Yvonne
This is a meme for all the ‘First Page Browsers’ out there!
THE PATRIOT (Jake Parker #2) by NICK THACKER
BOOK BEGINNINGS / FIRST LINES
CHAPTER ONE
“I can help you find the man who killed your wife.”
“Jake Parker stared straight ahead, into the eyes of the man seated across the table from him. He didn’t move, and neither did Jake. For a moment, time stood still.
He had known this man for over fifteen years, and there had never been a time when Jake doubted him. But he had to be lying.
The newly minted Lieutenant Colonel Douglas McDonnell was an old friend from his West Point days and they were meeting at the same hot dog restaurant he and Jake had often visited after a game back in college – Pete’s Hot Dog Stand, a no-nonsense family-owned restaurant that had been serving tube steaks for longer than Jake could remember. Today, it was a traditional Chicago-style dog, done up right and served with a steaming pot of coffee. The coffee was good, with just enough heat to tickle the back of his throat without being overpowering.
McDonnell had sat perfectly still while eating and while he spoke, though not many words had been exchanged thus far. They’d barely gotten through the pleasantries when their food was ready, and neither man seemed to be interested in discussing anything over a mouthful of food. he had already finished his dog and now had his mug of coffee in front of him – black, a requirement for any career Army man – which he held with two hands, watching Jake. No doubt measuring his reaction to his statement.
“Tell me more,” Jake said quietly. He pulled his own mug up to his lips and took a sip. It was a much larger sip than he had intended, and the hot liquid stung the roof of his mouth. Still, he didn’t flinch”
So, you have taken a sneak peek, would you read the book?
Let me know what you think in the comments section below.
Just to give you help to decide, here is the book’s premise …
THE PATRIOT (Jake Parker #2)
It’s the last thing Jake Parker expects to hear from an old friend from his military days at West Point, Lt Colonel Douglas McDonnell. Officially, Jake’s wife Mel was an unlucky bystander during a sudden terrorist attack, but Jake has always felt there was a missing piece of the puzzle. When McDonnell tells him that his team has been tracking the group responsible, it’s Jake’s opportunity to finally lay Mel’s ghost to rest.
McDonnell believes that the terrorist cell is linked to one of the big pharma companies operating out of Puerto Rico, and he needs Jake’s skills on his team for one specific task: find the link and take them down. But as soon as Jake arrives, the plan begins to crumble. Focused on targeting the group members one at a time, the team on the ground won’t listen to Jake’s insistence that they look at the bigger picture.
When Jake meets bio-chemist Veronique, they hit it off. But when she confesses her fears that her employer is manufacturing a drug for the US market with deadly side effects, Jake realises that the terrorists have raised the stakes, and more innocent lives are at risk if he doesn’t act fast. Then Veronique is kidnapped. Unable to trust anyone around him, Jake is pushed as never before to find Vero while taking down the evil organisation before they strike at the US population…
You might also like to visit Gilion, over at ‘Rose City Reader‘, where you can share links to the book beginnings from her own reading schedule and that of many of our fellow bloggers.
There are always plenty of new authors and titles to be discovered and you never know where that next ‘must read’ is going to come from!
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Well…. it’s not really my kind of book (more the kind of film my husband enjoys), but I’ll admit it gets off to a good start. And I’ve been there, done that with the too large of a sip of hot coffee!! Only I would flinch!!
Hi Kelly,
I think we agreed when I featured the first book in the Jake Parker series, that the storylines would make for great screen adaptations, and reading this story only redoubles my opinion, although I am actually enjoying the books, as they are not too heavy going and keeping track of the characters and action isn’t much of a problem. I also like Nick’s style of ‘snappy’ writing!
I too have done the coffee thing and then realised that neither my mouth, throat, or stomach, are made of cast iron! But of course, Jake is much too much of a man’s man to flinch! 🙂
Best wishes to you and your husband for a safe and peaceful 2021 🙂
Hi there Yvonne! I haven’t read any books by Nick Thacker and one in this type of genre, in years. It’s a bit more in my husband’s style, but I do like the occasional patriotic book, does tickle my fancy. Not all that much in the American sentiments as it’s not home-ground.
I hope you had a lovely festive season! I will be doing a Wondrous Words Wednesday this Wednesday. Kathy @ Bermuda Onion Blog send me a message and said I’m welcome to take over the meme. Gosh, I’m not sure if I’m ready for it, but I sure am going to give it a go. It’s such a fun meme and I hope that we can do good by Kathy’s original idea. Will let you know if I’ve created the linky.
Happy New Year and I do hope your year will be filled with some awesome reads.
Lots of Love,
Elza Reads
Hi Mareli,
Whilst this is not the style of storyline I could read on too regular a basis, I do like to select from a wide range of genres, and books written by authors from around the world.
Nick has a great non-nonsense way with words and the storylines are very straightforward and easy to connect with. They are great TV series material and Jake Parker would make an excellent screen character, although I am not sure who I would hire to play him!
I haven’t scheduled a WWW post for this week, however I shall try and remember to keep a lookout for your post.
Kathy did mention to me at one point about taking over the meme for WWW. However I really did think at the time that she would want to return when she felt able to. She has obviously made her final decision about that now, and I am so pleased that she invited you to take over the reins, as you have published some amazing WWW posts. I look forward to taking part as often as time permits 🙂 Xx
Wishing you and yours Very Best 2021 Wishes and let’s hope that this year is a little kinder to us all 🙂 Xx
This book looks very interesting! I hope you enjoy 🙂 Stop by if you get the chance:
https://collettaskitchensink.blogspot.com/2021/01/my-weekly-bookishness-112021.html
Colletta
Hi Colletta,
As my Blog Tour Review is due in January, I have actually powered through this one and finished. We are definitely talking 4 stars and I hope the series is set to continue, as the character of ‘Jake Parker’ makes for compulsive reading!
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. I hope that 2021 is a good year for you 🙂
Definitely an intriguing read! Thanks for sharing, and here’s mine: “PIECE OF MY HEART”
Hi Lorraine,
Jake Parker is definitely quite an emotionally vulnerable character, so it will be interesting to see if any of his short term relationships can become anything more permanent, or if he is just not quite ready to commit himself again yet.
He is right at the top of his game when it comes to crime solving though, so that’s all good!
Thanks for visiting on this New Year’s Day and let’s hope that Worldwide, we can all establish some form of ‘new normal’ in the year ahead. Stay Safe 🙂 Xx
I don’t usually select books like this but I am intrigued by the opening line. Hope you enjoy it. Happy New Year! My Friday quotes are from Princess Bride
Hi Anne,
Even though this is the second book in the Jake Parker series, the backstory concerning his wife is really easy to pick-up, so there is no problem treating either one of them as stand alone stories.
Jake is definitely a character I can invest in, he works hard and takes no prisoners, however he also has a softer more emotional side and I would like to see him be happy again!
Thanks for stopping by and I really hope that 2021 is a little kinder to us all! 🙂
The plot of an terrorist attack sounds very interesting. Before moving to UK I did not understand the threat of a terrorist attack, but after being in a London subway which was seen as a target, on the day I was on it (anniversary of 7/7) and after reading about it, I was intrigued and curious. So, a book like this is something I would read, given the time.
I can’t wait for your review. xx
Hi Anca,
So far, the terrorist attack in which Jake Parker’s wife inadvertently got caught up, is a recurring backstory of the first two books in this series, so I’m not really certain if this storyline really lays it to rest so that Jake can move forward with his life, or if it is going to continue to be referenced in any subsequent stories.
The books are quite easy reads and I got through this one quite quickly, if that’s any help!
I actually dislike the London underground intensely, or the equivalent in any other country for that matter. I just find the experience very claustrophobic and downright scary if I am totally honest. I will always opt for a taxi, or by foot, if we ever go up to town, although to be honest, having spent so much time there in my younger days, I no longer see the attraction in quite the same way. It must have been a most frightening experience for you on that particular day, I think it would have put me off for good.
We had so many mainland bomb attacks back in the 1970s, in the heyday of the IRA, that we always went about our business in any city, always looking over our shoulder and keeping very alert at all times.
The review is due up in a few days and I have agreed to share a short ‘teaser’ extract as part of the Tuesday Teaser Meme next week 🙂
Yes, there were attacks from the suffragettes to IRA to Islamist attacks from the beginning of 1900. It is incredible how many there were during the years, but it made people used (if that is a good word for this) to this. In Romania we never had them. But after moving here I had to adapt and I tried to understand why these things happen.
I am still found of the underground in London. When I lived in Bucharest I was using the underground daily and now I miss it, in Liverpool. 🙂
Yes! Most people in this country probably don’t realise the number of terrorist related attacks we have lived through over the decades. I suppose the IRA came to mind first as that would have been about the time that I first began taking an interest in world and home affairs, then later because when I married Dave he was in the forces, so it affected us both firsthand.
I have to say that I actually know so very little about Romania, and probably then only the bad propaganda we were fed over here by the British press. Perhaps I should read the book about your country, which you featured as one of your top ten 2020 reads! 🙂