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Tierra Campos Thrillers #3
Vital Targets
Success means all loose ends must be tied.Journalist Tierra Campos and FBI Special Agent Victoria Larsen find themselves desperately battling to save their careers and their lives from forces looking to destroy them in the third book in this high-octane series.
Six months after the events in Devious Measures, both women are moving on with their lives…or so they thought. Fearful of their abilities, they will find out that the most powerful and devious cabal ever assembled in American history has other plans for them. With the clock ticking to November, Tierra and Victoria must fight to survive the onslaught unleashed against them by dark forces bent on eliminating their Vital Targets.
Vital Targets is the third novel in a five-book serial drama. Readers are encouraged to begin the journey with Justifiable Deceit and enjoy the Tierra Campos Thrillers in the order they were written.
Cancel culture has come for Tierra and Victoria. One targets a career. The other targets a life.
America is still reeling from the events that transpired during the New Hampshire Democratic Primary. With the immediate threat of election interference neutralized, spring turns to summer, and the nation awaits the nominating conventions, utterly unaware of the danger lurking in the long shadows.
A flamboyant and popular pundit moves against Tierra Campos as she transitions to her new role at the iconic political television program Capitol Beat. After a controversial interview lands her in hot water with her network, he calls for boycotts and mobilizes a social media mob to cancel her. With her future as a journalist hanging in the balance, she must realign with old friends to uncover the hidden truth behind her cancellation before her career is left in ruins.
As Tierra struggles, Special Agent Victoria Larsen abandons her plans to leave the FBI when a team probing manipulation in the New Hampshire election approaches her with an offer. Something doesn’t add up, and a feeling is growing that the mysterious Machiavelli may have co-conspirators. After a trio of shocking murders, she finds herself in the crosshairs of a deadly new enemy with one ensure that she isn’t alive to continue investigating.
Vital Targets is a fast-paced political suspense thriller with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final chapter. Download it now!
The Tierra Campos Thrillers (in order):Justifiable DeceitDevious MeasuresVital TargetsRevealed SecretsDecisive Endgame
Six months after the events in Devious Measures, both women are moving on with their lives…or so they thought. Fearful of their abilities, they will find out that the most powerful and devious cabal ever assembled in American history has other plans for them. With the clock ticking to November, Tierra and Victoria must fight to survive the onslaught unleashed against them by dark forces bent on eliminating their Vital Targets.
Vital Targets is the third novel in a five-book serial drama. Readers are encouraged to begin the journey with Justifiable Deceit and enjoy the Tierra Campos Thrillers in the order they were written.
Cancel culture has come for Tierra and Victoria. One targets a career. The other targets a life.
America is still reeling from the events that transpired during the New Hampshire Democratic Primary. With the immediate threat of election interference neutralized, spring turns to summer, and the nation awaits the nominating conventions, utterly unaware of the danger lurking in the long shadows.
A flamboyant and popular pundit moves against Tierra Campos as she transitions to her new role at the iconic political television program Capitol Beat. After a controversial interview lands her in hot water with her network, he calls for boycotts and mobilizes a social media mob to cancel her. With her future as a journalist hanging in the balance, she must realign with old friends to uncover the hidden truth behind her cancellation before her career is left in ruins.
As Tierra struggles, Special Agent Victoria Larsen abandons her plans to leave the FBI when a team probing manipulation in the New Hampshire election approaches her with an offer. Something doesn’t add up, and a feeling is growing that the mysterious Machiavelli may have co-conspirators. After a trio of shocking murders, she finds herself in the crosshairs of a deadly new enemy with one ensure that she isn’t alive to continue investigating.
Vital Targets is a fast-paced political suspense thriller with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final chapter. Download it now!
The Tierra Campos Thrillers (in order):Justifiable DeceitDevious MeasuresVital TargetsRevealed SecretsDecisive Endgame
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2021
About the author
Mikael Carlson
26 books87 followersMikael Carlson is an award-winning political fiction author, including a silver medal from Readers' Favorite and National Indie Excellence, Lyra, and Global E-book Awards.
Mikael is a proud U.S. Army Paratrooper and retired Army National Guardsman. He graduated with a Master of Arts in American History in 2010 and with a B.S. in International Business from Marist College in 1996.
