USA Today Bestselling Author, Casi McLean, presents a military political thriller with supernatural elements in Reign Of Fire.To expose a faction threatening America’s democracy, Emily Rose joins forces with a team investigating her sister’s murder, but she never expects to fall in love––or to encounter her twin’s ghost.Ashton Frasier accepts his detective career choice means a life of … life of bachelorhood––until Emily Rose blows into his world. The spitting image of his latest victim holds a mysterious allure he can’t deny. Surrounded by danger with the country’s democracy at stake, Emily and Ash uncover a dangerous faction threatening to take the White House. Can a ghost spark love to expose the truth?
WHEN LOVE SPARKS DANGER––EVEN ASH BURNS!
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REIGN OF FIRE combines elements that I never imagined coming together—murder, political conspiracy, romance, and the apparition of the victim—to create a highly engaging read. Allysa’s body is found in the river; her twin sister Emily, who possesses a sixth sense, had a feeling of Alyssa being in trouble. Detective Ashton Frasier is investigating the case, and there is an instant spark between him and Emily. They ry to set aside their undeniable attraction in order to keep a cool head, interpret the clues, and find the killer. What complicates things even further is their notion that Alyssa’s death has a connection with a Shadow Government, tries to undermine democracy and create an oppressive world order.
I enjoy being brought into the local setting: “Heavy fog covering the city earlier had lifted, but despite the forecast calling for sun, the front still hung low along the Potomac River.” Even more than that, I love the way the main premise is boiled down in this story: “Why did she confide in this man? Despite his striking dark hair and silver-blue eyes mesmerizing her, she knew nothing about him. Blindly trusting a stranger could have cost Alyssa her life, but if Emily didn’t join forces with this detective, would she have any chance of finding Alyssa’s murderer?” The twist in the plot is that Ash wants to use Emily as bait, because of her resemblance to Allysa, so the killer may think has killed the wrong girl, and try for his crime all over again.
The dialogue is witty, and makes use of the symbolic elements of this title. When Ash says, “Perhaps we can lure in and capture your dragon,” Emily responds with, “If ignored, the eggs will hatch and breathe a reign of fire that will scorch democracy beyond recognition––from the inside out.”
Five stars.
A Riveting Conspiracy
“Reign of Fire” by Casi McLean is an engaging political thriller with a nice touch of a ghostly element. The very first chapter had me hooked as Alyssa Rose, an intern for a congressman, fearfully sneaks out of the Capitol and mails an envelope. Later, an unidentified female body is dragged out of the Potomac. Ash Frazier is the detective assigned the case.
Alyssa’s twin sister, Emily, an investigative journalist living in Atlanta, has a special gift of being able to sense things before being told about them. Her physic insight tells her something bad has happened to Alyssa. That’s confirmed when her brother, Wyatt, a wounded war hero, shows up at her home along with two policemen. Her twin has been murdered.
Determined to find the killer, Emily sets out for Washington to identify the body and to meet with Ash. While he’s questioning her about Alyssa’s life, she explains that Alyssa had learned about a powerful secret society undermining the government from within. This shadow government threatens democracy. Emily is convinced the secret society is responsible for Alyssa’s death.
Ash devises a plan to draw out the killer. His plan centers on Emily becoming an active participant. Emily is fiercely strong and independent. She will do whatever it takes to find the killer, even if that means putting her own life at risk. As danger grows, so does Emily’s and Ash’s attraction to each other.
This is a real page-turner filled with twists and turns that grips from the beginning to the finish. The author has skillfully blended a conspiracy that reaches to high-ranking government officials with a blossoming romance. The ghost added a unique dimension to the story. The characters are solid, masterfully created, and well-developed. Emily and Ash are extraordinarily likeable characters. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a well-written, romantic suspenseful mystery/thriller. I’ll be watching for the next book in the Deep State Mysteries series.
Reign of Fire has everything I love about a great romantic suspense thriller.
When her twin sister is murdered after interning for a congressman, Emily partners with Detective Ash Frazier to put the pieces together in the fast-paced political world of Washington D.C. As they follow the threads that inevitable draw them closer together as they draw closer to the dangerous truth of the murder.
Reign of Fire is right up my alley. I love a good thriller with romance and mystery crafted together, and Ms. McLean delivers in spades. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, along with Ms. McLean’s other books. True fan here. Highly recommend.
***** What a Great, Tense, Romantic Ride!
Sometimes the simplest thing can set off a chain of events that are irreversible––and horrendous. When Alyssa Rose accidentally collides with a man in Starbucks, she spills coffee all over him and the letters she’s about to mail. Important letters that her politician boss entrusts her with. No worries, someone says. Simply change the envelopes. But when Alyssa does just that, she discovers contents in one of them she’s obviously not supposed to see. And the plot is off and running. Murder is the next step, and like an onion peeling away, we soon learn about deep, sinister events and the characters who initiate them. Indeed, crooked Washington D.C. politicians and a shadow government are just the tip of the iceberg. We also meet Alyssa’s identical twin, Emily, her US veteran brother, Wyatt, and Ash, a sharp, highly qualified detective assigned to the case. Amidst page-turning tension, Emily’s and Ash’s instant attraction is not only of great romantic stuff, it also portrays something else. It’s a meeting of souls as well as bodies, with a tinge of the paranormal throughout. For, as the murder investigation continues to play out, McLean skillfully brings in the paranormal, with the age-old question: Do we truly understand death and its aftermath? Is there communication between the living and the dead, and if so, are people and their feelings influenced from another dimension? A highly recommended read!
By the end of the first chapter of Casi McLean’s “Reign of Fire,” you can’t help but love Alyssa Rose and want her to figure out who is after her and what nefarious deeds they are up to. But then, one paragraph into Chapter 2, she’s dead! Or is she? Just that quickly, McLean draws you into a paranormal world of mystery, romance, and government run amok. You see, Alyssa has a twin—a twin who is so close to her that death can’t separate the two. And when twin Emily commits to hunting down Alyssa’s killer, Alyssa is right there to feed the sparks that kindle Emily’s passion for the detective leading the investigation and her willingness to put own life on the line to draw out members of a deep state shadow government that threatens the future of democracy. A quick, engaging, and suspenseful read, “Reign of Fire” has all of the well-crafted elements of a first-rate paranormal romantic mystery.
Great read. Enjoyed this thriller; a great combination of political thriller with some paranormal/supernatural activity and romance. Great narration.
The Deep State conspiracy plot was well written and made for a page turner. The romantic element was unique and fun to read and see develop. Great pacing, great, fun to know characters, and I couldn’t put it down. I’m glad it’s a series so I can see more of Ash, Emily and Wyatt!
Reign of Fire by USA Today bestselling author, Casi McClean, is the first book in the Deep State Mysteries series. Set in dazzling Washington DC, this fast paced mystery is also part political thriller, part steamy romance, and part paranormal.
I’m not going to rehash the plot, because you can easily read about it in the book description or in the many other reviews. I’d rather tell you what I enjoyed.
Several characters dominate the story, including the fiery protagonist, Emily Rose, dynamic detective Ashton Frasier, Emily’s murdered twin sister Alyssa, who appears as a spirit, her amazing war veteran brother, Wyatt, and the brave Pets for Vets dog, Duke.
As always, although it wasn’t the primary theme in this story, I absolutely love the elements of the wounded warrior and the dog who I’m hoping will become his best companion in the next books in the series.
I also really appreciated the deep sense of true patriotism shown by the author in her analysis of what’s gone wrong in government, why we need to return to our ideals as a nation, and how the “Deep State” has taken control of so many aspects of our lives purely for power and money. Many of the fundamental ideas discussed by the characters rang true to me and I cheered them on as they tried to “drain the swamp” and expose the sleazy politicians.
While there is a great deal of political theorizing and revelation going on, there are also many action-packed scenes that move the plot forward. My favorite scene was the sting set up between the heroes and the villain in a Washington park at night. The tension was high, the action was well-depicted, and the environment was beautifully described. I felt as if I were right beside Ash and Emily. I could feel the cool March breeze on my face, smell the cherry blossoms, and relate to the adrenaline shooting through the heroes’ veins.
