has passingly good knowledge about Special Forces that could've been garnered from extensive library research. For those who've were in the military and operated in and along side "the real deal" you notice those little details that interfere with storytelling. It is an interesting tale and non military folks will probably enjoy it more than I did. 🇺🇸
This was a great read from beginning to end. It was fast-paced, brutal and realistic. All of the combat scenes were also very detailed and well written, with the author's military background lending real authenticity. The protagonist was well portrayed, and is someone who is easy to root for. The story was simple and well written. Highly recommended, especially for anyone who enjoys a thriller that features realistic combat and special forces action.
Great plot, characters, fast read. My only complaint is that you have to suspend your belief in reality as many circumstances in the story are highly improbable or impossible as well as characters get from one place to another without satisfactory explanation. For example, they hijack a yacht at sea while injured, set it afire and in the next scene they are on land, with no explanation of how they got there.
The Messenger is non-stop action. U.S. Army Special Forces Sniper Rob Walker is home on leave when his sister is kidnapped and taken to Mexico by cartel human traffickers. He enlists his buddy and Army spotter Kyle to help him bring back his sister home. What these two go thru trying to find and rescue Marianne gives us this action-packed story. You won't want to stop reading once you start.
The Messenger, by John Etterlee, is a gripping story bringing a special forces war veteran home to face personal, family issues where his “skills” are necessary! The story captures your interest from the beginning and keeps you interested as it grows and leads him to cross borders to save his sister. Danger is all around and he must not fail. His sister’s life hangs in the balance!
A page-turning thriller so laden with action that kept me awake far later in the evening than I intended.
Somehow I find it comforting to know there are men out there who will stop at nothing to protect their families, as Rob Walker did in this story. We need more of them.
Lastly (although it should rightfully be first), thank you for your service, Mr. Etterlee.
I have to say I didn’t know what to expect.I took a chance with this book and man am I glad I did.I throughly enjoy the characters and the action .I always love when the good guys win but there definitely is a good twist when the good guys are bad ,I let you judge for yourselves. Call it revenge…
Really an incredible story of where the characters are real or they tried to keep the characters as real as possible, and give you an inside look at the lives of two special forces, soldiers, and the barbarity of the sex trafficking industry among the cartels. Excellent excellent book and I can’t wait to read the second book.
I really enjoyed The Messenger but for me there is too much technical info about the weapons used right at the start of the book. I know they are a necessary detail but they did come thick and fast right at the start which for me took away from the story as I was trying to get into it. Once past that I settled down to a good fast read.
His sister is kidnapped and Rob Walker will move heaven and earth to rescue her. The Mexican cartel dealing in a wide swathe of misery are those he must deal with in order to find and free his sister. A well written story, while fiction, highlights human trafficking and all it involves. A great read