A DAY ON THE WATER A lazy cruise up the Atlantic Coast is all ex-Navy SEAL turned private investigator Will Novak has in mind until thugs ambush him. Novak is kidnapped, drugged, and hauled out of town . . . A NIGHT IN THE COUNTRY Taken to a horse farm deep in Virginia, Novak finds himself at the center of the most dangerous kind of family affair. Irina Blackwood, pregnant and desperate, begs for … Blackwood, pregnant and desperate, begs for Novak’s help to escape. All that stands in their way is her adoptive father—retired Senator Charles Blackwood, one of the most ruthless power brokers in the nation.
A RUN FROM THE MONEY
Given his tastes for espionage, drug trafficking, and corruption, Blackwood’s not interested in a fair fight. And with the police on the payroll and a private gang ready to set Novak up for murder, the odds of justice prevailing—or Novak surviving—are getting slimmer by the minute…
Praise for Linda Ladd’s Claire Morgan Thrillers
“One of the most creepy, crawly, and compelling psychological thrillers ever.” —Fresh Fiction
“Chilling, compelling suspense…be prepared to lose sleep!” —Eileen Dryer
“Exciting, thrill-a-minute!” —Midwest Book Review
“Plenty of suspense and surprises.” —Publishers Weekly
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Must read all her books wonderful characters
The Vanishing Angle by Linda Ladd
Will Novak #5
Will finds himself helping a damsel in distress…again…and not by design. He is to meet up with his girlfriend, Lori, at a steakhouse and then head off for some time together doing this, that, and one another. Well, that early arrival and Lori’s delay put him in the right place at the wrong time. When he is singled out by an unknown teenager, taken away from the restaurant and becomes aware of some nefarious doings by a group that needs to be brought down…well…what is he to do but become embroiled?
What I liked:
* The relationship between Will and Lori
* That though Will and Lori are together they don’t always see eye to eye
* The love Petrov had for his daughter and what he was willing to do to make sure she was safe
* The bad guys getting their just rewards
* Learning what the title meant in nautical terms
* Wondering where Novak & Lori will end up next and what situation they will find themselves in.
What I did not like:
* The bad guys…they deserved worse than what they received
* The corruption of governments – or the people that work within them that turn a blind eye to this and that
* The evil men do
* The ease with which evil men did what they did and managed to get away with it for so long
* That more than one innocent died
I have enjoyed the books I have read in this series but still seem to have enjoyed Witness Betrayed most of all. This book dealt with drugs, human trafficking and the opioid crisis and didn’t hold my attention quite as much as the previous book though I am not sure why…perhaps there was less investment on the parts of Will and Lori in this book than in the previous one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington-Lyrical-Underground for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
What a ride and with Will Novak at the helm! Will’s partner, Clare, is on maternity leave and he has plans to take his lady love, Lori, on a cruise on his new sailboat. Whenever Will is the main character, you know that he will be in trouble the entire time, even when trying to enjoy a steak dinner. He is waiting for Lori to arrive when he is accosted, drugged and kidnapped. He is accused of being the father of a young woman’s baby, a young woman he has never met. The young woman’s father is a retired senator who supplements his retirement with illegal activities. Law enforcement hasn’t been able to get evidence against him as he has powerful friends and police on his payroll. Can Will protect the young woman and stay alive? An adventure from beginning to end. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)
All the man wants is a large, tender, juice steak while he waits for his girlfriend to join him and they can begin a two-week holiday together. That’s not too much to ask, is it?
But fate has something else in mind for Will Novak. Will’s and ex-Navy SEAL turned Private Investigator and his spider senses go on full alert when a young teenage girl walks into the restaurant, escorted by a thug on each side of her. The girl looks scare, and she’s twitchy. Will thinks she needs something more than a good meal.
When she looks around and points at him, he finds himself in the middle of a dangerous family affair. The girl is pregnant … and she’s just named Will as the father of her unborn child.
Her father is a retired Senator .. one of the most corrupt and deadly men in the country. He is known to deal in drug trafficking, probably human trafficking, corruption, espionage, and he has friends in high places ..all the way to Russia.
(BOOK BLURB) With the police on the payroll and a private gang ready to set Novak up for murder, the odds of justice prevailing—or Novak surviving—are getting slimmer by the minute…
I’m still trying to catch my breath after reading this one! It’s action-packed from start to finish, the excitement just doesn’t stop until the very last page. Will is a stand-up character and I really enjoy his personal life as well as the professional. His girlfriend is no stranger to danger.
This book is the fifth in this series, and easily read as a stand alone. I do recommend starting at the beginning … it’s been one heck of a ride with Will Novak.
Many thanks to the author / Kensington Books – Lyrical Underground / Netgalley for the advanced digital copy of this crime fiction/thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
THE VANISHING ANGLE by Linda Ladd is the fifth book in the Will Novak thriller series. It worked as a stand-alone novel for me and is only the second book that I have read in the series, but I believe reading the previous books would likely add to a reader’s enjoyment of the novel.
The story takes place in several states along the east coast of the USA and in Quebec, Canada. Will Novak is a private detective that has sailed his boat up the Potomac River to meet his girlfriend Lori Garner for dinner followed by two weeks of sailing. Lori currently works at the Pentagon and both of them are veterans. However, Will is kidnapped, drugged and taken to a farm in Virginia; and this is just the beginning of the adventure.
The story had me hooked by the end of the first chapter and the tension and action did not let up throughout the book. The main characters are compelling and someone you can root for and they are well developed with clear goals and motivations. The story delivers on the promise of its opening scenes. Themes explored include espionage, drug trafficking, corruption, murder, lies, deceit, child abuse, child trafficking, abuse of power and much more.
Overall, I enjoyed this well-written novel and recommend the series to those that enjoy thrillers. The plot was engrossing, moving and thought-provoking. I look forward to reading the other books in this series.
Thanks to Kensington Books / Lyrical Underground and Linda Ladd for a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
This is the 5th book in the Will Novak series. Oh boy does Will have a knack for getting himself in trouble even when he’s doing nothing but sitting in a restaurant eating waiting for his girlfriend. I’m so glad Will finally has a love interest. Lori Gardner is so perfect for Will. She is tough and can take care of herself. Will has such a big heart he has to help the girl who caused all the problems in the first place. Fans of this series will love the action packed installment. Evil comes in so many forms and the bad guy is one of the worst.