Customer Reviews

Wildcard (MIRA)

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

 

 

With primary victories in Florida, Texas and Louisiana Senator Grant Lawrence becomes the Democratic Party's nominee for president. As he thanks the voters on national TV, someone shoots him. The FBI begins investigating the assassination attempt, but hot stuff out of the box maverick Tom Lawton is assigned work to keep him out of the prime inquiries. He feels the Los Angeles incident with his superior has turned him into a persona non grata maverick in the minds of his supervisors, but that will not stop him from doing the job.

Tom still manages to find important information so as his reward he is totally yanked from the case. He digs into who and why the removal, but as he uncovers links to a Guatemala group that recently killed the American ambassador and CIA actions in the 1950s, he finds he is now the target of his bosses. He flees with only Agent Renate Bachle willing to help him as long as his needs fit her secret agenda.

WILDCARD is an exhilarating international political thriller that never slows down from the moment Tom sees Grant shot on TV until the final altercation "ghosts" and all. The story line is action-packed and moves at quite a fast clip with Tom going from the frying pan into the fire. The political devices to manipulate people make this a fine tale as the romantic subplot takes a back seat to the global suspense.

Harriet Klausner

I could follow The Guatemala episodes, with Miriam, as they tied into the information FBI special Agent Tom Lawton was digging out.
And then Agent Renate Blachle shows up and manouvers Tom into following her to Idaho.

Tom's weak spot seems to be a lack of a real instinct for self-preservation. He did not exhibit enough suspecion and was led too easily. He had just come out of a deep cover operation and should have distrusted everyone.

It took quite a while for Kevin Willis to realize that there was a leak in his department.

The connection between the presidential candidate, Harrison Rice and Edward Morgan and his brother-in-law, Dixon, an ex-military man was woven into the fabric of the story with great skill. Way to go, Dad!

The religious aspects were very confusing and seemed a bit far out to the story. But what a plot! the books of Lawton Caine and Renate Bachle might prove to be a completely inthralling set.

This first one is a fair indication of plots and counter-plots.
Characters are neat, just not enough wild instinct for self-preservation.

Will definitely recommend - Hope Lawton keeps in touch [encryption]with Miriam and Terry. Lawton needs to get a snipers' mentality. Not one I will keep, with all the religious slurs.

I've always enjoyed Rachel Lee's books, and looked forward to the same with "Wild Card". Instead, I ended up reading a mix of "Fahrenheit 911", campaign speeches, potshots at the Catholic Church, and a variety of conspiracy theories. No one can claim to be completely free of bias, but I'd rather read a book where they are a little more subtly presented, or better yet, non-existent.

When the president elect is shot, FBI agent Tom Lawton begins his own search for the truth that takes him in directions that he never anticipated. With the help of Renate Bachle, he begins a quest whose clues date back two millenia and takes them across the world.

*** While the plot is complex and fast paced, it is clearly skewed toward the crowds who have made the Da Vinci code a runaway bestseller. Had that angle been omitted, this would be a fine novel, with action, adventure, and a tight pacing that appeals even to non romance oriented readers. Yet, the low view presented of Christianity, misrepresentation of Calvinist theology, and so on harms it overall. ***

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore, Freelance Reviewer.

Rachel Lee's latest effort moves her squarely into Robert Ludlum's territory, after her wonderful splash into Dean Koontz's world with "Something Deadly". This author continues to delight with her freshness, and willingness to take risks. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment in this new series by Rachel Lee.