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The Shadowmaker Series #1
The Shadowmaker
World-renowned thief, Henry Sirola, has a secret. He’s also an FBI informant.
When he’s given a new assignment by the Croatian mob to retrieve a priceless artifact, he knows it could be the biggest score of his life, but he needs to keep his two worlds from colliding. Henry and his associates embark on a mission that takes them to Brazil and home again where an assassin strikes at the heart of their crew.
Now, hunting down a cold-blooded killer, Henry embarks on an international quest for the truth through the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains to the cafes and castles of Italy to the back alleys of Zürich. His battle for survival uncovers his troubled past and takes him through the dark underworld of organized crime into a pursuit of self-discovery as the battle between good and evil turns personal.
When he’s given a new assignment by the Croatian mob to retrieve a priceless artifact, he knows it could be the biggest score of his life, but he needs to keep his two worlds from colliding. Henry and his associates embark on a mission that takes them to Brazil and home again where an assassin strikes at the heart of their crew.
Now, hunting down a cold-blooded killer, Henry embarks on an international quest for the truth through the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains to the cafes and castles of Italy to the back alleys of Zürich. His battle for survival uncovers his troubled past and takes him through the dark underworld of organized crime into a pursuit of self-discovery as the battle between good and evil turns personal.
382 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 25, 2022
5 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
T.J. Champitto
2 books8 followersT.J. Champitto is the Amazon bestselling author of The Medina Device, and The Shadowmaker. He has won several awards, including the Pencraft Award for Literary Excellence, the Maxy Award for Best Thriller, and was a finalist for the Silver Falchion Award at the 2021 Nashville International Writers Conference.
The author was born in Troy, New York and currently lives with his wife and two dogs in Greenville, South Carolina.
His latest novel, The Shadowmaker, is an explosive international thriller that was released in 2022, and is the first in a new series.
The author was born in Troy, New York and currently lives with his wife and two dogs in Greenville, South Carolina.
His latest novel, The Shadowmaker, is an explosive international thriller that was released in 2022, and is the first in a new series.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 26, 2022
The Shadowmaker by T.J Champitto, which is the book one in The Shadowmaker Series was wonderful and a perfect book for crime or adventure genre fans.
Professional art and jewel thief, Henry Sirola, thought he was living his best life working with his best friend Darius Martovic under Anton Krunoslav, the owner of the Ružaro clan. Unbeknownst to everyone, Henry is a double agent for the FBI. Darius informs him about an undercover operation that Anton is on that would yield more money than they have ever made but keeps him in the dark about the full details of the operation. Meanwhile, the FBI has tightened its watch over Henry, Darius, and Anton after teaming up with NSA agent Jonathan Harwick and DCIS agent Antonio Garza on Operation Evergreen. It was then revealed by Harwick that Anton had met and exchanged envelopes with Arthur Neilson, an entrepreneur who was involved with illegal oceanic mining and leased his research vessel for a secret operation. Harwick and Garza believe that Anton wants to recover either a historic ship or a nuclear warhead from the ocean after sending down submersibles to check it out.
However, Henry learns that Darius is keeping something vital about the undercover operation from Miles Brennan, an FBI agent who is also involved in Operation Evergreen and has been exchanging information with Henry for the past four years. Darius informs Henry that the first phase in the undercover operation is for him to go to Sorrento, Italy with his ex-girlfriend Isabell to deliver a capsule, but things do not go as planned. Operation Evergreen is also in chaos as the agents involved discover that Anton carried out his undercover operation and recovered an asset that is neither a historic ship nor nuclear warhead. Unfortunately, the asset was tampered with and fell into the hands of a rival criminal clan. Darius is then forced to tell Henry about the details of the undercover operation and prompts him to help recover the asset from a rival criminal clan. The recovery operation of the asset is successful and the details of the operation reported to Anton who praises them and promises great rewards.
However, after the murder of his best friend Darius Martović, he discovers that there is a bigger conspiracy going on, and suddenly, everyone is a suspect. Meanwhile, during a meeting involving the members of Operation Evergreen, Agent Miles is forced by Agent Harwick to confess the name of his informant who he calls “The Shadowmaker.” Miles lies and says Darius was his informant to protect Henry from power-driven officials. Henry is put in a tight place as he works together with Isabell to decipher the hints his best friend left him while working as newly promoted captain under Anton. He is in a rage when he finally discovers what Darius was trying to tell him about Anton and decides to go ahead with what Darius had in mind for the crime clans, but does he have enough evidence to pull this off?
Opinion:
The Shadowmaker was quite an interesting read and is unlike any book I have ever read. The novel was mostly about a world of crime, betrayal, and secrets but still managed to squeeze in love in the purest form. It is uniquely written and composed in a manner that even the most unimaginative person would unconsciously be thrown into the scene. The novel held a comfortable mood for most of the chapters, but T.J Champitto sparked a suspense mood towards the end of the novel that will make you want to follow up the series. I was impressed by how realistic the events that occurred in the book felt.
