Customer Reviews

The Program (Jack Carpenter series)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Swain is one of my favorite writers, and he didn't disappoint me with this terrific story. The basic plot involves two FBI agents trying to catch a serial killer called Mr. Clean who's abducted a troubled teenager named Wayne Ladd, and is attempting to groom him into becoming a killer like himself. He's being helped by a great villain named Crutch who's sitting in a federal prison, and communicates to him through an illegal cell phone. The plot is filled with plenty of twists and turns and lots of great characters and fast-paced action. There is an underlying story about one of the FBI agents finding his missing daughter, which gets solved at the end. Swain also introduces a new character, a female FBI agent named Rachel Vick, who's seriously flawed and a great addition to the ensemble he's put together. I read this book in two sittings, and enjoyed every minute of it."

I love the Jack Carpenter series of books by James Swain. This book is an offshoot of that series. The main character, Ken Linderman, a retired FBI profiler appeared in other Jack Carpenter books. In this book he is working on a difficult case. A serial killer is kidnapping violent teenage boys and putting them through "the program" - attempting to create the next generation of killers to carry on his work. As Linderman & his subordinate work the case it brings up difficult memories of his daughter who disappeared from college several years earlier. Through the fast paced action & the many plot twists the reader is swept up into the case. I read this over two evenings because I could not put it down - loved this book.

My friend recommended this book to me. It grabbed me right from the beginning! This is my first book I read by Mr. Swain and won't be my last. I am a big fan now. The pages came alive for me. Looking forward to a Crutch sequel.

There is something to be said for a book that keeps you up late while scaring you at the same time. This book did that for me. The story line is straightforward, and easy to follow, and the characters are achingly real, with some really nasty villians thrown in the mix. The author explores the nature of evil, and how it affects people in law enforcement, which he refers to as "falling into the abyss." It's a frightening concept, and will stay with you long after the book is finished.

I am a big fan of Swain's Jack Carpenter series (Midnight Rambler, The Night Stalker, The Night Monster), and was looking forward to reading this book. The main character, an FBI agent looking for his missing daughter, has appeared in several of the Carpenter books, and is one of Swain's better creations. In this book, the FBI agent is trying to stop a serial killer from turning a teenage boy into a monster, when he stumbles upon what happened to his daughter. To say anymore would be a spoiler. The author introduces a new character, a female FBI agent named Rachel Vick. She's a great addition to the series, and hopefully we'll be seeing her again. Swain knows how to write a book that will keep you up all night long turning pages. The Program is a winner.

A page turning thriller with great insight into the mind of a sociopath, in fact several sociopaths. A great read. The very end is shocking. Tell your daughters to be very careful out there!

If it had been possible, I would have given this 6 stars! This might be the best Jim Swain has done. I keep thinking the same thing every time I read a new novel by him. He has really done his research on this one. Such a work into the mind of a serial killer. I actually had goosebumps reading this. The scary part was that there really are people like this out there.

Mr. Swain knows how things work, and how police work. The GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) that he includes in his story, really works, just like he describes. It was used in Vietnam to find the tunnels that were used by the Vietcong. The equipment is designed for industrial use for finding underground objects. He also has done his research on the psychology of serial killers. All this is woven into the story and brings the reader right into the scene. Effective and frightening at the same time.

I had some early A.M. reading on this, couldn't put it down.

I enjoyed this spin off from the Jack Carpenter series. Very well written with a good plot, good characters and easy to read. Excellent!

Having bogged down in a book by another favorite author, I turned to this Jack Carpenter book and began racing through it, not stopping until I had reached the end. Often, I do not like female detective/FBI/cop characters but Agent Vick is believable and fits right in. A really good, exciting read.

I've been a big fan of James Swain's work for years. The Program is one of my favorites. Swain presents us with an intricate plot with not one, but two villains.

A serial killer, Mr. Clean, is kidnapping violent teenage boys and putting them through a horrifying ordeal called "The Program" in an attempt to turn them into sadistic, vicious killers---mirror images of him. He's aided by Crutch, another greatly drawn villain who's as cruel and brutal as Mr. Clean. Crutch is serving time in a federal prison, but manages to communicate through a smuggled cell phone.

The main character, FBI Special Agent Ken Linderman, a profiler, and another FBI agent, Rachel Vick, are using all of their resources to get inside Mr. Clean and Crutch's heads and rescue the abducted boy before he's turned.

You can tell that Swain did a lot of research for this book. The insight he shares about the mind of a serial killer and the inner workings of the FBI are fascinating.

There are plot twists and turns in this book and a surprise ending you won't see coming.

One of the things I like most about Swain is his ability to grab you and not let go. I was reading this book on my iPad when I ran out of battery power. I was so eager to get to the next page that I ran around my house searching for my charger. The cord was too short, so I sat on the floor near the outlet to finish the book.

This is one of those books that stays with you long after you've read it. If you read this book, make sure your digital reader is fully charged and get ready for a thrilling ride!