Tag Archives: Vortex

Vortex by Catherine Coulter – a Review

Posted on by
12

Vortex by Catherine Coulter – a Review

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple / BAM / Book Depository

 

Description:
Seven years ago, Mia Briscoe was at a frat party with her best friend Serena when a fire broke out. Everyone was accounted for except Serena. She was never heard from or seen again. Now Mia is an investigative journalist covering the political scene in New York City, but she hasn’t given up trying to find out what happened to her friend that night. When an old photo taken at the frat party gives her clues, Mia realizes she knows just where to look. She enlists FBI agent Sherlock’s help to uncover a sinister string of events going all the way back to that disastrous party. But some very powerful—and very dangerous—people will do anything to keep the past buried.

CIA Operative Olivia Hildebrandt is a team leader on a mission in Iran to exfiltrate a betrayed undercover operative. She’s nearly killed by an exploding grenade and saved by a team member. After leaving Walter Reed Hospital, not only has that team member disappeared but two men come to her house to kill her. Savich believes their attack on Olivia is a direct result of the compromised mission in Iran. What intelligence was at stake? Who betrayed them? Savich quickly finds he is now a target himself and unseen enemies will stop at nothing, including murder.

 

 

Review:

Vortex by Catherine Coulter is the 25th book in her FBI Thriller series.  I am a big fan of Coulter’s FBI series, and looked forward to seeing our wonderful FBI heroes, Savich and Sherlock. In Vortex, both Savich and Sherlock are called into separate cases, with each case being led by great heroines.

Mia Briscoe, our heroine, is an investigative journalist for a local newspaper.  Mia still thinks about her friend from college, who disappeared 7 years ago.  When her boss assigns her to be the main reporter for Alex Harrington, the new candidate to be mayor of New York, she does some research and finds a dark blurry picture that a friend found, and sent to Mia.  In a short time, Mia utilizes another FBI friend, who was the boyfriend of the missing girl, to see if he can improve the quality of the picture, which was taken at the college 7 years ago.  After she interviews Harrington, his friends, Mia begins to suspect that there is more to the story, and with her FBI friends help, she meets Special Agent Sherlock, who will begin to work with Mia to find the truths, about now and what happened years ago.  Sherlock was in New York consulting on a serial murderer case, which she will help solve, and she fully becomes invested into Mia’s findings.

CIA agent, Olivia Hildebrandt, was on a top mission, when she was injured, as the mission was compromised.   One of her agents is now missing, and Olivia is determined to find him, since she feels he is in hiding, against foreign terrorists.  Savich is called to represent the FBI in investigating why Olivia is being targeted, as attacks have been made on her life.  Savich will take over the case, as the CIA is not happy about this.  Olivia knows someone from her team has betrayed her, and works closely with Savich to protect her, as well as find the agent who is in hiding, with the flash drive (important data) that is important to both sides. 

What follows is a non-stop exciting and intense adventure with two different cases. Both cases escalated, with many twists and surprises, which is another reason not to reveal these spoilers, so not to ruin the book.  I love Savich and Sherlock, even when they worked separately; They are a fabulous couple and super agents.  I really thought Mia was a fantastic character, as she was fearless to find the truth about her friend’s disappearance, as well as working closely with Sherlock.  Olivia too was a very good character, and was willing to put her own life in danger, working with Savich.  Coulter not only gives us wonderful characters we care about, but she also creates evil villains.

Vortex was a thriller from start to finish, and even if it was tense at times, as I was unable to put the book down from start to finish.  Catherine Coulter once again gives us a fabulous story, with so many different surprises and excitement all the way to the climax.  Vortex was a fast-paced, exciting, intriguing, suspenseful mystery.  If you like suspense, mysteries, espionage, especially in the world of CIA/FBI, I wholly suggest you read Catherine Coulter.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

Share

Vortex by Julie Cross – a Review

Posted on by
8

Vortex by Julie Cross – a Review

Vortex

Vortex is the 2nd book in Julie Cross’s Tempest series.  I liked the first book Tempest, but Vortex is so much better.  Julie Cross has upped the level in Vortex, and it was a wonderful read.  Below is the official description, followed by my review.

Description:
Jackson Meyer has thrown himself into his role as an agent for Tempest, the shadowy division of the CIA that handles all time-travel-related threats. Despite his heartbreak at losing the love of his life, Jackson has proved himself to be an excellent agent. However, after an accidental run in with Holly-the girl he altered history to save-Jackson is once again reminded of what he’s lost. And when Eyewall, an opposing division of the CIA, emerges, Jackson and his fellow agents not only find themselves under attack, but Jackson begins to discover that the world around him has changed and someone knows about his erased relationship with Holly, putting both their lives at risk all over again.

Review:

When we last left off in Tempest, Jackson decided he wanted to become a CIA agent, and work with his dad, and other agents from Tempest.  This agency handles only time related events, as well as dealing with the EOT (enemies of time). Jackson had also changed the timeline, so that his love, Holly would no longer know him, and thereby be safe from those enemies who would threaten her life.

This was an exciting story from the start, as Jackson becomes involved as a trainee for the CIA.  Jackson begins to learn more about how far he can go with his time travel jumps, and that he a major player in this plot between the two sides.  We meet many other trainees, who will become a major part of the story.  Julie Cross does a great job creating some of these wonderful characters.  I loved Lily, Jenni, especially when they learned all about Jackson, and his abilities, as well as what happened with Holly.  Other great characters in this series are Emily, Courtney, Mason, just to name a few.  Cross also creates characters that you do not know if they are good or bad, such as Marshall, Dr Melvin, Jackson’s Dad, Senator Healy, Freeman, Thomas, Cassidy.

There are a number of interesting twists along the way, which will include the return of Holly, as an agent for the Enemies of Time, and the strange reactions of Jackson, when he sees she does not know him.  The story was fun, and exciting, as the trainees find themselves in dangerous situations that they have to defend themselves against the enemy.  We get to understand a lot more of the time traveling, and how far back it does go, as well as how far in the future the EOT faction comes from.   Jackson knows that time travel is no longer t just simple fun, as he delves deeper into learning more.  The dangers of changing time becomes apparent, and the two factions fighting each other, opens more questions as to who is really the enemy.

The last third of the book was non stop excitement.  Near the end there was a major twist that was surprising, and confusing at the same time.  On top of that, Cross leaves us hanging to wait for the third book.  There are so many questions still to be discovered; Will Holly and Jackson ever get together again?   What will happen to two of my favorites in the series, Lily and Jenni?  How far will Jackson be able to go with his abilities, and what will be the ramifications.  Vortex was a wonderful edition to Julie Cross’s Tempest series, and I am looking forward to reading the third book, even if it’s a year away.  Well done.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

Share