In the terrific thriller film “A Simple Plan,” (based on Scott Smith’s novel) three somewhat dim-witted but decent guys come across a crashed plane containing a considerable stash of cash. Their plans to keep the money don’t go well. Author Mike Bond has given that storyline a 21st-century update and thrown in many additional complications, including a drug cartel enforcer. The result is a too-complicated thriller that often gets lost in the snow.

Ex-NFL star Zack and investment broker Steve go on a hunting trip in the Montana mountains every year. There are two major differences this year. Both men are desperate for money, thanks to some investments Steve made with their money that went south. And then, their luck changes when they find their crashed plane, this time carrying a large amount of cocaine. The two men take the coke and go their separate ways on a cross-country trip to Colorado, New York, Las Vegas, and places in between, trying to sell their newly found product. On their trail is their guide Curt, whose truck the pair stole to escape their campsite and later crashed. Also on their track are various law enforcement authorities. And most dangerous of all, is a ruthless drug cartel enforcer determined to get his boss’s product back and teach the thieves a permanent lesson.

The best way to describe the plotting of “Snow” is haphazard. As criminals, Zack and Steve are complete bumblers who don’t have a coordinated plan to sell their stash. The author violates the first rule of thriller writing: show, don’t tell. Instead, he spends about half the book describing these characters’ thought processes to readers. Zack and Steve are whiny, self-absorbed losers. Some authors can make this type of character interesting even when unlikable. But Mike Bond never does. Instead, the characters’ inner monologues become repetitive and boring.

The author also teases the audience with many coincidences and near misses. Several times, he notes multiple characters are heading to the same motel or diner at the same time. Readers expecting a dramatic confrontation will be disappointed, however. The characters continue their journey on most of these near misses, utterly oblivious to the nearby people. These repeated close calls do not affect the characters who were unaware of them. But they frustrate readers.

“Snow” has two good action sequences. The first is a confrontation in a Vegas hotel room that turns into a shootout. Later, the main characters have their final showdown in a wintery landscape in the middle of nowhere. Both sequences work well because the characters’ thoughts are directed at surviving. Allowing the readers access to these thoughts builds the story’s suspense. Unfortunately, the book’s ultimate resolution was a major disappointment for me, not so much for what happened but for how it happened.

I found it challenging to assign a rating to “Snow.” The basic premise makes for an excellent thriller plot, but the execution is sloppy. The author spends far more time on what the characters are thinking (usually uninteresting) than what they are doing. I would rate this book 2.5 stars if I could, but I’m raising it to three stars and a marginal recommendation based on the two strong set pieces. “Snow” makes for a decent winter night’s read and could make a great movie. But there are many better thrillers available to pass the time.

a fast paced thriller that keeps you captivated

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the review copy.

"Snow" by Mike Bond is a captivating adventure that takes readers on a wild ride through a snow-covered landscape. Bond's vivid descriptions and atmospheric writing bring the wintry setting to life, making it a character in itself.

The story follows the protagonist's struggle for survival in the unforgiving snow, and Bond does a fantastic job of creating tension and keeping readers on the edge of their seats. The pacing is relentless, with unexpected twists and turns that keep you hooked from beginning to end.

Bond's characters are well-developed and relatable, with their own distinct personalities and motivations. The protagonist's determination and resilience make them easy to root for, and the supporting cast adds depth and complexity to the narrative.

What sets "Snow" apart is Bond's ability to weave in social and environmental themes seamlessly. He tackles important issues without detracting from the thrilling plot, making it a thought-provoking read.

While the ending left me wanting a bit more closure, "Snow" is a thrilling and immersive novel that will transport you to a chilling and dangerous world. If you're a fan of adventure and suspense, this book is definitely worth picking up.

I received a free copy of this book from my honest review from NetGalley. A book about finding something you shouldn't have but not doing what you are supposed to. The book is fast paced and told from many different perspectives. So many poor decisions made this book frustrating at times. Can anyone really be this dumb was a frequent thought in my mind.