I adore the protagonist, Henry Sirola, because he was written not as a superhuman criminal who leaves a dangerous spot without a scratch but as a realist-trained criminal who could be scared for his life and did not always make the best decisions. The author’s writing style was detailed enough to picture, but it still left enough space for imagination beyond what was written. The novel may also be the next hot crime-adventure series because of how realistic the events were written.
Champitto achieved his purpose in the novel because after reading the book, I realized that Henry was a shadowmaker because he was an expert at exchanging information with the FBI, working in one of the biggest crime clans, and trying to understand the secrets left by Darius without anyone catching him at it until later. He also left the ending of the novel as a cliffhanger, which I would say worked wonders because I am currently looking forward the next book in the series.
However, the book's weakness lies in the fact that it was not exactly meant to be classified as a thriller genre because there was hardly any suspense in each chapter. Nevertheless, it is highly recommended to adventure and crime genre fans from age 13+ because I am very sure they will find it more interesting than thriller fans. I learnt a big lesson from the protagonist and that is how to take food from the fridge at night, put one of my sister’s clothes on for an outing, and inform my elder brother in another state about the latest events in the house without anyone catching me at it until later. In case you did not understand what I learnt, I meant I learned how to be a shadow. The Shadowmaker Series' first book has a rating of 4 out of 5.
Professional art and jewel thief, Henry Sirola, thought he was living his best life working with his best friend Darius Martovic under Anton Krunoslav, the owner of the Ružaro clan. Unbeknownst to everyone, Henry is a double agent for the FBI. Darius informs him about an undercover operation that Anton is on that would yield more money than they have ever made but keeps him in the dark about the full details of the operation. Meanwhile, the FBI has tightened its watch over Henry, Darius, and Anton after teaming up with NSA agent Jonathan Harwick and DCIS agent Antonio Garza on Operation Evergreen. It was then revealed by Harwick that Anton had met and exchanged envelopes with Arthur Neilson, an entrepreneur who was involved with illegal oceanic mining and leased his research vessel for a secret operation. Harwick and Garza believe that Anton wants to recover either a historic ship or a nuclear warhead from the ocean after sending down submersibles to check it out.
However, Henry learns that Darius is keeping something vital about the undercover operation from Miles Brennan, an FBI agent who is also involved in Operation Evergreen and has been exchanging information with Henry for the past four years. Darius informs Henry that the first phase in the undercover operation is for him to go to Sorrento, Italy with his ex-girlfriend Isabell to deliver a capsule, but things do not go as planned. Operation Evergreen is also in chaos as the agents involved discover that Anton carried out his undercover operation and recovered an asset that is neither a historic ship nor nuclear warhead. Unfortunately, the asset was tampered with and fell into the hands of a rival criminal clan. Darius is then forced to tell Henry about the details of the undercover operation and prompts him to help recover the asset from a rival criminal clan. The recovery operation of the asset is successful and the details of the operation reported to Anton who praises them and promises great rewards.
However, after the murder of his best friend Darius Martović, he discovers that there is a bigger conspiracy going on, and suddenly, everyone is a suspect. Meanwhile, during a meeting involving the members of Operation Evergreen, Agent Miles is forced by Agent Harwick to confess the name of his informant who he calls “The Shadowmaker.” Miles lies and says Darius was his informant to protect Henry from power-driven officials. Henry is put in a tight place as he works together with Isabell to decipher the hints his best friend left him while working as newly promoted captain under Anton. He is in a rage when he finally discovers what Darius was trying to tell him about Anton and decides to go ahead with what Darius had in mind for the crime clans, but does he have enough evidence to pull this off?
Opinion:
The Shadowmaker was quite an interesting read and is unlike any book I have ever read. The novel was mostly about a world of crime, betrayal, and secrets but still managed to squeeze in love in the purest form. It is uniquely written and composed in a manner that even the most unimaginative person would unconsciously be thrown into the scene. The novel held a comfortable mood for most of the chapters, but T.J Champitto sparked a suspense mood towards the end of the novel that will make you want to follow up the series. I was impressed by how realistic the events that occurred in the book felt.
I adore the protagonist, Henry Sirola, because he was written not as a superhuman criminal who leaves a dangerous spot without a scratch but as a realist-trained criminal who could be scared for his life and did not always make the best decisions. The author’s writing style was detailed enough to picture, but it still left enough space for imagination beyond what was written. The novel may also be the next hot crime-adventure series because of how realistic the events were written.
Champitto achieved his purpose in the novel because after reading the book, I realized that Henry was a shadowmaker because he was an expert at exchanging information with the FBI, working in one of the biggest crime clans, and trying to understand the secrets left by Darius without anyone catching him at it until later. He also left the ending of the novel as a cliffhanger, which I would say worked wonders because I am currently looking forward the next book in the series.
However, the book's weakness lies in the fact that it was not exactly meant to be classified as a thriller genre because there was hardly any suspense in each chapter. Nevertheless, it is highly recommended to adventure and crime genre fans from age 13+ because I am very sure they will find it more interesting than thriller fans. I learnt a big lesson from the protagonist and that is how to take food from the fridge at night, put one of my sister’s clothes on for an outing, and inform my elder brother in another state about the latest events in the house without anyone catching me at it until later. In case you did not understand what I learnt, I meant I learned how to be a shadow. The Shadowmaker Series' first book has a rating of 4 out of 5.