An avid traveler and unabashed political junkie, he is the author of the Politics as Unusual blog You can find him at www.mikaelcarlson.com.
Mikael is a proud U.S. Army Paratrooper and retired Army National Guardsman. He graduated with a Master of Arts in American History in 2010 and with a B.S. in International Business from Marist College in 1996.
An avid traveler and unabashed political junkie, he is the author of the Politics as Unusual blog You can find him at www.mikaelcarlson.com.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 19, 2025
Eager to read a political thriller series that once more has parallels to the present US situation, I turned to the third novel in this collection by Mikael Carlson. A mere six months since the end of the previous novel, America is still shocked at the happenings during the New Hampshire Primary. Election interference is not something that will soon go away, but it is now time for the party conventions, where a presidential candidate will be chosen ahead of the final push towards November. A new political pundit is on the scene and targets Tierra Campos as she morphs from a print journalist into an on-screen sensation. Tierra pulls no punches in her interviewing, which gets her into some trouble with the network. Pressure mounts and Tierra is fired for not backing down and apologising for presenting tough questions. An air of cancel culture emerges and Tierra takes up the mantle to defend herself at a time when people blindly accept what popular talking heads are saying. Meanwhile, FBI Special Agent Victoria Larsen is back with the Agency, assigned to work on a deeper probe to find the mastermind behind the New Hampshire situation. As Special Agent Larsen pushes, those around her turn up dead and she is likely next. Silencing her is the only way to ensure the truth never sees the light of day. Much will happen at the conventions that turn the tides and ensure that everyone is ready for a tense final few months leading up to the next presidential election. Mikael Carlson delivers another strong piece with underlying themes.
Mikael Carlson is an author whose political thrillers I have read before. He knows the need for a strong foundation that engages the reader. The story lays the groundwork with both political and societal themes, perfect in an era when America seems keen to challenge why some are blindly forging onwards under troubling leadership. While Carlson delivers a strong foundation for his narrative, he pushes key ideas that help things clip along, leading the reader down quite the path. Short chapters help quicken the pace and the story's momentum reaches its climax with First Amendment discussions, societal views on cancel culture, and some electoral antics to keep things spicy. Multiple perspectives offer views that ensure a complete snapshot of how all storylines advance before coming together at the ideal time. The attentive and patient reader will enjoy this form of storytelling, as Carlson links the previous novels with this piece. Addressing some poignant issues to which most readers can relate offers a wonderful means of mixing fact and fiction in sometimes subtle ways. There are a number of great cliffhanger moments that are sure to pave the way to the two final explosive novels in this collection.
Characters emerge throughout, impacting the piece in ways that advance themes and personal development. Carlson returns with a handful of characters who serve to push sentiments forward that can then be discussed in many ways. Some are returning from the past two novels, while others are led onto the scene for the push towards the November election. The constitutional and political battles are back, complemented by politicians whose roles help Carlson depict the combative nature of electoral politics. He contrasts this with some of the investigative prowess of Victoria Larsen, creating a duel genre thriller with great protagonists.
Surprises and political development are core in a thriller of this nature. Mikael Carlson plants wonderful seeds to germinate in the series, as he has done in the past. He tweaks things at the right moment, leaving the reader to wonder what awaits them as the action heats up. With a few novels to go, Carlson offers crumbs as he leads the reader down this intense political path, with a great deal of time yet to elapse in an election that could mean the difference between an America that is set in its ways and one that seeks new direction. There may be some subtle soap box work here, but Mikael Carlson knows how to get his point across in ways that do not seem to inculcate the reader who simply wants a good story to follow. I am eager to see what Mikael Carlson has in store for the last few novels, as the build-up has been stellar!
Kudos, Mr. Carlson, for a tense exploration of America in factual and fictional ways!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Mikael Carlson is an author whose political thrillers I have read before. He knows the need for a strong foundation that engages the reader. The story lays the groundwork with both political and societal themes, perfect in an era when America seems keen to challenge why some are blindly forging onwards under troubling leadership. While Carlson delivers a strong foundation for his narrative, he pushes key ideas that help things clip along, leading the reader down quite the path. Short chapters help quicken the pace and the story's momentum reaches its climax with First Amendment discussions, societal views on cancel culture, and some electoral antics to keep things spicy. Multiple perspectives offer views that ensure a complete snapshot of how all storylines advance before coming together at the ideal time. The attentive and patient reader will enjoy this form of storytelling, as Carlson links the previous novels with this piece. Addressing some poignant issues to which most readers can relate offers a wonderful means of mixing fact and fiction in sometimes subtle ways. There are a number of great cliffhanger moments that are sure to pave the way to the two final explosive novels in this collection.
