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Jonathan Grave #1
No Mercy
“No Mercy will leave you breathless.” --Harlan Coben
When those inside the corridors of power need help outside the law, they know who to call. Jonathan Grave, covert rescue specialist, always gets results. No names. No feds. No trace evidence.
When an Indiana college student is abducted, Jonathan and his team of ace operatives unravel a deadly scheme the government wants ignored. Someone wants to control a devastating secret. Someone rich, powerful, and willing to kill anyone to get it. Even the people Jonathan loves most.
When those inside the corridors of power need help outside the law, they know who to call. Jonathan Grave, covert rescue specialist, always gets results. No names. No feds. No trace evidence.
When an Indiana college student is abducted, Jonathan and his team of ace operatives unravel a deadly scheme the government wants ignored. Someone wants to control a devastating secret. Someone rich, powerful, and willing to kill anyone to get it. Even the people Jonathan loves most.
464 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 2009
1768 people are currently reading
4176 people want to read
About the author
John Gilstrap
77 books1,218 followersA little bit about my background... I've always been a closet-writer. As a kid, I lived for the opportunity to write short stories. I was the editor of my high school newspaper for a while (the Valor Dictus, Robinson High School, class of 1975), until I quit ("You can't fire me! I quit!") over a lofty First Amendment issue that seemed very important at the time. My goal, in fact, was to become a journalist in the vein of Woodward or Bernstein. Okay, I confess, I wanted to be Woodward; Robert Redford played him in the movie, and chicks really dug Robert Redford.
I graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1979, and armed with a degree in American history, I couldn't find a job. I ended up settling for a position with a little-noticed trade journal serving the construction industry. They called me the managing editor and they paid me food stamp wages. I hated it. About this time, I joined the Burke Volunteer Fire Department in Fairfax County, Virginia, if only to find relief from the boredom of my job. Running about a thousand calls my first year with the department, I was hooked, and the volunteer fire service became an important part of my life for the next 15 years. In the early eighties, hating my job, I went the way of all frustrated liberal arts undergrads—back to graduate school. Earning a Master of Science degree in safety engineering from the University of Southern California, I started down a whole new road. For the next decade and a half, I became an expert (don't you hate that word?) on explosives safety and hazardous waste. Meanwhile, I kept writing. I didn't tell anyone, of course, because, well, you just don't share artistic dreams with fellow engineers. They look at you funny.
My first novel, Nathan's Run, was in fact my fourth novel, and when it sold, it sold big. At a time in my life when things were going well—I was president of my own consulting firm—things were suddenly going very well. Warner Bros. bought the movie rights to Nathan's Run two days after the first book rights were sold, and as of this date, the novel has been translated and published in one form or another in over 20 countries. With Nathan's Run in the can, as it were, I thought I might finally be on to something, but I didn't quit my "day job" until after I sold the book and movie rights to my second novel, At All Costs. I figured that while one-in-a-row might be luck, two-in-a-row was a trend. So, I started writing full-time.
More novels followed, and then a few screenplays. I was living the dream.
But I really didn't like it much. I learned pretty quickly that when you're born a Type-A personality, those extrovert tendencies don't go away just because you're practicing a craft you love. In fact, after just a couple of years of dream fulfillment, I was pretty friggin' bored with the company of my imaginary friends, so I did something that I've never heard a full-time artist do before: I went back to a day job. At first, it was just a matter of reactivating my consulting business, but then, in 2004, I was handed my ideal Big-Boy Job (that's what my wife calls it) working as the director of safety for a trade association in Washington, DC.
And I continue to write. In 2006, Six Minutes to Freedom was published to considerable acclaim. My first (and probably last) foray into book-length non-fiction, SixMin tells the story of Kurt Muse, the only civilian of record ever rescued by the super-secret Delta Force. Thanks to Kurt's cooperation (he is co-author), I gained access to people and places that lifelong civilians like me should never see. The heroic warriors I met during that research turned out to be nothing like their movie stereotypes. These were not only gentlemen, but gentle men, who remained free of the kind of boasting and self-aggrandizement that I was expecting. They were supreme professionals, and very nice guys.
And through them I got the idea for my new series character, Jonathan Grave. He's fo
I graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1979, and armed with a degree in American history, I couldn't find a job. I ended up settling for a position with a little-noticed trade journal serving the construction industry. They called me the managing editor and they paid me food stamp wages. I hated it. About this time, I joined the Burke Volunteer Fire Department in Fairfax County, Virginia, if only to find relief from the boredom of my job. Running about a thousand calls my first year with the department, I was hooked, and the volunteer fire service became an important part of my life for the next 15 years. In the early eighties, hating my job, I went the way of all frustrated liberal arts undergrads—back to graduate school. Earning a Master of Science degree in safety engineering from the University of Southern California, I started down a whole new road. For the next decade and a half, I became an expert (don't you hate that word?) on explosives safety and hazardous waste. Meanwhile, I kept writing. I didn't tell anyone, of course, because, well, you just don't share artistic dreams with fellow engineers. They look at you funny.
My first novel, Nathan's Run, was in fact my fourth novel, and when it sold, it sold big. At a time in my life when things were going well—I was president of my own consulting firm—things were suddenly going very well. Warner Bros. bought the movie rights to Nathan's Run two days after the first book rights were sold, and as of this date, the novel has been translated and published in one form or another in over 20 countries. With Nathan's Run in the can, as it were, I thought I might finally be on to something, but I didn't quit my "day job" until after I sold the book and movie rights to my second novel, At All Costs. I figured that while one-in-a-row might be luck, two-in-a-row was a trend. So, I started writing full-time.
More novels followed, and then a few screenplays. I was living the dream.
But I really didn't like it much. I learned pretty quickly that when you're born a Type-A personality, those extrovert tendencies don't go away just because you're practicing a craft you love. In fact, after just a couple of years of dream fulfillment, I was pretty friggin' bored with the company of my imaginary friends, so I did something that I've never heard a full-time artist do before: I went back to a day job. At first, it was just a matter of reactivating my consulting business, but then, in 2004, I was handed my ideal Big-Boy Job (that's what my wife calls it) working as the director of safety for a trade association in Washington, DC.
And I continue to write. In 2006, Six Minutes to Freedom was published to considerable acclaim. My first (and probably last) foray into book-length non-fiction, SixMin tells the story of Kurt Muse, the only civilian of record ever rescued by the super-secret Delta Force. Thanks to Kurt's cooperation (he is co-author), I gained access to people and places that lifelong civilians like me should never see. The heroic warriors I met during that research turned out to be nothing like their movie stereotypes. These were not only gentlemen, but gentle men, who remained free of the kind of boasting and self-aggrandizement that I was expecting. They were supreme professionals, and very nice guys.
And through them I got the idea for my new series character, Jonathan Grave. He's fo
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 506 reviews
April 25, 2011
~* 4.5 Stars *~
An Impressive Thriller
Once an elite military warrior, Jonathan 'Digger' Grave now runs a specialized private investigations firm - but that's more like his front job. What Digger truly specializes and excels in is retrieval...of the human variety. He works under the cover of anonymity with a team of brilliant and devoted friends and associates whenever someone somewhere needs to be freed. In No Mercy he's hired to save a kidnapped college student, but the job goes hot and ends with the death of the kidnappers. He saves the kid, but not before events are set into motion that risk more than he'd ever imagined and threaten everything in his life he holds dear.
As this is my first John Gilstrap novel, I can't think of anything more significant to say than after reading No Mercy it definitely won't be the last. This thriller was extremely well written and plotted with such delicacy and artistry that I was utterly captivated from the first page. The characters are given a depth and sense of presence on the page that make them truly stand out and force you to care about them and their plight. I was particularly impressed with the subtle flaws in Grave's character - flaws he understands and even admits to, but doesn't necessarily try to correct. He's a unique and fascinating character and the true driving force behind this book. You get the sense that he does what he does not just because he's good at it, but because at his core he's got a very firm belief in a black and white picture of right and wrong, while understanding himself well enough to know he thrives in the grayest of areas. As his psyche treads the line of darkness, he holds up a saving beacon in one hand for those who are lost, and keeps a .45 clutched tight in the other to destroy those turning off the lights. He's a chameleon in life, and only his closest friends and associates are privy to his secrets, but even they are kept at arms length when loss and pain are visited upon him. He is the perfect hero. He's also sort of an egotistical jerk - but in a mostly likable way, really. Certainly in a very believable one.
While Grave is the driving force, the book is also populated by quirky and at times humorous secondary and ancillary characters. I loved Gail and thought she was the perfect foil for Grave. I was very taken by her strength, intelligence, and integrity throughout the book, even when forced into positions that would compromise the character of others. The split narrative that allowed for the reader to see Grave's and Gail's worlds slowly starting to collide was very well done and while it could have dragged the plot down had either of those threads been less powerful, it did quite the opposite, lending a feeling of inevitability and rising tension to the less critical aspects of the story that I found more intriguing than those that were supposed to be the most critical aspects.
In this case, that was actually both a boon and a slight disadvantage. For all that I enjoyed No Mercy, there were a couple of small aspects that kept it from being a total five star read for me. I didn't think the antagonist had as much of a presence in the story - even in the parts of the final conflict - as I would have preferred. Part of that was simply the nature of the story, but because there were some pretty horrendous crimes committed in this book, I would have preferred the narrative to have brought forth more from the person responsible so that the resolution would have had a bit more of a victorious impact. As it's written, the individual is more a shadow behind corporate greed, the deadly weapon of corporate avarice and brutality in human form, and I don't find corporate greed as compelling. I'm not criticizing the book for this. It's an excellent, slick, polished novel that was extremely entertaining. I'm merely expressing that my reading preferences lie more towards a closer personal conflict.
There was only one moment that just didn't quite work for me given the nature of the character involved, when a security gaffe happened that pointed the bad guys in the good guys' direction. It seemed extremely out of character and implausible, all things considered, and it pulled me right out of the story. That's not very clear, I know, but it's nearly impossible to explain further without providing spoilers, and I'm loathe to do so. And yes, there's some other stuff that's implausible if not downright unlikely, I know that, but honestly, the wizard kept the story moving and the action was intense enough that I didn't stop to look at the man behind the curtain. Action movies are pretty implausible, too, but I'm still a Die Hard fan.
