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Nick Lassiter-Skyler International Espionage #2
The Coalition
THE COALITION - A NOVEL OF SUSPENSE
BY SAMUEL MARQUIS
#1 DENVER POST BESTSELLING AUTHOR (FICTION)
AWARD-WINNING FINALIST USA BEST BOOK AWARDS (FICTION: THRILLER-ADVENTURE)
From the fiftieth floor of an office building in Denver, Colorado, a longrange assassin calmly watches a procession of black Lincolns. When the motorcade pulls to the curb in Civic Center Plaza, a prominent leader steps from one of the vehicles and takes the stage to make an important speech. Moments later, a loud BOOM echoes through the Plaza and the man slumps to the platform like a stringless marionette. The mysterious sniper, whose very existence is unknown to the international law enforcement community, has just assassinated U.S. President-elect William Ambrose Kieger.
In the aftermath of the shocking political crime, the shooter escapes and a Task Force is swiftly assembled, headed up by Special Agent Kenneth Patton of the FBI's Denver Field Office. A ten-year vet in Domestic Terrorism, the unconventional Ken is driven to solve the crime by both professional and personal motives. His search leads him to a secret society whose diabolical and far-reaching plot threatens the very highest levels of the U.S. government. Yet the group's motives, secret membership, and ambitious plans remain elusive. Can Ken and his team uncover the plot in time to save the day? Can they beat the countdown on the clock and catch the assassin and the shadowy group in the background pulling the strings? Or will time run out?
BY SAMUEL MARQUIS
#1 DENVER POST BESTSELLING AUTHOR (FICTION)
AWARD-WINNING FINALIST USA BEST BOOK AWARDS (FICTION: THRILLER-ADVENTURE)
From the fiftieth floor of an office building in Denver, Colorado, a longrange assassin calmly watches a procession of black Lincolns. When the motorcade pulls to the curb in Civic Center Plaza, a prominent leader steps from one of the vehicles and takes the stage to make an important speech. Moments later, a loud BOOM echoes through the Plaza and the man slumps to the platform like a stringless marionette. The mysterious sniper, whose very existence is unknown to the international law enforcement community, has just assassinated U.S. President-elect William Ambrose Kieger.
In the aftermath of the shocking political crime, the shooter escapes and a Task Force is swiftly assembled, headed up by Special Agent Kenneth Patton of the FBI's Denver Field Office. A ten-year vet in Domestic Terrorism, the unconventional Ken is driven to solve the crime by both professional and personal motives. His search leads him to a secret society whose diabolical and far-reaching plot threatens the very highest levels of the U.S. government. Yet the group's motives, secret membership, and ambitious plans remain elusive. Can Ken and his team uncover the plot in time to save the day? Can they beat the countdown on the clock and catch the assassin and the shadowy group in the background pulling the strings? Or will time run out?
381 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 2, 2016
868 people are currently reading
994 people want to read
About the author
Samuel Marquis
13 books111 followersThe ninth-great-grandson of legendary privateer Captain William Kidd, Samuel Marquis, M.S., P.G., is a professional hydrogeologist, expert witness, and bestselling, award-winning author of twelve American non-fiction-history, historical-fiction, and suspense books, covering primarily the period from colonial America through WWII. His American history and historical fiction books have been #1 Denver Post bestsellers and received multiple national book awards (Kirkus Reviews and Foreword Reviews Book of the Year, American Book Fest and USA Best Book, Readers’ Favorite, Beverly Hills, Independent Publisher, Colorado Book Awards). His historical titles have garnered glowing reviews from bestselling authors, colonial American history and maritime historians, U.S. military veterans, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, and Foreword Reviews (Starred Reviews, 5 Stars). His website is samuelmarquisbooks.com and for publicity inquiries, please contact BooksForward at info@booksforward.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
November 3, 2024
Discovering the work of Samuel Marquis, I was intrigued. There is nothing like a great political thriller to get the blood pumping. After the assassination of the US President-elect, many are left to wonder who might be responsible. A clue at the site of the shooting points to a religious group with ties to the Christian right, though they are quick to dismiss it as a smear on their name. While journalists and federal officials try to suss out truth from conjecture, the group itself is being watched from the inside and their every move is closely noted. The assassin is also taking matters into their own hands, hoping that this kill will up their notoriety for future assignments. At the heart of it all is a group who seek to control the future of American democracy in their own way. Marquis turns this thriller into something completely different from the series debut and left me eager for more!
