Every Wicked Man – Review & Blog Tour

Synopsis from Penguin Random House:

A criminal mastermind’s chilling terrorist plot forces FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers to the brink in the latest thriller from bestselling novelist Steven James.

When a senator’s son takes his own life and posts the video live online, Agent Bowers is drawn into a complex web of lies that begins to threaten the people he loves the most. As he races to unravel the mystery behind the suicide and a centuries-old code that might help shed light on the case, he finds a dark pathway laced with twists and deadly secrets that touch a little too close to home.

A fast-paced, intelligent thriller, Every Wicked Man will have readers racing through the pages to its thundering conclusion.

About: Every Wicked Man is a thriller written by Steven James. It was recently published on 9/4/2018 by Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House, paperback, 560 pages. The genres are thriller, fiction, and mystery. Every Wicked Man is book 11 and it comes from The Bowers Files Series where book 1 was The Pawn, book 2 was The Rook, book 3 was The Knight, book 4 was The Bishop, book 5 was The Queen, book 6 was Opening Moves, book 7 was The King, book 8 was Checkmate, book 9 was Every Crooked Path, and book 10 was Every Deadly Kiss. According to the publisher’s website, “Known for being at the forefront of trends, Berkley continues to develop authors and acquire books on the cutting edge of genre fiction. Science fiction/fantasy imprint Ace is the oldest continuously operating science fiction publisher in the U.S., and Berkley Prime Crime was the first imprint in the country dedicated to cozy mysteries.” Please see below for more information about the author and publisher.

My Experience: I started reading Every Wicked Man on 9/10/2018 and finished it on 9/20/2018. This book is a fantastic read! I jump in straight at book 11 from not reading the previous 10 books (not because I don’t want to but because I didn’t know) and it’s wow! I like that this book starts out with a bang.. a victim found at the bottom of the pool while being live streamed. It sure got my attention and kept me hooked. The characters are all unique and their stories all put me at the edge of my seats! Some parts of the book are disturbing especially with the suicides and what Julianne likes to photograph. I like the mystery person announcing himself/herself about putting in the hidden camera and unexpectedly witnessing a secret conversation between two characters. I like Agent Bowers, he seems knowledgeable and thorough for a relatively young guy.

This book is told in the third person point of view following Timothy Sabian, a novelist who doesn’t know if he truly commits murder or if it was just his overactive imagination that he uses for writing his thrillers. Another view is of an FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers, 35, told in the first person point of view, as he works on solving the case regarding the senator’s son who drowned while someone stand by to watch. The third view is Blake Neeson, an undercover police who turned criminal. The fourth view is Christie Ellis, wife of Agent Bowers who has a secret she hasn’t shared with her husband of two months and daughter yet. The fifth view is Julianne Springman, a former police officer who now works in photography. Her new job is definitely a drastic change from being a CSI tech. The sixth view is Tessa Ellis, step-daughter of Agent Bowers. The seventh and eighth views are Sasha Daye and Jake Reese. This book is organized into different stages with a short hint of what will come and every stage is equally intriguing.

Every Wicked Man is very well written and provided an interesting read. I like almost everyone’s views except Christie and Tessa. Tessa has this dry humor that is a bit irritating to read. This is the longest thriller I have ever read and the happenings are extensive. I lost interest many times because it seems the police are nowhere nearer to solving the crimes. I do like being updated to what is going on in each person’s view without waiting for the next chapter to start. It’s definitely interesting to read about cops breaking the law. Although this book comes from a series, it can be read as a standalone. Despite a few setbacks on this book, I do recommend readers who are seeking a thrill to read this book!

Pro: fast paced, page turner, mystery, investigations, suspense, unique plot, edge of my seats, adrenaline rush,

Con: too extensive for my liking; suicides are a bit too graphic for me to read

I rate it 4.5 stars!

Buy it here for free shipping:  Book Depository or Penguin’s website

About the Author:

Steven James is the national bestselling author of a dozen novels, including the critically acclaimed thrillers The King, Opening Moves, and The Queen. He has won three Christy Awards for best suspense and was a finalist for an International Thriller Award. His thriller, The Bishop, was named Suspense Magazine’s book of the year. Publishers Weekly calls him “[a] master storyteller at the peak of his game.” James has a master’s degree in storytelling and has taught writing and creative communication around the world. http://www.stevenjames.net/bio (Photo obtained from the author’s website and info obtained from Penguin’s website).

More Information about Berkley Publishing Group

Website: http://www.penguin.com/publishers/berkley | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BerkleyPub | Twitter: https://twitter.com/BerkleyPub | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/BerkleyPub

***Disclaimer: Many thanks to Berkley Publishing for inviting me to host a blog tour. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.

xoxo,
Jasmine