Suffice it to say that No Mercy was as close to a five star read as it could get without actually being one, and I look forward to getting a crack at my next John Gilstrap novel, especially any that feature these characters I've had the chance to know and like.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
An Impressive Thriller
Once an elite military warrior, Jonathan 'Digger' Grave now runs a specialized private investigations firm - but that's more like his front job. What Digger truly specializes and excels in is retrieval...of the human variety. He works under the cover of anonymity with a team of brilliant and devoted friends and associates whenever someone somewhere needs to be freed. In No Mercy he's hired to save a kidnapped college student, but the job goes hot and ends with the death of the kidnappers. He saves the kid, but not before events are set into motion that risk more than he'd ever imagined and threaten everything in his life he holds dear.
As this is my first John Gilstrap novel, I can't think of anything more significant to say than after reading No Mercy it definitely won't be the last. This thriller was extremely well written and plotted with such delicacy and artistry that I was utterly captivated from the first page. The characters are given a depth and sense of presence on the page that make them truly stand out and force you to care about them and their plight. I was particularly impressed with the subtle flaws in Grave's character - flaws he understands and even admits to, but doesn't necessarily try to correct. He's a unique and fascinating character and the true driving force behind this book. You get the sense that he does what he does not just because he's good at it, but because at his core he's got a very firm belief in a black and white picture of right and wrong, while understanding himself well enough to know he thrives in the grayest of areas. As his psyche treads the line of darkness, he holds up a saving beacon in one hand for those who are lost, and keeps a .45 clutched tight in the other to destroy those turning off the lights. He's a chameleon in life, and only his closest friends and associates are privy to his secrets, but even they are kept at arms length when loss and pain are visited upon him. He is the perfect hero. He's also sort of an egotistical jerk - but in a mostly likable way, really. Certainly in a very believable one.
While Grave is the driving force, the book is also populated by quirky and at times humorous secondary and ancillary characters. I loved Gail and thought she was the perfect foil for Grave. I was very taken by her strength, intelligence, and integrity throughout the book, even when forced into positions that would compromise the character of others. The split narrative that allowed for the reader to see Grave's and Gail's worlds slowly starting to collide was very well done and while it could have dragged the plot down had either of those threads been less powerful, it did quite the opposite, lending a feeling of inevitability and rising tension to the less critical aspects of the story that I found more intriguing than those that were supposed to be the most critical aspects.
In this case, that was actually both a boon and a slight disadvantage. For all that I enjoyed No Mercy, there were a couple of small aspects that kept it from being a total five star read for me. I didn't think the antagonist had as much of a presence in the story - even in the parts of the final conflict - as I would have preferred. Part of that was simply the nature of the story, but because there were some pretty horrendous crimes committed in this book, I would have preferred the narrative to have brought forth more from the person responsible so that the resolution would have had a bit more of a victorious impact. As it's written, the individual is more a shadow behind corporate greed, the deadly weapon of corporate avarice and brutality in human form, and I don't find corporate greed as compelling. I'm not criticizing the book for this. It's an excellent, slick, polished novel that was extremely entertaining. I'm merely expressing that my reading preferences lie more towards a closer personal conflict.
There was only one moment that just didn't quite work for me given the nature of the character involved, when a security gaffe happened that pointed the bad guys in the good guys' direction. It seemed extremely out of character and implausible, all things considered, and it pulled me right out of the story. That's not very clear, I know, but it's nearly impossible to explain further without providing spoilers, and I'm loathe to do so. And yes, there's some other stuff that's implausible if not downright unlikely, I know that, but honestly, the wizard kept the story moving and the action was intense enough that I didn't stop to look at the man behind the curtain. Action movies are pretty implausible, too, but I'm still a Die Hard fan.
Suffice it to say that No Mercy was as close to a five star read as it could get without actually being one, and I look forward to getting a crack at my next John Gilstrap novel, especially any that feature these characters I've had the chance to know and like.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
February 5, 2015
Awful...simply awful. I will not turn another page after suffering through the first few hundred. In my life, I have put down maybe one to two books, choosing to muddle through rough story lines, plots with huge holes, or terribly written characters, but I cannot and will not spend one more minute with this book - I surrender...please John Gilstrap, give ME mercy! The lead character is Jonathan Graves, ex-military, type A, blah, blah, blah - don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of this type of genre (Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, Daniel Silva), but the writing and plot lines in this are so laughable, it literally would not hold my attention. Sent to save a kidnap victim, the first 100 pages of what should be exciting material, were absolutely plodding, and from there it only got worse - and I gave it another 100 pages to be fair. The story was never going anywhere - the motivation for action just didn't make sense, and it never brings thrills as something in this genre should. Stay far away from this book - unless you are looking for something to kindle a fire with - and then by all means toss it in.
October 13, 2014
I've read a few books by this author which I enjoyed so I was looking forward to getting into his Jonathan Grave Series.
Wow, 1st book in the series, and I’m hooked.
Jonathan Grave is a wealthy ex-Delta Force soldier, now owner of Security Solutions that deals in doing freelance and covert hostage rescue missions with connections to FBI.
The book opens with a rescue operation gone bad and soon becomes immersed in trying to locate his ex wife’s husband who has gone missing.
This is a hero who is not afraid to take out the bad guys even if it means breaking the law…..as long as he saves the good guys.
Together with his side-kicks, Boxers and Venice, we are taken on an exhilarating ride as they race against time to stop the nefarious villains from destroying the world.
Great secondary characters which are well-developed, action packed and a fast paced plot filled with suspense and intrigue that grabs you from page 1.
