Synopses & Reviews
For readers of Karin Slaughter, Lisa Gardner, and James Patterson:
A Lucy Guardino FBI Thriller #3
Lucy's back! In a story ripped from the headlines, the violence is the worst she's ever seen, the stakes are higher than ever, and then...things get personal.
It's a vicious, horrific crime: the brutal killing of a teenaged girl. When Pittsburgh detectives call FBI Supervisory Special Agent Lucy Guardino to the scene, their focus is on who and why?
Was it the girl's Afghan father striving to regain his honor after she became too Westernized? Her Jewish boyfriend? Someone from Afghanistan settling an old grudge? Or one of the many drug cartels the father helped the DEA bring down seeking revenge?
Former Marine Sergeant Andre Stone has been home a month, but he has yet to leave the safe haven of his grandmother's house--other than to go to his appointments at the VA's burn clinic. Andre's disfiguring physical scars are the least of his worries. The emotional wounds of seeing his men massacred in a DEA raid gone horribly wrong have left him a walking dead man, numb to anything.
All he can think about is revenge. On Rashid Raziq, the man behind the raid. When Andre is offered a chance at vengeance, the only question left is: How far will he go to get it?
The answers seem clear when Pittsburgh becomes engulfed in flames as a violent narcoterrorist turns the city into a kill zone...But in the dark of night, surrounded by men intent on destroying the truth, Lucy and Andre both learn that secrets hide in shadows.
Other books in the series:
Snake Skin (A Lucy Guardino FBI Thriller #1)
Blood Stained (A Lucy Guardino FBI Thriller, #2)
Review
Praise for CJ Lyons' FBI Thrillers:
"A high stakes adventure with dire consequences." ~New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry
"A compelling new voice in thriller writing...I love how the characters come alive on every page." ~New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver
"Everything a great thriller should be--action packed, authentic, and intense." ~#1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child
"Highly engaging characters, heart-stopping scenes...one great rollercoaster ride that will not be stopping anytime soon." ~Bookreporter.com
"Storylines as hypnotic as the characters are magnetic...(Lyons) delights and satisfies." ~National Examiner
5 out of 5 stars: "CJ Lyons imparts such realism, it is hard not to become emotionally invested. Intense. Edgy. Believable. Highly recommend!" ~Best Fiction Books on SNAKE SKIN
TOP PICK! 4 1/2 Stars: Combine Dirty Harry with a loving wife and mother and you might end up with Lucy Guardino. Fans of Lyons' hospital-set series will love the change of setting and thrilling pace. One note: readers with a fear of snakes should pick up this story carefully. Regardless, you won't be able to put this one down. ~RT Book Reviews on SNAKE SKIN
"An action packed thriller from page one! An amazing fast paced story with characters that jump off the page and capture your heart. A must read!" ~My Book Addiction on BLOOD STAINED
"In true CJ Lyons fashion, this book pulls no punches.
About the Author
Dear Fellow Booklover,
I owe my love of books to my mother, who started me reading at an early age. I skipped "see Jane run" and went straight to Agatha Christie and Nero Wolfe, the books stacked around our house like Legos.
The best present my mother gave me was when I was eight or nine and had already devoured the entire children's section of the library. She convinced the librarian to give me an adult library card, which meant I had a whole new universe of stories to traverse. There I discovered Ray Bradbury and Robert Heinlein and Ellery Queen along with characters like Horatio Hornblower, the Stainless Steel Rat, the Saint...The only limitation was how many books I could carry to the car by myself. I remember stretching my arms as long as they would go, balancing a teetering stack of books with my chin pressed down on the top one, inhaling that scent of well-worn paper and binding glue, thinking this was heaven.
A few years later, my mother began working for a local bookstore. First, at the cash registers, but she was quickly promoted until she became their Trade Fiction Buyer. I had no idea what that meant except that suddenly I was able to get books by my favorite authors BEFORE they came out! My friends, fellow bibliophiles, were so jealous! But I shared the wealth, sneaking them the ARCs my mom gave me. The bookstore became our favorite place to hang out after school and my mom would call us in when sales reps visited, letting us look at their catalogues and asking us our opinions. I'll never forget the feeling of pride I felt when books I told her would be hits did indeed breakout and make it to that coveted display window at the front of the store!
Through her store, my friends and I got to meet visiting authors, including the wonderful and amazing Isaac Asimov. We only spoke for a few minutes, but he made such an impression on me--not because he was a genius or talented or a rock star of the SF world, but rather because he was so very normal. Even the fact that he had taken the train from New York because he hated to fly made him seem human.
That's when I realized anyone could write a book, if they were willing to put in the work. I'd been writing all my life, it's my way of understanding the chaos that surrounds us in this world, but at that moment I realized I could take my little stories and really do something bigger, create an entire world with people I brought to life...and I wrote my first novel. It was terrible, as most first novels are. I was fifteen at the time, still had not made the leap of logic from writing a book to actually publishing it for others to read, much less getting paid or making a career from writing. But it was a wondrous achievement and started me on the path I'm on today.
All thanks to my mom, who was a bookseller for over two decades before she finally retired, and her love of books.
I'm very grateful that you have chosen one of my books to read and appreciate your time and attention--both in short supply these days! I look forward to hearing any thoughts you have on it.
Thanks for reading,
CJ
CJLyons.net
[email protected]