Tough-as-nails Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong returns in this electrifying tenth installment of the series, by USA Today bestselling author Jon Land1994: Texas Ranger Jim Strong investigates a mass murder on a dusty freight train linked to a mysterious, missing cargo for which no record exists.The Present: His daughter, fifth generation Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong, finds herself on the trail of … Caitlin Strong, finds herself on the trail of that same cargo when skeletal remains are found near an excavation site in the Texas desert. She’s also dealing with the aftermath of a massacre that claimed the lives of all the workers at a private intelligence company on her watch.
These two cases are connected by a long buried secret, one that men have killed and died to protect. Caitlin and her outlaw lover Cort Wesley Masters must prove themselves to be as strong as steel to overcome a bloody tide that has been rising for centuries.
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From its opening firefight to a jaw-dropping ending full of shocking twists and surprising revelations, Jon Land’s Strong as Steel proves this guy is a veritable genius.
Strong As Steel (Caitlin Strong Novels) by Jon Land tells a story that begins with Texas Ranger Jim Strong, who is consumed by a mystery that has dumbfounded the elite lawmakers from the start. In 1994 a freight train is found abandoned, with dead bodies in abundance and no cargo. The mystery begins as there appears to be no logical explanation for the deaths, there being no outward signs of injury and no evidence to point to the cause of death. Add to that the strange disappearance of a cargo that has no record of its existence, and Jim Strong begins his quest to find the answers.
Twenty-five years later, and Jim Strong’s daughter, Caitlin, finds herself asking the same questions as her father when more mysterious deaths occur that are suspiciously similar. Caitlin has followed in her father’s footsteps and is a Texas Ranger, and she has inherited her father’s determination and dedication to the job. She sets out to unravel the mystery of the elusive containers and to discover their curious contents, whatever they may be. But there are others at work with a similar goal but a different purpose. Enter Molinari, a religious zealot determined to protect the secret of the past using whatever means necessary to accomplish his task.
Then we have a little girl as the ring-bearer at her father’s wedding who witnesses a massacre that molds her life’s journey as she becomes the deadly yet revered Luna Diaz Delgado, determined to rule by fear. Such is the roller coaster of this novel, a reader’s journey of mystery, hatred, deceit and murder, yet interspersed with family loyalty, an enigma from the past, hints of the supernatural, and a man who talks to ghosts.
There is so much in Strong As Steel, the tenth book (no less) in the Caitlin Strong series that it leaves the reader breathless in anticipation and turning the pages with expectation that all will be revealed and then being thwarted as the mystery deepens. Caitlin is all that her name suggests; strong in character and mind, unafraid of the consequences of her actions, still desirous of making her father proud, and yet at times there are glimpses of someone compassionate and controlled.
If the synopsis for Strong As Steel does not capture your imagination, then just open the book and you will be drawn in from the first page. The fact that this is the tenth book in the series is testament to the standard and quality of the writing, the vivid mind of the writer, the strong and well-developed characters, the Individuality of the protagonists, and that’s before even starting on the suspense that is created within the pages, culminating in a satisfying yet surprising ending. This is one of those books that the reader becomes so engrossed in, the end comes reluctantly. Author Jon Land, writes with confidence and credibility and brings these incredible characters to life with ease. Chick Lit Café is proud to recommend Strong As Steel by USA Today best selling author Jon Land, an excellent 5 star read for lovers of mystery, action, suspense and adventure.
Jon Land
Strong as Steel may be one of the best novels so far in the absolutely outstanding series featuring Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong. This is one hell of an adventure ― fast paced, compelling, and heart-stopping, involving a train robbery, a massacre, and dark secrets emerging from the mists of time. Jon Land is a master story teller and I highly, highly recommend this novel.
Had I known what I was in for with Strong as Steel, I would have rested up, taken a few deep breaths and prepared myself… because this read hits the ground running and all I could do was… run with it.
While assisting with serving a simple search warrant, fifth-generation Texas Ranger, Caitlin Strong ends up in a gun-battle in a downtown Dallas high-rise.
The staff of the firm where Caitlin was headed lies in pools of blood, and the Ranger puts down the four anonymous assassins.
A young girl, proud to be the ring bearer as her parents finally marry, walks up the church aisle focused on her special task, and is the only one to survive the massacre which takes place inside the church.
