Tamara Tilley

The Pawn by Steven James

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Wow! THE PAWN by Steven James started off like a walk in the park, progressed to a race against time, and climaxed with an all out sprint to the end.

I am a little bit late in reading this suspense/thriller that was released in 2007. But, as I prepare to read his latest, THE QUEEN, I am back peddling to read the previous installments in the Patrick Bowers Thrillers to make sure I am in the right frame of mind when THE QUEEN is released next month.

Dr. Patrick Bowers, has a PhD in Environmental Criminology and a unique approach to dissecting a crime scene. When he is called in to help catch a serial killer he has no idea how personal it will get. On the home front, he struggle with the loss of his wife, and exerts great effort trying to break through the wall his step-daughter, Tessa has put up around her, but work continues to get in the way, and the Illusionist is proving to be quite a calculating foe.

Unique clues, ties to politicians, corrupt cops, cults, and mass suicides all add up to an intriguing read that will keep you thinking and wondering. This is definitely not your run-of-the-mill whodunit. Even if you think you know who all the players are, and some subplots might be predictable, you never know exactly how everything is going to play out.

I found Dr. Patrick Bowers unassuming, and not swayed by his own press. Though others in law enforcement are quite familiar with his extensive reputation, as a character, he was easy to like, even with his flaws, failures, and self-admitted explosive temper. I felt for Patrick as he struggled in his relationship with Tessa, and I inwardly grinned each time he had an interaction with Special Agent Lien-hua Jiang. I look forward to reading THE ROOK.




View all my reviews