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The Phoenix Chronicles #5
The Widowmaker
Sometimes the only way out is through.
Determined to expose The Alliance and shut down the nefarious shadow organization, Brady Hawk puts his quest on hold after getting entrapped by a familiar foe with a bitter grudge. Faced with an ultimatum with fatal consequences, Hawk must figure out a way to avoid completing an assignment that would not only compromise him but also put thousands of innocent lives at risk.
Failure is not an option.
Determined to expose The Alliance and shut down the nefarious shadow organization, Brady Hawk puts his quest on hold after getting entrapped by a familiar foe with a bitter grudge. Faced with an ultimatum with fatal consequences, Hawk must figure out a way to avoid completing an assignment that would not only compromise him but also put thousands of innocent lives at risk.
Failure is not an option.
311 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 27, 2022
567 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
R.J. Patterson
199 books209 followers*** Signup for my newsletter and receive a free copy of The Warren Omissions, the first book in my James Flynn thriller series, by visiting http://eepurl.com/bZwpdf ***
THE FIRST SIGNS that I might like writing -- and that I might be slightly competitive -- appeared when my year two (or first grade) teacher, Mrs. Holland, asked my class to write and illustrate our day. Mine read like this: “The Red team beat the Blue team, 1 to nil. And I won.” The next 47 entries covered my exploits on the soccer pitch while growing up in Ipswich, England.
In South Carolina as a teenager, my dad told me that I could get paid to watch sports provided I could write about it. Sounded easy enough and by the time I was 16, I landed a job at my town’s daily newspaper and had a column on Major League Baseball players from our area. I also covered my first riot there at a sporting event -- and it’s safe to say I was smitten with journalism.
After graduating from one of the best journalism schools in the country, I took a job as a sports editor in South Georgia and learned firsthand about the passion of high school sports in rural America. I thought I knew before, but I didn’t. This was another world.
I also had the opportunity to cover major sporting events like the Olympic Games, the World Series, the Super Bowl, and the Final Four. It was a thrill!
But nothing was as thrilling to me as uncovering the truth in investigative assignments. I once broke a story about a prominent southern football team’s NCAA violation -- and found out the violating coach had committed suicide only a few months earlier. The story won a national writing award and stoked my desire to write about these issues. It made me realize that the sports world was just another fantastic backdrop for drama.
After writing non-fiction books with athletes, for athletes, and ghost writing for many others, I decided to enter the world of fiction writing. It had been something I wanted to do but never found the time. So, I made the time--and had a blast in the process.
I’m not out to become the next Faulkner or Hemingway -- I’m just out to tell a good story. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them!
THE FIRST SIGNS that I might like writing -- and that I might be slightly competitive -- appeared when my year two (or first grade) teacher, Mrs. Holland, asked my class to write and illustrate our day. Mine read like this: “The Red team beat the Blue team, 1 to nil. And I won.” The next 47 entries covered my exploits on the soccer pitch while growing up in Ipswich, England.
In South Carolina as a teenager, my dad told me that I could get paid to watch sports provided I could write about it. Sounded easy enough and by the time I was 16, I landed a job at my town’s daily newspaper and had a column on Major League Baseball players from our area. I also covered my first riot there at a sporting event -- and it’s safe to say I was smitten with journalism.
After graduating from one of the best journalism schools in the country, I took a job as a sports editor in South Georgia and learned firsthand about the passion of high school sports in rural America. I thought I knew before, but I didn’t. This was another world.
I also had the opportunity to cover major sporting events like the Olympic Games, the World Series, the Super Bowl, and the Final Four. It was a thrill!
But nothing was as thrilling to me as uncovering the truth in investigative assignments. I once broke a story about a prominent southern football team’s NCAA violation -- and found out the violating coach had committed suicide only a few months earlier. The story won a national writing award and stoked my desire to write about these issues. It made me realize that the sports world was just another fantastic backdrop for drama.
After writing non-fiction books with athletes, for athletes, and ghost writing for many others, I decided to enter the world of fiction writing. It had been something I wanted to do but never found the time. So, I made the time--and had a blast in the process.
I’m not out to become the next Faulkner or Hemingway -- I’m just out to tell a good story. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them!