This is a very "scary" book. Mr. Bond's writing style really pulled me into the story, It is a wild chase in the mountains by three groups---which makes it an exciting romp in hazardous situations. I would recommend this book to not only mystery fans, but nature fans and action fans also. Something for everybody here.

When three hunters are out in the wilderness of Montana hunting and come across a plane that had crashed they all decide to explore. What they find is shocking ! It is full of cocaine. All three men each have serious financial issues in their lives and could use the money from the sell of the cocaine to help get their life back on track. Two of the men decide to steal the drugs and soon find themselves hunted by multiple police agencies, the Mexican Drug Cartel and some nasty types in the Vegas underworld. Can they all get out this this alive?

This is not my favorite genre. The subject matter, guns, drugs, gambling debts, and retribution make me uneasy and upset. I can understand the appeal of this novel to an audience that loves fast paced action filled chases and underworld mobsters. Not me.

There is a lot going on in Snow. In fact, too much is going on. Ostensibly, it is about 2 friends who meet every year in Montana for hunting. On their current trip during a blizzard, they find a crashed plane filled with cocaine. Along with losses in auction rate securities, grizzly bears, stolen trucks, broken arms, Las Vegas gambling debts and attempts to cash in on the stolen cocaine, the reader can become bored.

Great read
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 19, 2023
Two friends go on a hunting trip with a guide. The friends find a crashed plane loaded with cocaine and decide it will solve their money problems. What follows is their attempts to sell the drugs while running from a cartel, the DEA and various state agencies. You witness how quickly their world starts to crumble by the choices they make. The writing allows you to feel the snow and cold. This book kept my attention and made me want to keep reading.

The premise sounded interesting, but the book was so implausible that it was a torture to finish. Could and should have been a much better story.

Bond is a great writer and Snow was my favorite of all his works. Such a page turner. Bond has the ability to keep the suspense going in this cocaine chase story where the bad guys are running from the even badder guys. No one is innocent here. There were so many vices played out (gambling, drinking, drugs) that it was tough not to sit at the sidelines and yell “don’t do it!”. But they always did. There is a deeper reminder here as to the drug culture in America and how we have failed to control it at all. This warning shouldn’t be lost in the suspenseful, nail-biting plot.
Thank you NetGalley for a ARC.

ending up as a DNF...
characters are almost cartoonish in their portrayals. perhaps I've READ this story too many times.

Snow by Mike Bond is a well written action packed thriller.
I enjoyed the suspense throughout this book and I thought it was exciting with great plot twists, good characters and a satisfying ending.
I was very excited to start political thriller. Which kept me entertained and flipping takes kindle pages.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Mandevilla Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Three men. One, a pro football player, future hall of fame turned announcer. Another involved in bonds and security’s. The third, a hunting guide leading a simple life.
The three go on their annual hunting trip and while out hunting, one of them finds a recently crashed plane.
Upon closer inspection it is discovered that there is a particular illegal substance hidden in the plane. Said substance is worth millions of dollars.
This is very good for two of the men as they both have financial difficulties.
They decide to keep and then sell this substance.
And that is where the guide finds himself reluctantly involved .
I don’t want to give the end away. Let’s just say nothing goes as planned.
I do recommend this novel. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me this ARC..

Right off the bat I have to say this reminded me quite a bit of Scott Smith's A Simple Plan, though instead of finding money in a crashed plane a massive stash of cocaine is found. The characters were all fully fleshed out, felt like real people and it was easy to understand their motivations and even sympathize with their actions (even when they were making foolish decisions). Bond did a great job of pulling me in and then ratcheting up the tension. I was actually surprised by just how much I enjoyed this one and will definitely be checking out more of Mike's work. I'd like to thank Mandevilla Press, AuthorBuzz, and NetGalley for allowing me the chance to read and review an ARC of Snow.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/snow-mike-bond/1126755509?ean=9781949751109&bvnotificationId=8e356c86-075e-11ee-9d59-0ebbf99b797b&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/250411546

What is right and what is wrong? This novel explores this fine line.

When a cocaine plane is found in the snow, two of the three passengers steal cocaine for their own reasons.

A DEA agent is hot on their tale. The cartel from which the drugs were stolen are also right on top of this.

When is it ok to cross the edge and who really determines it?

This is a fast paced thriller for a winter's day

Good setting and a fast paced plot but weak on characters, This might be one for an airplane ride- diverting and entertaining enough but not requiring much from the reader. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Very intriguing plot. Kept me guessing! Get this book, you won't be disappointed but will be up late reading.

FROLICKING IN THE SNOW, LYRICALLY.

"She don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie,
Cocaine"
—Cocaine, Eric Clapton

“There’s too much coke and too much smoke
Look what’s going on inside you”
—That Smell, Lynyrd Skynyrd

“Headin’ down Scott, turnin’ up Main
Lookin’ for that girl who sells cocaine
Cocaine, runnin’ all ‘round my brain”
—Cocaine, Jackson Browne

“What you get and what you see
Things that don’t come easily
Feeling happy in my vein
Icicles within my brain (cocaine)”
—Snowblind, Black Sabbath

Also known as “Snow White” and “Nose Candy,” the cartilage-devouring powder has inspired any number of sound recordings, as well as it has more than its fair share of literary fiction. And the scaly story of corruption currently under examination is not at all an exception. My fellow reader, I present to you—via this analysis—an initial three-way confessional. A curse and a great proverb, if you will. My fellow reader, meet the spiritually-dead men who account for your top-billed cast. Gentlemen, I will now ask you to proceed. Zack, we’ll start with you.

ZACK.

Hello. My name is Zack Wilson. And I used to be somebody. Well, I’m still somebody, sort of: I’m a TV sports analyst now. But I used to be somebody worth writing home about. I was the man, the big man, “Mr. Bigtime,” somewhat of a god. Well, at least that’s how millions and millions of people perceived me and treated me. My former teammates used to carry me on their shoulders. And the crowds, man, I tell you, they were my adrenaline. Everybody loved me. And everybody cheered me on. Hey, like General George S. Patton once said, America loves a winner and will not tolerate a loser. Yeah, well, that was me, what a winner. I was a huge winner. And America loved me. But that was a long time ago. A very long time ago. In case you don’t follow pro football, I used to be a linebacker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. I had it all then: fame, riches, wealth, any woman I wanted, the whole kit & kabang. Is that what it’s called? Kit & kabang? Oh, hell, I don’t know, but they were all at my feet. They were eating out of the palm of my hand. But that was a long time ago, you know, before the injuries. That was what ended my career, you know? The constant injuries and the broken bones and the concussions and the drugs and the debilitating pain. I played through it all because my machismo wouldn’t have had it any other way. I played hurt while my buddy, Steve, handled all of my finances. Steve has always had my back. I trust him. I trust him with every single dollar I have in the entire world—all 12 million of them. Twelve million dollars. That’s what I earned for all my pain and suffering on the pro football field. And it’s plenty enough to pay back what I owe to Haney the Rat in Vegas, $2 million. I need to get the Rat and the Syndicate off my cleats. Maybe Steve’s and my annual hunting trip up in Montana is just what I need to clear my mind of all this.

STEVE.

