I really enjoyed this book. It had action and mystery. The characters were not cardboard as so often happens in thrillers.

Great story, thrilling plot that I could not put down. Well worth a read, and would recommend to others.

A book from 2018 but one that I read recently. I was not disappointed with the story just with myself for not reading this book sooner. The negotiator is just that the person that does the deals between two clients to get the most money that has been agreed upon and that no one is changing the deal after it has been agreed upon.
The story takes a turn early on when he goes against his own rules as he sees a big payday. While at the negotiation he realizes his mistake, which is costly for his partner and friend Clarence is killed. Now he is working to find the person or people who did this to at least avenge the death of Clarence.
I found this to be a very fast-paced book with a lot of action but not so much as to take from the story. Also, all of the characters added to the storyline and the entire story made you want to find out what was going to happen on the next page. A wonderful story and very much worth the read.

In Brendan DuBois's The Negotiator, this compelling tale is so intense and a bit dark to make your head spin. For the Negotiator, it all started with a negotiation with a stolen painting. After they made the deal, things had went wrong with his partner named Clarence Briggs wound up dead by a deadly couple. For this nameless Negotiator, he would do anything to seek revenge for his partner's death. Even if it lead him all the way to Bellow Falls Vermont, where he started to track them down to a hotel. And when things went sour, he had to survive by killing the female accomplice. Along the way, he met a real estate agent down on his luck, a BFPD detective who was on the case, and Clarence's widow to give her the bad news. As he tried to make some sense of things, the dangerous path to find his partner's killer had gotten dark and bloody; and when things went awry, he would have to barter and bargain for his life and to save one hostage for another in a shocking ending.

Thank you to Midnight Ink and NetGalley for an e-ARC of The Negotiator by Brendan DuBois in exchange for an honest review. The negotiator is a successful underground go-between who brings two parties together usually to buy and sell merchandise that would not normally surface otherwise. He works with a partner and they have worked out a system that works well in negotiations. But, a deal goes awry and a death occurs and the negotiator goes on the hunt for the perpetrators to seek revenge for their crimes. This is an effective game of cat-and-mouse which takes him all over the New England states . New characters are added as the story develops, making this novel intriguing. This is an entertaining quick read to be enjoyed by most readers of the mystery genre.

The Negotiator has no name. He's a man you probably wouldn't notice if you saw him in the street… he dresses to blend in. But he has a very particular set of specialized skills, and when a deal goes inexplicably wrong and his assistant is killed, he turns those skills to a single, utterly focused purpose, a mission that will not end until he has what he wants. Revenge.

While the Negotiator’s business is decidedly on the shady side - he brokers black market deals, determining fair value and managing both buyer and seller - he does have a moral code. He refuses to deal in drugs, human beings, or facilitate transfers he perceives would be against the interests of the USA. He doesn’t deal with Saudis because he ‘doesn’t like their driving laws’. Pretty much everything else, however, is on the table, from stolen diamonds to museum artefacts.

I’m deliberately calling him the Negotiator because the reader never learns the protagonist’s name. Told in first person, the narrator deliberately maintains an aura of shadowy mystery by refusing to reveal anything about his background or his identity. Without personal connections and with a high degree of ruthlessness, he is all about the job, though he’s not averse to a brief fling.

There are two female secondary characters in the book, both of whom become more and more interesting as the story goes on, with some twists and turns bringing them further into the narrative. At the end, one of them joins the Negotiator as an assistant, presumably for future books.

While I enjoyed this, and in the twists and turns it reminded me rather of Lee Child’s Reacher series, it fell a little short of that mark because I think the author tried a little too hard to keep the protagonist obscure. It made him feel like an unreliable narrator, making me think him untrustworthy, unlike Jack Reacher whose known background gives him a bone-deep solid feel, a certainty that he would have your back when the chips fell. I’d definitely read the next in the series, but I’d want to see some more character background filled in to read further than that. Four stars for a solid start, but I wanted to buy into the character more than I actually did.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley.

Wow this is a thrilling read. Its a bit of everything a thriller should be, nail biting action, suspicions , a murder and great charcters.
The Negotiator has built his business of negotiating when something of value is desired by someone else. He has a few rules he works by , no violence, nothing that harms the USA . He is a lone wolf in this precarious business of sorts . He works alone but recently agree to a back up who is promptly killed during a museum deal. He is seeking. revenge with a vengeance. Now he has only revenge in mind and seeks to find the people responsible for his partners murder. ,

Another thrilling book from Brendan DuBois . Recommended for all readers that enjoy a good thriller. I appreciate the ARC which does not influence my opinion.

The Negotiator by Brendan DuBois is a thriller with a difference. It's a taut thriller that has got a lot of moments filled with tension and suspense. The story starts off when a deal goes wrong and this is where the thriller also starts. Once the deal goes wrong what follows next is like either solving a crossword puzzle or it's like joining the dots. It's like a crossword puzzle because at the end of each chapter as a reader one finds that some of the things have reached to their dead end, but still the entire picture is far from over. It's also like joining the dots because as a reader one likes to know, find and search what will happen next. Thus it works like an intrigue. The only thing that I found missing was the length, which I think could have been shorter since it's a thriller. The title is perfect. Also because the end is exciting and it happens at the right moment in time and on the right note as a reader one finds and feels that some of the details could have been skipped or made shorter. Definitely, it's a thriller that can be read again.

This is the first book I have read by this author and though it’s not my normal kind of story, I am more a British Police Procedural kind of reader, I actually ended up liking this book very much. The plot just kept evolving and kept me reading with still new action at the end. I will totally recommend this book to anyone and would like to thank NetGalley for giving me the chance of going my comfort level.

I really enjoyed this new book by Brendan Dubois. “The Negotiator” is non-stop action that will keep you guessing throughout the story. We never do find out his real name, but he is the one you call when you want to negotiate a deal, whether it be stolen or valuable merchandise. He has his own set of rules for negotiating deals - no drugs, no human beings and no deals that would harm the USA. He is working on a deal when things go terribly wrong and he barely escapes with his life. His partner, however, was not so lucky. He is out for revenge and will not stop until he finds the man who killed his partner and friend. The dialog and descriptions are witty and humorous as he makes his way from one incident to the next. Along the way he will receive help from several interesting characters and if there are more books in the series I hope to hear more from Detective Shaye and Carla. What an exciting and entertaining read! I have read and enjoyed Mr. Dubois’ Lewis Cole series as well. I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to give an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

Normally, I love Brendan DuBois' writing. I've read and reviewed every one of his Lewis Cole books.

The Negotiator was just too noir for me. Over and above all the killings, my other objection was the number of very attractive women willing to leap into bed with the unnamed protagonist.

This really is a "guy" book. It just wasn't my thing. But I'll be first in line for the next Lewis Cole.

Sadly, this was a DNF (did not finish) book for me.

The Negotiator by Brendan DuBois starts off a little slow creating a struggle for readers to push though but soon readers will not be disappointed with the twist and turns readers can really sink their teeth into.

Brendan Dubois is on my must read authors pile.
Thank you to Netalley and the publisher for the advance copy

The Negotiator is about a man who moves values merchandise for the criminal underworld without any questions asked. The world best negotiator works lone until Clarence Briggs talk him to take him on has a partner. However, the Negotiator did not realise how vital Clarence Briggs was until he died. The readers of The Negotiator will go on a rollercoaster ride with the Negotiator find out who killed Clarence Briggs. The Negotiator is the first book I have read of Brendan Dubois even though it started off slowly it is an enjoyable book to read. I will differently read more books by Brendan Dubois. The Negotiator is different and full of twists and turns that ensure that you go on a rollercoaster ride trying to keep up. Brendan Dubois wrote the Negotiator in the first person, and it was well done. I like Brendan Dubois portrayal of his characters and how they interact with each other. Brendan Dubois ensured that I become engaged with the plot and his settings. The readers of The Negotiator will learn the role and the procedures of being a Negotiator. Also, The Negotiator highlights the importance of friendship, trust and loyalty. I recommend this book.

The Negotiate is told for the protagonist's point of view, so it is limited and biased by nature. I found it really difficult to appreciate him or what he does - he's too gray for me.

The Negotiator has built up a tidy business, negotiating between two parties when one has something of value that the other desires. For years, he worked alone, but then he met Clarence, who became his back-up. The Negotiator is contacted by a prospective client, but when he arrives, he recognizes the painting in question as one stolen in the famous heist at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Then things go sideways and Clarence is killed in a hail of bullets. Now, the Negotiator will do everything within his power to avenge Clarence's death and no one should stand in his way. Another thrilling ride from Brendan DuBois who writes the Lewis Cole series as well as other interesting books. Recommended for all adrenaline junkies.

This was a great book. Really enjoyed it. I looked on the internet the subject matter is taken from a real event. This could be a great series. Great characters.

The Negotiator was not what I thought. No super hero but more of a less violent "gray" man who works on the fringes but gets drawn in on a bad deal. I may try some more from this author

I loved this book! The Negotiator kept me hooked right from the start. I'm adding Brendan DuBois to my list of must read authors!

Thanks to the publishers and Net Galley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this publication.
I have previously read two publications by this author; Resurrection Day & Six Days.
I loved those two books, but didn't love this one as much.
A decent read but it din't really hit the heights of previous reads.

This is the type of book that I like to say has good bones. There's a great story here, interesting characters, a fairly quick moving plot. However, there are also some flaws. The main character, whatever his name is, can be quite annoying. The monologue at the beginning of the book was almost enough to stop me from reading the rest. He fell into several traps throughout the course of the book despite his own personal rules that he stated kept him safe. Also, given that this is a first person narration with a lot of internal dialogue, it would be nice to at least let the readers in on more of his life than he shares with those in it. Good bones, but needs improvement.