Anyone who reads this first story in the series will want to continue to see what ungodly secrets our new heroic team discovers about our government. I, for one, will be cheering them on throughout the series!
Reign of Fire: Book One of the Deep State Mysteries by the talented Casi McLean contains hot, entertaining prose – and a honey of a plot that kept this reader on her toes.
When Alyssa Rose, a government employee interning in Washington, is found murdered, her twin sister Emily steps in with the handsome detective Ash Frasier, who’s discovered her body. Between them and Emily’s older brother Wyatt, a wounded warrior, they hatch a plan to find out the truth behind Alyssa’s murder.
What happens next is the discovery of illegal factions operating within the government, cover-ups by officials who’ve gone rogue, and other intrigue – Plus so many surprises, I found myself flipping through the pages, as my curiosity couldn’t help itself!
Then there’s Duke the German Shepard the trio discovers through the course of the investigation…how does he fit in?
Okay, my lips are sealed from this point on, as I don’t write spoilers – suffice to say Reign of Fire is a wildly entertaining story if your reading passion is a great mystery, hot romance, and government intrigue of the sneakiest kind. Five stars awarded for Reign of Fire, and well deserved!
A terrible feeling that something is very wrong leads Emily Rose to discover her twin, Alyssa Rose has been slain. Did the faction threatening the White House and American’s democracy have anything to do with it?
Emily joins forces with a team investigating her sister’s death. Ashton Frasier the detective on the case suggests Emily pretend to be Alyssa in an effort to flush out the killer, but time is not on their side.
Can the ghost of Emily’s sister help uncover the truth? Will the attraction between Ashton and Emily help or hurt the investigation? No spoilers here, so you need to pick up your own copy and see what happens. Murder, mystery, and paranormal elements make Reign of Fire a great Romantic Thriller, I highly recommend.
This book was awesome! I loved the characters and the narrator was wonderful. I loved the plot, I live in the DC area so I could totally believe something like this happening. The author brings in many characters who work together well and want the same things. I am sad that one twin had to die, but the other found love amidst the chaos. I really look forward to listening to the second book again now that I know what lead up to it. I hope there will be more books in the future.
I received this audiobook for free from storyorigin for an honest review.
Investigative journalist Emma had a 6th sense niggling when her twin sister didn’t answer her phone calls. Her sister, Alyssa, had moved to the Capitol to begin her political career. McClean brings us into this political thriller world of danger on page one and gives us hope with the possibility of new-found love.
Include paranormal elements and a German shepherd named Duke, and I’m all in.
This novel is available on audiobooks too. It was fun to sync my Kindle, so I could listen while I cooked dinner,c and then be queued to the right spot on my Kindle for late night reading. It meant I didn’t need to stop the story from page one until the very end, immersing myself in McClean’s world of intrigue.
Unease floods Emily’s veins and she worries about her twin sister’s safety. When her brother, Wyatt, delivers the horrible news of her sister’s murder, her life spins out of control. She flies to DC and teams up with Detective Ash to bring her sister’s murderer to justice. The more they uncover, the more she realizes she and Ash are in mortal danger. The Deep State has infiltrated the American government and they will stop at nothing to cover their tracks. Can Emily trust her gut and her sister’s spirit guiding her, even if it means right into Ash’s embrace? Or will Emily be the next victim in the Deep State’s long list of murders?
Reign of Fire is a gripping political thriller with a scorching romance plus a bit of paranormal thrown in. From the first page, I was hooked. The premise of the Deep State is ripped from today’s headlines and if you look close enough, it rings true to what is happening with a certain government. The plot moves at a fast pace with twists and turns I didn’t see coming. The characters are so realistically drawn, I found myself clinging to their every word. I whispered helpful hints to Emily so she’d stay out of danger. Yes, I was that immersed in the story. A satisfying ending but still kept it open for the next book in the series. Casi McLean is a superb suspense author who blends suspense, romance and paranormal so seamlessly, the reader doesn’t even notice it. A political thriller not to be missed!
