Reviews in Brief

A personality-shifting masterwork from Mark Spivak, Forger is a thrilling mystery of psychological divides, reuniting identities, cold-blooded murder, and the flexible notion of innocence. A fearless psychologist with a fresh practice becomes entangled in the complex life of Lester Gordon, unless he is Monsieur Betancourt, the eccentric French painter, or a kindly Jesuit priest, or perhaps a frightened child of only seven. Navigating the unpredictable chasms of a troubled, fractured mind, the good doctor is in for a wild and high-stakes journey with her remarkable patient. Though some of the plot points are overly convenient, and certain sensitivity towards mental illness could be improved, this art-centered thriller has an undeniable appeal for art connoisseurs and mystery fans alike.

Adding another jet-setting and thrill-heavy installment to his geopolitical saga, author Martin Smith drops an exotic bomb with Minion or Master III. Escaping a wild year on the other side of the world, George Howden finds himself on new business in Hong Kong in the tumultuous aftermath of Mao’s Cultural Revolution, where strike-free negotiations will be hard to come by. Not only that, but Mercator Tinopolis is still homicidally furious over a “stolen” shipping contract, Leonora has a mysterious target on her back in London, and the long reach of organized crime is muddying the waters for Howden’s ambitions – and morality. As with other books in the series, the prose has a tendency to get sluggish with procedural details, but the story is paced well overall with finely tuned moments of suspense, and a new cast of well-crafted characters, for a strong installment of this innovative collection of international thrillers.

The sprawling and seedy web of Martin Smith’s politico-thriller series gets even stickier in Minion or Master II, as George Howden’s international misadventures continue. With a vengeful corporate titan determined to ruin him for complicating his patricidal scheme, the sometimes hapless Howden bounces between Bermuda, New York, London, and more, tirelessly hustling in both his personal and professional circles. Though the author has a tendency to tell, rather than show, the straightforward prose is accessible and paced well, despite the occasional bureaucratic, governmental, or legislative chunk of exposition. Romance, familial tension, corporate intrigue, and shadowy underworlds blend remarkably well in Smith’s second entertaining installment.

A riveting dive into the complex world of geopolitics, smuggling, power brokering, blackmail, and more, Minion or Master by Martin Smith is an intricate plunge into international intrigue. Swirling business deals, exotic locales, dangerous temptations, and manipulative strongmen are just the beginning of George Howden’s densely packed adventures in this new series. Though the prose is in need of a strong proofreading hand, the book’s story crafting is ambitious, historically rich, and compelling. The rapid pace and immersive nature of the prose are quickly addicting, while the unpredictable twists of this transatlantic plot will hold readers firmly to the end.

Against the backdrop of a dramatically changing job market that shows no sign of normalizing, authors Rafael Moscatel and Abby Moscatel present Tomorrow’s Jobs Today, the second edition of a motivating guidebook aimed at every career experience or trajectory. Functioning as both a self-help book for determining your passion, and a peek into what drives business success in the world right now, this is a multipurpose read with a decidedly broad appeal. Covering issues such as blockchain and AI, or navigating the post-pandemic, remote-working environment, this guide is both comprehensive and easy to read, giving a nuanced and forward-thinking perspective on the quickly changing professional landscape.

An exotic and interstellar affair that blurs the narrative line of sci-fi action and romance, Stars on Fire by Sky Gold is the lavish first installment of The Sable Riders series. Eden II may look like a cosmic paradise, but it can also be a prison of perfection and an unexpected battlefield, and when the irresistibly compelling Kainan slips into Selene’s fiercely independent orbit, neither have any idea how explosive – and potentially cataclysmic – their passion might be. Boasting decadent descriptive language, patient storytelling, and immersive world-building, the prose may have some rough spots in terms of proofreading issues, but this novel is a scintillating gem of an escape.