A man standing on the gallows awaiting execution for murderous crimes gets a last-minute stay-of-execution… from his men and an old friend in a rescue mission that shook an entire military prison.
And all this is in the first fifty pages.
These scenes link past and present, and also connect to a case Caitlin’s father, Ranger Jim Strong, handled twenty-five years past when she was a teenage girl.
Something stolen and hidden two-and-a-half decades ago has resurfaced again, no less coveted and priced at as many lives as it takes to recover it.
And it takes a lot of lives. A lot.
Though this is the tenth book in the Caitlin Strong series and the first I’ve read by this author, I jumped right in and didn’t feel lost or as if I was missing something.
Is there history? Of course.
But enough of the back story is woven through this read to understand connections, bonds, and situations.
And the characters.
The women of Strong as Steel are well-written, complex women of strength.
Despite being on opposite sides of the law, Caitlin Strong and Luna Diaz Delgado and her daughter, Nola, share a mutual respect. They’ll find out before the story ends they share something else as Luna has been a part of this case since Jim Strong caught it.
It’s also telling that the men in this read, all committed to their missions, despite the questionable legalities involved, see the women as equals… if not legends.
There’s a thought-provoking plot that doesn’t just question how far is too far, but also does the ultimate good exist or is it as corrupt as the evil it claims to battle.
Attention to detail is on point. Little world-building is needed when history is the anchor.
The story’s climax is intense and breath-taking, and so well-written I could almost feel the flicker of the flames.
Readers of crime fiction, suspense, and police procedurals will fall right into this read, but it’s international overtones, military precision, and the western flare of the Texas Rangers will hook many others as well. If new to the series like myself, you’ll find yourself in the same predicament—finding time to read the first nine books in the series!
Don’t miss out on Strong as Steel!
Enjoy!
1959, Turkey: A freighter, all the crew dead, takes out the Port of Ordu, just like in a Jurassic Park movie.
1904, Mexico: A little girl watches as her entire family is slaughtered at her parents wedding.
1994, Texas: The entire crew of a train, plus a few spare bodies, are found dead.
WTH is going on?
Caitlin is 14 years old, so it is her dad, Jim, on the case..
Present Day: Here comes Caitlin…with guns blazing. She has a sixth sense when it comes to tracking down her quarry. She is surrounded by unique and interesting characters that play vital roles in the story. The characters will face some personal challenges, but Cort has no doubt…Right is right and wrong is wrong.
I am very curious how Jon Land will bring everything together. I never worry about action, because he supplies plenty and keeps me reading, wanting to know all the answers.
I love the paranormal elements that blend in so well with the normal. Paz has visions and Cort has a root beer drinking ghost that supplies plenty of laughs to go with the danger and mystery.
Jon’s description of Caitlin’s Barbie and Ken dolls had me busting out laughing. It’s the little things like that which make Jon Land’s writing so fantastic.
I know a series can become repetitive, dry and past it’s prime, but so far Caitlin Strong is going strong and I look forward to seeing what he puts her through next.
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Strong as Steel is Jon Land’s 10th book in his Caitlin Strong Novels series. Strong is tough, sexy, and courageous protagonist who you will love. I’ve read all the books in this series, and they just get better and better (I can’t wait for #11, Strong from the Heart, which will be released in July.)
Strong as Steel is a roller coaster ride around a theme of mass murder, and will keep you up at night.
Highly recommended!
Strong As Steel is perhaps the best novel by Jon Land—ever. Although I have no doubt he’ll raise the bar with the next Caitlin Strong novel. From an explosive gunfight on the opening pages, through a deep historical mystery, to a climactic ending, this novel is everything a thriller aficionado could possibly want… and more. Caitlin Strong continues to develop to the point where you feel you know her well, but probably don’t know everything. Mr. Land also brings depths of understanding to the protagonist, The Red Widow, allowing the reader to feel empathy for her, living a life she didn’t want. The writing is clever, witty, and exceptionally good. And you don’t have to read the other Caitlin Strong novels to be thoroughly entertained by this one.
A gripping page-turner that grabs the reader from the start and doesn’t let go. With Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong, Jon Land has created one of the most intriguing and compelling characters in contemporary suspense fiction.