Far above the action, a sniper waits. When the collection of black Lincolns arrive at the necessary spot, a shot rings out. Before anyone can scream or locate the sound of the gun, U.S. President-elect William Ambrose Kieger lays slumped on the ground. He is dead, an assassin having completed their mission is on the move. The wheels are in motion and The Coalition is well pleased!
This crime cannot go without significant retribution, but that will need planning. Special Agent Kenneth Patton of the FBI’s
Denver Field Office leads the way, working alongside many other capable players. After sifting through some of the initial evidence, Patton discovers something that ties the shooting to a far-right organisation whose religious leanings could upset years of social progress across the country. However, another group is pleased with the results and hopes to fill the power vacuum in the coming hours.
As the truth about the group becomes known, it casts a shadow on the entire political system. Its players are also highly troubling, as they make up many of the senior governmental positions within the Republic, known as The Coalition. However, everyone has a role and it will take working from the inside to bring this group down, once and for all. Even the assassin is a moving part within the larger machine and America is about to see just how cunning and determined they will be to steer the political winds in their favour. A thorough and detailed political thriller by Samuel Marquis that is sure to get the reader thinking.
New authors may be a gamble, especially when you can never be sure what you will get. While the book started off much differently than the apparent series debut, I was quickly impressed with what Marquis had to offer. The narrative clipped along and left me wondering how they might progress, with numerous perspectives developing simultaneously. Marquis swiftly builds the momentum as he lays out the foundation on which this novel will stand. It differed so much from the series debut that I could not tell if they would eventually connect. Decent characters developed swiftly and throughout the reading experience. I became curious how many would connect with one another and the larger series, which still remains a mystery in some regard. Plot points proved plentiful and kept me on edge as I tried to piece it all together. So much going on, from political events to religious sentiments, all of which flavoured the overall story. I can only wonder what the series finale (to date) had to offer me!
Kudos, Mr. Marquis, for a great thriller that had all the ingredients for success!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Far above the action, a sniper waits. When the collection of black Lincolns arrive at the necessary spot, a shot rings out. Before anyone can scream or locate the sound of the gun, U.S. President-elect William Ambrose Kieger lays slumped on the ground. He is dead, an assassin having completed their mission is on the move. The wheels are in motion and The Coalition is well pleased!
This crime cannot go without significant retribution, but that will need planning. Special Agent Kenneth Patton of the FBI’s
Denver Field Office leads the way, working alongside many other capable players. After sifting through some of the initial evidence, Patton discovers something that ties the shooting to a far-right organisation whose religious leanings could upset years of social progress across the country. However, another group is pleased with the results and hopes to fill the power vacuum in the coming hours.
As the truth about the group becomes known, it casts a shadow on the entire political system. Its players are also highly troubling, as they make up many of the senior governmental positions within the Republic, known as The Coalition. However, everyone has a role and it will take working from the inside to bring this group down, once and for all. Even the assassin is a moving part within the larger machine and America is about to see just how cunning and determined they will be to steer the political winds in their favour. A thorough and detailed political thriller by Samuel Marquis that is sure to get the reader thinking.
New authors may be a gamble, especially when you can never be sure what you will get. While the book started off much differently than the apparent series debut, I was quickly impressed with what Marquis had to offer. The narrative clipped along and left me wondering how they might progress, with numerous perspectives developing simultaneously. Marquis swiftly builds the momentum as he lays out the foundation on which this novel will stand. It differed so much from the series debut that I could not tell if they would eventually connect. Decent characters developed swiftly and throughout the reading experience. I became curious how many would connect with one another and the larger series, which still remains a mystery in some regard. Plot points proved plentiful and kept me on edge as I tried to piece it all together. So much going on, from political events to religious sentiments, all of which flavoured the overall story. I can only wonder what the series finale (to date) had to offer me!
Kudos, Mr. Marquis, for a great thriller that had all the ingredients for success!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
January 5, 2016
Wow, this thriller had me hooked from page one. Considering how many books Sam turns out in a year (and with so many diverse approaches to the thriller genre--suspense, environmental, political, historical) he nails it every time. The Coalition seamlessly weaves an intense presidential assassination plot (sparked by a really cool female assassin) with spine-tingling political intrigue and yes, even a flavoring of controversy into a high-octane, absorbing plot that had me whipping through the book, and left me satisfied at the end. Can't wait for his WWII thriller in March!