July 23, 2009
This thriller about a wealthy PI with a vigilante alter ego was filled with action, but nevertheless, dragged for me. I didn't especially like many of the main characters and personally disagreed with many of their decisions. I do like the author's style of writing and am willing to give him another chance in the future.
October 19, 2014
Good new series for me, featuring Jonathan Grave, a hostage rescue specialist who will do whatever is necessary to complete his mission, and more, if necessary. This one starts on high octane and never lets up. Hired to rescue a college-aged kid, Grave (a/k/a Scorpion) along with his sidekick Boxers (a/k/a Big Guy), he is drawn into a case involving his ex-wife, her investigative reporter beau, and the college kid's family, which cannot afford his freelancing talents. Of course, there is a much more serious plot, which Grave unravels while being chased by am ex-FBI, local cop where he eliminated the kidnappers. Looking forward to reading more.
July 10, 2022
After rescuing a clueless kidnap victim, Jonathan Graves finds himself the target of a vast conspiracy, and a female sheriff is after him.
The more the sheriff said "This isn't the wild west," the less I thought of her.
The more the sheriff said "This isn't the wild west," the less I thought of her.
October 27, 2009
CALL ME "MERCILESS"
I'm no stranger to this author having gotten on the John Gilstrap bandwagon in the late nineties when he came out with Nathan's Run. I was on an AOL book board at the time and many of the posters there were talking about this book and how good it was. Gilstrap, himself, also showed up and began posting and I just thought the other posters were being nice to him because he was, in fact, a published author. I also figured he had an ulterior motive in posting there and just wanted to sell his book. But, then I read Nathan's Run and it actually blew me away.....it was that good. His sophomore novel, At All Costs, was every bit as good as his first as was the next one, Even Steven. But with Even Steven and the follow up, Scott Free, I began to notice some inconsistencies in the book....things that just didn't pan out or just plain didn't make sense. Things that a good editor would have noticed. They were still good books, excellent even, but they could have been great books. It's been six years since Gilstrap has had anything published and I had almost forgotten about him until I saw No Mercy on Amazon's "New Releases" list. But, curiously enough, no longer was this Gilstrap book first coming out in hardcover...this one was going straight to paperback. This doesn't usually bode well for me as I detest reading paperbacks and, if I hadn't already had a history with this author, I definitely would have passed.
This seems to be happening a lot lately. Another favorite author of mine, Colin Harrison, has a new book out, Risk, and it's also a paperback and not a hardcover. Is it just becoming too expensive for these publishers to commit to a hardcover copy. I guess woe is me because I don't think I can put myself through another paperback read for this year. And believe me, I'm not trying to sound elitist, I just don't like the size or feel of a paperback.
This must also be the year to start a "series" because two other authors I follow (Joseph Finder and Christopher Reich) have also penned the first book in their new series this year. Surprisingly enough, this is the route Gilstrap has now chosen as he introduces us to Jonathan Grave, ex-military...sometimes Rambo, and now heading up his own "security solutions" company. That description could run the gamut of the many things people are willing to pay for but, in this book, the security solution involves trying to find a college student who has been kidnapped. Here's a little tidbit of information for all of you. Gilstrap has one son and usually each of his books prominently features a child in danger and always a boy. As his writing career began with Nathan's Run, the boy in that book was twelve. As Gilstrap's own son has gotten older, so have the boys in each of his books. I just find this kind of stuff interesting.
No Mercy has an intricate plot beginning with the kidnapping of Thomas Hughes and taking us into the inner sanctum of a company that manufactures many different items for defense, one of which is a secret "germ juice". In the background is an activist group, The Green Brigade, who wants to get their hands on some of the things this company is producing. They're the kind of people who think they can save the planet through violence and they dish out some of the most awful torture you can imagine. But there's only one person who might be able to stop them and that's our main character, Johnathan, with his sidekick Boxers and his assistant Venice Alexander. Our Jonathan Graves is unbelievably "connected" and it's nothing for him to call the director of the FBI, Irene Rivers, and tell her what he needs. I particularly loved this main character, better known to some as "Scorpian". From chapter to chapter, I was on the edge of my seat and this has been the case with every Gilstrap book I've ever read.
But here's where the real "No Mercy" will come into play and that's in the end of this review. I love it when an author acknowledges and thanks his editor but it really irks me when he should be firing them. I found no less than thirteen errors in the book and that's only the ones I wrote down. There were a few more before I even started to keep count. I understand how editors are overworked and underpaid but where does the burden fall in putting out a book that is typographically and grammatically correct? If I was an author and my name was going on the front of a book, I'd make darn sure everything inside was correct. And then there were the usual Gilstrap inconsistencies that I mentioned above which a good editor would have noticed. I don't want to give anything away but I'm still scratching my head trying to figure out how the chip/video made it's way to Grave's office and exactly who made the call to hire and pay him since he surely doesn't come cheap.
And lastly, and this is my real pet peeve, why do authors have their friends write reviews to boost the rating of the book? Of the ten reviews here as I'm typing this, half are by people who have only written one Amazon review. What does that tell you? When my son was growing up and playing sports, he would be with other kids all the time who bragged about everything they did. My husband told him that "if you're good, you don't have to tell anyone because they already know it." Well, guess what Gilstrap? You are good and you don't need any bogus reviews to let readers know how good you are because they already know. And if they don't know it now, I hope my review will encourage everyone to read your entire repertoire of books.
This is a five star story you've written. However, thanks to some very poor editing, I can only rate it 4 stars. I'm hoping that you will heed this criticism and be more on top of the next book that comes out in this series. And see if you can convince your publisher to go back to hardcover editions.
In any event, I look forward to the next episode of Jonathan Grave and Company....a company of people who sometimes find themselves outside of the law but not necessarily on the wrong side of it.
I'm no stranger to this author having gotten on the John Gilstrap bandwagon in the late nineties when he came out with Nathan's Run. I was on an AOL book board at the time and many of the posters there were talking about this book and how good it was. Gilstrap, himself, also showed up and began posting and I just thought the other posters were being nice to him because he was, in fact, a published author. I also figured he had an ulterior motive in posting there and just wanted to sell his book. But, then I read Nathan's Run and it actually blew me away.....it was that good. His sophomore novel, At All Costs, was every bit as good as his first as was the next one, Even Steven. But with Even Steven and the follow up, Scott Free, I began to notice some inconsistencies in the book....things that just didn't pan out or just plain didn't make sense. Things that a good editor would have noticed. They were still good books, excellent even, but they could have been great books. It's been six years since Gilstrap has had anything published and I had almost forgotten about him until I saw No Mercy on Amazon's "New Releases" list. But, curiously enough, no longer was this Gilstrap book first coming out in hardcover...this one was going straight to paperback. This doesn't usually bode well for me as I detest reading paperbacks and, if I hadn't already had a history with this author, I definitely would have passed.
This seems to be happening a lot lately. Another favorite author of mine, Colin Harrison, has a new book out, Risk, and it's also a paperback and not a hardcover. Is it just becoming too expensive for these publishers to commit to a hardcover copy. I guess woe is me because I don't think I can put myself through another paperback read for this year. And believe me, I'm not trying to sound elitist, I just don't like the size or feel of a paperback.
This must also be the year to start a "series" because two other authors I follow (Joseph Finder and Christopher Reich) have also penned the first book in their new series this year. Surprisingly enough, this is the route Gilstrap has now chosen as he introduces us to Jonathan Grave, ex-military...sometimes Rambo, and now heading up his own "security solutions" company. That description could run the gamut of the many things people are willing to pay for but, in this book, the security solution involves trying to find a college student who has been kidnapped. Here's a little tidbit of information for all of you. Gilstrap has one son and usually each of his books prominently features a child in danger and always a boy. As his writing career began with Nathan's Run, the boy in that book was twelve. As Gilstrap's own son has gotten older, so have the boys in each of his books. I just find this kind of stuff interesting.
No Mercy has an intricate plot beginning with the kidnapping of Thomas Hughes and taking us into the inner sanctum of a company that manufactures many different items for defense, one of which is a secret "germ juice". In the background is an activist group, The Green Brigade, who wants to get their hands on some of the things this company is producing. They're the kind of people who think they can save the planet through violence and they dish out some of the most awful torture you can imagine. But there's only one person who might be able to stop them and that's our main character, Johnathan, with his sidekick Boxers and his assistant Venice Alexander. Our Jonathan Graves is unbelievably "connected" and it's nothing for him to call the director of the FBI, Irene Rivers, and tell her what he needs. I particularly loved this main character, better known to some as "Scorpian". From chapter to chapter, I was on the edge of my seat and this has been the case with every Gilstrap book I've ever read.
But here's where the real "No Mercy" will come into play and that's in the end of this review. I love it when an author acknowledges and thanks his editor but it really irks me when he should be firing them. I found no less than thirteen errors in the book and that's only the ones I wrote down. There were a few more before I even started to keep count. I understand how editors are overworked and underpaid but where does the burden fall in putting out a book that is typographically and grammatically correct? If I was an author and my name was going on the front of a book, I'd make darn sure everything inside was correct. And then there were the usual Gilstrap inconsistencies that I mentioned above which a good editor would have noticed. I don't want to give anything away but I'm still scratching my head trying to figure out how the chip/video made it's way to Grave's office and exactly who made the call to hire and pay him since he surely doesn't come cheap.
And lastly, and this is my real pet peeve, why do authors have their friends write reviews to boost the rating of the book? Of the ten reviews here as I'm typing this, half are by people who have only written one Amazon review. What does that tell you? When my son was growing up and playing sports, he would be with other kids all the time who bragged about everything they did. My husband told him that "if you're good, you don't have to tell anyone because they already know it." Well, guess what Gilstrap? You are good and you don't need any bogus reviews to let readers know how good you are because they already know. And if they don't know it now, I hope my review will encourage everyone to read your entire repertoire of books.
This is a five star story you've written. However, thanks to some very poor editing, I can only rate it 4 stars. I'm hoping that you will heed this criticism and be more on top of the next book that comes out in this series. And see if you can convince your publisher to go back to hardcover editions.
In any event, I look forward to the next episode of Jonathan Grave and Company....a company of people who sometimes find themselves outside of the law but not necessarily on the wrong side of it.
July 3, 2025
Not sure how I missed this series when it first came out but will definitely keep reading it. Jack Reacher and Mission Impossible combined would be a good description.
