The Gatekeeper by James Byrne

 I volunteer at the library in Purcellville.  Recently I was shelving some books and found one that looked interesting.  This is a major perk when working in a library.

The book is The Gatekeeper.  The front cover had a quote praising it from Robert Crais.  He is a favorite author of mine so I took a chance and checked it out. I'm so glad I did.

The main character is Desmond Aloysius Limerick, called Dez.  He has obvious military training, but which one and where?  He is, in fact a gatekeeper.  The man who opens gates and holds them or closes gates and holds them for whatever operation is going on.  He has more than a "particular set of skills".

He saves a woman from being kidnapped and thereby discovers a plot to take over a section of California. This involves Russians, white supremacists, and the military...these are book topics I generally avoid like the plague, but in this case it all works.

It also mentions the Department of Energy and PG&E, both places that my brother has worked. We both like similar books so I texted him to get it even before I finished the book.  It is that good.  

The action takes place in about a week and is fast paced and with smart people and a lot of action. I liked Dez so much, that when I finished the book I went online to see if there was another one with him.  The ending suggested as much.  There is!  Deadlock is next on my list.  Think Jack Reacher, but shorter, tougher and very funny.

This book calls out for a new movie franchise.  I wish my son-in-law, Rob Yescombe, who writes screenplays, would option it!  But he doesn't write other people's ideas, only his own. In fact,  he has a movie in post production and I can't wait to watch it.  Make sure to see Grand Death Lotto when it comes out!

Orphan X

If you love Lee Child's Jack Reacher, and I do, then you will love Orphan X.  Orphan X is sort of like the scary child of Jack Reacher and Jason Bourne.  And it is "The most exciting thriller since the Bourne Identity." says Robert Crais, another fabulous writer.

The premise is that some deep, dark U.S. agency has been scooping up orphans that were growing up under awful circumstances and training them to be killers.  They are given lessons in multiple forms of combat and spy craft.   The story of how they train them to ignore pain is hard to read.  Each Orphan is given a letter for a code name. They are raised and trained by a handler and then given tasks, generally assassinations, to handle when they are deemed ready.

At one point Orphan X, known as Evan Smoak, balks at an assignment and then HE is targeted for assassination.  Thanks to the training he has received, he is able to avoid being killed and sets out to use the skills he has learned to protect those unable to protect themselves. Unlike Jack Reacher, who finds trouble by accident when traveling the country, Evan actively seeks it out.   After rescuing total strangers, Evan gives them a number to call and they are asked to give it out to ONE other person that may need his services.  That is how they repay Orphan X.

He may go months between his self-appointed tasks and he uses this time to keep up his skills.  He has many safe houses, cars and weapons, one of which is using computers to verify that he is truly needed and that it is a job that he feels is worth doing.

But the agency (whatever that is) has still targeted him and they are closing in on his assassination.

This is a fast paced story and really good.  It has already been optioned for a movie and Hurwitz has written the screenplay.  This is one movie I want to watch.

Unless they cast Tom Cruise, like they did for the Jack Reacher character.  Then I will pass.

But I WILL read the next book.  Because there  is another one called The Nowhere Man, but it won't be released until next year.

I can't wait!

Love A Library

I love libraries.  I have ever since I turned five and was able to get my very own library card.  Now I love them even more because I can go on the Roanoke Library website and order any book I want.  I generally go to the Advanced Search page.  There I can just look at the newest Fiction or Non-Fiction published this year, or late last year.  I can also choose to look for only paperback books or hard covers.  The library lets me know when I have books and I just walk in and pick them up.

This last week I really scored.  I got a bunch of new books that I have had on request for some time.  They all came in at once.  Isn't that always the way?

Check these out!



I haven't really liked the most recent Stephanie Plum books.  It seems like Evanovich was just writing the same book over and over with just different names.  This one took the characters forward a bit and was better than the last few I have read. 



I ALWAYS like Robert Crais.  He writes several different characters and then combines them every once in awhile.  Elvis Cole and Joe Pike frequently share a book.  Both characters are equally appealing and for different reasons, but always because they do whatever it takes for Elvis to save the day in his role as private investigator.  These take place in Los Angeles and I like revisiting places I know, while I go along the exciting ride with these interesting characters.  In this book he brought in three different characters from previous books and that made it fun.  It works just fine as a stand alone novel, if you have never read him.  But I predict if you do, you will go back and read all his novels.  He's that good. 



Every once in a while you have to read some non-fiction.  I prefer novels, but this book sounded interesting.  It tells the story of the pirates along the Barbary Coast.  Some countries paid tribute so that their commercial vessels weren't attacked by pirates.  When the US gained freedom from Britain, we lost the protection from them for our ships and they were boarded, had their cargoes stolen and their crews enslaved.  The fledgling country had a limited amount of money available to pay these pirates and no Navy to protect them.  This book explains how the problem was solved with the Muslim pirates that had no respect for any non Muslim nation and felt they could enslave all captured sailors and torture, kill or hold them for ransom.  They could take tribute money and still take a ship or two.  We also would have had to make deals with, and pay tribute to, many of the groups along the Barbary Coast.

In this book you also understand why the Marine Hymn includes "to the shores of Tripoli".  It was a quick read and you might find you like history presented in this form, rather than the dates/battle form most history books use.



I ALWAYS like David Rosenfelt. He writes a series about an extremely wealthy lawyer, Andy Carpenter, who only works when backed into a corner.  And when he believes his client is innocent.  In addition, he runs a dog rescue and all of the titles involve dogs.  He is funny and interesting.  He also writes stand alone novels, but I prefer the Andy Carpenter ones.

After all, who doesn't like a murder mystery with dogs??  Look at that FACE!