December 30, 2015
A great political thriller with an unusual female assassin and captivating story. Some intriguing conflicts going on as well as some great Colorado details. I can't wait to see what Mr. Marquis comes up with next.
December 20, 2015
"The Coalition" had me sucked in within the first few chapters. Action and suspense that kept me wondering what was coming next until the very end. Great book! I can't wait to see what Sam has in store for the next book.
December 17, 2015
Best novel yet by Marquis. I couldn't put it down! I certainly didn't want it to end. Looking forward to the sequel with the main character. Nice twist at the end of the book. Not what I expected. Marquis is better than Baldacci and I like his books.
January 9, 2016
A Riveting Modern Political Thriller with Great Characters
The Coalition is, quite simply, a great political thriller. The book has a lot of action and suspense and tons of built-in conflict: there is the beautiful Italian sniper Skyler, the religious right, the Democratic and Republican parties, a twisted right-wing assassin called "The Apostle", and the FBI and Secret Service, and all of these parties battle continuously inside and outside their own ranks. The story line is extremely topical, as if it was taken from today's headlines, and the characters are well-drawn, emotionally complex, and interesting throughout the novel. In looking at the back cover, I can see why the novel has been compared to The Day of the Jackal and why it was praised by James Patterson. It is a fast-paced thriller, yet it reads like a "literary-style" Dennis Lehane novel with flawed and interesting characters and powerful emotions. Marquis especially seems to do his villains quite well; he really gets inside their heads so you can understand the psychological motivations behind their actions.
All in all, a great read. I would especially recommend it to thriller lovers who enjoy Daniel Silva, Richard North Patterson, and David Baldacci.
The Coalition is, quite simply, a great political thriller. The book has a lot of action and suspense and tons of built-in conflict: there is the beautiful Italian sniper Skyler, the religious right, the Democratic and Republican parties, a twisted right-wing assassin called "The Apostle", and the FBI and Secret Service, and all of these parties battle continuously inside and outside their own ranks. The story line is extremely topical, as if it was taken from today's headlines, and the characters are well-drawn, emotionally complex, and interesting throughout the novel. In looking at the back cover, I can see why the novel has been compared to The Day of the Jackal and why it was praised by James Patterson. It is a fast-paced thriller, yet it reads like a "literary-style" Dennis Lehane novel with flawed and interesting characters and powerful emotions. Marquis especially seems to do his villains quite well; he really gets inside their heads so you can understand the psychological motivations behind their actions.
All in all, a great read. I would especially recommend it to thriller lovers who enjoy Daniel Silva, Richard North Patterson, and David Baldacci.
January 12, 2016
He did it again. Samuel Marquis put out a third book that I Just Could Not Put Down. Since I have a family, I had to put it down at times but I really just wanted to read it all in one sitting. THAT'S the kind of book it is. Warning: if you are looking for a good read, one that is a page turner and that you can't put down until you find out what happens at the bitter end, this is it. I love the female sniper. I love the characters. Reading about conspiracies and political action committees and the religious right and the FBI, what a ride! It's so current, it's so believable, it's real. Almost. I guess it's fiction. But often you are fooled when reading. The author has certainly done his research. I would love to talk more about the characters, the dialogue, the plot but I don't want to ruin it for anyone. Suffice to say -- you won't regret picking up this book!
January 10, 2016
Wow! What a great political thriller. The pacing and suspense are strong throughout, and all of the technical FBI and Secret Service details seem very accurate. I would compare this to the thrillers of Vince Flynn, Ludlum, and Baldacci, but I think the characters are stronger. Ken Patton, the great-grandson of General George S. Patton, is a great hero, and his opponents are very interesting as well. The emotionally troubled sniper, Skyler, is a wonderful sympathetic antagonist, and Benjamin Locke, the shadowy religious and political leader, is no cardboard cutout villain. The Coalition is what all political thrillers should aspire to be. I would recommend this book to anyone.
April 6, 2016
Review by Sarah: "Wow, this book was nearly impossible to put down once I started reading it. I almost didn't want to donate the book, it was that good. I don't usually enjoy political suspense type books but this one was such a fast paced exciting read that I was able to ignore any character comments that don't quite align with my beliefs. It's that whole enjoyment of reading a book that sounds like it came from the headlines with wonderful characters that makes it such fun. I can hardly wait for the next book!" We received an ARC through the publicists in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced our opinions.
January 28, 2016
FROM AMAZON: SAMUEL MARQUIS #1 DENVER POST BESTSELLING, AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR
"The Coalition has a lot of good action and suspense, an unusual female assassin, and the potential to be another The Day After Tomorrow."
--James Patterson, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
“This ambitious thriller starts with a bang, revs up its engines, and never stops until the explosive ending…Perfect for fans of James Patterson, David Baldacci, and Vince Flynn, The Coalition is a standout thriller from an up-and-coming writer...”
--Foreword Reviews – Four-Star Review
"Reminiscent of The Day of the Jackal...with a high level of authentic detail. Skyler is a convincing sniper, and also a nicely conflicted one."
--Donald Maass, Author of Writing 21st Century Fiction (for The Coalition)
"Author of 2015's The Slush Pile Brigade and Blind Thrust, novelist Samuel Marquis has accomplished something rather rare. In The Coalition, Marquis has injected fresh air into the often threadbare genre of political conspiracy and assassination thrillers."--Dr. Wesley Britton, Bookpleasures.com (Crime & Mystery)
"The Coalition has a lot of good action and suspense, an unusual female assassin, and the potential to be another The Day After Tomorrow."
--James Patterson, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
“This ambitious thriller starts with a bang, revs up its engines, and never stops until the explosive ending…Perfect for fans of James Patterson, David Baldacci, and Vince Flynn, The Coalition is a standout thriller from an up-and-coming writer...”
--Foreword Reviews – Four-Star Review
"Reminiscent of The Day of the Jackal...with a high level of authentic detail. Skyler is a convincing sniper, and also a nicely conflicted one."
--Donald Maass, Author of Writing 21st Century Fiction (for The Coalition)
"Author of 2015's The Slush Pile Brigade and Blind Thrust, novelist Samuel Marquis has accomplished something rather rare. In The Coalition, Marquis has injected fresh air into the often threadbare genre of political conspiracy and assassination thrillers."--Dr. Wesley Britton, Bookpleasures.com (Crime & Mystery)
January 24, 2016
The Coalition starts fast and furious and takes readers through a subterranean world of murder and politics, opening the door on an unflattering look at the power structure beneath some of society's most influential institutions. Taking place in Denver, Colorado, the action unfolds a mile high and never lets you down. One of the central characters, a unique female assassin hits a bulls-eye with readers. She's beautiful, sexy, troubled, in love and deadly -- the kind of woman best avoided, but hopefully returning in future books. Finally, Marquis' nuanced character development creates a cast that is complex, multi-faceted and very real. Whether it is the Dead Head investigator, wounded assassin or the social conservative leader whose daughter is murdered in a women's health clinic, readers see a full character develop. In a world that often wants us to see things in black and white, The Coalition gives readers a full picture in a tight, well-written thriller.
January 24, 2016
This political thriller is a page turner. I love Marquis's writing style. The short chapters and multiple sub plots made it hard to put down. The story is filled with historical references, detailed scenic descriptions of Colorado, interesting characters, and political commentary. The ultra conservative and righteous Benjamin Locke plays dirty and must deal with the consequences. Special Agent Ken Patton reconnects with his college sweetheart under unusual circumstances and then must balance his emotions as he pursues a killer. A professional assassin has a chance encounter that forces her to question her motives and her future. And there's much more. There is so much going on and then some surprises in the end. It's a great read!
January 11, 2016
This book has so much to like! Great characters, plot twists, good guys, bad guys and conspiracies, action immersed in a convincing reality. This book has MOVIE written all over it! I hope the movie is half as good as the book...
November 18, 2015
This book had me on the edge of my seat!!
January 11, 2016
Exciting Thriller with good characters and some great twists
February 5, 2021
Excellect read
The Coalition would be an excellent read for any crime fan. It has suspense, twist & turns, and will keep you entertained. I do recommend this book.
The Coalition would be an excellent read for any crime fan. It has suspense, twist & turns, and will keep you entertained. I do recommend this book.
Read
January 7, 2018It was a good read although I didn't like the ending. Left you wondering what happened to the other main characters.
January 8, 2016
Great way to start 2016! Marquis combines solid writing, impeccable attention to detail and a totally authentic sense of places along Colorado's Front Range to create a first rate thriller. If you have ever lived in Colorado or dreamed about what life is like and want to be grabbed by the hand and taken through some amazing action, this is one of your first 2016 reads. Marquis' writing just keeps getting better.