Hey, I’m Steve Montclair, a self-made millionaire. I’m not only one of the best investment bankers on Wall Street, but I’m also best friends with one of the greatest linebackers that ever played in the NFL. Yeah, that’s right, Zack Wilson. See, my clients love me because I make ‘em rich. I make ‘em all rich. And I get my percentage, too: I take the cream right off the top. I’m the man with the money plan, and every jock in professional sports will tell you the same. Do I worship the almighty dollar? Hell, who doesn’t? It’s how I stay rich. Well, I used to be rich; I’m flat broke now. But Zack doesn’t need to know that. He’s already damaged goods. He doesn’t need to know what happened with Merrill Lynch and JPMorgan Chase, and Morgan Stanley. Or with Citigroup and the damn Fed. Jeez, his $12 million portfolios. God, he will friggin’ kill me if he ever finds out. He’ll kill me. But just like him, I’ve grown accustomed to the good life. I am just looking to survive, man. Hell, I’ll be doomed to the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels before I live out the rest of my life a poor man - surviving on food stamps and state aid like the bottom feeders in society. My old lady, Marcie? Well, she couldn’t take that. Marcie’s used to the best, you know? Uptown, limousines, fine Park Avenue clothes. We’ve been together since we were kids, Marcie and I. And now we’ve got two beautiful kids of our own, Susanna and Jason. I love my family more than my own life. And I’d be willing to suffer the second death to defend them. They mean everything to me. And I’ll either kill or be killed before I let anything happen to them. But back to Zack. God, how am I going to tell him? He’s gonna crush me with his bare hands if he ever finds out. I have to do somethin’, and I have to do it quickly as I only have ten days. We’re going on our annual hunting trip, Zack and I. Maybe I’ll break the news to him then. Heh, hell, we’ll shoot an elk or two and laugh about it over a bottle of hundred proof Jack.

CURT.

I’m Curt Weathers, your friendly hunting guide and proud Native American. These are my lamentations. My grievance is with Pale Face. Oh, how destructive he can be! How beautiful Montana had been before the arrival of the White man. The European is a conqueror and a destroyer. Oh, how the wildlife thrived and lived in peaceful harmony with the true natives of the land before the arrival of the Wihio - that’s what we Native Americans call the White man. I have a wife, Diana. And she’s beautiful. Oh, how beautiful things had been for us on our perfect ranch before the foreclosure notices from the bank started rolling in: whatever happened to honor, dignity, and integrity in this here great land? My people, the Native Americans? We were the salt of this great earth before Pale Face arrived and ruined it all. Now I have to watch as they come here to this natural habitat to murder off what’s left of our fascinating wildlife. I have no choice but to stomach it because we need their money. I’ve got two guys coming up - the football player and his accountant. They’ve been coming up here to these parts to hunt every year of the last three. And I’ve always been their gracious guide, cooking meat from the very animals they so viciously slaughter. But I swear I wouldn’t even do this self-deprecating crap if my Di and I didn’t need money like yesterday. My ancestors? Ha! They were better than this. I’m gonna hand it back over to the reviewer now.

CAT ELLINGTON.

Welcome to a frigid Montana, where the fir and the pine trees tower over humans, and the cliffs pride themselves on their jagged steepness. Here, the snowfall knows no limit as it is at liberty to drape the mountainous landscape as deep and often as it so pleases. The gorgeous birds revel in their power of flight. And they populate the spacious skies. The elk and the wildcats and the Moose live side by side, and the grizzly bears reside in their natural habitats on glorious land. All is peaceful in these parts on God’s great earth. That is until a situation of evil presents itself. And it will be a bloody—and destructive—experience for all of those involved, including both man and beast.

A bird of a different type has given up the ghost and fallen from the snow-white skies above down to the blanketed terrain beneath. It’s a plane, a single-engine Bonanza G36. The pilot is missing, but the cartel isn’t. And while in the area seeking safety from a full-grown grizzly bear on the hunt, Zack stumbles on the wreckage. After surveying the aircraft’s contents, Zack finds a set of coffins. But there is only one problem: the coffins are empty of the dead; instead, they contain kilos upon kilos of packaged powder. The powder is white as the arctic snow. And, of course, the former NFL star knows right away what he has happened upon, considering his past usage. But whose is it? And where’s the pilot? Who has left behind such valuable cargo? Those questions and more are like needles in the mind, baffling the former superstar linebacker just as his “best friend” and accountant Steve arrives at the scene.

Another one who enjoys the recreational feeling of “blowing his nose,” Steve, a man with much to hide at the moment, immediately concocts a master plan: steal the stingy, fiery, voluptuous, and ever-pleasing lady cocaine from her rightful owner, and share her with Zack. Yeah. Sounds like a good plan because they need the money. Repeat. They need the money.

Upon their return to the camp, Zack, feigning honesty, tells Curt about the crashed plane. But he neglects to mention the abandoned “lady,” sprawled out in her wooden beds. What he hadn’t counted on, though, was Curt’s insistence that they call the police. In Curt’s do-gooder opinion, the police would have to be informed about the crashed aircraft anyway to investigate the scene, not to mention beginning a search and rescue mission for the missing pilot. Zach had not counted on that. And neither had the lying and deceptive Steve.

BEWARE OF THE MONKEY WRENCH.

The former pro footballer and his accountant have set their scheme in motion. They’ll abandon the hunting trip and take off with the blow. And Curt will never suspect a thing. They’ll sell it, fast, to their many fellow nose-blowers in both pro sports and the big money universe of New York finance. If lucky, they’ll bank at least $10 million. And they’ll split it even right down the middle. Aw, yeah, they’ll be back. Back to their former selves in no time. Yeah. It sounds easy enough. All they have to do is get the cocaine across state lines. Yeah, yeah, none the wiser.

Indeed, human beings make plans, but, well, you know the rest. It is not the intention of pale face to share the newfound (and illegal) wealth with the aboriginal Native of this great land. Especially not when that newfound wealth is 200 kilos of cocaine that will be worth a fortune (well over $100 million) on the street—be that street called Wall or Main. It was, however, the blatant intention of pale face to steal the red man’s vehicle to make a clean getaway. And that ol’ horse-hauling truck is the monkey wrench that will throw itself—like a horseshoe—right in the middle of the thieving accountant’s master plan: for a fiery and voluptuous lady can bring men—both the weak and the strong—down to their knees in no time flat. But if tainted in error, a fiery and voluptuous lady can also escort the souls of men down into the hollow trough of death and decay. And on these vile pages, she has found herself a nearly all-male ensemble to entice. Indeed, the lady cocaine—playing the unfaithful harlot behind the back of the virulent and dismembering Veracruz cartel, to whom she belongs—is on display. Enticing the men of this tale with her succulent thighs, she is as cold as the climate on these pages: for she is mesmerizing. And she will bring obliteration to those who lust for her. And now sandwiched between the former NFL star and his lowdown, dirty scoundrel of an accountant, the lady cocaine wears an arrogant smirk and peers at her ignoble abductors with eyes crooked as snakes. Indeed, she toils to twirl both them and any other wretched soul that may stumble into the fray right over the edge of a cliff—down into the waiting jaws of the carnivorous Serpent of Old.

PITY THE FOOLISH.

Pity the broke and desperate fool who wills himself to heist from one of the most notoriously ruthless drug lords known to the Coca plant of South America. El Trapero, otherwise known as Ragman, is the deadliest Mexican in the Western Hemisphere. He is the man who makes it snow in Miami. And thus far, his snowmaking machine is short 200 keys, no thanks to Steve Montclair and Zack Wilson. El Trapero, otherwise known as Ragman, wants his Mexican lady back. But the two White American men have already taken turns on her.

And they like her passion too much to let her go. So much so that they want to pass her around to those of their kind, you know? Oh yeah, bro: the blood and guts will most definitely spill and flow.

THE CO-STARS.

From Bozeman to Aspen to New York to Miami to Vegas to Utah to Chicago, the chase is on. And the hunters have now become the hunted. As Steve and Zack skid their way across one snowy road after another in a desperate attempt to escape their viciously angry and deadly pursuers, the reader gets introduced to an exceptional unit of supporting players who marvelously complement our sensational ensemble of leading men, including Monica Cruz, the lovely and long-suffering ER doctor in Los Angeles to whom Zack Wilson is engaged; Kenny Stauffenberg, a Native American and bigoted Gallatin County Sheriff who desires to bring down the Lord’s vengeance on the adversary known as Pale Face; Tranquilo, a hardcore runner in the Veracruz cartel and the missing pilot whose crashed plane has been spoiled of its valuable contents; Diego, a trigger happy henchman for the Veracruz cartel who has been sent out to retrieve the crime family’s property (by any means necessary) from the likes of Zack and Steve; María Christina, a Harvard grad and exceptionally brilliant business woman who is the fire-breathing daughter of the Veracruz cartel founder, El Trapero; Duane McCord, the DEA Field Division Office director in Denver and this dialogue’s Samuel Gerard; Whitney Castro, a DEA special agent, an assistant to Duane McCord, and this dialogue’s Erin Poole; and Emily Rausch, the sleazy former girlfriend of Zack Wilson, now shacking up with a former defensive coach in the NFL.

This already hefty ensemble works in harmony with an itsy-bitsy cast of bit players, including:

• Deputy Lopez and Deputy Weismann. These two men are colleagues to Kenny Stauffenberg.

• Nick Holstein appears as the Undersheriff.

• Rob O’Brien as Zack Wilson’s agent.

• Benny Silva is Zack’s producer.

• Detective Goldberg is the now-you-see-me-now-you-don’t New York lawman out to capture the famous financier who is Steve Montclair.

• Ibrahim Al Kahtani is the high-and-mighty Manhattan investment banker who is both Steve Montclair’s fellow and foe.

COMING DOWN FROM A HIGH.

Only a few members of this wildly sensational cast would have been enough to warrant an award of excellence in honor of their earthly creator, Mike Bond. But that was a few too many. The author, obviously gifted in the craft of literary composition, just had to overdo it with the cast list and the details.

Though the elements of excitement, suspense, bloodshed, and maniacal viciousness intertwine themselves like snakes in the very soul of its body text, Snow continuously allowed way too much confusion to intrude throughout its presentation. Bond’s error here? Too many characters. And where there are too many characters in a work of fiction, it is there that confusion will be – stinking up the place and wearying the reader. And that is never a good thing. What might have been a five-star review—courtesy of Reviews by Cat Ellington—was entirely ruined by too many characters. After a while, they began to trip over one another in their futile attempts to follow a script that had absolutely no idea as to where it was leading them at times. And that served as a strike against the novel.

While I commend Mike Bond on a well-written effort, I must shun the author’s lack of self-control that shamefully exposed itself on these pages: for a lot of what Bond crammed into this narrative could have perhaps been salvaged for a two-part series. Book one would’ve made for a fine novella—a cliffhanger introducing the reader to the ensemble and their sordid lives, if you please—followed by a full-length sequel with book two. The cast here is a talented bunch, do not get me wrong, but they number too many. And the details that accompany them are all over the place, begging and pleading to be noted. Completing this work took me just that much longer for a reason. It emerged from its stall loaded with potential, sure, but it had too much to prove. And its impatience came back to bite it in the end.

Where creditableness is concerned, Snow is a fictional tale that I would most certainly recommend to any individual pundit of crime thrillers infused with cruel action. However, I would also caution the same about the effort’s tendency to be highly disorganized in certain sections. With that, dear reader, I wish you a happy reading experience.



REVIEWER’S NOTE: It is my kind pleasure to thank Mandevilla Press, as well as NetGalley, for the advanced review copy of Snow in exchange for my honest review.

Analysis of Snow by Mike Bond is courtesy of the Reviews by Cat Ellington book series.

Date of Review: Saturday, August 25, 2018

This is the second book I've read by Mike Bond and it's safe to say I won't be reading anymore. The descriptions sound amazing and settings are spot on, but the stories just aren't for me.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.