Quantico Rules: A Novel (Hardcover)

by Gene Riehl (Author) "I was a liar a long time before I hooked up with Dr. Paul Chen-good enough at it to fool my bosses for years-but now..." (more)
Key Phrases: red leader, brown van, Brenda Thompson, Kevin Finnerty, Robert Bennett (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
*Starred Review* Reading this debut novel is like finding a gold nugget when all you were expecting was a few pretty stones. The author, a former FBI agent, writes like a pro, and this is one of those thrillers you genuinely wish wouldn't end. At its center is Puller Monk, FBI agent, compulsive gambler, and accomplished liar. Monk is in charge of the SPIN squad; that's short for Special Inquiries, and lately he's been making inquiring about Judge Brenda Thompson, a candidate for the Supreme Court. It's Monk's job to make sure she's scandal-free before the confirmation hearings begin; when a teensy discrepancy in Thompson's security questionnaire turns up a deep, dark secret, he's surprised to learn that his own boss, the assistant director in charge of the Washington bureau office, wants the investigation shut down. Never one to do what he's told, Monk pursues the case anyway and finds a lot more than he bargained for. Tightly plotted, with a couple of nice twists, the novel is jam-packed with atmosphere and behind-the-scenes detail. It is apparent throughout that Riehl is writing about what he knows. But it isn't just verisimilitude; Monk is a strong lead, a believable character full of contradictions and obsessions we've only begun to explore. Further Monk adventures aren't just welcome; they're absolutely necessary. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
Advance praise for Quantico Rules:

"Gene Riehl's Quantico Rules is a must-read, a suspense-packed cautionary tale of corruption told by an ex-FBI agent who isn't afraid to show us the ugly stuff on the inside. With this stunning debut novel, Gene Riehl has brought a fresh new voice to the world of crime fiction."
- Harlan Coben, author of Gone For Good

"Quantico Rules is my kind of story. It is full of high tension, intrigue and the details of life as an FBI agent that could have only come from a career agent himself. Gene Riehl has taken his experiences and turned them into a thriller that is good till the last page. But it is more than a page-turner. It is an incisive study of an agent battling the obstacles of bureaucracy to finally make his stand."
- Michael Conolly

"Stock up your refrigerator. Unplug the telephone. A master spy has arrived, and you're not going to want to leave home until you finish his smast debut thriller. In Quantico Rules, former FBI agen Gene Riehl swings wide the doors of Washington's secret back rooms in a search for power gone wrong. Full of authentic detail, bristling with fascinating characters, Quantico Rules proves Riehl is a new master of suspense."
- Gayle Lynds, author of Mesmerized

"Reading this debut novel is like finding a gold nugget when all you were expecting was a few pretty stones. The author, a former FBI agent, writes like a pro, and this is one of those thrillers you genuinely wish wouldn’t end....Further Monk adventures aren’t just welcome; they’re absolutely necessary.”
-Booklist (starred review)

"...this first thriller by a former agent is sharply written, expertly plotted, and full of the kind of fascinating nuggets that can only be mined from actual experience."
-Chicago Tribune (8/17/03)

"Ex-FBI agent Gene Riehl has a light style and never lingers too long over background material or overdoes authentic details, surely a temptation when your insider knowledge is a selling point."
-Charlotte Observer (8/17/03)

"Former FBI agent Gene Riehl has come up with a dandy effort in his first novel, Quantico Rules. It's a combination political novel, thriller and spy story, complete with engaging characters, a racing plot and the kind of inside knowledge about the FBI that only a veteran could display."
-The Houston Chronicle

"Gene Riehl gives us something new, and possibly unique, with the introduction of Puller Monk in Quantico Rules...a promising debut."
-The Washington Times
-- Review

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur; 1st edition (August 25, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031231051X
• ISBN-13: 978-0312310516
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #965,221 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rules Are Meant To Be Broken..., March 28, 2004

By	Phyllis Rhodes (Orlando, FL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Quantico Rules is a suspenseful thriller set in Washington, DC at FBI Headquarters. Special Agent Puller Monk is a wonderfully flawed lead character - he is a chronic gambler and professional liar who actually studies to defeat the lie detector tests to hide his illness from his superiors.

When the novel opens, Puller is leading the SPIN (Special Inquiries) squad that is conducting a routine background check for an African American Supreme Court nominee who has lied about a three-week unaccountable absence nearly thirty years ago. Puller's instinct propels him and a trusted rookie agent to dig further despite direct orders from the Assistant Director to wrap up the investigation within seven days.

When the college roommate of the nominee admits to keeping a diary which could provide incriminating evidence is murdered and Puller is attacked at the scene of the crime; he chooses to engage Quantico Rules - moreso the breaking of conventional rules and application of unorthodox techniques - to get to the bottom of the conspiracy. What happens next leads to more murder, mayhem, blackmail, and clues that point to a very unlikely and equally powerful culprit.

Puller is a troubled lead character who makes bad decisions but he is a likeable, wounded hero whose actions are well intentioned. The conspiracy theory within the novel is plausible and the plot is intricately laced with clues and filled with tense moments. The author delivers solid character development which allows the reader to clearly understand their actions and motives. This was an enjoyable read - hopefully this will not be the last time we read about the adventures of Puller Monk.

Reviewed by Phyllis
APOOO BookClub, The Nubian Circle Book Club

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Insiders View of the FBI, February 4, 2004

By	D. Lacy (Palo Alto, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Talk about your bad days. Special Agent Puller Monk has a gambling problem, a money problem, a woman problem and then people start trying to kill him. SA Monk and his FBI partner Lisa Sands get involved in the background investigation for the first African American woman nominated to the Supreme Court, Brenda Thompson.

What they assumed to be a case mired in paperwork turns out to be full of murder, mayhem and betrayal when they find a discrepancy in her past. Monk and Sands wind up gambling with their lives as the stakes get higher and higher.

This book is a fast paced and plot driven, and makes the FBI world very real on the page. Riehl makes excellent use of his background as an ex-FBI agent and makes this book more interesting than most of its kind.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quantico RULES!! A must read!, September 18, 2003

By A Customer

This is ellen in Atlanta - There are some debut novels that make you want for more before the end of the first novel, and Quantico Rules is one of those - The writing style is fluid and the character development is smooth - deals with old ways vs new ways - from good old J. Edgar Hoover's reign to present day and the stragglers from his regime - and the good folks who want justice like our hero Monk - This book reminds me of Les Roberts' character Milan Jankovich and that is truly a great complement - Start writing soon Mr. Riehl - if I could preorder the sequel now, I would - that's how good this baby is -