The 9th Man

Luke Daniels #1

by Steve Berry, Grant Blackwood

From  New York Times  bestselling author of the Cotton Malone series comes a thrilling, action-packed historical adventure that sends Luke Daniels on an international manhunt for the truth about the assassination of President John Kennedy.

Luke Daniels is in London, between assignments with the Magellan Billet, when he receives a frantic call from an old friend.  Jillian Stein is in trouble.  She made a mistake and now her life may be in danger.  She needs Luke’s help.  Immediately.  Racing to Belgium Luke quickly finds that she was right.  A shadow team of highly-trained operatives are there on the hunt.  Intervening, he finds himself embroiled in a war between two determined sides — one seeking the truth, the other trying to escape the past — a war that has already claimed one life and is about to claim more.   

Thomas Rowland is a Washington insider, a kingmaker, problem-solver, but also a man with a past.  For him everything turns with what happened on November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas.  What history has recorded is wrong.  There is more to the story, much more, and Thomas Rowland is at the center of that terrible reality.  But forces are working against him, and Rowland will do anything to keep the world from learning what actually happened on that fateful day, including killing Luke, Jillian and anyone else who might be a threat. 

In a race from Belgium, to Luxembourg, to the bayous of Louisiana and the Wyoming wilderness, to a final confrontation in the Bahamas, Luke Daniels confronts a series of shocking truths which not only rewrite history but will forever change his own life — as he comes face to face with the ninth man.   
 
 


 

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Suspense, Mystery Thriller

353 pages, Hardcover

First published June 27, 2023

About the author

 

Steve Berry is the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of twenty-two novels, which include: The Last Kingdom , The Omega Factor , The Kaiser's Web, The Warsaw Protocol, The Malta Exchange, The Bishop’s Pawn, The Lost Order, The 14th Colony, The Patriot Threat, The Lincoln Myth, The King's Deception, The Columbus Affair, The Jefferson Key, The Emperor's Tomb, The Paris Vendetta, The Charlemagne Pursuit, The Venetian Betrayal, The Alexandria Link, The Templar Legacy, The Third Secret, The Romanov Prophecy, and The Amber Room. Steve has also co-written a novel with Grant Blackwood,  The 9th Man  (a Luke Daniels Adventure), and four novellas with M. J. Rose:  The End of Forever,   The House of Long Ago,   The Lake of Learning,  and  The Museum of Mysteries,  all Cassiopeia Vitt tales. His books have been translated into 41 languages with over 25,000,000 copies in 52 countries. They consistently appear in the top echelon of The New York Times, USA Today, and Indie bestseller lists. Somewhere in the world, every thirty seconds, one of his novels is sold.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A long-time fan of Steve Berry and his Cotton Malone series, I was intrigued to see the author work with Grant Blackwood on a series spin-off. Luke Daniels has long been a secondary character to the series and appears to be getting his time in the limelight. Blackwood and Berry show an adventure through Daniels’ eyes, in an intense thriller that looks at one of America’s greatest 20th century mysteries. In a well-paced piece, the authors provide an intense thriller that is sure to keep the reader flipping pages well into the night.

Luke Daniels has long been an important part of the Magellan Billet, one of the premier organizations within the US intelligence system. While resting in London between cases, he receives a call from his old friend, Jillian Stein. She’s misjudged someone and is now in a race for her life across rural Belgium. Luke drops everything and races to find her, hoping things are not as troubling as they appear. A cadre of sleek operatives is trying to target Jillian, putting a bullseye on Luke as well. As the dust settles, Luke realises that he is in the middle of a warring two sides, with a major historical fact at the centre of the battle.

Luke soon learns about Thomas Rowland, a powerful player in Washington, whose past knowledge could get him into a great deal of trouble. He purports to know that the entirety of the JFK assassination narrative is false and feels that the truth ought to come out, especially since he was intricately involved. As people try to continue the cover-up, Thomas’ life is in danger, as well as those of Luke and Jillian, who seem keen to learn of the new Kennedy intel.

