Still fighting the good fight: THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING.

The President Is Missing by Bill Clinton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A group of terrorists decide to mess with the United States' cyber grid for their own wealth and enjoyment.

It's the plot for the wild and crazy THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING, but it's also a horrifying and rather plausible possibility, which is always in the back of your mind while reading. Said President is ex-military, anti-establishment, and suspects a leak in his inner circle. At the same time, he knows he has just days to stop a virus from shutting down the entire U.S. cyber infrastructure and sending America back to the dark ages--and into utter chaos.

This story starts out a little slow, veers into wild and fun moments, and then lags again at times. It's very uneven and makes it hard to get fully into the story, even if it is exciting. The President receives warning from some defectors from the terrorist cell, and he goes rogue (aka missing) to try to save his country. There are appearances from members of said inner circle plus leaders of other countries and then various parts of the terrorist organizations. It's up to us to puzzle it out along with the President.

This is a fun story (albeit rather sobering because it feels a little too real) but sometimes an up and down tale.

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Trouble knows where I stay and I’m living: I WILL FIND YOU.

I Will Find You by Harlan Coben
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was wild and insane, and I could NOT put it down! At all. I had to find out what happened!

David is in prison for the murder of his three-year-old son Matthew. The child suffered a brutal death, and David--while maintaining his innocence--has basically given up. Matthew was his life. His (ex-)wife has moved on, his son is dead, he has nothing left. Five years into his sentence, David's ex-sister-in-law shows up. She brings him a photo of a child at an amusement park. A recent photo. She think it's Matthew. And now, so does David.

So (of course) David escapes maximum security prison and he and Rachel go on the hunt for Matthew, believing that David was framed for his disappearance. Murder? Do we know?

Coben has an amazingly compelling and captivating way of writing, even if the story sometimes feels fantastical or improbable. Man is breaking out of maximum security prison-sure! Man is eluding multiple captures-sure! The book has the feel of The Fugitive, which David even references at one point. And, truly, it's impossible not to root for David, which just shows the power of the writing, as you find yourself urging on a convicted murderer. Is his child truly alive? Did he truly do something wrong?

There's a pair of FBI agents on David's trail who have a special sort of banter all their own and provide an almost comic relief necessary to the story.

Overall, while this is a wild tale, it's a 4+ star read for me because of pure enjoyment. Sometimes you need a good page turner in your life!

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And regret on my mind: A VERY BAD THING.

A Very Bad Thing by J.T. Ellison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I always look forward to a J.T. Ellison book because she's so good at suspenseful, wild stories!

A VERY BAD THING is just that. Does it get a little crazy sometimes? Sure. But it's a complete page-turner that draws you into the world of famous author Columbia Jones, adored by her fans and both revered and slightly feared by her daughter/publicist, Darian. On the final night of Columbia's most recent book tour, she collapses on stage, and Darian is sure it's because her mother spotted someone in the audience. Then, that night, after Columbia and Darian have a fight, Columbia is found dead. The local police Detective Sutcliffe suspects murder. Darian is sure it was Riley, a reporter her mother hired to follow her on tour and report on her life story.

What follows is a bit far-fetched at times and often dark and brutal. We hear from the perspective of Darian, Sutcliffe, Columbia (in the past), Riley, and others. The book is long, but it's exciting and everything flies by, as Ellison keeps you guessing the entire time. There are even some ties to some of her other works, thanks to the case taking Sutcliffe to Nashville (side note: I would totally read another book about Detective Sutcliffe--I loved him).

This is an enjoyable, dramatic thriller with lots of twists and turns! 4+ stars.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer in return for an unbiased review.

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