Mike Pihlman

Book Review: “Antihero” by Gregg Hurwitz

Genre: Thriller On a subway in New York City, Anca is about to seize for the second time today. She places her laminated card, with the words “Please help me” written on it, around her neck and picks out a woman she thinks can help. Unfortunately that woman needs to catch a helicopter and can’t…

May 20, 2026

Book Review: “Gone Tomorrow” by Lee Child

Genre: Thriller Reacher was riding the late night subway in New York City when he sat across from a woman who was showing all the signs of being a suicide bomber! Reacher kept a close eye on her for a few stops, just to make sure he was correct, then he approached her, told her…

May 4, 2026

Book Review: “The Oligarch’s Daughter” by Joseph Finder

Genre: Thriller For the last five years, Grant Anderson has been living a quiet life as a rural boat builder and boat repairman. His girlfriend, Sara, and he are very happy together. Subbing on his friend’s deep sea fishing boat this day gives Grant time to let the epoxy dry on a boat he is…

April 16, 2026

Book Review: “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” by George R.R. Martin

Genre: Fantasy Note: I waited 13 years for the next book. I gave up. 🙂 100 years before “A Game of Thrones” newly annointed hedge knight Dunk, who is 1 inch shorter than 7 feet, has just buried the knight he squired for many years. Dunk now has three horses: The very old Chesnut, the…

March 24, 2026

Book Review: “Retreat” by Krysten Ritter

Genre: Thriller Liz Dawson is a con artist posing as an art dealer. Liz is at the end of her time in Chicago as she is deep in debt and people are starting to suspect her alter ego may not be sweet and innocent. Seizing an opportunity, while awaiting for the owner to arrive in…

March 6, 2026

Book Review: “The Vendetta Defense” by Lisa Scottoline

Genre: Thriller / Mystery Anthony Lucia, aka Pigeon Tony, knew what was happening when he heard cars outside of his house as he made sure his pigeons were well fed. Judy Carrier at Rosato & Associates Law was visiting Pigeon Tony in jail to start his defense in the killing of Angelo Coluzzi at the…

February 27, 2026

Book Review: “Long Shadows” by David Baldacci

Genre: Thriller This is book #7 in the Memory Man (Amos Decker) series. FBI Consultant Amos Decker is not having a good day. A letter from the memory institute let Amos know that his memory might be changing in the near future (something about lesions), his first partner as a cop, Mary Lancaster, has died,…

February 9, 2026

Book Review: “The Reckoning” by Kelli Stanley

Genre: Mystery / Thriller This is an ARC sent to me by Kelli Stanley. “7:22 AM, Friday, September 20, 1985“ Renata Drake gets off the Greyhound bus in Garberville, CA. Renata, 25, is taking the year off before starting law school and needs to get away, after what she has done, to a small quiet…

January 24, 2026

Book Review: “Guilty Minds” by Joseph Finder

Genre: Thriller This is book #3 in the Nick Heller series. Nick Heller is a private investigator based in Boston. He just had a meeting with the ultimate Washington, D.C insider, and high-powered lawyer, Gideon Parnell about a scandal about to erupt (to be posted in 48 hours on the web site of the influential…

January 2, 2026

17 Banned Books in Texas

MaiStoryBook writes: “Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal challenging Llano County, Texas’s removal of 17 books from its public libraries. Amongst these books were topics that addressed race, gender identity, and puberty. By refusing to take up the case, the Court allowed a Fifth Circuit ruling to stand, effectively granting…

December 20, 2025

Author: Mike Pihlman