Characters emerge throughout, impacting the piece in ways that advance themes and personal development. Carlson returns with a handful of characters who serve to push sentiments forward that can then be discussed in many ways. Some are returning from the past two novels, while others are led onto the scene for the push towards the November election. The constitutional and political battles are back, complemented by politicians whose roles help Carlson depict the combative nature of electoral politics. He contrasts this with some of the investigative prowess of Victoria Larsen, creating a duel genre thriller with great protagonists.
Surprises and political development are core in a thriller of this nature. Mikael Carlson plants wonderful seeds to germinate in the series, as he has done in the past. He tweaks things at the right moment, leaving the reader to wonder what awaits them as the action heats up. With a few novels to go, Carlson offers crumbs as he leads the reader down this intense political path, with a great deal of time yet to elapse in an election that could mean the difference between an America that is set in its ways and one that seeks new direction. There may be some subtle soap box work here, but Mikael Carlson knows how to get his point across in ways that do not seem to inculcate the reader who simply wants a good story to follow. I am eager to see what Mikael Carlson has in store for the last few novels, as the build-up has been stellar!
Kudos, Mr. Carlson, for a tense exploration of America in factual and fictional ways!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
April 3, 2023
Vital Targets hits a near bulls eye
I give vital targets a near Bullseye because it's not dead center as to who is behind this conspiracy. Michael Carlson has a distinct Talent for developing Is his characters strengths as well as their weaknesses and humanness. Eager to delve into the future.
I give vital targets a near Bullseye because it's not dead center as to who is behind this conspiracy. Michael Carlson has a distinct Talent for developing Is his characters strengths as well as their weaknesses and humanness. Eager to delve into the future.
June 10, 2021
This book is not non-Partisan
I enjoyed the book, but I wish it was truly non-partisan. One of the bad guy was a Progressive Democrat. In a previous books in this series the bad guys were gun control supporters. I might have enjoyed it more if the bad guys were not all Democrats.
I enjoyed the book, but I wish it was truly non-partisan. One of the bad guy was a Progressive Democrat. In a previous books in this series the bad guys were gun control supporters. I might have enjoyed it more if the bad guys were not all Democrats.
June 11, 2021
Compelling
Tierra and her best friend against take on impossible odds to find the truth and possibly get liked in the meantime. Don’t start this book late at night unles you don’t want sleep!
Tierra and her best friend against take on impossible odds to find the truth and possibly get liked in the meantime. Don’t start this book late at night unles you don’t want sleep!
September 16, 2021
Excellent writing! Points out media misinformation, asking the hard questions that seem to be ignored! Journalism is not longer reporting of the facts….the public is now given perspectives, apparently with agendas.
September 23, 2022
Another great adventure with Tierra Campos and her friends. Timely, and pertinent: this series is compelling and almost addictive.
This one was a real page-turner. Hard to put away even when the night’s sleep is calling. I’m anxiously awaiting the next in this very readable series.
This one was a real page-turner. Hard to put away even when the night’s sleep is calling. I’m anxiously awaiting the next in this very readable series.
May 25, 2023
What kind o a name or alias is Robespierre???
When Tierra Compos challenges a guest political candidate on her broadcast with unsavory facts about his past, it pits her Against her boss who fires her.
When Tierra Compos challenges a guest political candidate on her broadcast with unsavory facts about his past, it pits her Against her boss who fires her.
July 29, 2021
Two themes simultaneously kept interes5
Author did a terrific job developing the presidential r@ce while promoting the investigation into a number of senseless murders. Good job.
Author did a terrific job developing the presidential r@ce while promoting the investigation into a number of senseless murders. Good job.
August 7, 2021
Awesome plot line
Scenarios are realistic. After reading you, it's hard to want to read anyone else. I've read them all.The best yet.
Scenarios are realistic. After reading you, it's hard to want to read anyone else. I've read them all.The best yet.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews