Last Snow - Eric Van Lustbader

New York Times bestselling sensation Eric Van Lustbader created the legendary Nicholas Linnear of The Ninja and brought Jason Bourne into the twenty-first century. Now Lustbader brings us Jack McClure, a street-smart ATF agent who saved the president's daughter from a criminal mastermind. Jack is now a special advisor to President Edward Carson, and Carson's daughter refuses to let Jack out of her sight.

When an American senator, supposedly on a political trip to the Ukraine, turns up dead on the island of Capri, the president asks McClure to find out how and why. Jack sets out from Moscow across Eastern Europe, following a perilous trail of diplomats, criminals, and corrupt politicians. He takes on a personal mission along with his official one: protecting his two unlikely, unexpected, and incompatible companions--Annika, a rogue Russian FSB agent, and Alli, the president's daughter.

Thrust into the midst of a global jigsaw puzzle, Jack uses his dyslexic mind to put together the pieces that others can't even see. As he struggles to keep both women safe and to unearth the answers he seeks, Jack learns just how far up the American and Russian political ladders corruption and treachery have reached. And though Jack's abilities are as good as it gets, there is much more to gain--and lose--on this journey than the truth about the senator. . . .

Title: Last Snow

Author: Eric Van Lustbader

Genre: Adult Fiction, Thriller, Politics

Publisher: Forge, A Tom Doherty Associates Book, LLC

My Rating: 5/5

This book was rife with action. It starts off with Edward Carson settling into his position as President. He is in meetings with Russia, and receives information that one of his Senators has been killed in Capri. The news comes as a surprise to him as the Senator wasn't even supposed to be in Capri, so he sends Jack McClure to find out why he was there, and why he was killed. Was it an accident, or was it intentional? Needless to say, Jack sets off on a race against time, and picks up a few stragglers along the way.

The plot was definitely complex, and I found that Van Lustbader used sleight of hand throughout the book. It was easy to see what the right hand was doing, but then out of left field some new dilemma or information was thrust on Jack. He then had to weigh all of the factors together, in the way only he can. The web of lies, and half-truths were so intricately wound throughout the story, that you didn't know whether certain people were allies or foes.

The character development for both Jack and Alli was unbelievably good as well. We delve more into the mystery behind the psychological repercussions of Alli's abduction, and we see the bond between her and Jack grow stronger.

I will say that there were a lot of new characters, almost too many. But, when he reached that point, once a character outlived his usefulness, he or she was gone. Van Lustbader had no problem killing off characters.

All in all, this book was an intense thriller, and it again is quite relevant to the times. It was engaging, and really well put together. As with First Daughter, every detail was used. At first, you may wonder how it all ties in, but believe me, it comes full circle. It was a phenomenal book, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone who loves a good thriller. In my opinion, it raises the bar for political thrillers. It was that well crafted.

DISCLAIMER: This book was received free of purchase in exchange for an honest review.

This book, as well as First Daughter, are both up for grabs in a giveaway that Anne (on behalf of Forge books) has graciously provided for. You can enter on the contest post.

First Daughter - Eric Van Lustbader

Sometimes the weakness we fear most can become our greatest strength.

When ATF legend Jack McClure lost his daughter Emma in a terrible accident, his world came undone. Then a phone call from the newly elected president--an old friend--puts Jack on a collision course with his past. The president's daughter, who was once Emma's best friend, has been kidnapped.

Jack dives headlong into the investigation, tearing open the wounds of Emma's death. His search leads him to a conspiracy that reaches deep into the shadows of power throughout the world and into the path of a cold and calculating man--someone whose actions are as dangerous as they are brilliant, whose power and reach are seemingly infinite. A man who, Jack will soon discover, has affected his life and country in more ways than he could imagine.

Title: First Daughter

Author: Eric Van Lustbader

Genre: Adult Fiction, Thriller, Suspense

Publisher: Forge, Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

My Rating: 5/5

What a phenomenal book. The book starts off with Alli at her father's inauguration and then drops back a month to just before she was kidnapped. The first chapter gives us a sneak peek of what's in store for her and her family (as well as a multitude of others). Then we get catapulted back to the beginning where Jack, an ATF agent and Alli's deceased best friend's father, enters the picture. He is asked specifically by the president-elect to search for his daughter as they have a past history. Through the search for Alli, all of Jack's fears and emotions come to light about his daughter, Emma's untimely death. Throughout the book we see how Emma's death has affected Jack, and his marriage.

Jack is a multi-faceted character. He has dyslexia, but uses it as an asset. Due to his dyslexia, he makes leaps and bounds in logic that others simply can't make. This makes him an invaluable asset when trying to figure out what happened to Alli.

The characters were very well developed. The plot was well developed, and intricate in its detail. It was very fast-paced and flowed fluidly through the book. We follow Jack as he has flash-backs to his past, and we learn about characters and situations, that helped make Jack the man he is now. None of these flashbacks deter from the storyline as they too thicken the plot. Nothing mentioned is frivolous, it all is woven intricately into the story, and is used brilliantly.

This book is not only suspenseful, it also is a religious and political thriller. It bears an uncanny resemblance to a future that could very well happen at any given time. From the opening chapters, to the breath-taking finale, this book is one that doesn't let up. It constantly delivers more information, and action, and it keeps you guessing until the very end. It is definitely well worth the read, and you will have a hard time putting this book down. All in all, it is engaging, believable, and suspenseful.

DISCLAIMER: This book was received free of charge in exchange for an honest review.