April 10, 2012
Action to the point of unbelievablity, for example, descending to a helicopter by climbing down a rope. Hmmm, all so the hero can jump onto a truck. Hmmm, sounds like TV. Mixed feelings about this book.... Starts off with a hostage rescue, three dead, all bad guys. I don't think the mercenary business is as black and white as this book makes it out to be, but still, escapism. This book is an escapist holiday with plot driven action that keeps the reader turning the page. Expect lots of lingo about weaponry and soldiers for hire who are always the 'good guy,' even when they're bad. I like the female characters in the book, although they, too, may be a bit stereotypical. Nice read, but doesn't exactly stretch the imagination or add any great thoughts to my ordinary life.
June 19, 2012
One of those books where the bad guys wear black hats and the good guys wear gray ones.
"No Mercy" is a thriller that isn't for everyone. It is extremely violent (even for a book) and may have a few too many cliches. However, the modern version of an old west shoot 'em up, still interests me.
Of particular note are the women in "No Mercy". Unlike a lot of books which paint all women with the same brush, this one has strong, weak, annoying, intelligent, and whiny. I like it when women can be as diverse as men--especially in a book that is probably NOT marketed for your typical female audience.
It is the first in the series and I do plan to read book 2.
"No Mercy" is a thriller that isn't for everyone. It is extremely violent (even for a book) and may have a few too many cliches. However, the modern version of an old west shoot 'em up, still interests me.
Of particular note are the women in "No Mercy". Unlike a lot of books which paint all women with the same brush, this one has strong, weak, annoying, intelligent, and whiny. I like it when women can be as diverse as men--especially in a book that is probably NOT marketed for your typical female audience.
It is the first in the series and I do plan to read book 2.
April 4, 2021
I don't know, just could not bond with the story. Maybe it is good, but after reading 40% of it I gave up. If I am not attracted to a book thinking about it awaiting for me at bed time, I tend to abandon it.
January 17, 2020
What a great start to a series. Grave is going to provide some great reading in my future. I can’t recommend this book enough. He joins the ranks of some of my favorites right out of the gate. Reacher, Ryan, Davenport, Spenser, Smoak, Gray Man and so many others. Gilstrap has created another great hero of the Mystery/Thriller.
April 26, 2017
There are not many books that I've read that I could just not put down, but this was one of them. I could have done without some of the language, but this book is just great. If you enjoyed the television series 24 like I did, you'll absolutely love this book.
The story follows Jonathan Grave, a former army ranger and current owner of a security company that specializes in hostage extraction, as he is initially hired by a family whose son has been kidnapped to rescue the victim from his captors. Once the mission is completed, Jonathan begins to learn that there is more to the story of the kidnapping than he was told and that he actually has personal ties to the overall situation.
There is a few gruesome details involving torture and murder that I would say are not for the faint of heart included in this story, but it will keep you on the edge of your seat if you can stomach that kind of thing.
The story follows Jonathan Grave, a former army ranger and current owner of a security company that specializes in hostage extraction, as he is initially hired by a family whose son has been kidnapped to rescue the victim from his captors. Once the mission is completed, Jonathan begins to learn that there is more to the story of the kidnapping than he was told and that he actually has personal ties to the overall situation.
There is a few gruesome details involving torture and murder that I would say are not for the faint of heart included in this story, but it will keep you on the edge of your seat if you can stomach that kind of thing.
September 18, 2010
I'm reading this book on my iPod, using the Kindle For iPod app, so it's rather slow going, despite being a page-turner. Having such a tiny screen, plus my reading on the iPod only occasionally (like when I'm done with my workout and waiting the 5 to 10 minutes for my husband to finish up before we hop in the car), means that while I'm enjoying the book, it may take a long time before I finish it up.
So I thought I'd let you know right now that I'm enjoying it, although Gilstrap should watch his verbiage, as he actually used the word "relish" twice in the span of a paragraph. Hard not to catch stuff like that when the screen is so small! Also, for the record: I don't think writers should ever use the term "relish" outside of describing condiments used on their hamburgers or hot dogs.
So I thought I'd let you know right now that I'm enjoying it, although Gilstrap should watch his verbiage, as he actually used the word "relish" twice in the span of a paragraph. Hard not to catch stuff like that when the screen is so small! Also, for the record: I don't think writers should ever use the term "relish" outside of describing condiments used on their hamburgers or hot dogs.
March 23, 2016
Much like the series of Mitch Rapp, Bob Lee Swagger and Pike Logan, I enjoy these rush 'em, slay 'em, shoot 'em, and blow 'em up reads. Heroes with a reputation breaking the rules and getting away with it by 'justifiable homicide'. Jonathan Grave is no different. However, he has his own past to contend with. I liked the Sheriff, Gail Bonneville, who tears at your morals in every which way the rules are written, and finally joins ranks with Jonathan. I noticed a slightly different writing style that became an easier read than some of the others. Less information and more Ka-Boom. A few more characters that I enjoyed a little more as well.
I think I found another series to add to my never ending list of heroes.
I think I found another series to add to my never ending list of heroes.
December 11, 2017
Almost didn't finish it........ Horrible narration.
June 5, 2025
3.5 stars really. Brutal, but I really liked the characters. I do plan on reading the next book in the series.
October 5, 2017
Very exciting action.
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May 17, 2012Well, I said in my last entry that I needed some candy reading, and boy did I find it. Absolutely perfect airplane books,which is mostly where I read both.
