Author: Mike Pihlman

  • Book Review: “Denied Access” by Vince Flynn / Don Bentley

    Book Review: “Denied Access” by Vince Flynn / Don Bentley

    Genre: Thriller Once again, I am honored to be a Mitch Rapp Ambassador. “Denied Access” will be in “stores” September 30, 2025. But you can pre-order it now at your favorite book store. 🙂 “Denied Access” is designed to be the third book in the “American Assassin” prequel series where a young Mitch Rapp is…

  • Book Review: “The Lightning Rod” by Brad Meltzer

    Book Review: “The Lightning Rod” by Brad Meltzer

    Genre: Thriller This is the second book in the Zig & Nola Series Nola is the “Artist in Residence” for the U.S. Army. Her job is to travel where something important / horrible happened and draw what she sees. Nola is also a well-trained operative. Zig worked for many years as a mortician at the…

  • AI Assisted Book Review: “The Black Echo” by Michael Connelly

    AI Assisted Book Review: “The Black Echo” by Michael Connelly

    Genre: Thriller This is the first Harry Bosch book and the first Michael Connelly book that I have read! I asked Google Gemini to write a 100 word review. Michael Connelly’s debut, “The Black Echo,” introduces us to the cynical and relentless LAPD detective Harry Bosch. The discovery of a body in a storm drain…

  • Book Review: “The 9th Man” by Steve Berry and Grant Blackwood

    Book Review: “The 9th Man” by Steve Berry and Grant Blackwood

    Genre: Thriller This is book #1 in the Luke Daniels series. Luke Daniels knows Cotton Malone since they both serve in the Magellan Billet. Luke, an ex-Army Ranger, is relaxing in London when he gets a call from an old friend, and ex-Marine, Jillian. She needs help immediately. Arriving at her grandfather’s home, Luke finds…

  • Book Review: “Use of Force” by Brad Thor

    Book Review: “Use of Force” by Brad Thor

    Genre: Thriller If I counted correctly, this is book #18 in the Scot Harvath series. Scot Harvath and his team are at Burning Man in Nevada chasing terrorists who are planning to bomb several sites within Burning Man. The team mostly succeeds. Mostly. Sometime later, a terrorist cell kills hundreds in Spain and Scot and…

  • Book Review: “Broken” by Karin Slaughter

    Book Review: “Broken” by Karin Slaughter

    Genre: Thriller This is book #4 in the Will Trent Series Allison Spooner is a good student and finally has hopes for a good future. Walking home from her job at the Diner, the rain was pouring down and the lakeside was muddy. She was just understanding the path she would take from this day…

  • Book Review: “Nemesis” by Gregg Hurwitz

    Book Review: “Nemesis” by Gregg Hurwitz

    Genre: Thriller Evan Smoak and Tommy Stojack have been friends for many years. Tommy has been supplying Orphan X with sophisticated weapons, that work flawlessly, for as long as Evan has been The Nowhere Man. Recently, Evan has learned that Tommy supplied advanced weapons to the killer knicknamed “The Wolf” and in this book, Evan…

  • Book Review: “Magic Hour” by Kristin Hannah

    Book Review: “Magic Hour” by Kristin Hannah

    Genre: Fiction Los Angeles Child Psychiatrist Dr. Julia Cates has recently been exonerated in the deaths of several people at the hands of her patient, Amber. But the shame of possibly missing the clues to Amber’s violent turn, and the harassment by the press and others who believe Julia is responsible, continue to haunt her.…

  • Book Review: “Battle Mountain” by C.J. Box

    Book Review: “Battle Mountain” by C.J. Box

    Genre: Thriller Nate is mourning the murder of Liv and is now underground on a mission to find and kill her murderer….Alex Soledad. 2 year old Kestral is staying with the Pickett’s while Nate is gone. Geronimo’s house was burned down (luckily no one was home) and he joins Nate to find and kill Soledad.…

  • Book Review: “The Judge’s List” by John Grisham

    Book Review: “The Judge’s List” by John Grisham

    Genre: Thriller Lawyer Lacy Stoltz (see my 2017 review of “The Whistler”) is still working at the Florida Board of Judicial Conduct (BJC). Her job there is to investigate complaints against judges in Florida. Lacy is looking at leaving the BJC, but… One day, an anonymous informant (the reader knows her name: Jeri Crosby) got…