In a story that spans across Europe, into the Louisiana bayous, and even in the American Midwest, Luke Daniels will stop at nothing to follow the trail and discover all about the “ninth man”, who could hold the key to untangling the truth about November 22, 1963 and what actually occurred in Dealey Plaza during the chaos. A chilling story that is sure to impress those who have a long interest in all things Magellan Billet, as well as the Kennedy assassination. Steve Berry and Grant Blackwood have opened the door to a potential new (and rival?) series!

While Cotton Malone always finds himself in the middle of historical mysteries, he is by no means the only agent on the scene. Luke Daniels has been a keen secondary character in many of the Magellan Billet novels and Grant Blackwood has made sure to shine the limelight on him, at least for a while. Building on a well-established series, even as a spin-off, takes some effort and requires a strong narrative base. Blackwood and Berry do well to pace things in a way similar way to provide a smooth move for Cotton Malone fans to enjoy. The pacing and developmental aspects mirror the primary series and give the reader something to enjoy with ease. Characters are quick to be introduced and develop effectively, leaving the reader many with whom to connect throughout the reading experience. Plot points appear strong and keep the reader hooked, particularly with a further examination of the Kennedy assassination. Berry’s influence is here, focussing on a piece of history and massaging it to add depth and some ‘what if’ moments for the reader to ponder. The story flows well and delves into possibilities that will create questions where none might have existed. If this is a new series in the making, I am curious to see how things progress and will be sure to keep an eye out to see what’s to come in the next few years.

Kudos, Messrs. Blackwood and Berry, for a great adventure. that forces me to rethink what I think I know!

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central for gifting me an early copy. Below you'll find my honest review.

What a wild ride! I've loved Luke Daniels since he was introduced in Berry's long-running Cotton Malone series as a side character, and I'm really happy he got his own novel (and according to the authors, two more upcoming sequels!).

This one tackles the assassination of JFK, and spins a tale surrounding what actually happened that day in November 1963. As Luke and his old friend Jillian race around the world, following bread crumbs, their lives oare seriously on the line. While obviously Luke has plot armor, the stakes still seemed really high. It was a lot of fun, and I definitely can't wait to pick up the next one.

You don't really need to read the Cotton Malone series before reading this one, but if you like this one, check those out while you wait for the second Luke book!

[Pierre Tassé (Enjoying Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the first of many I hope.

[Monnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of co-author Steve Berry's Cotton Malone series, I was delighted to see Malone's protoge Luke Daniels, a U.S. Department of Justice Magellan Billet agent, get a book all his own. Joining forces with co-author Grant Blackwood, Berry says in the Acknowledgements, meant he'd have the time he needs to get 'er done and still work on the Malone books. Count me as one who's delighted (and for the record, looking forward to the next books in both series).

If action is your "thing," you won't go wrong with this one. It kicks in from the beginning - when old friend Jillian Stein calls to say she's in serious trouble - and he zips to Belgium to see how he can help. There, he finds a death which, apparently, isn't sufficient for a few determined killers - apparently, he and Jillian are next up. Keeping his assistance off the company books, Luke sets out with Jillian to find what her elderly grandfather and a couple of his friends were secretly working on for many years. That, in turn, leads him to nonegenarian and Washington, D.C., "fixer" Thomas Rowland, who continues to wield power (but definitely not in a good way). That, in turn, puts the hunt - by now a collision course between Luke and Thomas, a former CIA agent - back on the official Magellan Billet books and takes him and Jillian back in time to the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

It's a battle of not only of wits, but firepower; Thomas's is virtually unlimited; but once Luke's boss, Stephanie Nelle, gets involved, the playing field levels off a bit. Still, how many battles can Luke win when he's outnumbered at every turn? Can he get to the truth - and then to Thomas - before Thomas and his for-hire goons get to him? Of course, I won't spill the beans; suffice it to say I had trouble putting the book down until I knew the outcome (which, BTW, includes a rather big, and unwelcome, surprise). Terrific book, for which I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for a pre-release copy to read and review.

[Bryce · Rating 2 out of 5]

It has Steve Berry's name on it, but it doesn't have that Steve Berry charm. While letting Luke Daniels take the lead in a novel is a good idea, this reads like a garden variety thriller. The sense of history and place that Steve Berry interjects are missing from this book.

Many sequences in the plot strain credulity and an excess of "shoot 'em up" sequences have been added to mask the lack of substance.

I think the co-authored book idea is a mistake and I found The 9th Man to be a disappointment.

[Sammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was in the US Army at the time JFk was assassinated stationed at Fort Devens Massachusetts about 20 miles from Boston and I will never forget that moment when we heard about it. I will never forget that day and moment when we were told that day. Tears were pouring out of all who were lined up in formation outside our barracks for the announcement.

The Book, though fictional, was really good. I will have to read some more of Steve Berry’s books.

[Michael Johnston · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a thriller fan. But I have a confession to make. After the first half a dozen books in Steve Berry's Cotton Malone series (his best-selling thriller series), I became disenchanted with his books. The story lines were almost always interesting (if far-fetched) but other than Malone, the characters were flimsy, shallow and cliched - to the point that it became a distraction. When the story lines became less interesting as the series progressed, I became so disenchanted that I promised myself that I wouldn't read Berry again. Each new book was just so disappointing.

It is in that context, that I picked up The Ninth Man, co-authored by Grant Blackwood. I did so with trepidation (I hate to waste time on disappointing stories when there are so many good books out there). Yet, the description of its plot line seemed interesting, and the lead character of the book was new (at least new as a lead character). Perhaps it was safe to dip my toe back in the water?

Well, yes and no. The frat-boy main character Luke Daniels was still written one-dimensionally for the most part. Even the parts near the end in which he was supposed to be facing deep moral conflicts felt shallow. (I love characters that are forced to do bad things for good purposes but struggle over the moral implications of their actions. It shows the true complexity of the human spirit). In addition, the surprise turn involving one of the main characters at the end of the book felt forced and without a rooting in the character's described psychological profile. So, the issue of Berry's one-dimensional character development remains.

Yet, the story line was interesting (if a bit cliched), and the action scenes were compelling. For the first time in a long time, I enjoyed a Berry book enough to give a positive review.

Here's the plot - Daniels (who is a former Army Ranger and now agent with a secretive Justice Department spy agency called the Magellan Billet) is in Europe between assignments and gets a desperate call for help from an old friend who is in danger. Coming to her aid the two discover a mystery that her now dead grandfather had kept secret for decades relating to the "real" cause of JFK's assassination. I'm a sucker for a good conspiracy theory and, of course, the Kennedy assassination is the mother of all potential conspiracy theories.

As with all good thrillers, there is a powerful, mysterious bad guy, a last-minute plot twist, and a final confrontation between Daniels and the bad guy. The conclusion was a bit unrealistic (why was the bad guy who had mistrusted and manipulated people his whole life, suddenly decide to trust an enemy on the spur of the moment?), but it was all good fun.

With the caveat that some of Berry's flaws as a thriller writer remain with this book, I can legitimately say that I enjoyed one of his books for the first time in a while. I remain guarded about whether I should read another book in the series, but perhaps Blackwood's participation in the writing is a positive addition worth watching.

If you've not read Berry before, this is as good a place to start as any since this is the first book in an expected series starring Luke Daniels, so you won't miss too much if you haven't read the Cotton Malone series. It's a solid thriller, but not spectacular.

[Franchesca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book hits the ground running and doesn't stop. Nonstop, balls to the wall action as we follow our hero, Luke Daniels, in his quest to solve the decades old question of who killed Kennedy. An excellent work of historical fiction, based on historical facts and records. Well researched and well-written. I had a lot of fun with this one.

This review is of an ARC I won in a Goodreads giveaway.

[Ricky · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first book of a projected trilogy (at least) spinning off from Berry's signature Cotton Malone series, I'm afraid this one doesn't give a particularly strong first impression of Luke Daniels as a character. By Berry's own admission, Daniels is like a younger and more impetuous Cotton Malone, but after years of reading Malone's stories, Daniels just comes off shockingly incompetent, the worst student Malone could have had. As for the story, Berry and Blackwood (that frequent collaborator with other big names in the genre, like James Rollins, and the late Clive Cussler) present some very interesting ideas of what could've truly happened to cause JFK's death in 1963, and it's an eerily plausible theory they come up with - one that rings particularly true after years of actual incompetence in the US government. Still, though, the book takes its sweet time revealing that theory, with more than half of it elapsing before we finally start getting into the usual Berry territory. Hopefully the next couple of books which Berry alluded to will be better collaborations with Blackwood, but this one, for me, is undeniably a dud.

