A Clean Kill (Garrett Mann Book 1)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars | 12,818 ratings
Price: 5.99
Last update: 11-29-2024
About this item
An FBI agent hunting a serial killer has to up his game when a trail of murders is not what it seems in a riveting thriller by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Steven Konkoly.
Five dismembered bodies are found along the roadside, dumped in the middle of nowhere. This isn’t new to Special Agent Garrett Mann. Head of ARTEMIS, a specialized FBI task force hell-bent on hunting down cartel-related killings in the Southwest, Mann has seen this before.
He and his team have been tracking similar kills along thousands of miles of rural roads running north, south, and back again. When the latest slaughter yields a key piece of evidence, Mann thinks he’s found the killer and solved the case. That’s when the nightmare begins.
From a lakeside Minnesota mansion to an abandoned CIA black site in New Mexico, the hunt is on. But the closer Mann gets to his prey, the deadlier the stakes become. This is no ordinary serial killer. He’s not working alone—and the stakes go far beyond just preventing the serial killer’s next massacre. What Mann unravels is a powerful and far-reaching conspiracy beyond his wildest imagination.
From the Publisher
Top reviews from the United States
The plot of "A Clean Kill" is a labyrinth of twists and turns, with Konkoly masterfully leading the reader through a dark world of intrigue and suspense. The pacing is relentless, making it nearly impossible to put the book down. Each chapter ends with a hook that drives the narrative forward, building tension and anticipation. What sets this novel apart is Konkoly's attention to detail and the authenticity of the operational aspects of the story. It's evident that he has done his research, which lends a sense of realism to the events unfolding within the pages. This, combined with his skillful storytelling, makes "A Clean Kill" a must-read for fans of the genre and a stellar introduction to what promises to be an unforgettable series. So, what are you waiting for? Pick up your copy today!
• ASIN: B0CCGM94MF
• Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
• Publication Date: 7/1/2024
• File Size: 3545 KB
• Print Length: 384 pages
• Genre: Political Thrillers - Crime Thrillers - Political Thrillers & Suspense
The writing style flows effortlessly, with Konkoly building intrigue by hinting at behind-the-scenes events without revealing too much. The clear and precise language, combined with the interesting characters, makes this a quick and compelling read.
I especially appreciated the relationships between different team members and the growth shown in those relationships in a short amount of time. Everyone has some skin in the game, adding depth to the narrative.
Recommended to anyone who loves immersive crime thrillers. It’s a standout as a launching point for something great, perfect for fans looking for their next thrilling read.
Other similar books that I enjoy: Jack Reacher, Longmire
What I commonly read: Thriller, Mystery, LitRPG, Fantasy, SciFi
I like the usual high attentiveness to detail in terms of the environment, character interactions, combat and world events taking place in the series. The main characters are fairly well developed, personality wise. To the point I'd love to see them have their own arc that focuses more on a story line that more relates to their chosen profession and not the usual stopping conspiracy or shadow cabal. (Thats not a complaint, I really enjoy this stuff.)
The book has a nice balancing of natural comedic relief, action, (lots of action, it's by Steven after all) believable narrative and overall flow. Something I don't see often in other books is a creative and real effort being put into a bilingual person or persons having a conversation. Instead of just having the narration imply or say the conversation is taking place in a foreign language and writing the conversation in English, Steven has the conversation actually take place in the foreign language and translates to the reader by having the character translate somehow or speaking in broken English/whatever language, and/or re writing parts of the conversation on English.
Combat and action is very believable, fairly easy to understand and follow. Even if your understanding of different forms of fighting is intermediate or non existent.
Story framework is typical of the Black Flag universe. It may sound repetitive but while reading, I did not find it to be that way. This universe has ALOT of life in it. Characters in the other books are mentioned and used but not overly rellied on. They dont over shadow or hijack the new characters story, just mearly help along the way.
Only real gripe I have. It's not much of one being it's a thriller book and there's good character development. I do wish that there were a couple more of the slow periods or moments where the chatacters weren't focused on the mission at hand (as in not doing something mission or job related) and those moments were a little more in depth, rather than a casual mention. I think it would really seal the deal of making the reader relate to the characters as people. That said, I highly recommend this book and any book in the Black Flag Arc.
But there were some serious issues. Way too many acronyms. Then way too many characters to keep track of. It felt like someone took a good book, then went back and added in every bit of knowledge they had about weapons and government agencies to pump it up. And all the local law enforcement were just too cooperative. You got my deputy killed? That's ok....
It was interesting enough that I finished it. Im giving it 3 stars because I did finish it. But I skimmed over the parts that were too convoluted. After all that it ended on a cliffhanger. I won't be reading the next one.
However, the author included dialogue in Spanish that was clearly not proofread by a Spanish speaker - my guess is google translate was the only thing used. It away from the authenticity of the book, and was cringy.