May 1, 2016
The Coalition is a highly entertaining political thriller that is not far-fetched against the crazy backdrop of current times. Set in his native Colorado, Marquis weaves a tale that includes meticulous research, intriguing and conflicted characters, lots of action, and, steamy love scenes. With a protagonist who is a mistress of disguise and expert marks-woman against a chauvinist, self-righteous kingmaker, the stage is set for a wild ride.
November 3, 2016
Disappointed
I really wanted to like this book. This is a genre that I have always loved and always look forward to reading. However, I am not into gratuitous sex and random vulgarity just for the sake of inclusion. I'm no prude, but unless it helps to drive the storyline, I'd rather not read it. If that were my preference, I'd seek books with Fabio and a half-naked woman on the cover. I was really disappointed with this.
I really wanted to like this book. This is a genre that I have always loved and always look forward to reading. However, I am not into gratuitous sex and random vulgarity just for the sake of inclusion. I'm no prude, but unless it helps to drive the storyline, I'd rather not read it. If that were my preference, I'd seek books with Fabio and a half-naked woman on the cover. I was really disappointed with this.
December 1, 2016
Authors write the books they want to write. I felt this one was about 75-100 pages too long. He spent way too much time on the personal relationship of the main characters. I understand authors trying to make their characters seem human, but sometimes that effort detracts from the main plot of the novel.
With all of the padding with personal relationships, this turned out to be nothing more than a good premise turned into a run of the mill novel.
With all of the padding with personal relationships, this turned out to be nothing more than a good premise turned into a run of the mill novel.
January 18, 2016
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
A left wing conspiracy thriller that is much more concerned with abortion politics than actually telling a compelling story.
The plot is supposed to be about the usual Conservative Christian group that assassinates a Jon McCain type politician, to elevate his Sarah Palin type veep to the POTUS spot.
Pretty lame.
A left wing conspiracy thriller that is much more concerned with abortion politics than actually telling a compelling story.
The plot is supposed to be about the usual Conservative Christian group that assassinates a Jon McCain type politician, to elevate his Sarah Palin type veep to the POTUS spot.
Pretty lame.
February 14, 2016
I found The Coalition to be an exciting read. The characters were well thought out and interesting.
I liked the way you were given an insight into all of the main characters, from the "hero" of the story to the assassin.
The twists and turns of the book keep me reading well into the night and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. Definitely a great read!
I liked the way you were given an insight into all of the main characters, from the "hero" of the story to the assassin.
The twists and turns of the book keep me reading well into the night and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. Definitely a great read!
December 16, 2016
I'm actually not sure how many stars to give this book so I'm sort of averaging it between four stars for holding my interest and making me want to read to the end and 1 star for the rather over-the-top plot and the preposterous elements in it as well as hints at kinky sex. This is the kind of book that makes you hate yourself for continuing to read.
November 8, 2020
Outstanding drama
On very few occasions have I been so drawn in to a novel of these dramatic and mysterious circumstances. It was a great pleasure to have been able to read such an enthralling novel which has been, not hard to put down but, darn near impossible. I highly recommend this author to all lovers of murder mysteries
On very few occasions have I been so drawn in to a novel of these dramatic and mysterious circumstances. It was a great pleasure to have been able to read such an enthralling novel which has been, not hard to put down but, darn near impossible. I highly recommend this author to all lovers of murder mysteries
January 30, 2016
The Coalition is a timely fast paced thriller that taps into some the current issues that face this country. Mr. Marquis has developed a story that describes both the strengths that made our country great and how those strengths can also destroy us. A must read in 2016 and beyond.
October 14, 2020
Very well done easily remembered characters a simple plot which turned out to be not so simple.
The story was well paced with several characters well described and played out as expected until the very end. Very entertaining.
The story was well paced with several characters well described and played out as expected until the very end. Very entertaining.
December 27, 2020
Suspense
Through the first half of the book, I almost gave up! Then halfway through, the suspense picked up and I could not stop reading. The conclusion, well, you will have to read that to know what I am talking about. I trust a sequel will follow.
Through the first half of the book, I almost gave up! Then halfway through, the suspense picked up and I could not stop reading. The conclusion, well, you will have to read that to know what I am talking about. I trust a sequel will follow.
Read
January 15, 2016Review available on Foreword Reviews
April 17, 2016
Marvelous adventure
Read but don't expect to quit reading..this is a truly unique book about today's political scene..and our blindness of today's expectations
Read but don't expect to quit reading..this is a truly unique book about today's political scene..and our blindness of today's expectations
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews