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Rebellious Son: A Spy Devils Thriller
REBELLIOUS SON: A SPY DEVILS THRILLER
Caught between an infamous bomb maker and a dying CIA spy, Bridger and the Spy Devils fight for their survival while preventing a radioactive disaster.
After bombs explode across Europe, the evidence proves Specter—the infamous and legendary bomb maker—has come out of retirement. The CIA’s former terrorist-hunter Wes Henslow pleads with Bridger to help find the only terrorist he never caught. Bridger agrees, but May, his mother and CIA handler, orders Bridger not to assist their friend. Why?
Suspicious as always of May and wanting to help his mentor, Bridger ignores her. A ruthless game of cat and mouse begins that leads Bridger to Specter’s stunning niece Lena. Bridger’s urgency increases as he discovers Specter has access to radioactive materials. Unfortunately, Bridger doesn’t know that the Spy Devils are also being hunted by a deadly adversary seeking vengeance.
Battling a Chinese drug cartel, old hatreds, and the CIA, Bridger’s every decision will determine who lives or dies.
REBELLIOUS SON is the second novel in the award-winning THE SPY DEVILS series.
Caught between an infamous bomb maker and a dying CIA spy, Bridger and the Spy Devils fight for their survival while preventing a radioactive disaster.
After bombs explode across Europe, the evidence proves Specter—the infamous and legendary bomb maker—has come out of retirement. The CIA’s former terrorist-hunter Wes Henslow pleads with Bridger to help find the only terrorist he never caught. Bridger agrees, but May, his mother and CIA handler, orders Bridger not to assist their friend. Why?
Suspicious as always of May and wanting to help his mentor, Bridger ignores her. A ruthless game of cat and mouse begins that leads Bridger to Specter’s stunning niece Lena. Bridger’s urgency increases as he discovers Specter has access to radioactive materials. Unfortunately, Bridger doesn’t know that the Spy Devils are also being hunted by a deadly adversary seeking vengeance.
Battling a Chinese drug cartel, old hatreds, and the CIA, Bridger’s every decision will determine who lives or dies.
REBELLIOUS SON is the second novel in the award-winning THE SPY DEVILS series.
340 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 15, 2022
8 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
Joe Goldberg
21 books39 followersJoe Goldberg has been a CIA covert action officer, corporate intelligence director, international political consultant, and currently is a college instructor and writer. His work at the CIA garnered three Exceptional Performance Awards.
In the private sector, as leader of Corporate Intelligence at Motorola, Joe received the Meritorious Award recognizing a single individual who has made significant contributions to the intelligence profession. He holds degrees in Political Science and Communications from the University of Iowa.
In 2014, Joe self-published the novel Secret Wars: An Espionage Story, with sales of nearly 9,000 print and e-book copies. It was a finalist in both the fiction and historical fiction categories of the Independent Author Network awards.
He has a passion for writing, US history, Jimmy Buffett, the Iowa Hawkeyes, and his family.
In the private sector, as leader of Corporate Intelligence at Motorola, Joe received the Meritorious Award recognizing a single individual who has made significant contributions to the intelligence profession. He holds degrees in Political Science and Communications from the University of Iowa.
In 2014, Joe self-published the novel Secret Wars: An Espionage Story, with sales of nearly 9,000 print and e-book copies. It was a finalist in both the fiction and historical fiction categories of the Independent Author Network awards.
He has a passion for writing, US history, Jimmy Buffett, the Iowa Hawkeyes, and his family.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 20, 2022
READ MY FULL REVIEW AT Best Thriller Books
Rebellious Son is one hell of a read and Joe Goldberg brings the heat with a constant supply of action, witty exchanges, and a wonderfully complex plot. Bridger and his Spy Devils are up against worthy advisories as they seek to disrupt the global drug trade and track down a man they were sure they had already killed.
What sets this series apart is the utterly unique idea of a covert spy organization having not only an existing, but THRIVING, social media presence. While not serving as prominently in the second installment of the series, it’s still a cool addition to the genre. Adding that to the intriguing storylines, fantastic writing, and some of the funniest dialogue you’ll find in the genre, you have yourself a thriller that shouldn’t be missed. Goldberg supports his story by employing a heavy dose of information from his past profession, proving there is no substitute for experience and that the Devil is in fact… in the details.
Make sure to check out the full review
Rebellious Son is one hell of a read and Joe Goldberg brings the heat with a constant supply of action, witty exchanges, and a wonderfully complex plot. Bridger and his Spy Devils are up against worthy advisories as they seek to disrupt the global drug trade and track down a man they were sure they had already killed.
What sets this series apart is the utterly unique idea of a covert spy organization having not only an existing, but THRIVING, social media presence. While not serving as prominently in the second installment of the series, it’s still a cool addition to the genre. Adding that to the intriguing storylines, fantastic writing, and some of the funniest dialogue you’ll find in the genre, you have yourself a thriller that shouldn’t be missed. Goldberg supports his story by employing a heavy dose of information from his past profession, proving there is no substitute for experience and that the Devil is in fact… in the details.
Make sure to check out the full review
November 16, 2022
Joe Goldberg is two for two! Rebellious Son, is exactly the follow up to The Spy Devils that I was looking forward to. Wasting no time getting to the action, Joe Goldberg has mastered the hook that grabs your attention and keeps you wanting to know what is going to happen next. The action, humor, and raw emotion are perfectly balanced, making the story come to life and leaving you emotionally attached to the characters. I will be anxiously awaiting the return of the Devil in the third installment of The Spy Devils story.
January 29, 2023
I gave the first book 4 stars, this one is a five star book. I have heard about a third in this series but there is no more stars! Rebellious Son by Joe Goldberg is clearly better than the first in the series but don't skip reading the first, it's also great. I had a fun time reading these books and I really look forward to get my hands on the third. The Spy Devils is a great new twist on the concept of an organistion that rids the world of bad guys in a new way. I was lured into reading this series by seeing people I trust talking about it and the opportunity to double my coin collection. I must congratulate the author of having the imagination to put this on paper and I really recommend all out there to try his work. It is not only thrilling, it is also fun.
September 20, 2022
Rebellious Son establishes Joe Goldberg as a must-read thriller author with consistent top-notch stories that are hilariously devious and action-packed. The Spy Devils is a tough act to follow but Rebellious Son not only matches up to the standards of the former, it also improves upon it to give you one of the most memorable action thrillers you’ll read this year.
Bridger and the Spy Devils are doing their usual work of hunting and killing bad dudes when a well-known bombmaker makes the headlines after blasting several members of a drug syndicate with no regards to collateral damage. Things start to get complicated when Bridger’s mentor and former spymaster Wes Henslow requests the leader of Spy Devils to help him capture and kill the one who got away from him all those years ago. Stuck between Bridger’s mother chewing off his ear about not helping Wes and wanting to pay off a lifelong debt, Bridger must constantly battle his inner storm in addition to fending off terrorists and Chinese agents with a handful of cool gadgets including the Devilbot and the Devil Stick.
This thriller is a hoot and a half when it comes to sarcastic characters with snarky comebacks to the most horrible situations. Even though Bridger is the leader, I can’t help but love Demon more. An old and mean kickass Devil who loves to torture bad guys and shoot them with his Kimber 1911. I call for a whole spin-off on him and only him taking on bad guys in cool action sequences which Joe Goldberg has clearly shown the aptitude for writing and showcasing with the right amount of tactical and technical details as he did in this one.
Full review on https://www.bestthrillerbooks.com/kas...
Bridger and the Spy Devils are doing their usual work of hunting and killing bad dudes when a well-known bombmaker makes the headlines after blasting several members of a drug syndicate with no regards to collateral damage. Things start to get complicated when Bridger’s mentor and former spymaster Wes Henslow requests the leader of Spy Devils to help him capture and kill the one who got away from him all those years ago. Stuck between Bridger’s mother chewing off his ear about not helping Wes and wanting to pay off a lifelong debt, Bridger must constantly battle his inner storm in addition to fending off terrorists and Chinese agents with a handful of cool gadgets including the Devilbot and the Devil Stick.
This thriller is a hoot and a half when it comes to sarcastic characters with snarky comebacks to the most horrible situations. Even though Bridger is the leader, I can’t help but love Demon more. An old and mean kickass Devil who loves to torture bad guys and shoot them with his Kimber 1911. I call for a whole spin-off on him and only him taking on bad guys in cool action sequences which Joe Goldberg has clearly shown the aptitude for writing and showcasing with the right amount of tactical and technical details as he did in this one.
Full review on https://www.bestthrillerbooks.com/kas...
September 16, 2022
I was privileged to receive an Advanced Review Copy of REBELLIOUS SON by Joe Goldberg. This is the second in Goldberg’s “Spy Devils Thriller” series. It was a fun read, with great characters and a solid story line, plus some cool tools used by the heroes and heroines! In fact, after I read REBELLIOUS SON, I bought and read the first book in the series, THE SPY DEVILS, and was not disappointed. Both books are fast-paced, first-rate, highly entertaining thrillers! There is a cliff-hanger in REBELLIOUS SON, so I look forward to reading the next “Spy Devils Thriller” book: DEVIL’S OWN DAY!
September 10, 2022
You will want to take on this adventure! Action, twists, and personal perspective on these wonderful characters will keep you turning the page. And then a crazy ending will leave you holding your breath for more. So looking forward to more from this series. Congratulations to Joe Goldberg.
November 14, 2022
I received an advance copy of the book from Joe Goldberg, in return for a fair and honest review. I enjoyed Joe Goldberg’s new Spy Devils book “Rebellious Son”. This is the second novel in the Spy Devils series. If you are a fan of Brad Thor, Simon Gervais, Joshua Hood, Marc Cameron, Charles Cumming, Don Bentley, Kyle Mills/Vince Flynn, and Ryan Steck, it is very likely that you will enjoy the Spy Devils series. I have enjoyed the novels by these authors as much as I enjoy the Spy Devils series by Joe Goldberg.
The Spy Devils are a private group that is loosely associated in a love/hate relationship with the CIA through a senior member of the CIA related to Bridger. They take on assignments that are deniable to the CIA. In this story, it begins with a disruption of a drug cartel in Columbia that is tied in with a Chinese money launderer. The drug cartels in Mexico and Columbia are trying to expand into Europe using a master bomber known as Specter to destroy the European cartels and their production facilities. A secondary plot line is that Bridger is assisting a retired CIA officer in a personal hunt for Specter bomber who has killed a number of U.S. citizens over the years. The retired CIA officer helped raise Bridger after his father was killed working for the CIA. This hunt for Specter is done against the orders of senior people in the CIA. These two plot lines are intertwined throughout the book. The book is set in Columbia, northern Africa, and Europe.
This is very good quick fun read. The story is well written and has a little irreverence to the genre when it comes to portions of the dialogue. I don’t know how much of this irreverence is due to Goldberg’s experience as a CIA officer and making fun of the bureaucracy and methods within the CIA.
The Spy Devils are a private group that is loosely associated in a love/hate relationship with the CIA through a senior member of the CIA related to Bridger. They take on assignments that are deniable to the CIA. In this story, it begins with a disruption of a drug cartel in Columbia that is tied in with a Chinese money launderer. The drug cartels in Mexico and Columbia are trying to expand into Europe using a master bomber known as Specter to destroy the European cartels and their production facilities. A secondary plot line is that Bridger is assisting a retired CIA officer in a personal hunt for Specter bomber who has killed a number of U.S. citizens over the years. The retired CIA officer helped raise Bridger after his father was killed working for the CIA. This hunt for Specter is done against the orders of senior people in the CIA. These two plot lines are intertwined throughout the book. The book is set in Columbia, northern Africa, and Europe.
This is very good quick fun read. The story is well written and has a little irreverence to the genre when it comes to portions of the dialogue. I don’t know how much of this irreverence is due to Goldberg’s experience as a CIA officer and making fun of the bureaucracy and methods within the CIA.
October 14, 2022
Absolutely awesome read. I couldn't put it down. Action packed from start to finish. I recommend this book.
October 10, 2022
READ MY FULL REVIEW AT Best Thriller Books
Make sure to check out the full review
Make sure to check out the full review
September 4, 2022
Bridger and the Spy Devils receive a call from his former mentor Wes Henslow to help him find one of the most wanted terrorists of all time, the ONE Wes never caught, Spectre. Bridger's mother May and the CIA however tell him not to. That's the premise for the new page-turner by Joe Goldberg. All our heroes are back in the game, minus Beast, with Angel as a new addition. The reader can expect as much fun and violence as in book one. And lots of betrayal, and twists and turns you won't see coming. And then there's the finale. I for sure didn't see that coming and I'm pretty sure this will be the topic for many discussions in the months to come. With only two books so far, I already fell in love with the Devils and hope there will be many more adventures to read. Thank you Joe Goldberg!
October 16, 2022
I would like to thank Joe Goldberg for the Advanced Review Copy of REBELLIOUS SON.
Book one was so good, I asked myself how could he top it?
You did, ten fold. Non stop action, great verbal jabs between characters, kept the story flowing.
Hell of an ending, and eagerly awaiting book 3.
I apologize for this short review. Never know what's considered a spoiler, don't want to be that person.
Book one was so good, I asked myself how could he top it?
You did, ten fold. Non stop action, great verbal jabs between characters, kept the story flowing.
Hell of an ending, and eagerly awaiting book 3.
I apologize for this short review. Never know what's considered a spoiler, don't want to be that person.
November 7, 2022
Despite being released shortly before the Columbine tragedy, THE MATRIX, with eerily similar images, performed well in theaters and ushered in the new action thriller with heavy digital influence, standing at the door of the year 2000, proffering not whether paradise was lost, but maybe it never existed. Dodging sentinels as well as Agent Smith and his cronies, the crew comprised of Neo, Trinity, Tank, Dozer, Mouse, etc passes between THE MATRIX and the real world in the wake of sometimes over the top and gratuitous violence. It can't, of course, get any more real than a former CIA officer penning a thriller that also features a merry band of marauders, just that they are more Angels and Demons, Imp, Snake, and Milton, the name sake most famous for Paradise Lost, the epic poem about the biblical story of the Fall of Man. Just that here, it's more the nihilistic indulgence in synthetic narcotics that causes the downward spiral of Western society. REBELLIOUS SON, as titluar inference may allow, is of course about a wayward son who is bent on preventing this fall and finally winning the endless war on drugs.
Old-school westerns, probably comic books and graphic novels, too, have had their share of men with no name, emphasizing the plying their trade and nothing else. Part of the new wave of thrillers, REBELLIOUS SON features Trowbridge Hall, or just Bridger, a tech fortune trust fund baby def WITH a name, turned financier, turned Devil hunting criminals. Also an ex-cop, he's now in charge of the Spy Devils, a motley crew of rejects (first seen in THE SPY DEVILS) but capable knuckledraggers and experts in their field, part of the deadly and effective tip of an otherwise broken spear. Their HQ is in West Texas, a sprawling ranch of 2,700 functioning acress of pastoral land with cattle and a 6,200 sq foot main house. Southfork eat your heart out. Bridger is a master sensei of the Shuriken Toss and a collector of 1st edition classic spy and thriller novels--not the current mass marketed jumping the shark variety. He's in it for the Hunt. And when the Devil hunts, you can smell the fires of hell burning. On the hunt for the groping tentacles of 'The Enterprise', a super syndicate of the most terrible of triads the world has ever produced, ergo the Chinese Amazon of the narcotics world, the Spy Devils have put the pinch on its OPs, driving the underground scum into a tiffy. On top of all of that, Bridger's surrogate father's lifelong pursuit of Specter, a master terrorist bomb maker for hire the likes of 'the Jackal', is cropping up its septuagenarian+ head.
Intricately plotted, REBELLIOUS SON emphasizes tradecraft and mission over method. Given the team based nature of the adventure, humor plays a big part and puts the brakes on the unerring action and the relentless chase. Given his penchant for fake names being only second to the legendary Fletch, Trowbridge Hall is responsible for much of the comedic relief. And who needs a team to succeed in the spy world? He is easy to talk to, intelligent, a man of the world, and handsome. Apparently the most interesting man in the world. Then again, team work makes the dream work. Woven into the fabric of the story are what probably amounts to the author's experiential nuggets like TEDAC, TDY, SWIRLS, SPO, and the Janssen Method. Clever infusion of tech and lean-in to MacGYVER via "Devil Sticks" with multiple settings, and DevilBot Drones keep things on modern keel, counterbalanced with references to COMMANDO, TITANIC, the Artist formerly known as Prince, and, of course, LETHAL WEAPON re: age. Easily read as a stand-alone thriller, REBELLIOUS SON features spectacular action, hellish adventure, and devilish fun. For multiple layers of excitement, become a Spy Devil, get REBELLIOUS SON, and give the Devil his due.
September 23, 2022
I received an ARC of this sequel to The Spy Devils with high hopes. Simply put, they were met. This story picks up nicely where the first one left off, and it continues the development of the characters with many twists and turns throughout. I love the growth of the characters as the book progresses, and the ingenuity and snarkiness in which they get the job done is extremely entertaining to read. This book left me with a smile, and most definitely wanting to read what happens next.
November 24, 2022
I must admit that I enjoyed SPY DEVILS - the first in this series by Joe Goldberg. But I absolutely LOVED REBELLIOUS SON! I couldn’t put it down and have told all my friends that this action-thriller is a MUST READ! Bridger is a fantastic protagonist and Goldberg keeps the reader anticipating what is on the next page!! I highly recommend this 5-star read and can’t wait for the next book in the SPY DEVILS series!
March 9, 2026
Joe Goldberg, a former CIA employee writes a good series. "Rebellious Son" is the second novel of the Spy Devils series and had a load of action but also highlighted the interpersonal relationships between the characters; something that you may not really find in an espionage action novel unless the author is a skilled scribe.
This one is worth the read.
This one is worth the read.
November 18, 2023
Outstanding Special Achievements of the Devils
Constantly changing places of murderous drug dealers out smarted by the Spy Devils. Keep you turning the pages to find out what is happening.
Great prose make you wanting to read the rest of the books.
Constantly changing places of murderous drug dealers out smarted by the Spy Devils. Keep you turning the pages to find out what is happening.
Great prose make you wanting to read the rest of the books.
October 25, 2022
The Spy Devils are the hottest team in this genre right now. Rebellious Son is the second book in the series and it is go from the first page. Cannot wait for more from Joe Goldberg and the Devils.
February 3, 2023
An excellent, adventure-filled, follow-on to Spy Devils (SD) #1. There were many twists and turns, double-crosses, and plot advances from the first SD novel.
January 7, 2025
A action packed thriller for the Spy Devils crew that made me buy book 3. Joe Goldberg writes a very entertaining thriller, so just start reading the series.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews