Blog Tour,  Crime Fiction Books

Book Review – The Consultant – Tj O’Connor

The Consultant by Tj O’Connor

Genre: Thriller & Suspense

Published: May 15, 2018 by Oceanview Publishing

Swathi’s Rating: 4/5

Verdict: A fast paced modern Action Flick

Hey guys!

I got the chance to read this fantastic Action Thriller (a signed copy!) and I enjoyed every bit of it! So here I am, recommending it to you! Go ahead and read the blurb of it. There is also a Trailer waiting for you along with a fabulous Giveaway. All the best for you to win a copy of the book!


Plot:

When a rogue CIA consultant goes AWOL from his Middle Eastern post in response to his brother’s plea for help, he arrives just in time to witness his brother’s murder. For years, Jonathan Hunter and his brother Kevin Mallory had not spoken―until Kevin’s final words, “… Khalifah … Not Them … Maya.”

Pursuing his brother’s killer, Hunter stumbles into a nest of horrifying terrorist activity by Middle Eastern refugees, which sparks a backlash across America. In the shadows, Hunter’s mentor, the omnipotent Oscar LaRue, is playing a dangerous game with Russian Intelligence. Neither Hunter nor LaRue realizes that a new threat―the Iranian threat―has entered the game. Stakes rise as two shadowy players are one step ahead of Hunter and LaRue―Khalifah, a terrorist mastermind, and Caine, a nomadic assassin who dances with the highest bidder.

As attacks escalate and the country drifts toward another Middle East conflict, innocent refugees become trapped between the terrorists and the terrorized. Prejudice, hate, and fear vent everywhere. Is this who we’ve become? Before the country explodes, Hunter must find Khalifah, learn the next terror target, and pray he’s in time to stop further annihilation.

Like the sound of the plot? Watch a trailer of it!

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Editorial Reviews:

“Tj O’Connor is that rare thriller writer with both talent and street time in the worlds he rockets us readers through. O’Connor’s stories will pull you in and race you through plots that come from behind the headlines in our crazy world.” ―James Grady, New York Times best-selling author of Last Days of the Condor

The Consultant is a flat out, dynamite read. Fast paced, compelling, and all too real. O’Connor writes with authority and the pages fly by almost too quickly. My favorite kind of thriller, reminiscent of the best Ludlum and Forsyth.” ―Christopher Reich, New York Times best-selling author of Invasion of Privacy

“Thriller fans who value fast-paced action…will be satisfied.”―Publishers Weekly

“Hop on O’Connor’s back and enjoy this ride. Helluva fun tale full of action, layers, deceptions, twists, and surprises. Well worth finding this one, folks. Put the publication date on your calendar. It rocks.”―Men Reading Books


Author Bio:

Tj O’Connor is the author of The Consultant, the first of The Jonathan Hunter Thriller series from Oceanview Publishing, and four paranormal mysteries from Midnight Ink and Black Opal Books.

Tj is an international security consultant specializing in anti-terrorism, investigations, and threat analysis—life experiences that drive his novels. With his former life as a government agent and years as a consultant, he has lived and worked around the world in places like Greece, Turkey, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, and throughout the Americas—among others. He was raised in New York’s Hudson Valley and lives with his wife and Labrador companions in Virginia where they raised five children.

Dying to Know, Tj’s first published novel, won the 2015 Gold Medal from the Independent Publishers Book Awards (IPPY) for mysteries and was a Finalist for both a 2015 Silver Falchion Award and the 2014 Foreword Reviews’ INDIEFAB Mystery Book of the Year.

Read an exclusive interview with the author here.

Connect with O’Connor on: Facebook | Twitter | Website


Giveaway:

Prizes: Win a print or ebook copy of The Consultant by Tj O’Connor. One winner will also get a $25 Amazon Gift Card (5 print copies and 5 ebooks / open to USA and Canada  / 10 winners total)

(ends Nov 24, 2018)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Swathi’s Review:

I had a good time reading this action Thriller. The disturbing part is that, the plot is very realistic. It could be on today’s headlines! Damn, that makes the story even more dangerous. Action Thrillers like these, one might expect a sequence of events happening in a drastic pace. Thats what Hollywood taught us right? Here though, the plot is complex and very description. But then, so is the planning involved in Terrorist attacks and the manpower needed to mitigate it. The author has done his research, and its very appreciable – you could realize the thin line between facts and fiction though his meticulous descriptions of the dangerous scenarios, and the procedurals that are taken to prevent the murderous consequences.

There are a lot of characters whose appearances might be for a short time, but the roles they play are crucial and affect the story. There are agents, double agents, spies, detectives and commoners. It’s really difficult to identify who is the good one and who is bad until the very end!

Hunter is the lead Protagonist, who is a “Consultant” for the CIA. He has a lot of alias and fake names, and no contact with his brother for 15 years – the only member of family left. One day, he receives a call from his brother and he rushes to find his brother dying, when he mumbles something incoherent. Because of his alias, it’s almost impossible for the Police to believe him to the long lost brother of the dead Kevin.

Hunter is combat trained Killer and has the calculative mind of the CIA. He does the dirty work for the agency off-the-books. But this book shows the other side of such an agent. His brother’s death makes him vulnerable and susceptible to human errors like deciding to leave his weapon in the car while approaching a potentially dangerous situation. He is a tragic hero.

The author’s writing style is commendable. He uses first-person narrative for Hunter and the rest of the story is told in a universal point of view. This makes the storytelling a little shaky due to inconsistent modes. The pace of the book is not steady due to the lengthy descriptions, even though they are very crucial to the plot.

If you are a lover of Action thrillers, and a fan of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series and Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp series, then you should definitely read this one. There is guaranteed action stunts in every chapter and the climax is not at all what I expected it to be. if there is a sequel to the Hunter series, I very much look forward to reading it!

Thanks to the author who generously signed my copy (I Love a signed copy!) and the publicist Laura for adding me to the blog tour. All opinions are honest and they are mine.

Happy reading!

2 Comments

  • Tj O'Connor

    Thank you for this great opportunity to be on your site and thanks for the great review. I hope your fans enjoy Hunter’s story The Consultant as much as I do. I’ll check back for comments or questions. All be safe and well, Tj

    • priya

      Thanks Mr.TJ! This is a great book you’ve written! So much action and suspense in every chapter. I look forward to reading more of Hunter’s story!😊

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