Young CIA officer Talia Inger has reconciled with the man who assassinated her father, but that doesn’t mean she wants him hovering over her every move and unearthing the painful past she’s trying to put behind her. Still, she’ll need him–and the help of his star grifter, Valkyrie–if she hopes to infiltrate the Jungle, the first ever crowdsourced crime syndicate, to rescue a group of kidnapped … kidnapped refugee children.
But as Talia and her elite team of thieves con their way into the heart of the Jungle, inching ever closer to syndicate boss the White Lion, she’ll run right up against the ragged edge of her family’s dark past. In this game of cat and mouse, it’s win . . . or die. And in times like that, it’s always good to have someone watching your back.
Former tactical deception officer and stealth pilot James Hannibal takes you deep undercover into the criminal underworld where everyone has an angle and no one escapes unscathed.
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Lots of action and suspense from beginning to end! This story is book 2 of the Talia Inger Book Series but can be read as a stand alone novel. On the edge of my seat the entire time with interesting characters, explosive action, thrilling chases; although somewhat complicated. This story does involve human trafficking which may be too much for some readers.
Overall, I enjoyed the action and story line and recommend it to anyone who has read his books in the past. I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.
Chasing the White Lion by James R. Hannibal is the second in the Talia Inger series, with The Gryphon Heist as book one. Both books can feasibly stand alone, but they are connected by characters and events, so reading them in sequence is advisable. “Chasing the White Lion” is a fast pace thriller.
This book has a Hunger Games vibe to it. Let me tell you both book one and book two are page turner. Each page is full of action and details. There is a new game in town that involves trafficking childen in Thailand. CIA agent Talia Inger and her crew are back ready to chase the White Lion.
The book opens up in Russia, but quickly takes us to Thailand.
Later in the book, we see characters building a game called Frenzy. Frenzy is a complicated, money-grabbinig playground with greedy evil business moguls. The ultimate game in “Chasing the White Lion” is racing against the clock for Talia and her crew to help save lives of children. They have to bring down bad actors and the White Lion. Talia and her grifts, theives and hackers are preparing their skills and getting into their place to take down the aweful king of the jungle and wrap up a few other endgame. When the game begins, the suspense and action gets crazy.
In “Chasing the White Lion” we get more backstory and the growth of Finn and Val. Val realizes what she does has consquences and how it impacts people around her. Finn isn’t as thrill-seek, but will hold your hand if you need help.Talia, Tyler and the rest of the team are developing deeper relationships with each other. We see CIA agent Talia trusting others in the team.
James R. Hannibal is a fantastic suspense, thriller and adventure stories. He wrote strong characters that are relatable and is well rounded. Book two has more Christianity aspect than book one. Hannibal did a fantastic job of developing each character’s development with spirtuality without sounding preachy.
It touches on a variety of subjects such as child trafficking. CIA agent Talia Inger learns about child trafficking in Thailand. There are many assassination attempts, car explosions, motorcycles and so much more. If you want romance there isn’t much. Hannibal did a great job of putting some humor in it.
The main theme in the novel is family and trust.If you love “Burn Notice”, CIA shows, “Oceans Eleven”, “Mission Impossiblie” etc.. then this is a good book series for you. Plus, If you buy this book you can help Compassion International. Check out Stephanie’s Life of Determination for more book reviews.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read! I’m not big on Star Wars or Star Trek, but this author keeps it real enough to make it plausible and entertaining. All characters and places exist…it is not a dystopian or other world book, I’m not a fan of those.
I really like the suspense in the book. It’s a bit different than some as the guilt party at the end isn’t a huge surprise. The reader, however, is kept guessing throughout the book about so many subplots and the plot itself.
I really think my favorite part of this book, despite the fact that I love suspense reads, is the group of characters. The reader really gets to know this group of weird to exotic people. I got the advice to read the first book in the series before starting this one. I agree. The reader will miss much if he doesn’t read The Gryphon Heist first. The relationships between the characters is so well done. The backstory of Talia is great as well.