John Gilstrap has created a nicely noir protagonist named Jonathan Grave. Except he’s not really “Grave” (there are a number of appropriate echoes to that name), but “Gravenow.” He shortened it because his nearest kin is a famous “guest of the state” after a lucrative career in corruption. Before he got sent up, said kin transferred virtually all his wealth to Jonathan. Jonathan, after a career of collecting scars and medals in the special forces, decides to use the money to do good. He sets himself up in business to help people who have special needs--like kidnapped relatives or the ongoing presence of a terrorist group in their neighborhood. Stuff like that.
I don’t know if Gilstrap’s readers demand a sameness of plot or if he lacks imagination, or if he just doesn’t want to fix what’s not broke, but both books involve anti-government militants holed up in the West Virginia hills honing their guerrilla skills in preparation for the big day.
Grave gets drawn into their plotting inadvertently in both books, running across their nefarious schemes while he’s doing something else. He’s an arrogant guy, though likable enough, and he makes plenty of mistakes, some of which get people killed. He’s also relatively amoral (apparently a requirement for the noir hero), at least when it comes to what’s legal and what’s not. He’s more interested in justice--his version--than he is in the law. He often sets up situations that mock the FBI’s need to sit around and wait for warrants, delaying while people die, when a good old fashioned storming of the compound would do the job without all the muss and fuss.
Most of the stuff isn’t particularly realistic. Isn’t meant to be. The characters are engaging, and in both books there’s an extra piece of action just when you’ve relaxed and thought things were wrapped up. Not high lit, but not meant to be. It pretends to be nothing more than it is, and if you like this sort of thing, that’s good enough. We all like our own flavor of candy.
John Gilstrap has created a nicely noir protagonist named Jonathan Grave. Except he’s not really “Grave” (there are a number of appropriate echoes to that name), but “Gravenow.” He shortened it because his nearest kin is a famous “guest of the state” after a lucrative career in corruption. Before he got sent up, said kin transferred virtually all his wealth to Jonathan. Jonathan, after a career of collecting scars and medals in the special forces, decides to use the money to do good. He sets himself up in business to help people who have special needs--like kidnapped relatives or the ongoing presence of a terrorist group in their neighborhood. Stuff like that.
I don’t know if Gilstrap’s readers demand a sameness of plot or if he lacks imagination, or if he just doesn’t want to fix what’s not broke, but both books involve anti-government militants holed up in the West Virginia hills honing their guerrilla skills in preparation for the big day.
Grave gets drawn into their plotting inadvertently in both books, running across their nefarious schemes while he’s doing something else. He’s an arrogant guy, though likable enough, and he makes plenty of mistakes, some of which get people killed. He’s also relatively amoral (apparently a requirement for the noir hero), at least when it comes to what’s legal and what’s not. He’s more interested in justice--his version--than he is in the law. He often sets up situations that mock the FBI’s need to sit around and wait for warrants, delaying while people die, when a good old fashioned storming of the compound would do the job without all the muss and fuss.
Most of the stuff isn’t particularly realistic. Isn’t meant to be. The characters are engaging, and in both books there’s an extra piece of action just when you’ve relaxed and thought things were wrapped up. Not high lit, but not meant to be. It pretends to be nothing more than it is, and if you like this sort of thing, that’s good enough. We all like our own flavor of candy.
December 30, 2021
Bad book! Full of stereotypes and old fashioned, long overcome views. And: it's just a copy of the Mitch Rapp/Vince Flynn Series. The most hitting point against reading the book is it's boring and forseeable. The final scene is ridiculous: the tough woman character wears a skirt, has well shaped legs and goes out for dinner with Jonathan Grave (what a ridiculous name). I could not vote zero stars.
May 29, 2018
Found this an enjoyable and exciting read. There were some editing flaws that made me stop and confirm what I was reading but other than that, the book never let you rest. You were having adventure after adventure. Not only the main character but other minor characters got you involved. Not my normal type of book but I am going to read book #2 to see how Jonathan "Digger" does.
January 23, 2020
An exciting launch to a series—a taut thriller that hits all the notes and gives readers rich and complex characters. The sign of a great series is how quickly you buy book 2. I grabbed it the same day I finished book 1. Highly recommend!
August 28, 2016
An excellent fast paced thriller
January 10, 2021
After I read Hellfire last year I found that I had to start from the beginning, so Here goes. I still think this is a good series and will continue to follow Jonathan Grave.
December 17, 2015
Could not put it down. Captivating read.
February 3, 2020
A trusted source recommended author JOHN GILSTRAP to me. The book I chose to read was NO MERCY the first book in the Jonathan Grave series. There are several others in the series plus some other stand-alone titles. I hope to read more of them.
Jonathan Grave, aka “Digger”, is a former Delta Force operator who has become a contract worker for both governmental agencies and civilians. He is not afraid of “black ops” assignments. His “team” consists of Venice, a single mom computer wizard, (pronounced “ven EE chay”), Brian Van de Meulebroeke, aka Boxers, also from Delta Force and a really big man, and Father Dom, a childhood friend. The “Team” is headquartered in Fisherman’s Cove, Virginia in an old firehouse.
From the outside, Digger enlists the help of Gail Bonneville from a small town in Indiana where part of the story takes place. Gail is a multi-year veteran of the F.B.I now retired to being an elected Sheriff. Gail brings along her chief deputy who had challenged Gail for the elected position of Sheriff.