[Marc · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very disappointing - which I attribute to the co-writing with "Grant Blackwood". After laboring through ⅔ of the book I'm giving up.

Unlike typical Steve Berry novels, "The 9th Man" has a very thin plot, single thread instead of the typical multi plot lines/venues. Lots of fighting, and blowing up stuff but no intrigue nor twist and turns.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first novel devoted to Cotton Malone mentored Luke Daniels. The book was engaging and a quick read. I was to guess what was behind the events that occured in the book during the first 25%, but there was one unexpected twist at the end. Overall, a good start to the series.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog.

[Syl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good collaboration between one of my favorite authors and a new favorite.

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars
Slow and the JFK assassination conspiracy is kinda old.

[Ray Palen · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE 9TH MAN is the first solo novel for a tertiary character from the Magellan Billet and Cotton Malone series --- Luke Daniels. It also features a blurred out photo on the cover, cleverly placed within the center of the number 9, that almost anyone would be able to identify as President John F. Kennedy. I was hooked right there as I am addictively interested in all of the conspiracy theories surrounding the JFK assassination and the fact that we have had no definitive answer to this in nearly six decades.

I also trusted that if anyone would be able to finally uncover the truth to this long-standing mystery it would be author Steve Berry. Berry, along with Grant Blackwood --- himself a terrific writer and Navy veteran, tackle the problem they have stirred up and turn it into one of the best thrill rides you will read all year. It opens with Luke Daniels receiving an emergency call from his old friend and potential love interest, Jillian Stein. She confesses to having made a mistake which has put her life in danger and cost her grandfather, Ben Stein, his life.

If you follow Berry’s long-running series you will recognize Luke Daniels not only as a protégé of the great Cotton Malone but also the nephew of former POTUS Danny Daniels. Even with that pedigree, Luke carries his own weight and is a young agent who definitely makes Cotton and Uncle Danny proud. Luke travels to Genappe, Belgium, where Jillian has just survived a home invasion attack that killed her grandfather. Each of them realized that this was no unconnected incident and that whoever attacked them was looking for something.

This brings us to the introduction of our villain in the story, a man named Thomas Rowland, son of the late Charles Rowland of CIA fame. We will learn later on in the novel what role Thomas Rowland plays in this plot. For the time being, he is the ninety-plus-year-old maniac who has sent forces of mercenaries in search of a rifle he believe Ben Stein to know the location of. He didn’t, so their deadly search goes on now with Luke Daniels and Jillian Stein on their tail.

Luke finds the rifle first, a Colt AR-15, with nothing particularly special about it. However, Luke is no fool and has ideas about what this rifle may have allegedly been used for. Luke eventually circles back to his boss, Stephanie Nelle, who loops him in about Thomas Rowland and the men who are after him, the rifle, and other artifacts. He is turned on to a second gentleman who was associated with Ben Stein --- a man named Ray Simmons. Though Simmons had already passed, he had left behind probably the largest collection of books written about the JFK Assassination that Luke Daniels had ever seen. It is not surprise to Luke, or any reader at this point, that the rifle and everything Thomas Rowland and company are up to is connected to the day JFK was killed.

The most important find of all are documents put together by a man named David Eckstein. These documents give explicit results on rifle tests done following the JFK Assassination. Tests which determined pretty soundly that all of the shots fired did not come from Lee Harvey Oswald. Although it looks like one of the two shots that were actually fired by Oswald struck JFK in the throat, it was not the kill shot. The kill shot seems to have come from directly behind the car JFK was riding in during the parade procession. A shot that was fired from the weapon of the 9th member of the Secret Service Team meant to protect the President. A shot that hit him directly in the skull and was the definitive kill shot, immediately ending JFK’s life upon impact.

You may think you can figure out where the story goes from here --- but you would most likely be wrong. That is the beauty of THE 9TH MAN and the stellar storytelling of Berry and Blackwood that I will not spoil with any further commentary. I can tell you that I was particularly moved, as I always am, in the Writer’s Note by Steve Berry --- the point in each of his novels where he connects fact with fiction often to amazing lengths. I was intrigued to learn that the ‘crazy’ idea about the JFK kill shot coming from the Secret Service vehicle was actually explored in the 1992 non-fiction work Mortal Error: The Shot That Killed JFK by Bonar Menninger. The credibility that this provides to an already breathtaking read simply sends this story to a next level experience!

Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter

[Shay Redwine · Rating 4 out of 5]

So fun! I like the Luke Daniels spin off.

[Bryce Vandenbelt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Berry’s books are always so good that it makes me sad to finish one. The amount of research completed to write one of these incredible historical fiction novels and portraying the info in a fun and easy to follow manner is nothing short of incredible.

[Pete · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great start to a new series. If you like action and JFK conspiracy, read this one.

[Carole Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful “fixer”. A catastrophic mistake, long buried but coming to light. Will power or the truth prevail?

If you have read any of the Cotton Malone books by Steve Berry, then you know Luke Daniels, aka “Frat Boy”, a newer member of the Magellan Billet organization. A former Ranger and nephew of a US president, he is smart, highly trained, and accustomed to acting quickly to solve problems. When Luke receives a phone call from his old flame Jillian Stein saying that she has made a horrible mistake and is now in danger, he heads straight to Belgium to back her up. He arrives to find a team of assassins entering the house where she has been staying; gunfire ensues, an elderly man is found dead, and Jillian is gone Luke is able to connect with Jillian by phone, and discovers that the dead man was her grandfather Benji. He was a man with secrets, and while Jillian doesn’t know what exactly those secrets are, she seems to have inadvertently set in motion a purge of any who are involved with them. So begins a cat and mouse game between Luke and Jillian and the mercenaries who work for Thomas Rowland, a power broker in DC with connections everywhere who has made a career of uncovering the secrets and misdeeds of others. Rowland wields that knowledge like a weapon, and now that his own past mistake is on the verge of being revealed, he will stop at nothing to extinguish anyone who might know of it. Traveling from Europe to the swamps of Louisiana and a remote mountainous area in the western US, Luke and Jillian piece together the scant clues left behind by Benji and his contacts. Rowland is a formidable enemy, and despite his skills and experience Luke will need a tremendous amount of luck to come out of this adventure alive.
In what is projected to be the first of three Luke Daniels novels, Steve Berry and coauthor Grant Blackwood have taken many of the elements that make the Cotton Malone series so enjoyable and transferred them to this story. Like Malone, Luke Daniels combines a shrewd mind with a well-trained body to combat his enemies, winning against seemingly insurmountable odds. He accepts help from whatever quarter he feels will benefit him, including from women like Jillian and Stephanie Nelle (head of the Magellan Billet) who are every bit as tough and smart as he is. There is a historical puzzle here as well, though the reader doesn’t find out exactly what it is until halfway through the book. And while Cotton Malone himself doesn’t appear in the book, his presence is hovering nearby….Luke hears Malone’s voice in his head, tempering his brash instincts as he finds himself embroiled in chaos, and at one point Stephanie indicates that Malone will be sent to retrieve an item Luke left behind. As I have come to expect from author Berry, The 9th Man is a quick moving, action-packed thriller, with plot twists aplenty. While I wish that the historical “hook” was made clear a little earlier in the novel, I will admit that it did not dissuade me from reading the book straight through. As a character, Luke was more than able to carry the story, and I think that fans of the Cotton Malone series will enjoy this new offshoot every bit as much. If you like your mystery with a dose of history, this will appeal as well, especially if you’ve ever wondered what really happened on November 22, a963, in Dallas TX. Many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me access to an advanced reader’s copy of The 9th Man….I will look forward to the next installment!

[Arnold Kanarek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve Berry has written a series called the Cotton malone books. They are about a retired intelligance officer who seems to have more missions than an active agent. Anyway, it is an excellent series filled with Berry's usual highly resourced historical material. Luke Daniels is an apprentice, of sorts, of Cotton and appears in the last few Malone books. This is his first solo appearance. While Malone is a highly intelligent and complicated personality, Luke is a more typical type of secret agent. He is more similar to a throwback of Sam Spade or Frank Race. The story is pretty good and there are some surprising twists and turns until the end.

[Bruce Raterink · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fast paced, action thriller starring Luke Daniels, a secondary character from Steve Berry's Cotton Malone series. Great characters and several unexpected twists kept me turning the pages and I read it in one setting. I found this a little different than most Steve Berry books, which I suppose has to do with it being co-authored, in that there was a lot more military-style action and killing. That didn't make it less enjoyable, just different.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced reader copy.

[Matt. · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The 9th Man" by Steve Berry is an enthralling page-turner that combines history, espionage, and conspiracy into a captivating narrative. With its well-crafted plot, memorable characters, and relentless pacing, this book is a must-read for fans of the genre. Prepare to be taken on a rollercoaster ride that will challenge your perception of the past and keep you eagerly turning the pages until the very end.

[Vicki Haid · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a long time fan of Steve Berry books, I can say I loved this book so much! I always learn tidbits of history from his books or remember more bits and pieces I had forgotten.
Luke Daniels is a character we meet in the latter Cotton Malone books and I am glad he had a chance for his own story.
The JFK assassination is a hot topic of many conspiracy theories. This story takes so much real history and a blend of fiction to make you think, what if….
As Steve’s first full length novel that is co-written, the addition of Grant Blackwood’s talent is wonderful. To this reader, the two authors’ voices are seamless!

Well done! Can’t wait for more!

[Christopher Nemeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the premise of the book regarding the JFK assassination, the book kept me interested till the end. But for me, this introduction of Luke, vs going with Cotton, was confusing. Why introduce this new character, this would have been an excellent story. Limited information was given on all of the characters, so I felt a little lost throughout this book. I stuck with it, and was pleased with the ending and the authors notes on what was real and what was fiction.

[Michele Reise · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Steve Berry's books and this one does not read like one of his books at all.
It lacked the historical aspects that make Steve's books so wonderful to read.
It lacked the accuracy of details that I've come to expect with Steve Berry.
It was full of ridiculous firefights and unrealistic military operations.
The Luke who has shown up in Cotton's stories did not show up in this book.
I've never read any of Grant Blackwood's books and based off this book, I never will.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Source* Library
*Genre* Thrillers / Historical
*Rating* 3.5-4

*Thoughts*

The 9th Man, by co-authors Steve Berry & Grant Blackwood, is the first installment in the author's Luke Daniels series. Berry's co-written novel features a character from his Cotton Malone series, Luke Daniels, a thirty-something Magellan Billet (one of the premier organizations within the US intelligence system) agent Malone has jokingly nicknamed Frat Boy. The Ninth Man will bring in fans from Berry, Blackwood, and Cotton Malone, who will be delighted by this new adventure.

*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*

https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...

[Leaanne Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining read

I found this book to be an entertaining and interesting read. It was non-stop action from beginning to the end. It had interesting characters and the concept of the novel was great. It had twists and turns. The explanation of the theory was explained well. An definite fun read for me.

[Threasa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is adventure from beginning to end. Luke Daniels is called by a friend who says she needs his help because she made a mistake. There are highly trained operatives throughout. Luke is a Ranger, so he knows how to hold his own. Thomas Rowland is a Washington insider, but he is ruthless. What does he have to do with the assassination of President Kennedy?

[Wagrobanite · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since this is Steve's first novel with a co-writer, I wasn't sure how things were going to go, as I love Steve's books. I shouldn't have worried. What a fascinating book with a nice twist which I didn't see coming, though once laid out, I should have lol. And such an interesting theory to an American moment in time. Well done gentleman, well done.

[Josh Jeter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m a fan of this genre, and have read through several different storylines and authors. That being said, I’ve read through these particular authors’ individual offerings and enjoyed them. This one… not so much.

[Curt · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with all of the Cotton Malone/Luke Daniels books, this one keeps you on the edge of your seat. There are just enough plot twists to keep the reader on their toes.