The Time to Kill

Fantastic to see another story with the very enigmatic Carter Blake back in action. Fabulous plot, kept me on the edge of my seat and gave me a few sleepless nights laying there worrying about whether Carter would meet an untimely end by his former peers. All in all, excellent characters again with a plot that really gets you thinking about what really does go on in certain high places that we never hear about!

Apologies for the time it's taken to read this but I've been unwell and not had the concentration to read.

Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to have read this book.
This is the third book in the series, and unfortunately I have not read the previous two. I however don't think the book has any references to the previous books I didn't catch.
This was a thrilling read, from beginning to end, and Carter Blake totally ruled the story line!
I can't wait to read the next Carter Blake offering!

This is book three in the Carter Blake series and I have read and loved the first two so my expectations were high. I might be a pushover as I was hooked by the end of the prologue. There was a different feel to this one with Blake being hunted rather than the hunter. The narrative switches back and forth between current time and five years ago and the author keeps the tension high in both storylines. I felt as if we got to know Carter Blake better in this book, even if we still don't know his 'real' name, and I definitely have a full blown crush on him now. This will definitely be a big hit with fans of the series so far and while it would work well as a standalone book I suspect readers will go on to read the other two as well. Mason Cross has delivered another cracker of a read here and I'm hoping there's plenty more to come from Carter Blake in the future.

I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review. My thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for the ARC.

First one I've read by this author, and would definitely pick up his next one on the strength of it.

* I received a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review *

This is my first time reading Mason Cross and his Carter Blake series, although I do own the first two books in the series. The story of The Time to Kill (aka Winterlong) made me really want to read it first.
I do prefer my thrillers where the protagonist is the one being chased as opposed to the one doing the chasing, I've always felt more urgency and worry for the character if the book is laid out that way. Thankfully that's how it goes down here.
I liked Carter Blake he's a good, tough and intelligent character, I was really interested in his past with Winterlong (thankfully it's explained) and I've been wondering where it is he's likely to head for next, luckily for me I've got the first two books to read.
This book really hurls along and our interaction with the characters (both good and bad) helps move the story along.
I totally recommend Winterlong it's a fast paced, intelligent cat and mouse thriller.

This is a gripping and compelling thriller that had me reading until the end of the book. It had a slow start when I wondered if I was going to like the book but once it hits its stride, I was hooked. It begins with the murder of a man in Russia by what looks like a group of professionally trained assassins. We then encounter Carter Blake. not his real name, who used to work for a secret black ops organisation known as Winterlong but now helps find dangerous serial killers and takes on contracts via a middleman to do what he does best, find people.

Engaged by a tech company to find Scott Bryant who has stolen critical software, Carter finds it easy to locate the man in Seattle. Having received information on the killing of Jake Martinez, Carter knows he will be the next to be murdered. There are secrets he knows about Winterlong and he has detailed info on a memory stick known as the black book. Winterlong is ostensibly after Blake because he went rogue and murdered a senator and his wife. Trying to take Scott back, all hell breaks loose at Seattle airport where the pair are shot at and a taxi driver is killed. With hair raising events on a train, and a rising body count, Carter tries to protect Scott and stay alive himself. There is a explosive finale in a upstate New York farm owned by Carter.

The author does a really good job in ratcheting up the tension in the story whilst slowly dripfeeding the backstory of how Carter became involved wih the Senator and events in Afghanistan where Carter nearly died. With a fast paced narrative and a well plotted story of a ruthless black ops organisation determined not be exposed for its murky world of unaccountable killing, you cannot help but become engaged. The hero is a good guy who puts himself in danger to protect Scott. In the end, despite his flaws, Scott plays an invaluable role in exposing Winterlong's dark history. Many thanks to Orion for an ARC via netgalley.

Another great story by Mason Cross. It was great to find out more about Blake and the flashbacks to five years earlier gave great insight in to why he'd left winterlong. The way he got out of some sticky situations was also interesting although some of them seemed impossible. Looking forward to the book whether it is Blake story or something new.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I would like to thank Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for an advance copy of The Time To Kill. Carter Blake, not his real name, is a former agent of a clandestine government black ops department formerly code named Winterlong but which now has no name. Carter flies below the radar and pursues a lucrative and discreet career in finding people and things. He is in the middle of locating some software and its thief when he realises that his former employer is after him and the information he has used to keep them at bay for 5 years. It is a case of new management, new rules.
I would like to say that this is pure fiction, highly enjoyable but totally unbelievable. Unfortunately, given some of the revelations of the past few years, it is highly plausible as a concept, especially when you factor in Carter's history with Winterlong. The Time To Kill is a different novel from its predecessors where Carter is the enigmatic hunter. In this, the third novel, he is the hunted and we get some of his backstory to explain why they are after him. In turn this gives us more insight into his personality as an honourable man caught up in some dirty tricks. He is still too smart to be true but it makes for a good read. I thoroughly enjoyed The Time To Kill. Carter takes on all comers and wins most of the time which makes for a tense but exhilarating read. I prefer reading to films but I could easily see this novel on the big screen as it seems to have all the key ingredients with its action, conspiracies and good but maligned hero so I have no hesitation in recommending it as a great read.

Another amazing read from Mason Cross. Really enjoy how different these stories are.

Thank you for the advanced copy.

This is a really good read. The plot is different and exciting with believable characters and an intriguing ending. There are times when it jumps about in time so the reader needs to be alert but it is a book that you are unlikely to want to put down.

The tension during this Game of Cat and Mouse is breathtaking! My heart was in my mouth with the twists,turns,shocks and surprises. Found myself rooting for the main Character who was very likeable throughout. A fantastic engaging read from page One!