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 28, 2022
This book had me at page one! J. D. Blunt has been kidnapped. So Brady Hawk, Alex, Bobby Besserman, Morgan May and The Magnum Group are all in the hunt for Blunt’s kidnappers. They navigate the world putting out fires doing everything they can to find and rescue J. D. and make the world safer. Hawk and Alex are the main characters in this story. Bobby Besserman is fighting for his job as Director of the CIA. And Morgan and the Magnum Group are actively searching for J.D. There is so much going on in this story—it kept me reading into the night. And the light came on when I finally realized that Hawk’s persona is the Widowmaker! So interesting, so much fun and such great reading! Thoroughly enjoyed this book.
May 28, 2022
I’ve enjoyed all the previous Phoenix Chronicles stories, however The Widowmaker provided a deeper insight into Brady Hawk’s past that may have eluded my memory from the earlier Brady Hawk series. The action in this story is some of the most intense of this series and the level of intrigue will leave you with new questions regarding The Alliance. All of this to simply say this is my favorite book of the series and it has whetted my appetite for the next installment in this series. I received an Advance Reader Copy of the book from the author and chose to provide this review.
May 25, 2022
Hawk assignment was not what he expected, the money was needed for Alex and him. One in the Magnum group was kidnapped, using that as a leverage for what they wanted Hawk to do.
An intriguing plot , the characters are interesting of how they play with or against Hawk. The players, the threats are never ending in this great series, that readers will enjoy. Given ARC for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.
An intriguing plot , the characters are interesting of how they play with or against Hawk. The players, the threats are never ending in this great series, that readers will enjoy. Given ARC for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.
June 2, 2022
The Widow Maker R.J. Patterson
Brady Hawk's old boss and father figure JD Blunt has been kidnapped and being held hostage. A group called the alliance and another organization wants to start a world war involving Russia and America. Everything g that could possibly go wrong does, but Hawk and his wife are extremely skilled operators and a force to be reckoned with. Another excellent read in this series!! Enjoyed immensely!!!
Brady Hawk's old boss and father figure JD Blunt has been kidnapped and being held hostage. A group called the alliance and another organization wants to start a world war involving Russia and America. Everything g that could possibly go wrong does, but Hawk and his wife are extremely skilled operators and a force to be reckoned with. Another excellent read in this series!! Enjoyed immensely!!!
June 30, 2022
An attempt to start WWIII
Hawk and Alex find themselves in a plot to start WW III. An unknown group has abducted JD Blunt and are using him as a pawn in assassinating Russia’s president. All plans are thwarted by the Russian president’s stubborn disbelief that no one would want to start WW III. But Alex and Hawk use their usual skills to win the day. ENJOY!
Hawk and Alex find themselves in a plot to start WW III. An unknown group has abducted JD Blunt and are using him as a pawn in assassinating Russia’s president. All plans are thwarted by the Russian president’s stubborn disbelief that no one would want to start WW III. But Alex and Hawk use their usual skills to win the day. ENJOY!
May 28, 2022
An exciting thriller with a well written storyline and outstanding realistic characters. Contains plenty of action and suspense. A page turning read that was very enjoyable. Highly recommended book and series.
June 8, 2023
Alex and Hawk are on a new mission and it could be disastrous!
Who knew finding JD would become such a convoluted scavenger hunt with so many moving parts the computers begin to freeze up!
Who knew finding JD would become such a convoluted scavenger hunt with so many moving parts the computers begin to freeze up!
February 22, 2024
Another great book in the Phoenix Chronicles series. I was on the edge of my seat and felt anxious wondering how the story would unfold. I kind of feel bad for John Daniel having his parents gone all the time.
June 1, 2022
great
A great book, non stop action and suspense. I can’t wait to read another RJ Patterson book!! Especially the Brady Hawk series.
A great book, non stop action and suspense. I can’t wait to read another RJ Patterson book!! Especially the Brady Hawk series.
January 23, 2023
4 Stars
The Widowmaker (The Phoenix Chronicles Book #5) by R.J. Patterson...
Full Review Still to Come.
The Widowmaker (The Phoenix Chronicles Book #5) by R.J. Patterson...
Full Review Still to Come.
April 22, 2024
kept me intrigued
Good story telling. The plot moved quickly and I enjoyed the twists and sometimes improbable turns. The grammar faults, however, interrupted the flow at times.
Good story telling. The plot moved quickly and I enjoyed the twists and sometimes improbable turns. The grammar faults, however, interrupted the flow at times.
June 24, 2024
Politics before people 20!
A other President turning on the folks that ha e his back. The scariest part of the story..... six year old John Daniel driving a ATV around the ranch!
A other President turning on the folks that ha e his back. The scariest part of the story..... six year old John Daniel driving a ATV around the ranch!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews