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Broker of Lies

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Member Reviews

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.

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Once again Steven James writes a very engaging story that captures your imagination. This story is very cutting edge and talks about technology that is up and coming. I got so sucked in I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen: As usual with Stevens books it’s a wild ride to the very last chapter. I highly recommend this book!

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I love a good political thriller and this was definitely a good one. If you've read much of Steven James' work you know that there will be plenty of plot twists and turns. Broker of Lies has taken that format and turned it up a notch.

There are surprises along the way but I felt like I was getting the idea of what was going on even in the background. I couldn't have been more wrong. In fact when I was 96% finished there was a twist that I didn't see coming. And then there was the ending. BAM! Let's just say that book two is going to be highly anticipated at my house.

The plot deals with our nuclear energy and could seriously be taken straight from today's headlines. Scary but it makes for a very compelling story. I recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a complex tale that has a ring of true life to it.

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I am a big fan of the Patrick Bowers series and had high expectations for Broker of Lies. Unfortunately, this book just seemed so formulaic and forced. The characters were plastic and the writing style was so different from other novels by Steven James.

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Steven James and Tyndale offer a well-written and interesting tale focusing on domestic terrorism - a story where it becomes, at times, difficult to discern who are the good guys and who are not. Though the story takes place in the present day, it has it roots in the fire that took Travis Brock’s wife’s life two years ago. No one knew the whole story, at least no one that was talking. Yet the pieces were starting to come together; but it would take time for the story to unfold.

The book started slow - this reader, at first, felt like he was reading something written by a high school student. However, by the end of the book, the story could not be put down. Including espionage, betrayal, and a bit (a very small bit) of romance, the book will appeal to a great many readers. I particularly liked Army Ranger Gunnar Bane - who is attempting to write the world’s next great romance novel. His character offers a strange mix of traits that fit well with the book.

Because the story started slow, I was ready to give the book 3-stars. By the time this reader finished the book, it became clear that it had earned the well-deserved rating given the finished story. The book had become a 5-star book that makes this reader look forward to the next volume in the series.

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I really enjoyed this book and I think the author did a great job with the plot. It took me a little while to get into it but once I got going it was great. I highly recommend.

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Steven James at his best writing a fantastic suspense thriller that does not disappoint!

Travis Brock works at the Pentagon as a redactor and has an eidetic memory. One night, he wakes up to a fire in his house. He searches for his wife who ends up dying in the fire. The fire is ruled arson and for over a year and a half afterwards he searches for answers that no one else has for him. During his search, he finds himself in the middle of a terror attack and helps a homeland security officer that has been framed for an attack. Together they must work to prove her innocence and stop the attack before others are hurt or worse.

It has been far too long since I have had a new Steven James novel in my hands. He is one of my very favorite thriller writers for so many reasons. He has a way of crafting characters that are amazing, relatable, and so fun to read about. The plot of this book had me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning; so much tension on each page making it hard to put down until I knew if these characters were going to come out alright by the final pages. This book is the first in a new series by James and already I’m in love with these characters and what they can do. The ending has a great cliffhanger and twist that brought the biggest smile to my face knowing there is more to come by a master storyteller. I recommend this book to fans of thrillers and a storyteller that will show you what it’s like to read a book that is written by one of the best.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

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This was my first book by this author and I enjoyed it. I liked the two main characters, Travis and Adira. I'm glad that they'll be featured in future books. I found Adira's lessons on situational awareness to be interesting and it was cool to see Travis use what she'd taught him.

Travis is a pentagon redactor so he is privy to tons of classified information. When people in his life start dying, and he finds himself under attack, it's a concern for many. The story was full of action and a couple twists. It sets up a series well and ends with a bang.

Thank you to Tyndale House for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

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Broker of Lies by Steven James

Travis Brock is a redactor for the Pentagon and lives a quiet life since the fatal fire that left him scarred and his wife dead. While beginning to investigate the fire, he finds himself in the middle of a dangerous plot to set off a “dirty” bomb in downtown Knoxville. He joins forces with two others trying to foil the plot. And although they are successful, there is a plot twist that readers won’t see coming.

The author has created some characters that are fun to read about, with depth and some definite quirks. I felt emotionally invested in them after reading the book and would definitely read another book to get in on their next adventure.

The plot kept me reading and had a few twists that made the book more entertaining. Because the ending was a surprise, I plan to read the next book to see how the story continues.

Though the plot involves some technical information about radioactive materials, the author explains it well so an uninformed reader can make sense of it. The overarching theme of the book made sense to me, especially in the current culture’s push for green energy.

This book is suspenseful but is written without much gore or any inappropriate language. There are a few biblical references, but none of the characters seem to profess any faith. I found it to be a clean, gripping story. Readers who enjoy suspense should add this to their TBR pile. I am grateful to the publisher for a complimentary copy in exchange for this, my honest review.

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Steven James is not an author that I was super familiar with prior to reading this one, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect... and I must say, I was pretty pleasantly surprised.

Right from the beginning, I was drawn into this story. While I read a lot of suspense, there was definitely a unique tone to this one and I found it really interesting. After that initial draw-in, it slowed down a little and was fairly detail heavy. That's not necessarily a bad thing. I really don't know how accurate the information about the Pentagon and such really is, but the author made me believe it was true either way. I definitely felt like it was well-researched and thought out. While it didn't quite feel like the books that I typically prefer, it was certainly a page-turner and one that keeps readers guessing. I think my state of mind wasn't quite there for this type of read which impacted my enjoyment, but that's definitely a me thing and has nothing to do with the book itself. I want to go back and read this once I'm in a different place and I think I'll enjoy it all that much more.

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

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Broker of Lies by Steven James is such a mind boggling book. This is one of my favorite genres to read and this book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I usually predict plot twists correctly, but that was not the case with this book. And the ending— well, I cannot wait for the next book! Such an amazing book. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

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Keeps you guessing:
What a unique and intense story that had both complex characters and plot. There were a lot of layers to it plus a lot of moving parts, however it unfurled in such a way as to be intriguing and I was still able to keep track of what was going on. Unfortunately whilst interesting, the flow of the story became somewhat bogged down at times by an excessive amount of facts. I also found it weird how the character's inner dialogue was relayed in the third person whilst the rest of the story was in the first person, and it was as if someone else was admonishing them.
This book was designated as being Christian fiction but I think it is better characterised as being a suspense novel with a very light Christian thread. It was heavy on the intrigue; light on the romance. I did like Travis and Adira and look forward to seeing how things play out for them as this is only the first book in the series. The mystery continues and more adventures await, however there was sufficient resolution to this book and it doesn't end with a cliffhanger.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

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Broker of Lies by Steven James gives readers an intricate story with non-stop action. Told from multiple points of view, the story focuses on Travis Brock, who has a super high clearance level with the Pentagon. He knows a lot of secrets but one alludes him: the truth about the fire that killed his wife. He teams up with Adira, who works on a different secret government project known as the Red Team. Together they uncover a potential terrorist attack but become targets as they go on the run.

I love this fast-paced story. I wasn’t sure I would like so many points of view, but it worked well to keep the edgy pacing and it was intriguing to see both hero and villain points of view. Travis and Adira made a great team and are both interesting characters, what with Travis’ eidetic memory, and Adira’s job of trying to smuggle weapons to test airport security.

Check out Broker of Lies for a thrilling story from start to finish.

I received an ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

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“Winston Churchill famously said, ‘In wartime, truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies.’”


Steven James has finally written another book!

He’s one of my favorite authors because he is adept at writing suspenseful plot lines with twists while also incorporating some bigger ‘life questions’ in a natural way. [In this book there is a thread of justice vs vengeance and what true justice looks like]

Also this book has no swearing or sexual content! And if you think a book needs that to be engaging and awesome, you haven’t read Steven James.

Broker of Lies is a story of arson, government secrets, nuclear threats, and two unlikely characters brought together to figure out where an attack will occur, who’s behind it, and how they can stop it. Not to mention they’re being hunted by two groups of people who either want their secrets or want to kill them.

There’s a bit of complexity in the book to keep straight if you only read small chunks at a time. Hopefully my cast of characters and plot summary can be something that helps you remember who is who.


Cast of Characters

Travis Brock- main character with an eidetic memory who works at the Pentagon as a redactor dealing with government secrets and what they can release to the public;
”If there was a DOD program that needed to be protected or kept secret, odds were I’d read about it— and, consequently, remembered it.”
is also seeking to avenge his wife’s death by finding the killer and enacting justice
“some might call it vengeance; I called it a necessity. And I was ready to see things through to the end, whatever that might require of me.”

Sienna Brock- wife of Travis who is killed in a house fire at the beginning of the book; worked as a linguist for the intelligence community

Detective Caruso- investigating both the arson from Travis’s house and a missing State Department employee named Lena Rhodes

Ilya and Sergei- Russian mafia; going after Travis

Adira-(aka Flower Girl) member of the secret organization called the Red Team housed under Homeland Security/TSA to test security measures in the country

Nathan Lassiter- TSA Deputy Director, and Adira’s handler, who gave up a security access code in order to be able to pay for his father’s medical needs but later regretted it and attempted to make it right, trying to get Travis and Adira together to pursue evidence he found on who paid him for the code

Senator Cliff Richardson- senator who sold his Silicon Valley business (to Janice Daniels) to become a politician to enact change in the country, dedicating his career to bring awareness to the weaknesses in the US nuclear energy program
“Sometimes pursuing a higher ideal required sacrifice. And sometimes that required working with someone like Joshua. A man capable of the unthinkable.”

Joshua- hired by Senator Richardson to help move his goals forward using whatever means necessary
“The man was a ghost. Or a monster, depending on how you looked at things.”

Janice Daniels- billionaire philanthropist
“She was a bit of an enigma: Too much of a venture capitalist to please the Left; too much of a democratic socialist to please the Right.”

Gunnar Bane- former Army Ranger now a civilian security contractor; attempting to write a romance novel and is doing an exceptionally terrible job

Dr. Chia-hao Yong- won the Nobel Prize in physics for his work with uranium; is presenting his research on nuclear security at the Summit; is being blackmailed to secretly provide secure network access to an unidentified person during his speech

OTHER ‘PLAYERS’:

Pruninghooks Collective- radical arm of the antinuke movement (not a real group but the Plowshares movement is)

Project Symphony- a top secret research program that DARPA was involved in regarding air gap hacking (hacking computers that aren’t online)

Paraden Defense Systems- designed detonators and explosive devices for the Army; provided some key components for developing a prototype of a device being used in Project Symphony

Patmos Financial Consortium- an equity firm invested in more than fifty tracts of land all over the country


Brief Plot Summary

The book begins with a fire at Travis’s house. He sustains major burns. His wife dies in the fire, he couldn’t go back for her. He finds out it was not an accident. It was arson.

Then we jump 17 months later.

Travis, who works as a redactor at the Pentagon processing requests to release information about the DOD’s most confidential secrets, gets a suspicious request. (These requests are in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act.)

What catches his attention is that it’s backdated with the date of his house fire. With further inspection he discovers an acrostic hidden within the message.

He has been on his own mission to track down the arsonist responsible for his wife’s death. He is sure this must have something to do with it.

The request is the catalyst that sends Travis on a dangerous mission to find out who was behind the request and what message it’s trying to send.

Due to both of them becoming hunted targets, Travis and another government employee, Adira, team up, and put their knowledge, skills, and resources together to get to the bottom of this. And who can they really trust?

“If we can figure out the why behind the when, we might just be able to figure out the who behind the why.”

They are eventually led to an International Nuclear Association Safety Summit held in Oak Ridge, TN— one of the sites of the Manhattan Project which was responsible for building the nuclear bomb.

Somehow the four P’s— Pruninghooks Collective, Paraden, Patmos, and Project Symphony (see my Cast of Characters) are all connected in this web of secrets and potential nuclear threat puts the pressure on Travis and Adira to stop any sort of attack before masses of people are killed or global nuclear unrest begins.

Oh… and WHO is the broker of lies…..???

Justice, Vengeance, and Secrets

Travis Brock is struggling to figure out the difference between justice and vengeance and who should carry out justice—the individual or the society? What if the society fails to carry it out? When does the individual act separately from the society? What does true justice look like? What is God’s role in that? Does justice really lead to peace?

This was interesting to ponder. Add to that the varying thoughts on the corruptness or effectiveness of the American justice system. Do we trust the system or do we individually ‘correct’ the system when it fails?

I like what he says here:

“Injustice always begins with rationalizing a wrong. Justice begins with righting one.”

Another thread in the book which appears in so many different scenarios: the greater good.

What are we willing to do ‘for the greater good’? How does morality play into decisions made with this goal in mind.

James includes these two sobering observations:

“The greater good. That was the rationalization of all dictators, of all despots, of all tyrants and those who precipitated the greatest atrocities in human history… Over and over again it was the oppressor’s justification that echoes endlessly through the raw, bloody, chambers of hell: The greater good.”

“You can never really know someone else, but if you know yourself, then you know enough about human nature to realize what people are capable of, to recognize that no one can be fully trusted to do what’s right.”

I thought it was interesting how James points out that the job Brock does cannot be done by AI. With more and more things being taken over by AI I’m glad we’re wary of handing over control of government secrets to it. AI doesn’t have the judgment and discernment like humans to determine which secrets are safe to reveal to the public and which ones are not. (For more exploration on AI read James’ book Synapse)

The Freedom Information Act (1967) was put in place to allow citizens to request information from any federal agency. This is a version of accountability with the government. However, as stated in this book there are many exceptions and exemptions that may mean information can still not be disclosed.

I like that our government has some accountability to its citizens but I also am on the side of- hey, let’s not give away all the secrets that protect our country or the people who defend it.

“In truth secrets don’t diminish our freedoms; they protect them for our children. Those who demanded more ‘transparency’ often forgot that they wouldn’t want their own lives to be transparent. And it as even more vital that the government kept its secrets to protect the lives of its citizens than it was that those citizens kept their secrets simply to protect their reputations.”


Cool References & Things I Learned

If you follow my reviews, you know that I love to learn things while I read. There was a lot of interesting information in this book and I’m curious how much of it is legitimate.

It seems a little disconcerting how much detail is given on how to sneak weapons past airport security, or how to create a bomb, or how to access a variety of tools or information that seems dangerous to our country.

I’m sure James was careful not to give readers a handbook on DIY terrorist attacks, but still! Reading books like this sometimes makes me wonder how much danger we’re actually in from day to day that we have no idea about.


Here are a few tidbits (I’m not putting bomb building in my review, I’m pretty sure I’ve already written enough buzzwords in here):

“By disguising themselves, most people forget to change their shoes. It’s one of the most common mistakes in spy-craft.”

“One of the best ways to get close to security guards, or at least to take them unaware, was to approach while shaking your head. Rather than raise suspicion, doing so changed the entire social dynamic of the encounter”

“stuck a small piece of gravel in her left shoe. It would alter her gait so that in case, somewhere along the line, the authorities had analyzed her stride and were using gait-recognition software, it wouldn’t peg her.”

If you want to convince someone to become your asset, here are the top five ways to do that using an apt acronym:
C- compromise R- revenge I- ideology M-money E- ego

Also apparently:

“In an airport x-ray machine, books, because of their size and density, looked surprisingly like plastic explosives.”

I’m always bringing books in my carry-on— good thing I don’t look suspicious!


The Pentagon is the largest office building in the world, employing nearly 26,000 people. It is possible to walk from any two points within the Pentagon in ten minutes.


The Y-12 complex was built in Oak Ridge, TN as part of the Manhattan Project. (If the Manhattan Project interests you, read An Affair of Spies) It is the birthplace of the atomic bomb and where nuclear medicine was first developed. It houses the nation’s supply of enriched uranium and is one of the most tightly guarded military complexes in the world.

It contains more than 1000 buildings on its 811-acre campus, but during WWII had more than twice that many. During WWII the population of the complex was 75,000 making it the fifth largest city in Tennessee, albeit one that wasn’t on a map!

It is true, as stated in the book, that a Catholic sister and two other activists (military veterans) entered the complex and got through several layers of security and were not realized until several hours later. So the concept of this book in regards to nuclear security is a viable and relevant topic!

A calutron is a mass spectrometer used for separating isotopes in uranium and was designed by Ernest Lawrence. It was first developed for the Manhattan Project based on his earlier invention called the cyclotron. The name calutron is a combination of University of California (Cal-U) where Lawrence invented it and cyclotron.

The Calutron building (aka K-25) was the largest building in the world at the time it was built. It was demolished in 2006.

Agathokakological: composed of both good and evil
Brobdingnagian: gigantic
WMDDs- weapons of mass destruction and disruption

The Sunsphere which was an important location in the book is in downtown Knoxville and was built for the 1982 World’s Fair. The book cover image cleverly uses redacting lines to create the city skyline and shows the Sunsphere. Here’s a picture of it:

Picture credit: https://www.downtownknoxville.org/sunsphere/

As mentioned in the book, a nuclear bomb was really dropped onto Goldsboro, North Carolina— accidentally, of course, when a B-52 broke up in the air over the state. 3 of the 4 mechanisms to detonate the bomb had been triggered. Only one kept it from becoming a huge disaster. Ironically, there is a historical marker for this incident in Eureka, NC (‘eureka’ means ‘to find’) just a few miles away from the scene. Information about this event was released in 2013 due to a Freedom of Information Act request.

So I just learned about ghost guns in the book Her Deadly Game by Robert Dugoni. And now it is referenced in Broker of Lies. It’s not called a ghost gun here, but it is one because it was created using a 3-D printer. In an airport! Seriously, how do these things even work?!


James also references the false missile alert that happened in Hawaii five years ago. I’m including it here because if you were ever wondering what happened to the guy responsible for sending out the ‘BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII’ text to all of Hawaii… Bob Goff found him and gave him a job and he tells us about it in his book Undistracted. And I’m wondering what you think his book is about now haha.

Uranium is the heaviest element. For reference: a gallon of milk weighs about 8 lbs. A gallon of uranium would weigh 150. Which was the weight of the uranium canisters in the book. Crazy.

USB drives aren’t allowed on military bases or in secure federal facilities. But the real question is: are floppy disks allowed??


Comments & Quotes

I know Steven James is a good writer so I know when he ‘wrote’ the parts for Gunnar Bane’s romance novel he was purposefully writing it cringey. But Gunnar makes a good point here: “Jaws for guys and cheekbones for ladies. The secret to great character descriptions.” Those are always the descriptors when writing attractive people right? Also broad shoulders and full lips. It gets a bit old. Let’s find something more creative.

I did not appreciate the inclusion of the example of psychological suggestion: yawning. Talking about it or watching someone else do it causes you to do it. I am even more suggestible to this. Just reading the word yawn or thinking it in my head makes me yawned. And I’ve already yawned several times writing this. Ugh. At least I know I’m not a psychopath.

There was some back and forth in timelines and perspectives so it’s best to read in larger chunks at a time.

“Never wield openness as a weapon disguised as honesty.”

“The question isn’t so much why life isn’t fair, but what we’re going to do about it in the meantime, while we search for answers.”

“Yes, temporary happiness might come from acquisition and consumption, but true joy only came from simplicity and sacrifice.”

Sidenote: Steven James has a weekly podcast called The Story Blender where he interviews lots of authors. If you are interested in that or are a writer looking for some good insights, check it out!

Recommendation

I definitely recommend this book! He’s got great story concepts and writes them so well.

You’ll read it fast, you’ll learn a lot, and you’ll enjoy it!

The only reason I would not recommend this book is if it would be too complex for some to follow or to want to follow. If you’re looking for a beach read, this probably isn’t it.

It looks like this may be the begininng of a new series. In the author’s note Steven James says, “I look forward to seeing what mischief they get into in their next adventure.”

So I’m excited for more books because this one ends on a twist and I’m wondering where it’s going.


[Content Advisory: no swearing; no sexual content; implied torture, not long or descriptive]

**Received an ARC via NetGalley**

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A wild ride with an ending that I don't see coming always makes for a great reading experience. I knocked off a star because it was a bit too long for my taste.

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In the book Broker of Lies, author Steven James follows Travis Brock, the best redactor the Pentagon has but he has an eidetic memory. When arson takes Brocks wife the circumstances just don’t add up and he works to find out what really happened. But there is a terrorist attack looming and a pair of assassins on his tail, he teams up with a disavowed Homeland Security off the books security tester. And everything goes wrong!
I would highly recommend this book and hope that this is the beginning of another series. I received a complimentary copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Once again Steven James gives readers an intense story with complex characters and plot.

Travis Brock lost his wife in a terrible house fire that left him with physical and emotional scars. The story starts approximately 18 months after the fire. Travis is a DOD redactor with an eidetic memory, which means he is carefully watched.

Adira Halprin is a woman of many secrets, I won't give too many away in this review, but she's smart, tough and very feisty!

The chemistry between Travis and Adira formed very quickly but was believable and enjoyable. Adira had a quick wit that was infectious.

This story had a lot of layers to it. At times I struggled a little to keep track of everything. But in the end it all made sense and brought out some key things about our country's infrastructure and its vulnerability.

The most exciting thing about this story is it's book one of what I expect will be an amazing series. Can't wait for book 2!

Disclaimer: I did receive this book from the publisher but was under no obligation to provide a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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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.

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Broker of Lies was one of the books I was most excited to read this year and I'm so happy that it lived up to my expectations. The characters were great and I felt for Travis right away. I was curious about what really happened with the fire and what was going on now.

The story was an intense read. There were several moments when I found myself catching/holding my breath. It was SO good! I personally didn't find anything too graphic, but if you are squeamish you might.

All in all, Broker of Lies was amazing. At first I wasn't sure how much I'd enjoy the story, because of some of the technical terms, but it was pretty easy to follow the storyline. I loved all the twists in the book and I was so happy that I ended up guessing a BIG one right before the reveal.

If you are a fan of thrillers and aren't squeamish, I recommend Broker of Lies. It is a wild ride and I am eagerly anticipating the next Travis Brock thriller!

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

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** “But God’s the one who repays wrongs, not you. You shouldn’t repay evil with evil, but evil with good. He’s the Judge. The Avenger. You’re not.” **

Steven James delivers an incredibly thrilling new novel with “Broker of Lies.”

As Pentagon redactor Travis Brock recovers from burns received in a fire that killed his wife 18 months ago, he gets pulled into a mysterious event that involves murder, secret task forces, kidnapping, national security, uranium and a secret city located in Tennessee.

Travis quickly joins forces with the enigmatic Adira Halprin to discover the connection between all these events and his wife’s death. Can they figure out what’s really going on, and stop whatever catastrophic event is in the wind?

James does an incredible job of developing a complicated plot filled with twists and turns, as well as inventive characters — some that readers will love to root for, and some they will hate.

He also fills “Broker of Lies” with several great themes, like we all are made up of both good and evil and have the potential to swing either way; the power of secrets; the impact of becoming a vigilante; and justice versus revenge and vengeance, and their universal versus personal results.

With an ending you won’t see coming, the author teases at a second novel yet to come. Fans of authors like James R. Hannibal, Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson, and Mike Dellosso with his “Jed Patrick” series will love “Broker of Lies,” which is due out April 11.

Five stars out of five.

Tyndale House Publishers provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

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