Scary thriller (not gory), plastic gun-making machines kinda scary terrorism. Re-reading.
Christian thriller. ( )

Broker of Lies introduces slightly nerdy, emotionally broken, and physically wounded Travis Brock. A Department of Defense redactor with eidetic memory (the nerdy part), Travis has been dealing with the loss of his wife in an arson (the broken and wounded part). He wants answers and justice. When a mysterious FOIA request comes across his desk he is swept up in a conspiracy that goes farther than the murder of his wife. Travis is a complex character with both weaknesses and strengths, making him sympathetic, interesting, and relatable. Other characters — good and bad and very bad — are equally compelling. And while the book is mostly plot-driven, I loved that James gave attention to what makes them all tick. The action is fast-paced with twists and turns galore. It sure kept me on my reading toes. I never knew what to expect or whom to trust. The ending is a race against time with a very intriguing cliffhanger. Yes, a cliffhanger, the bane of many readers. But this one is so thrilling, and I’m dying to get my hands on the next installment. Justice vs. vengeance vs. revenge is an overriding theme. Just where do we fit in the role that is rightfully God’s? I look forward to a lively discussion of this novel at my book club meeting.

Well-drawn characters, an edge-of-the-seat plot, and spiritual questions make Broker of Lies a good choice for readers of suspense and for a book club discussion. Grab this book and a reading buddy!

Highly recommended.

Good for Book Clubs.

Audience: Adults.

(I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) ( )

Title: Broker of Lies (A Travis Brock Thriller #1)
Author: Steven James
Pages: 416
Year: 2023
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
My rating is 4 out of 5 stars.
Travis Brock works as a redactor for the U.S. Department of Defense. He has an eidetic memory, so everything he reads he remembers. He would be a goldmine of information for enemies of the U.S. His wife was killed 17 months ago in a house fire that was later discovered to be arson. His wife worked for the CIA as a translator. On his own time, he has been trying to discover who set the fire and why. Out of the blue, he receives an interesting email from a woman names Adira Halprin, someone he doesn’t know, backdated to the day of the fire. They meet and discover many inconsistencies as to the fire and what Adira is involved in.
Adira Halprin works undercover for the Department of Homeland Security. Her job is to see if she can get weapons aboard airplanes as a test of airport security. For the first time in many attempts, she is caught, arrested, and sent to a deserted location for interrogation. Usually, one phone call to her boss would clear up the situation, and Adira would be released, but her boss isn’t answering his phone. She knows something isn’t right and decides she will have to fight to get herself released and prove her good name. She wasn’t expecting help from Travis and enjoys needling the too serious man. Who has set them up for failure?
I found this story to be entertaining and worth the time spent to read it. Travis must come to face the fact of whether or not he is searching for justice or vengeance in regard to his wife’s murder. I really liked Adira’s sass and courage. She was brave with mad fighting skills! I’m looking forward to the sequel and I just finished this one! Great plot twists in this one!
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility. ( )

On several of the pages for bookish Facebook groups that I follow, I frequently see requests for recommendations for books of interest to male readers. Broker of Lies would definitely be at the top of my list, along with other books by Steven James, in response to these requests. That would be true whether it was related to general fiction or Christian fiction. Females will love this book as well.

Broker of Lies focuses on the main character's struggle in differentiating between justice, retribution, and vengeance. It puts the reader in a position to ponder the justifying of one's actions based on the concept of the greater good. Both of these weighty themes are explored against the backdrop of a storyline that brings the safety of nuclear energy into question. The author, who lives with his family in the Smokey Mountains, sets this novel in and around Oak Ridge, Tennessee, home of the US Department of Energy's largest multi-disciplinary laboratory whose goal, according to their website, is to protect nuclear materials and to enable their secure, peaceful use for energy production, medical applications, and scientific discovery around the world. Tensions run high in this fast-paced, multi-faceted story. While the main storyline does come to a satisfying conclusion, readers will definitely be left anxious for the second book in James' Travis Brock Thriller series as there are many questions left to be answered.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. ( )