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The Bricklayer (Steve Vail #1)

3.8 of 5 stars 3.80 · rating details · 1,599 ratings · 325 reviews

Someone gives you a dangerous puzzle to solve, one that may kill you or someone else, and you're about to fail... and there is no other option. No one who can help. No one but the Bricklayer.
The Bricklayer is the pulse-pounding novel introducing Steve Vail, one of the most charismatic new heroes to come along in thriller fiction in many years. He's an ex–FBI agent who's b...more Someone gives you a dangerous puzzle to solve, one that may kill you or someone else, and you're about to fail... and there is no other option. No one who can help. No one but the Bricklayer.
The Bricklayer is the pulse-pounding novel introducing Steve Vail, one of the most charismatic new heroes to come along in thriller fiction in many years. He's an ex–FBI agent who's been fired for insubordination but is lured back to the Bureau to work a case that has become more unsolvable — and more deadly — by the hour.
A woman steps out of the shower in her Los Angeles home and is startled by an intruder sitting calmly in her bedroom holding a gun. But she is frozen with fear by what he has to say about the FBI — and what he says he must do...
A young agent slips into the night water off a rocky beach. He's been instructed to swim to a nearby island to deposit a million dollars demanded by a blackmailer. But his mission is riddled with hazardous tests, as if someone wanted to destroy him rather than collect the money...
Vail has resigned himself to his dismissal and is content with his life as a bricklayer. But the FBI, especially Deputy Assistant Director Kate Bannon, needs help with a shadowy group that has initiated a brilliant extortion plot. The group will keep killing their targets until the agency pays them off, the amount and number of bodies escalating each time the FBI fails. One thing is clear: someone who knows a little too much about the inner workings of the Bureau is very clever — and very angry — and will kill and kill again if it means he can disgrace the FBI.
Steve Vail's options — and his time to find answers — are swiftly running out.
Noah Boyd's The Bricklayer is written with the bracing authenticity only someone who has been a crack FBI investigator can provide. And in this masterful debut Noah Boyd has created a mind-bending maze of clues and traps inside a nonstop thrill ride that is sure to leave readers exhilarated and enthralled.(less)

Hardcover, 390 pages

Published January 26th 2010 by William Morrow (first published December 23rd 2009)

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Sep 29, 2012 Dave Freas rated it 3 of 5 stars

An interesting first novel in what appears to be destined to be a series. A bit too much 'front story' before the book got to the real meat of the plot. The hero, Steven Vail, never comes on-stage until Chapter 5 except anonymously as an un-named character in the first chapter, That's way too long in my opinion. I think, too, this story could have been told a little tighter to up the tension which runs throughout the novel like a low voltage buzz. I like a little more 'zap' in books.

In skils and...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Robert Rosenthal rated it 4 of 5 stars

I will not summarize the plot as other reviewers have done that.
Here are the pluses and minuses to this first effort by former FBI agent Noah Boyd (and boy, does the publisher push that platform!)

Pro:
Great action set-pieces. Protag Steven Veil, aka the Bricklayer, gets into some of the most tense and impossible jams of any character, and escapes with wit and skill, and okay, a lot of luck. Incredibly creative plotting.
Con:
These perilous situations are almost too over-the-top. However exciting...more

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Jun 19, 2012 Best Crime Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

Steve Vail is a Bricklayer. He is however no ordinary bricklayer. He used to be a former FBI agent who didn't like taking orders from anybody. When somebody begins killing FBI agents, Deputy Director, Kate Bannon decides that she needs his help. Vail will need to go back to the world he abruptly left to see if he can help the FBI track down the murderer.

As this is Noah Boyd's first novel I had no expectations other than the jacket info which always seems to promise the best novel ever. With the...more Steve Vail is a Bricklayer. He is however no ordinary bricklayer. He used to be a former FBI agent who didn't like taking orders from anybody. When somebody begins killing FBI agents, Deputy Director, Kate Bannon decides that she needs his help. Vail will need to go back to the world he abruptly left to see if he can help the FBI track down the murderer.

As this is Noah Boyd's first novel I had no expectations other than the jacket info which always seems to promise the best novel ever. With the front cover holding the words "Move over Jack Reacher, here comes The Bricklayer - James Patterson" it had me hoping that this debut would be a good one.

First off the author is not silly; he has all the components needed that have made previous authors successful. Brooding lead character that doesn't like the rules, yep he has that. Female character that is somehow persuaded to go along with the idea of breaking every rule there is, yep he also has that. Storyline involving crazy psychopath murderer that seems to know all the tricks in the book, yep, got that too. Noah Boyd has all the ingredients that other have previously used with one exception. Noah Boyd has actually worked for the FBI.

The experience tells through the storytelling somehow making this tried and tested formula work even more than usual. The storytelling itself is good, being fast-paced and edgy without being too over the top. The actual writing of the two main characters was great and the rapport between them is built up gradually. I also fell in love with Steve Vail's character; he was witty and charming without being smarmy. On top of that he seems more real the way he is written, as does Kate Bannon.

Some may say that Steve Vail is nowhere near as good as some of the other characters people have come to love such as Jack Reacher and Alex Cross. However remember that this is a debut novel and there is loads of room for this character to develop. That is of course on the proviso that Noah Boyd wants to continue with this character. I think a follow on book to this would be great.

I can honestly say there is nothing I didn't like about this, admittedly Steve Vail hasn't wormed his way to my heart like Peter James has done with his lead character Roy Grace, but a follow up might just do the trick. Its tough competition out there today for crime writers, especially when creating a fresh type story. I think Noah Boyd has done this well because the authenticity show through the story. (less)

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Sep 10, 2011 Blood Rose Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

Noah Boyd is a former FBI Agent who in his debut novel introduces the reader of what could happen if a criminal organization decided to Blackmail the FBI.

The FBI are used to all sort of cases, they are the objective observer on many cases, famous or not around the United States; however, what would happen if the FBI was the target and had to solve their very own Blackmail case from a criminal organization that is promising and performing murder if payments are not made. It turns out not very wel...more Noah Boyd is a former FBI Agent who in his debut novel introduces the reader of what could happen if a criminal organization decided to Blackmail the FBI.

The FBI are used to all sort of cases, they are the objective observer on many cases, famous or not around the United States; however, what would happen if the FBI was the target and had to solve their very own Blackmail case from a criminal organization that is promising and performing murder if payments are not made. It turns out not very well. After murders of an FBI agent, and some very high ranking and public officials who have publicly chastised the FBI, the FBI are not only looking bad to the public, but they are forced to take a different approach. Steve Vail is a former FBI agent who was fired for having "issues" with authority figures but Vail was known for getting the job done no matter what it took. His approach to things is just what the FBI needs, but can Vail be trusted, he is not the biggest fan of the FBI and being within the FBI would be the perfect place to exact his own revenge on them.

As an FBI Agent, Boyd worked on some very famous cases including the Highland Park Strangler and the Green River Killer. This makes me appreciate his work in The Bricklayer, because he could have done something he is more familiar with by creating a serial killer thriller novel as he appears to have experience in this concept. Instead he goes for an mystery action adventure thriller. The book definitely starts out with Bang, with some murders, challenges, ransom notes and a bank robbery. I don't think that a reader could ask for a better opening, I know I was hooked from the beginning.

Vail is a strong character who really does flaunt any type of authority to get the job done. If he can go around management, which he achieves very nicely on multiple occasions, he will. He also is not beyond manipulating management as well in order to get them out of his way so he can pursue the evidence or facts that he wants too. All in all, it seems like he is playing a constant game with the management team, which makes him less than popular with a few people. The interaction and partnership between Vail and Kate was also done well. Kate is the assistant deputy director who is Vail partner in this case, and like everyone else, he does seem to at point manipulate and use Kate, however, you can also tell that he cares for her as well. Kate is a woman who has worked her way through the ranks of the FBI, she is strong woman, but you still get the sense that she feels (and possible others feel as well) that she has something to prove just because she is a woman in the FBI.

I enjoyed the missions/challenges that Vail and sometimes Kate were forced to go through (it came to me while I was reading the book that the mission idea was similar to those in the Saw movies, but not gory, and if you fail someone else will die, but you could also die in the process). All of these challenges were really suspenseful and I could not wait to see what idea that Boyd had cooked up. The challenges were complex and you did not know what was going to happen next and whether the Agent assigned or Vail would be able to solve the "puzzle" related to the challenge. Each mission really came down to survival.

I really liked that the motivation for everything in this book was the very basic human "sins" (if you will) greed and revenge. Its amazing what an individual will do for money and revenge, killing someone is really not a problem for them (unfortunately this is not restrained to the fictional world). Although this may be a some what basic premise for the book, it works really well in the storyline that Boyd has created. Greed seems to be something that all humans feel now and again, which adds a realistic aspect to the book. I mean when there is millions of dollars at stake the primal human side can come out of people.

I found it interesting, and I'm unsure if this was Boyd's intent, but he made the FBI look very bureaucratic, (which I'm sure it is) but he showed the side of the FBI where following all the procedures and taking the time to fill out paperwork is not the way to solve cases. Almost like he was pointing out to the FBI itself today, as this is what is wrong with the system. It seemed to me that he was very for the lone ranger approach, which makes me wonder what kind of agent he was in real life and how he helped solve the famous cases he was involved in. As I said I am not sure if this was his intent, but once you read the book you will understand what I mean.

I think this book could be considered mystery thriller, with a side of action adventure. I think that individuals who do not normally read action adventure novels that this would be a good place to start, as it does not have those impossible scenario, where you don't know how the individuals got out like many books within the action adventure genre are famous for. This one uses the main character's brain power in order to figure out how to get out of each situation. That said, I believe there is enough action to satisfy an individual who has been reading these books for year.

I really enjoyed this book, it starts off with a bang and keeps going to the very end. The characters are well built and the story line was full of twists and turns and you are never really sure you have everything figured out till the end. You actually keep waiting for the Vail to make a mistake (and he does make a few), talk about suspense.

Enjoy!!!(less)

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Sep 02, 2011 refgoddess rated it 4 of 5 stars

We were on a camping trip. My husband revels in suspense novels with great repartee (he's a Spenser fan from way back,) and he had come across The Bricklayer at the local library. The first blurb review was by Lee Child, one of his favs, so he grabbed it. Flash forward to the afternoon at the lakeside campsite. I had read enough of the Roadside Geology of Oregon, and the iPad was running out of juice, and Dave was at the lake.....So I picked up the book, and found myself in the midst of a bank r...more

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May 12, 2011 Ryandake rated it 2 of 5 stars

meh.

pretty good plotting, interesting setup, but the characters fall flat. Our Hero is an indestructible guy, modest, quiet, without a depth history... of course he falls for Our Heroine, who is the real problem in this book for me, and who apparently has only one detail in her own history.

if he'd told her once more to make a phone call for him... i mentally demoted her from FBI Deputy Director to secretary. anyway she just exists as a plot device, to have someone to ask Our Hero questions so t...more

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May 08, 2011 Joanne rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 18, 2011 Paul Pessolano rated it 4 of 5 stars

If Siskel and Ebert had four thumbs, this would get a four thumbs up review.

"The Bricklayer" is a mystery/thriller that starts off fast and doesn't stop until the last page is read. This book will put Noah Boyd up with the likes of Harlan Coben, Lee Child, and Vince Flynn. I always anticipate a new book by these authors, and I can honestly say that I am anxiously waiting for the next book by Noah Boyd.

Steve Vail is an ex-FBI agent who is now making a living as a "Bricklayer". He has left the for...more If Siskel and Ebert had four thumbs, this would get a four thumbs up review.

"The Bricklayer" is a mystery/thriller that starts off fast and doesn't stop until the last page is read. This book will put Noah Boyd up with the likes of Harlan Coben, Lee Child, and Vince Flynn. I always anticipate a new book by these authors, and I can honestly say that I am anxiously waiting for the next book by Noah Boyd.

Steve Vail is an ex-FBI agent who is now making a living as a "Bricklayer". He has left the force because he has found himself at odds with his superiors and the bureaucratic red tape that it takes to get anything done.

He is called into service and given almost carte blance to do anything to solve a mystery that is plaguing the FBI. The FBI is being targeted as not only being inept, but some of its agents are being killed. The Bureau is also looking inward at itself to see if possibly one of their agents may be involved in the extortion.

Agents are being used as couriers for extortion money and are being put through unbelievable trials to deliver the money. The extortionists have them jumping through so many hoops it becomes next to impossible to get to them.

Steve, in several uncanny moves, goes against the grain and follows leads that are divergent from what leads the FBI are following. He is also caught between two women, Kate Bannon, who is an Assistant Director with the FBI, and Tye Delson, a prosecutor working for the FBI. Although Steve finds the going difficult he is determined to solve the mystery, even when there are several times it looks like the case has been solved. He just refuses to believe that there isn't more the the case than meets the eye.

The book comes to a thrilling climax when Steve discovers that a very unlikely person is behind the extortion, and that the extortion was not for money but for revenge.

"The Bricklayer" has it all, mystery, romance, fast action, deception, and one thrilling escapade after another. A "MUST" read for anyone who wants to stay up nights turning page after page to find out what happens next. (less)

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Mar 17, 2010 Leslie rated it 4 of 5 stars

If I am not mistaken in my information, this is Noah Boyd's first effort. At least, it is the first in, what I hope to become, a series. The premise is excellent. Former FBI agent, disillusioned with the beaurocracy of the agency, quits to become a bricklayer. He is an excellent bricklayer and also sculpts in his spare time. The former agent, Steve Vail, is at a bank one day when an attempt to rob the bank occurs. Vail saves the day and disappears into obscurity, but not without the notice of th...more

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Mar 07, 2010 Jackie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Having read several reviews of this book, I thought I knew pretty much what to expect when I turned the first page. One of the things I expected was that the book would be filled with the ubiquitous offensive language I seem to unerringly find. What a pleasant surprise. I don't remember a single profanity in the entire book.

And yet, the book was engaging, the interaction between the two main characters fun to witness and the action strong enough to merit my complete interest throughout.

I have ha...more

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Jan 31, 2010 Gail Cooke rated it 5 of 5 stars

Didn't get much sleep the other night because after reading the first pages of THE BRICKLAYER, I simply couldn't put it down. A former FBI agent who writes under the pseudonym Noah Boyd has crafted an intriguing suspense filled tale that ricochets from stunner to stunner and introduces an enigmatic yet affecting new hero, Steve Vail.

Vail is a former FBI agent who left the Bureau because he didn't care to take orders and was let go for insubordination. No one would have argued that he was one of...more
Didn't get much sleep the other night because after reading the first pages of THE BRICKLAYER, I simply couldn't put it down. A former FBI agent who writes under the pseudonym Noah Boyd has crafted an intriguing suspense filled tale that ricochets from stunner to stunner and introduces an enigmatic yet affecting new hero, Steve Vail.

Vail is a former FBI agent who left the Bureau because he didn't care to take orders and was let go for insubordination. No one would have argued that he was one of their best but he simply did not fit the expected mold. Vail has gone to Chicago where he makes a modest living as a bricklayer and sculpts in his spare time.

While Vail lays bricks the FBI is feeling heat - an attractive woman reporter who had "done the expose of the FBI and the United States attorney's office in Los Angeles" steps out of her shower and is shot dead. The killer places a blue piece of paper on her chest on which is written "Rubaco Pentad." Her death is followed by the murder of an FBI agent who has gone to deliver a million dollars in order to stop further killings. Who or what is behind the increasing demands for money and the killing of prominent citizens?

The FBI is stumped until Deputy Assistant Director Kate Bannon remembers Vail, and convinces her superiors that he may be the one, the only one who can help them. She goes to Vail's Chicago apartment and convinces him to come back for just one more case. Upon his return he has to put up with ambitious Bureau chiefs who aren't too happy to see him but more importantly he has to deal with the sinister Rubaco Pentad who have just demanded three million dollars and they want Vail to make the drop.

What follows is a series of heart stopping scenes in which Vail pits himself against a group who seem less interested in money than in killing him. Ingeniously laid traps make it clear that a mastermind is behind the Pentad, a mastermind who knows a great deal about how the FBI works and is out to disgrace the Bureau.

Noah Boyd spent 20 years with the FBI but went head to head with his superiors when he wrote a book "unflattering to the FBI." That wasn't all - he next wrote a magazine article detrimental to his boss. Sound familiar? That may well be one of the reasons why THE BRICKLAYER is so effective - Boyd writes of what he knows and does so with authenticity.

- Gail Cooke (less)

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Jan 30, 2010 Tony rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: thrillers

Boyd, Noah. THE BRICKLAYER. (2010). ****. This first novel from a former FBI agent earns a reluctant four stars, reluctant because of the incredible supermanishness of his hero, Steve Vail. Vail is now a bricklayer. He likes it. It relaxes him. He used to be an FBI agent, but was fired for insubordination. The bureau has sought him out, however, because they have a problem. They believe that one of their own is bent, and is somehow involved in a murder/extortion scheme that will put the Bureau i...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Kris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-group, suspense

Steve Vail has resigned himself to his dismissal and is content with his life as a bricklayer. But the FBI, especially Deputy Assistant Director Kate Bannon, needs help with a shadowy group that has initiated a brilliant extortion plot. The group will keep killing their targets until the agency pays them off, the amount and number of bodies escalating each time the FBI fails. One thing is clear: someone who knows a little too much about the inner workings of the Bureau is very clever — and very...more

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Apr 01, 2010 Tim Niland rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-reads

When Steve Vail is kicked out of the FBI for having a complete disrespect for authority, he thinks he is clear of the bureau forever. But after foiling a bank robbery in heroic fashion, the FBI re-hires him for one final mission. A shadowy criminal group has murdered several prominent public figures and threatens to kill more people unless the FBI pays a multi-million dollar ransom. The FBI hopes that Vail's superior man-tracking skills and outside the box thinking can solve the crime and save t...more

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Feb 28, 2013 Matt rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobook

Boyd’s debut novel is nothing earth shattering or off the charts, but has a quality to it that keeps the reader interested and involved. Using a recycled idea (former agent or cop contacted to assist anew) with some interesting spins on the development of both story and character, Boyd produces a book well worth the reader’s time. With twists and turns at every corner, the plot develops nicely and does not have too predictable a roadmap for the reader, which keeps things more interesting for all...more

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Apr 14, 2011 Bonnie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, los-angeles, thriller, chicago, washington-dc, 2011

Agent X, second book in this series (if one can call it series, when there's only been two) was recommended to me so I read it, not realizing when I started it that there was one that came before, this one, The Bricklayer. So, I think it wasn't as enjoyable for that reason alone.

I did like the character, Steve Vail, the FBI non-agent become agent become non-agent again, because he can't seem to acquiesce to authority despite the lives to possibly be lost and the ransom money to be lost. However,...more

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Feb 04, 2010 Tattered Cover Book Store added it

Shelves: from-the-indienext-list, jackie-recommends, staff-recommends

Jackie says:

This debut novel by Noah Boyd packs a punch—and happily it is the first of a planned series featuring non-conforming, irreverent ex-FBI agent Steve Vail, fired for insubordination but too valuable to forget. That's why Deputy Assistant Director Kate Bannon is sent to find him and enlist his help in an extortion case going horribly badly for them—bodies are piling up and it could just be that someone in the FBI is actually involved. Vail is just the sort of under-the -radar investigat...more

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Jun 02, 2011 Anna rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is one of those books (in my mind, like "Angels and Demons" and "The Da Vinci Code") where the puzzles and the procedures are the most compelling part of the book. The characterization of the protagonists Steve Vail and Kate Bannon is just absurd.

Case in Point: Vail was an FBI agent for all 3 years until he was fired for insubordination. Bannon is an assistant director in the FBI. When the two of them enter a darkened building in pursuit of someone, he instructs her how to proceed. ("Let yo...more This is one of those books (in my mind, like "Angels and Demons" and "The Da Vinci Code") where the puzzles and the procedures are the most compelling part of the book. The characterization of the protagonists Steve Vail and Kate Bannon is just absurd.

Case in Point: Vail was an FBI agent for all 3 years until he was fired for insubordination. Bannon is an assistant director in the FBI. When the two of them enter a darkened building in pursuit of someone, he instructs her how to proceed. ("Let your eyes adjust to the low light.")

Did they not go to the same FBI training school? Or is it just that, being female, she is prone to hysterics?

Vail seems to have some truly superhuman abilities. Like invisibility. At one point, the FBI is looking for him. They thought he was holed up in a movie theater, but he's really sleeping in his car. When he wakes up, after what he presumes to be "long enough for the FBI to have stopped searching the area," he drives away. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to assume that his rental vehicle is the ultimate in urban cameoflage or that the FBI only searches buildings once they realize that they've been tricked.

This is in addition to the time he saunters into the FBI HQ to borrow 3 million dollars from someone's desk drawer after he's been fired from the case AND how he sauntered back in afterward to return the money, only now taking enough time to construct a sophisticated model of a naval prison out of 4.98 million dollars. And super glue Bannon's office door shut for.... no good reason that I can discern.

Lesson Learned: When you used to work for the FBI, it's still cool to walk in, remove stuff from an assistant director's office (who will conveniently leave the lock combination in an unsecured location for you) and leave again. They're friendly like that.

He lays bricks for a living. He sculpts in his free time (oh, except faces because he has trust issues). He's caring, but with a capacity for violence. He's the only man in the world who can solve a sophisticated crime.(less)

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Dec 30, 2010 Kandice rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure, books-read-in-2010

This wasn't bad for a first book. I found the beginning a little confusing, especially why a killer who supposedly hates the FBI is killing off other people who hate the FBI. (I think it's a bad sign when the author realizes you're probably confused and has one of the characters ask the same questions you're probably asking.) After I finally figured out the premise, the rest of the book was decent. I liked Vail and Kate's interactions and am sure their relationship will carry forward. I found th...more

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Jul 25, 2011 Larry Hoffer added it

If you're looking for a thriller-type of book with lots of twists and turns, here's one for you. Noah Boyd, who wrote The Bricklayer, is a former FBI agent, and he has imbued the book with lots of insider details and verbiage that makes the story seem very authentic, even if the whole thing is a little far-fetched. (And not in a bad way.)

Steve Vail is a former FBI agent (had a little trouble with authority) now working as—I bet you guessed—a bricklayer. He comes back to the FBI's attention when...more

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Jun 19, 2009 Jackie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Jackie by: Tavia at HarperCollins

Shelves: series, work-review-related-reading

This debut novel by Noah Boyd packs a punch—and happily it is the first of a planned series featuring non-conforming, irreverent ex-FBI agent Steve Vail, fired for insubordination but too valuable to forget. That's why Deputy Assistant Director Kate Bannon is sent to find him and enlist his help in an extortion case going horribly badly for them—bodies are piling up and it could just be that someone in the FBI is actually involved. Vail is just the sort of under-the -radar investigator for the j...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Rene Natan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Most novels dealing with abduction and consequent blackmail involve the men of the law. Normally they introduce three players: the criminal, the victim and the police. The innovative aspect of Boyd’s thriller is that the author uses only two…because the delinquents blackmail the FBI itself!
The criminal association known as the Pentad asks million of dollars to refrain from killing high-profile people who had publicly criticized the FBI.
The Pentad sets up a number of red herrings to confuse and...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Nielson rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction, book-group, mystery

So I wasn't crazy about this book. It was chosen for book group and was a reader's choice but this genre isn't really my cup of tea. The plot was pretty far fetched with so many twists and turns that it was hard at times to keep things straight (but who knows, maybe stuff like this does happen in the FBI all the time?!) and Vail was a little too Jack Bauer/MacGyverish. BUT after going to book group I found that I actually liked the book a lot more. Lola did a lot of research on the types of weap...more

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Apr 05, 2011 Bobbi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Everything I look for in a detective/cop mystery.

The story was cleverly put together but didn't feel like a stretch, the characters were believable without being typecast. Some might say it is the opposite of all those things, but the reason, in my opinion, is because it follows an age-old formula and has the feeling of a Maltese Falcon-type story. And it does it well.

The dialogue was witty without being forced, and for once we had a female co-lead who was strong without trying to prove it and...more

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Jun 14, 2011 James rated it 4 of 5 stars

A really good investigative drama that had me on the edge of my seat. A fun read, that seemed to fly by it was so good, and definitely had that extra edge that makes a good book great.

There was only one flaw that I found with this , and even then it could be read as being a good point: I sometimes gound myself skipping the descriptive parts of the narrative to the action and dialogue, this resulted in me missing a good 5th of the book. However, this does show how exciting the action and plot was...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Russell Atkinson rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Russell by: Santa Clara County Library

My three stars is on the generous side for this one, but the author passed away in 2011 and as an ex-FBI agent myself, I feel generous toward him - or his family. To trot out my high school French, the badinage and sexual frisson between the main characters is first-rate. I enjoyed it all the way through. You keep asking yourself, when are these two going to hook up? The plot was preposterous, but perhaps not much more so that the average thriller. The plot is overly crammed with booby traps and...more

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Jan 06, 2011 Carol rated it 3 of 5 stars

This novel, written by former FBI agent Noah Boyd, introduces character Steve Vail, renegade former FBI agent. He is called from his current trade--bricklayer--to work on an elaborate extortion case. Critics of the FBI are murdered one by one while the agency receives messages that the sensational killings will continue until the FBI pays 3 million dollars. Vail is led on a "mind-bending maze of clues and traps inside a nonstop thrill ride," as the publisher says. The mazes are preposterous, but...more

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May 21, 2012 Melanie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: slco-rc

This is a very "meh" book. I liked the life-sized puzzles that had to be solved, but none of the characters seemed real. Kate especially was very bland. The dialogue was very stilted and odd. There was no chemistry between Kate and Steve, so I couldn't get into that angle. I thought the most intriguing character was Tye, but she didn't feel real. It just seemed like maybe she had layers like a real person. The layers were never explored, but they might possibly have been there. Also, for a thril...more

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Sep 28, 2010 Richard rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Jack Reacher fans; people who like mysteries and action.

Recommended to Richard by: I read a review.

The author is a former FBI agent writing about a fictional former agent who does not play well with others.

Steve Vail is recruited by the Director to solve a crime against the FBI with two agents being killed among some civilians, and the Agency being extorted for millions of dollars.

In a complex plot to deliver the payoffs, Steve is in grave danger many times, but is able to pull through by his amazing intellect and physical strength. His evil opponent is a worthy villain.

A new hero for Jack Re...more

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Apr 21, 2012 Qazyman rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Bricklayer
by Noah Boyd 3.5

A well intended crime thriller. I thought of Thomas Harris, Michael Connelly, and Harry Bosch as I read this novel. While Noah Boyd’s first "Bricklayer" novel isn’t in a class with these writings he does try very hard, and sometimes an Author trying very hard is just as enjoyable. I look forward to reading the second book in the series, and am saddened by the fact that there will be only two.

As the FBI faces a relentless killer, Deputy Assistant Director Kate Banno...more

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Thriller

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Mystery

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Suspense

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Thriller > Mystery Thriller

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Mystery > Crime

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Adult Fiction

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About Noah Boyd

Noah Boyd was the pseudonym Paul Lindsay, of a former FBI agent who spent more than twenty years working on some of the Bureau's toughest investigations, including the Green River Killer case and the Highland Park Strangler case (which he's credited with solving).

The first book in his Steve Vail series, The Bricklayer, was published in 2010. The second, Agent X, was published in February 2011. Boy...more

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The Bricklayer (Steve Vail #1)

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