This book isn’t just a “clean read “ either…the faith theme in this book moves this author to the top group of the suspense authors I read. I’ve read some, loved the suspense, but felt let down when no faith theme is present. The faith theme in this book is natural, and incredibly well done.
I really am thrilled to have found a suspense author that has a different style, terrific plots, fun and endearing characters, and a real and wonderful faith theme. This is an author I’m definitely going to follow, and this book is going on my forever shelves.
I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Oh my gravy, y’all! I was doing great in my bookish world, reading all the good books, writing all the reviews, geeking out over all the authors I love. Then along comes James R. Hannibal with The Gryphon Heist, Talia Inger, Tyler, Finn, Eddie and the rest of the merry-ish band of law and disorder. My world was rocked. My Google searches got a little weird and TripAdvisor is STILL trying to convince me to take my dream trip to Transnistria. (Thanks, TripAdvisor, but I’m currently self-quarantined.) By the end of The Gryphon Heist, I wasn’t sure who it was that I love and who I don’t trust, who is telling the truth and who has been lying so elegantly all along. What I did know, is that I wanted more and Chasing the White Lion could not be released soon enough!
Problem solved! At least one problem was solved; I still had to convince the entire world to leave me alone while I utterly devoured this book! It was almost as if a hand reached out of the story and grabbed my face. There was no putting it down! This is the kind of book that genuinely left me breathless at the end, with a bit of, “What the heck just happened here?!?” The action of the story, the actual pursuit of the White Lion and the search for the missing children, is excellently crafted. The real core of the story, though, is one of redemption and of family.
It is always encouraging when an author takes an opportunity to use an already awesome story to fulfill a higher purpose. James R. Hannibal does this through a partnership with Compassion International, a wonderful organization with a heart for the impoverished children of the world, in which a portion of every book sold goes to support their mission. That’s fiction with a purpose, for sure!
Thank you to the publisher for allowing me a copy of this book to read and review. The opinions stated in this review are my own and are my completely honest assessment.
I have been looking forward to this book since the one it follows, The Gryphon Heist. That was an awesome read, and set up the characters for this team of thieves. Chasing the White Lion picks up where the last book ended, and the author goes into more depth with developing his characters and their personalities. That is something I really enjoy about a series that has the same characters, is when the author further develops the characters. One of my favorite parts of the book was the interaction between the characters, and I chucked out loud several times. I like an author who throws humor into the mix, and Hannibal does that very well.
One thing this author excels at is coming up with a complicated and convoluted plot that is also fairly easy to follow and understand. Granted, one cannot skim over anything in the book or you will have no clue as to what is going on.
Writing about a team of thieves who are working for good has to be challenging, and reading about it is quite entertaining. My favorite character is still Finn, full name Michael Finn. They are all great characters, but for some reason I find myself liking him and his antics the best.
Chasing the White Lion involves among other things, human trafficking. Hannibal wound a great plot around that, and I was turning pages as fast as I could read. It was a difficult book to put down when I needed to do that.
One thing that is prevalent in so much Christian fiction that is not in this book and its predecessor, is romance. There seems to be a hint of it between Talia and Finn, but it is going very slowly if that is the case.
The whole story climaxes in something called the Frenzy, which was absolutely genius with the descriptions of it and what goes on there. Though the reader assumes there is a happy ending, there are a lot of tense nail biting moments there and throughout the book.
Chasing the White Lion is not simply Christian suspense. It is political intrigue and suspense that goes beyond the usual. Hannibal is setting a standard which will be hard to follow. Awesome read that I enjoyed immensely.
I also recommend his super clean and curse free secular series he wrote before starting this series.
And might I add, he is one the most interesting authors as a person whose books I have read.
I was provided a copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions in this review are my own.
Book two was just as engaging and intriguing as book one–actually, I think I can honestly say that I enjoyed it more than book one. I’m loving these characters! They are all so diverse and yes, entertaining.
Like I said for book one (which you MUST read before this one!), this is an adventure-driven book that takes you all around the world. The situations are surreal, but so cool that I loved each and every point of the plot. I have never read “Hunger Games,” but from what little I know about it, this book definitely had some “Hunger Games” hints toward the end.
The faith message was stronger and more prevalent in this book, which I appreciated. I found the salvation message presented was very… unique. It dealt with repentance and trust, but it was totally in a conversation that related to a criminal. That was very interesting.
There is a little progress in the romance field. Nothing super conclusive yet, but leading there. And I’ll admit, I kind of like where it’s hinting at!
*I received this book from the publishers and happily gave my honest review*
A thrilling hunt that’ll have you on the edge of your seats with every turn of the page!
Author James Hannibal delivers an exciting sequel that will delight suspense/thriller fans. CIA officer Talia Inger returns with the dynamic team as they hunt an evil enigma going by the name of White Lion. The action begins on page one and doesn’t let up bringing one of the coolest casts of characters into the throes of good versus evil. I enjoyed how Mr. Hannibal weaved moral implications throughout and found it satisfying the way he developed each character. The child trafficking element was well-done and I appreciated the author’s note at the end encouraging readers to take action.
I highly recommend this story to readers who love adventure, thrills, action, and memorable characters. I’m definitely looking forward to more by Mr. Hannibal!
***I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to leave a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.***
Beat the Clock!
Boyd, a dangerous man, who thinks nothing of human life, has created a network of the most dangerous people on earth. He keeps them under his thumb by holding an annual competition, by invitation only, exclusively for crooks and thieves who have made it into his upper echelon.
Those who choose to attend this high-stakes game will gamble to get enormous riches or die trying. The competition takes place in an incredibly designed Grand Bazaar that is visually stunning but is fraught with danger at every curve. While the contestants are trying to win, they may also be working to get rid of the competition permanently.
A large number of children, a teacher and a pastor are taken from a third world location that has a history of kids disappearing without a trace. Compassion International, a real-life humanitarian group, wants to find these children. So does Talia, a CIA officer.
The only chance for that to happen is if she partners with her father’s assassin and his team of sketchy experts. They have a short time to attempt a multi-layered con on Boyd, and find where the children are hidden.
There will be killers–both human and animal–drones, and amazing weapons throughout this action-packed tale, that includes an incredibly, riveting story. The faith component adds depth to the characters. Anyone who likes well-written fast-moving thrillers, will enjoy this 5-star book!
Revell Publishing has provided bookreadingtic with a complimentary copy of, Chasing the White Lion, for the purpose of review.
There is no denying that this author is a talented writer and pens complex and creative stories! I liked the intricate plot and fascinating subjects in this story. It was great to read about a strong, intelligent female lead that is passionate about injustices of refugee children. It is really commendable that the author highlights the good work of the Compassional International organization as well. I was sometimes lost in the technical and complicated topics of the story, which was a little distracting from the plot. And I definitely recommend reading this series in order. However, I enjoyed the suspense in this novel and the story kept my attention. I recommend this book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishing. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
I truly Enjoyed this captivating story!!
This is my first book by James R. Hannibal, and I hope that it is not my last one. I put him on par with DiAnn Mills and Lynette Eason in the mystery and suspense genre. Chasing the White Lion is the second book in his Clandestine Service Series, it can be read as a standalone. However, I have the first book on order already as I want to see how Talia got to where she is currently.
I thought that all the characters in this book were fun and well-crafted. Talia had to learn to trust her family (Team), she shared her faith in some awesome ways, and she kept me guessing as to what she would do next. I loved the backstories that the characters shared throughout the book; I think it helped me connect more to the individual characters. Also, the eclectic grouping of ethnic backgrounds sounded so fun, made me want to go join them.
James R. Hannibal created a thrilling suspenseful mystery, that I thought was filled with so many great life lessons. He worked in principles such as sharing your faith, trusting your team, how people want community and trusting God to have your back in all situations. Did I mention that James R. Hannibal also took me on a whirlwind of travel without leaving my home? This book was truly an adventure.
From the first chapter I was hooked (and so was my husband) on this awesome thriller. I give it a resounding 5 out of 5 stars for the themes of faith and forgiveness, the wonderful characters, and for some truly great travel experiences. I loved this book and I cannot wait until James R. Hannibal’s next book comes out.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
Only last year was I introduced to James Hannibal’s writing. I remember reading the plot line of The Gryphon Heist and thinking “wow, that sounds really good”.
I of course, read it and immediately fell in love with his books.
I was ecstatic when I heard that Chasing The White Lion would be released this month. I’ve been looking forward to reading it for a long time and after signing up to review it was rather excited about checking mail each day to see if it would be in. Alas, when it came in I had to wait a couple days to read it thanks to one of my sisters (who shall remain unnamed) who took the book and read it first.
I finally got to read it and wow, y’all! I truly can’t decide whether Chasing The White Lion or The Gryphon Heist is my favorite. They are both just so good! Filled with mystery, intrigue, humor, & more literally every member of your family will love Chasing The White Lion.
Chasing The White Lion continues the storyline of The Gryphon Heist. Each character is growing, some are finding faith and others are still struggling. I love the suspense/mystery that is in these books. I love the hints of romance we’re seeing between some characters. But most of all I want to give a shoutout to James for featuring Compassion and the great work they’re doing in this book. If you’ve never heard of them, go visit their website to find out more info.
I know this sounds crazy coming from a avid book reader & book reviewer but I am extremely picky about my books. Because while I read a lot there’s only about 5-6 authors that I count among my favorites and James is one of them. He’s an exceptionally talented author and I hope you’ll check out Chasing The White Lion which released earlier this month as well as his other books.
“Just ’cause someone tries to kill you ain’t no reason to go mopin’ around, drinking high-calorie death coffee.”
Chasing the White Lion by James R. Hannibal is the second in the Talia Inger series, with The Gryphon Heist as book one. Both books can feasibly stand alone, but they are connected by characters and events, so reading them in sequence is advisable.
Hannibal has done it again! Chasing the White Lion is a fast-paced thriller that warrants a high-octane rating for its non-stop action and delicious entertainment. This book has an explosive plot, is full of witty characters with plenty of snappy dialogue, and will reel you all the way in. Clear your schedule because Chasing the White Lion will happily steal your free time and demand your complete attention. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
CIA agent Talia Inger is back, but her new-found Christianity is steering her in new directions, with new objectives and with a new family. That doesn’t mean she can’t pack a mean punch when called for, including a well-placed elbow to the ribs or nose. There is a nefarious new game in town that involves the trafficking of children in Thailand, and Talia just won’t stand for it. Her crew has several familiar faces from The Gryphon Heist, and they are all back with a vengeance and ready to chase the White Lion. Who is this White Lion, you ask? Finding that out is all part of the fun, and I won’t be responsible for spoiling it for you. You’re in for a real treat!
The stage is meticulously set, and all the players are jockeying for position as each chapter unfolds, all building up to a wicked game called Frenzy. Talia and her band of thieves, grifts, and hackers are sharpening their skills and quickly getting into place to take down that shameful king of the jungle and wrap up a few other endgame shenanigans. The actual game called Frenzy doesn’t start until later in the book, but getting to the starting line is a blast. Once the game begins, the level of suspense and action, which is already supersonic high, quickly reaches even greater heights. Frenzy is a vicious, complicated, and money-grabbing playground for unscrupulous and greedy evildoers and business moguls, but there is more at stake than simply points on a leader board. With a Ready Player One/Hunger Games vibe, the ultimate game in Chasing the White Lion is a race against the clock for Talia and her complex yet lovable crew to save the lives of some very scared children and bring down all the bad actors, including the White Lion. This savvy crew has quite a few high-tech and highly explosive tricks up its collective sleeve, continuing that Ocean’s Eleven aspect that splashes across book one, The Gryphon Heist.
James R. Hannibal’s writing is unbelievably fantastic, but believe it anyway. Seriously, Hannibal can fabricate a story and then deliver it with style, talent, and panache. The characters have well-rounded personalities, and their interactions are dynamic and often quite amusing. The Christianity aspect is much stronger in book two, and the relevant references are well placed and smoothly incorporated into the appropriate characters’ development. This spirituality is realistic and fits in nicely with the overall story line, without being too preachy or falling into the pit of Christian stereotypes.
As the main protagonist, Talia Inger is a walking contradiction. She often comes across as completely capable and fully armed with some exceptional skills one minute and then a bit clueless and left out of the loop the next. I’m not sure if that is by design on the author’s part, but that development keeps her at a high enigmatic level, making me continually wonder what is going on with this girl. While all the main characters are likable and engaging, Eddie and Conrad continue to be favorites; however, my elite circle of favorites has widened to include Finn. Something is shifting between Talia and Finn, piquing my interest for more of this relationship and hopefully another book of flashy, thrilling, and meteoric action. Unlike the high-stakes game in Chasing the White Lion, this series certainly can’t be “Game over.”
Wow! Love how the mind of this author works, you sure will never see coming all that unfolds in this read. It all seems so real like you’re watching the news or reading on the internet. Maybe this has played out and we are now hearing about it, that is how real this feels.
Now, this is the second book in this series, and yes, I have read the first, but I think this could be read alone, there are several references to the first, but you will be hooked and desire to see what you have missed!
I really love this book, and found this band of characters endearing, and thus I wanted more, and this read will keep you on your toes and holding your breath, will they survive to the end? Will the Archangel finally be found and brought to justice, or is the evil that permeates here that will win.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review.
This book was a fast paced thrill from start to finish! James R. Hannibal has delivered another swift moving Oceans Eleven meets Mission Impossible type novel. I absolutely love the dynamic of this team! The dialogue is witty and smart and the heist was layered and complex. Edge of your seat situations and and surprising twists seemed to frequent the pages, which really keeps the plot racing along. This band of misfits always seems to have the upper hand and I absolutely love that! There were very obvious faith elements sprinkled throughout the story, but they didn’t seem out of place or added in haphazardly. There was a definite theme of trusting God and reliance on his power not our own that really spoke to the situations that Talia found herself in. I really enjoyed this one and would happily follow this crew through any future books!
High-stakes global adventure with a cast of characters fit for the big screen. A high-tech, James Bond feel with a faith message unique in its telling. You won’t be bored for one minute of this fast-paced page turner.
We catch up with CIA case officer Talia Inger in this story, to find that she has kept busy. Two questions pop up leaving you on the edge of your seat waiting for answers. Who is Archangel? Why do they want Talia dead?
Spies, Adventure, and Danger all meld perfectly with the moments of humor and strong faith elements. This fast-paced and intriguing thriller will leave you craving for more.
3.5 stars
“Think of it this way. The desire to protect you has brought a band of thieves into a church to meet Jesus. God is at work.”
Really? . . but of course, CIA case officer Talia Inger is determined to meet one very important deadline with a semblance of normalcy; her baptism, a public profession of her newfound faith. How unfortunate that someone, possibly a fellow agent, is trying to kill her; a hard piece of evidence to ignore, . . . thus Talia’s own team of “bodyguards” have reassembled to expose the killer, while keeping her relatively safe. However, this unlikely grouping of “commandos” have a much more difficult task ahead of them than merely attending a church service, they are about to penetrate the lair of one very “white lion”, an elusive international figure who prowls atop a “crowdsourced crime syndicate”; always anticipating his next meal.
“Chasing the White Lion” is complicated within its simplicity, of sorts. Even though the missions span the globe, the relationships among characters remain tight and develop nicely within a mass of continual spirals. The technical language is often difficult to imagine, much less understand, but the author manages to pull the reader through to what counts; learning to lean, “this life you’ve found is not solitary. The children of God have each other, and most of all we have him. ”
I received a copy of this book from Baker Publishing through Interviews and Reviews. The opinions stated are entirely my own.