Favorite Character/Quote:
Emily. Not only is she a strong heroine, but her grief over her sister also adds a fragility to her that connected me with her right from the start. She’s on the hunt to find her sister’s killer but also can’t deny her attraction to Ash. She’s brave and takes risks to save those she cares for. I hope she’s in more books.
My Rating: 5+ stars
I can’t remember the last time I started a book and couldn’t stop reading. I’ll admit, I’ve never read a political conspiracy novel, though I love watching tv shows and movies like that. This book was amazing.
The tension between Ash and Emily was just right. I enjoyed the supernatural element with Alyssa as well and it only added to the mystery and suspense of the story.
The in-depth explanation of Deep State was informative and seemed well researched. The author obviously did her homework and wove a brilliant story with romance, intrigue, mystery and just the right dash of action.
If you like political conspiracies and romance then this is what looks like the beginning of the series for you!
Reign of Fire, by USA Today Bestselling Author, Casi McLean, is a combination political thriller/romance.. Early in the book, Alyssa Rose, a congressional intern, stumbles on a secret and is murdered. Alyssa’s sister, Emily, teams up with private detective Ashton Frazier to investigate. The plot works well. Emily and Ashton make an attractive couple and I enjoyed it.
Packed With Intrigue, Romance And Suspense!!
REIGN OF FIRE, Book One of the Deep State Mysteries by Casi McLean is a gripping, entertaining murder mystery and political thriller with paranormal elements and loads of romance.
Alyssa Rose, a government employee interning in Washington, is found murdered. When Detective Ash Frasier discovers her body in the river, her twin sister Emily, who possesses a six sense, arrives on the scene. Along with Emily’s older brother Wyatt, a wounded warrior, the three of them launch a plan to discover the truth about Alyssa’s murder.
There’s an instant spark between Ash and Emily, which complicates the situation more, and they do their best to keep their relationship under control for the sake of the investigation so they can find the killer.
Turns out Alyssa Rose had accidentally discovered a letter involving a conspiracy to overthrow the government. Between illegal coverups happening between officials and unearthing the Shadow Government, who’s goal was to undermine democracy and create a new order, the intrigue goes even deeper than expected, so Ash and Emily decide to use Emily’s resemblance to Alyssa to try and entrap a killer.
Packed with intrigue, romance and suspense, Reign of Fire is an incredibly well-written captivating story by a highly talented author, and the story will have you turning the pages from beginning to end.
I give it 5 stars and I highly recommend it!!
Casi McLean
This was my first Casi McLean’s book, and won’t be my last. This is the first book in the Deep State Mysteries Series. This is a great Political thriller/Romantic Suspense with paranormal elements. The story is well written and captivating. Emily and Asthon are great characters. The secondary characters are also interesting. Emily’s sister ghost adds paranormal elements to the story. I like it! The storyline is fast-paced, action packed and suspenseful. Kristin James did an amazing job with the narration. I enjoyed my listening. I would love to listen to the next book in the Series. I’m looking forward for more books written by this author. I was given a free review copy of the audiobook — at my request — and have voluntarily left this review.
Let me start by saying, this book was difficult for me right from the beginning. I happen to be an identical twin. The thought of losing my other half is beyond painful.
That said, The story was complex and fast moving. I’m not a conspiracy theory type, but it’s easy to believe that some things go on behind the scenes we aren’t aware of–especially most recently.
The paranormal elements made the story more entertaining rather than a little crazy. I liked the characters and I liked the way the story was put together in so many layers.
The Deep State theory presented in this story is intriguing. Lots of mystery, suspense and danger in Ash and Emily getting together. I enjoyed this book very much.
Reign of Fire is an adrenaline filled rollercoaster ride of deceit, murder, traitors at the highest government levels and new found love. This suspenseful novel takes the reader through a twin sister Emily trying to find out who murdered her sister Alyssa. Emily meets the lead police detective on the case and they realize that the trail leads to just a murder but treachery at the highest government level to take over the American government. This author entices the reader from page one with strong character development and detailed story line. The characters are fully fleshed and all need their own story line told to bring the traitors to justice. Cannot wait for the rest of this series. The super natural element added to the story and I read this in one sitting. I will definitely be reading more this author.