Shadows Of Deception is the first novella in a series of thrillers featuring former Navy SEAL John Ryder. It is written by podcast host Sam Whitfield.

From the description,

“When former Navy SEAL, John Ryder, stumbles upon a secret cabal determined to manipulate global events, he embarks on a relentless quest to expose their insidious operations. Assisted by his mentor, Thomas Roberts, and a team of dedicated allies, Ryder finds himself entangled in a dangerous game of cat and mouse, battling against powerful enemies who will stop at nothing to protect their hidden agenda. As the layers of deception are peeled back, Ryder uncovers a web of international intrigue, involving the Russian mafia, deep state actors, and a supercomputer named Athena. With each revelation, the stakes rise higher, and the line between friend and foe becomes increasingly blurred.”

This one keeps you on the edge of your seat. Ryder is exactly the hero we need in American literature at the moment. He is smart, capable, and good in a fight. When the chips are down, he will get the job done.

Whitfield does a good job of keeping you invested in the story. As a thriller, he incorporates the use of a seemingly futuristic AI, but keeps it grounded where it never veered off course. There were some technical issues with the book as far as editing, but outside of that, I enjoyed it a great deal.

You will not want to put it down and have a great time reading each compelling chapter as the action intensifies.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. Tell me if there is a comic book, anime, movie, or novel you would like me to review. While you are at it, check out my highlights of Star Trek Adventures: Spock Must Die and Patrick Parker’s Six Minutes Early. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more posts like this one.

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