At first, Gail is investigating “Digger” for multiple murders that occurred on her turf. In reality, Digger was there to rescue Thomas Hughes, a senior music major at Ball State University also found in Indiana. Thomas was kidnapped and his parents hired Grave and his team to rescue Thomas. In order to accomplish that Grave has to kill the kidnappers even though that was not his mission.
Thomas’ father worked for a company that made traditional military munitions and bio warfare weapons. This latter enterprise propels the story into its violent conclusion. The lead villain is Ivan Patrick a failed Special Forces operative. He is fond of doing despicable things to his enemies.
This story has a lot of graphic violence. It is well written and the characters are finely crafted. Some romance and humor exist in the story. I felt when reading this story that I was missing some information. However, the author on his website promises that in future stories more of Digger’s background will be revealed. I cannot wait to find out the “real” story. Thank you for the great entertainment.
GO! BUY! READ!
Jonathan Grave, aka “Digger”, is a former Delta Force operator who has become a contract worker for both governmental agencies and civilians. He is not afraid of “black ops” assignments. His “team” consists of Venice, a single mom computer wizard, (pronounced “ven EE chay”), Brian Van de Meulebroeke, aka Boxers, also from Delta Force and a really big man, and Father Dom, a childhood friend. The “Team” is headquartered in Fisherman’s Cove, Virginia in an old firehouse.
From the outside, Digger enlists the help of Gail Bonneville from a small town in Indiana where part of the story takes place. Gail is a multi-year veteran of the F.B.I now retired to being an elected Sheriff. Gail brings along her chief deputy who had challenged Gail for the elected position of Sheriff.
At first, Gail is investigating “Digger” for multiple murders that occurred on her turf. In reality, Digger was there to rescue Thomas Hughes, a senior music major at Ball State University also found in Indiana. Thomas was kidnapped and his parents hired Grave and his team to rescue Thomas. In order to accomplish that Grave has to kill the kidnappers even though that was not his mission.
Thomas’ father worked for a company that made traditional military munitions and bio warfare weapons. This latter enterprise propels the story into its violent conclusion. The lead villain is Ivan Patrick a failed Special Forces operative. He is fond of doing despicable things to his enemies.
This story has a lot of graphic violence. It is well written and the characters are finely crafted. Some romance and humor exist in the story. I felt when reading this story that I was missing some information. However, the author on his website promises that in future stories more of Digger’s background will be revealed. I cannot wait to find out the “real” story. Thank you for the great entertainment.
GO! BUY! READ!
October 19, 2020
Jonathan Grave, former army guy is a private investigator and owns a firm called Security Solutions which he runs with his team, Venice Alexander and former Special forces, Brian Van de Muelebroeke aka Boxers, and sometimes his friend and priest, Dominic.
Jonathan has just returned from a rescue mission when his ex-wife Ellen reaches out to him and tells him that her husband, Tibor has been missing for less than a day. He used to call her every single day and hasn’t called since yesterday.
Meanwhile, Sheriff Gail Bonneville and her Deputy Jesse Collier are looking into a triple murder case on a farmhouse in Samson, Indiana.
Further investigation reveals the identities of the victims and the crime scene suggests a hostage rescue had taken place earlier. Now Sheriff Gail has to find the link between the kidnappers and hostage. But some higher-ups in the FBI are determined to impede Gail’s investigation and have ordered her to stand down.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Grave’s rescue mission has caused a ripple effect and people have been killed as a result. Now he has to find the people responsible for the killings before more lives are lost.
Jonathan has just returned from a rescue mission when his ex-wife Ellen reaches out to him and tells him that her husband, Tibor has been missing for less than a day. He used to call her every single day and hasn’t called since yesterday.
Meanwhile, Sheriff Gail Bonneville and her Deputy Jesse Collier are looking into a triple murder case on a farmhouse in Samson, Indiana.
Further investigation reveals the identities of the victims and the crime scene suggests a hostage rescue had taken place earlier. Now Sheriff Gail has to find the link between the kidnappers and hostage. But some higher-ups in the FBI are determined to impede Gail’s investigation and have ordered her to stand down.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Grave’s rescue mission has caused a ripple effect and people have been killed as a result. Now he has to find the people responsible for the killings before more lives are lost.
July 31, 2017
Fast paced with really intense and engaging battle scenes. A little heavy on the moral justification element (seemed like there were a lot of those conversations), but I did think his best friend being a priest was an interesting addition to the cast of characters. More pure thriller than anything, but enough twists to keep you on your toes. Really readable style, not bogged down by overly lengthy descriptions or psychologized characters. A series I will read all of. As a side note, probably the worst edited book I've read in a long time (that being said, it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book).
November 27, 2022
Black ops warrior good guy vs. black ops warrior villain. I can struggle to suspend my belief in this kind of Reacherish story but this one was pretty good. At least this guy, Jonathan "Digger" Graves, has a support system that makes all his crazy exploits a bit more realistic, a bit more. Running around the hills of Pennsylvania with claymores, and thousands of rounds of ammunition, implausible, yes. But the underlying characters were pretty well developed, and the action never stopped.
June 16, 2020
Gilstrap gives us move depth of character instead of the one-dimensional protagonist typically found in this genre.
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