December 12, 2022
Shadowmaker by T.J. Champitto is a suspenseful crime thriller and the first book in the Shadowmaker series. It’s an action-packed and exciting thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat from the beginning. The story centers around Henry, a successful criminal who appears to be moving up in the world with a new job and a plan that will make him and his partner millions. Henry’s world quickly descends into chaos when a sudden incident occurs, resulting in death.
Champitto creates a thrilling world with compelling characters and an intriguing plot that unravels flawlessly, keeping readers eager to read one chapter after another. I especially enjoyed the danger Henry always seems to fall into and the plot twists that keep the reader guessing what will happen next. Henry’s character development is excellent. As you become familiar with him, a little more about his past and way of life unravels further, reeling you in as you dive into the mystery.
The author’s writing style shines well throughout the book, which is easy to read and holds my attention throughout the story. I enjoyed the shocking turns of events, and suspense, which only added to the storyline, setting, and action. There is always a sense of impending danger, both thrilling and frightening, in an entertaining way.
Shadowmaker is a stellar read that will keep you mesmerized by the characters and unexpected plot twists. I highly recommend T.J. Champitto’s book and look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Champitto creates a thrilling world with compelling characters and an intriguing plot that unravels flawlessly, keeping readers eager to read one chapter after another. I especially enjoyed the danger Henry always seems to fall into and the plot twists that keep the reader guessing what will happen next. Henry’s character development is excellent. As you become familiar with him, a little more about his past and way of life unravels further, reeling you in as you dive into the mystery.
The author’s writing style shines well throughout the book, which is easy to read and holds my attention throughout the story. I enjoyed the shocking turns of events, and suspense, which only added to the storyline, setting, and action. There is always a sense of impending danger, both thrilling and frightening, in an entertaining way.
Shadowmaker is a stellar read that will keep you mesmerized by the characters and unexpected plot twists. I highly recommend T.J. Champitto’s book and look forward to reading the next book in the series.
January 9, 2024
Book: ***
Performance: ****
A Solid Crime Adventure/Thriller Story
This is the first of a new action/ thriller series. The main character, Henry Sirola, is a master thief working for an eastern European mob organization. He and long time bestie, Darius, are recruited for the score of a lifetime, which naturally seems too good to be true. Henry’s old flame (Isabell) is also along for the ride and gives us the possibility for a little romantic reconciliation. When it all inevitably goes sideways, the team scrambles to fix everything, going up against government corruption and a Brazilian crime syndicate. Along the way, we see secrets/mystery and betrayal that keeps you guessing with a few late reveals, but nothing too surprising. Henry is a very likable, and somewhat flawed, anti-hero that is also and FBI informant (making him sort of a good guy - right?) … which to be honest, I am not clear on how that advances the plot, which for most of the story seems to be a legitimate salvage and sale … the only question is why are crime lords involved at all. At any rate, the action and pacing is good enough to easily pull your through the story without losing interest and keep it entertaining. The ending was a bit ambiguous, although for the most part satisfying.
I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#TheShadowmaker #FreeAudiobookCodes
Performance: ****
A Solid Crime Adventure/Thriller Story
This is the first of a new action/ thriller series. The main character, Henry Sirola, is a master thief working for an eastern European mob organization. He and long time bestie, Darius, are recruited for the score of a lifetime, which naturally seems too good to be true. Henry’s old flame (Isabell) is also along for the ride and gives us the possibility for a little romantic reconciliation. When it all inevitably goes sideways, the team scrambles to fix everything, going up against government corruption and a Brazilian crime syndicate. Along the way, we see secrets/mystery and betrayal that keeps you guessing with a few late reveals, but nothing too surprising. Henry is a very likable, and somewhat flawed, anti-hero that is also and FBI informant (making him sort of a good guy - right?) … which to be honest, I am not clear on how that advances the plot, which for most of the story seems to be a legitimate salvage and sale … the only question is why are crime lords involved at all. At any rate, the action and pacing is good enough to easily pull your through the story without losing interest and keep it entertaining. The ending was a bit ambiguous, although for the most part satisfying.
I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#TheShadowmaker #FreeAudiobookCodes
December 28, 2022
Better than even his first novel.
I can’t believe he wrote a great book that bested the first novel which I thought couldn’t be bested, ever. Don’t know what I’ll do intel he comes out with another novel. Just a great read with lots of twists and turns
I can’t believe he wrote a great book that bested the first novel which I thought couldn’t be bested, ever. Don’t know what I’ll do intel he comes out with another novel. Just a great read with lots of twists and turns
July 21, 2023
Henry Sirola works for the Croatian mob, along with his best friend, but he is also an informant for the FBI. With his latest job promising a big pay day, he learns some disturbing news that will change everything.
March 17, 2023
Captivating page turner. Couldn't put it down. Can't wait for the next installment in the trilogy. Well done, Mr. Champitto.
November 21, 2023
Thrilling, fast-paced adventure that I enjoyed! Great audio narration
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews