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Executive Actions
"The best political thriller I have read in a long time, right up there with the very best of David Baldacci." -Michael Palmer, bestselling author of THE SOCIETY
"Grossman has done a lot of research on everything from political infighting to clandestine military operations, and he manages to hold reader interest right up to the inevitable conclusion." -Publisher's Weekly
An assassin takes aim at a Presidential candidate during a primary stump speech. The instant he pulls the trigger, the outcome of the election is irrevocably changed. But Democrat Teddy Lodge, an upcoming media sweetheart, isn't killed. His wife is. As a result, Lodge emerges as the man to beat and the greatest threat to the incumbent President, Morgan Taylor. Under a specific directive from the President, Special Service Agent Scott Roarke delves into the case and begins to unravel a deadly plot that incubated for more than 30 years; designed to alter America's allegiances in the Middle East. From the very first page, Executive Actions culls events from today's headlines intersecting with a scenario that's shockingly real: An insidious plot hatched in the old days of the Soviet Union continues to grow to fruition in the hands of a power hungry Middle East heir to the throne. At its core, a sleeper is awakened to take a prominent role in American Life. Executive Actions is a tense political thriller; an election year page-turner, where both the Presidency and the Constitution are at stake.
"Grossman has done a lot of research on everything from political infighting to clandestine military operations, and he manages to hold reader interest right up to the inevitable conclusion." -Publisher's Weekly
An assassin takes aim at a Presidential candidate during a primary stump speech. The instant he pulls the trigger, the outcome of the election is irrevocably changed. But Democrat Teddy Lodge, an upcoming media sweetheart, isn't killed. His wife is. As a result, Lodge emerges as the man to beat and the greatest threat to the incumbent President, Morgan Taylor. Under a specific directive from the President, Special Service Agent Scott Roarke delves into the case and begins to unravel a deadly plot that incubated for more than 30 years; designed to alter America's allegiances in the Middle East. From the very first page, Executive Actions culls events from today's headlines intersecting with a scenario that's shockingly real: An insidious plot hatched in the old days of the Soviet Union continues to grow to fruition in the hands of a power hungry Middle East heir to the throne. At its core, a sleeper is awakened to take a prominent role in American Life. Executive Actions is a tense political thriller; an election year page-turner, where both the Presidency and the Constitution are at stake.
560 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2004
287 people are currently reading
681 people want to read
About the author
Gary Grossman
18 books61 followersGary Grossman, author of EXECUTIVE ACTIONS, EXECUTIVE TREASON, and EXECUTIVE COMMAND, is a print and television journalist, an Emmy Award-winning network television producer, and a film and TV historian.
His career has included stints producing for NBC News, ABC, CBS NBC, Fox, PBS, and more than 27 cable networks.
Grossman is partner with Robb Weller in Weller/Grossman Productions, a prolific documentary and service and information television production company. Together, they have produced more than 6,000 programs and earned numerous awards including the prestigious Governor's Emmy Award for their 1996 USA Network special, "Healing the Hate," and an Emmy for Best Informational series with the 2002 production of "Wolfgang Puck" for Food Network.
The company's widely recognized series and specials have aired on NBC, Fox News, CNBC, History Channel, A&E, Discovery Channel, Food Network, Discovery Health, National Geographic Channel, HGTV, Fine Living, Do It Yourself, The Learning Channel, USA Network, and Sci Fi Channel, among other channels.
Grossman earned a Bachelors Degree in Communications from Emerson College in Boston and a Master's Degree in Urban Affairs from Boston University.
He began his career at 15 as a disc jockey at WHUC, his local radio station in Hudson, New York. He went on to work at Boston television station, WBZ; joined The Boston Globe as a special contributor, and then became a full-time television critic and columnist at The Boston Herald American, before moving to Los Angeles. His articles have also appeared in The New York Times and numerous magazines. He has taught journalism and media classes at Emerson College, Boston University, and USC. Grossman's two previous acclaimed non-fiction books, Superman: Serial to Cereal and Saturday Morning TV, cover television history.
Grossman lives in Los Angeles with his wife, writer Helene Seifer, and their children Sasha, Zachary, and Jacob. He serves on the Emerson College Board of Trustees and the Boston University Metropolitan Advisory Board. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers Association.
His career has included stints producing for NBC News, ABC, CBS NBC, Fox, PBS, and more than 27 cable networks.
Grossman is partner with Robb Weller in Weller/Grossman Productions, a prolific documentary and service and information television production company. Together, they have produced more than 6,000 programs and earned numerous awards including the prestigious Governor's Emmy Award for their 1996 USA Network special, "Healing the Hate," and an Emmy for Best Informational series with the 2002 production of "Wolfgang Puck" for Food Network.
The company's widely recognized series and specials have aired on NBC, Fox News, CNBC, History Channel, A&E, Discovery Channel, Food Network, Discovery Health, National Geographic Channel, HGTV, Fine Living, Do It Yourself, The Learning Channel, USA Network, and Sci Fi Channel, among other channels.
Grossman earned a Bachelors Degree in Communications from Emerson College in Boston and a Master's Degree in Urban Affairs from Boston University.
He began his career at 15 as a disc jockey at WHUC, his local radio station in Hudson, New York. He went on to work at Boston television station, WBZ; joined The Boston Globe as a special contributor, and then became a full-time television critic and columnist at The Boston Herald American, before moving to Los Angeles. His articles have also appeared in The New York Times and numerous magazines. He has taught journalism and media classes at Emerson College, Boston University, and USC. Grossman's two previous acclaimed non-fiction books, Superman: Serial to Cereal and Saturday Morning TV, cover television history.
Grossman lives in Los Angeles with his wife, writer Helene Seifer, and their children Sasha, Zachary, and Jacob. He serves on the Emerson College Board of Trustees and the Boston University Metropolitan Advisory Board. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers Association.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
June 13, 2019
3.5 stars rounded up.
This is a fast paced political thriller. It was written in 2004, but given the subject matter, a hostile foreign country tries to influence the outcome of a presidential election, it felt like I was reading today’s newspaper. The Mueller Report meets The Manchurian Candidate. There are some interesting twists, especially regarding one of the candidates and a mysterious hit man. The characters are well portrayed and fairly interesting. The plot is good, although I figured out some parts fairly easily. It is well written in that the pages almost turn themselves.
But there are big disappointments in the book. There are a lot of typos, weird sentences that should have been written better, (Does recognize the Court have any constitutional authority that prevents the Chief Justice from administrating the Oath if Office...) and at one point the author refers to the Director of the FBI as Robert Mueller instead of by the character’s name of Robert Mulligan. Oops! And there are badly written sex scenes, supposedly imagining what a woman is feeling during sex that frankly, only a man would write. A clueless man.
The book ends satisfactorily, but there is a sequel that picks up the story about 6 months later. I just started it and although I expect to enjoy the story, I hope it has a better editor and proofreader.
If you can overlook the editing and proofreading mistakes, this is a pretty good political thriller.
This is a fast paced political thriller. It was written in 2004, but given the subject matter, a hostile foreign country tries to influence the outcome of a presidential election, it felt like I was reading today’s newspaper. The Mueller Report meets The Manchurian Candidate. There are some interesting twists, especially regarding one of the candidates and a mysterious hit man. The characters are well portrayed and fairly interesting. The plot is good, although I figured out some parts fairly easily. It is well written in that the pages almost turn themselves.
But there are big disappointments in the book. There are a lot of typos, weird sentences that should have been written better, (Does recognize the Court have any constitutional authority that prevents the Chief Justice from administrating the Oath if Office...) and at one point the author refers to the Director of the FBI as Robert Mueller instead of by the character’s name of Robert Mulligan. Oops! And there are badly written sex scenes, supposedly imagining what a woman is feeling during sex that frankly, only a man would write. A clueless man.
The book ends satisfactorily, but there is a sequel that picks up the story about 6 months later. I just started it and although I expect to enjoy the story, I hope it has a better editor and proofreader.
If you can overlook the editing and proofreading mistakes, this is a pretty good political thriller.
January 10, 2014
Suppose the president elect is actually a sleeper planted by the old Soviet Union 30 years ago? Only now these sleepers are being controlled by rogue members of Libya.
That is the premise of Gary Grossman’s Executive Actions, the first of a series featuring Scott Roarke as the president’s ‘go to’ guy for trouble shooting and problem solving. The plot combines a couple of oldies but goodies, Flynn’s Act of Treason and Nelson DeMille’s Charm School. I’m sure there have been others with the same theme, but those two came to mind while reading this novel.
For the fans of the late Vince Flynn and Mike Lawson, I think you might see the Roarke character as I did, a little of Rapp and a little of Joe DeMarco.
All in all, a very good read for those who like political thrillers as well as procedurals in trying to identify and chase down the assassin.
That is the premise of Gary Grossman’s Executive Actions, the first of a series featuring Scott Roarke as the president’s ‘go to’ guy for trouble shooting and problem solving. The plot combines a couple of oldies but goodies, Flynn’s Act of Treason and Nelson DeMille’s Charm School. I’m sure there have been others with the same theme, but those two came to mind while reading this novel.
For the fans of the late Vince Flynn and Mike Lawson, I think you might see the Roarke character as I did, a little of Rapp and a little of Joe DeMarco.
All in all, a very good read for those who like political thrillers as well as procedurals in trying to identify and chase down the assassin.
May 24, 2014
Great thriller with more twist and turns than Lombard Street in San Francisco! A definite must read!
June 28, 2012
In this superb offering from Emmy Award-winning television producer and print and television journalist Gary Grossman, readers find a story of a decades old plot that is thrust into action by a power hungry heir to the Libyian throne. Spies lurk everywhere and a dangerous assassin is working to tie up loose ends.
Grossman does a fine job in creating Scott Roarke and the numerous other characters filling the pages of Executive Actions. He digs deep and comes up with a winner. His sense of setting and pace create a thrilling tone for the book. It's a can't put down until you get to the last page kind of novel. There are a lot of characters to keep track of and several new characters are introduce in the later half of the book as cabinet members of the current administration and military personnel for a mission, but Grossman's style allows the reader to keep up and keep track of everything. I did, however, have one challenge with the book. Details are important, but when a reader is forced to work through extraneous details for fear of missing anything, it takes a tiny bit away from the experience. For example, does the reader need to know the details of how the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution were proposed and ratified? Now, there's a good reason Katie, an attorney and Scott's girlfriend, is reading the U.S. Constitution, but how the Bill of Rights was proposed and ratified isn't important to her discovery. And just like the lengthy, although tastefully handled, sex scenes, I want to move on and find the clue (the detail) that matters most in order for me to figure out the puzzle alongside Roarke.
Executive Actions is an intriguing, suspense-filled thriller. Grossman has created a plot that could play out in American today--and it's frightening to think about it.
Grossman does a fine job in creating Scott Roarke and the numerous other characters filling the pages of Executive Actions. He digs deep and comes up with a winner. His sense of setting and pace create a thrilling tone for the book. It's a can't put down until you get to the last page kind of novel. There are a lot of characters to keep track of and several new characters are introduce in the later half of the book as cabinet members of the current administration and military personnel for a mission, but Grossman's style allows the reader to keep up and keep track of everything. I did, however, have one challenge with the book. Details are important, but when a reader is forced to work through extraneous details for fear of missing anything, it takes a tiny bit away from the experience. For example, does the reader need to know the details of how the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution were proposed and ratified? Now, there's a good reason Katie, an attorney and Scott's girlfriend, is reading the U.S. Constitution, but how the Bill of Rights was proposed and ratified isn't important to her discovery. And just like the lengthy, although tastefully handled, sex scenes, I want to move on and find the clue (the detail) that matters most in order for me to figure out the puzzle alongside Roarke.
Executive Actions is an intriguing, suspense-filled thriller. Grossman has created a plot that could play out in American today--and it's frightening to think about it.
March 8, 2023
What a heart-pounding, keep you guessing wild ride.
I grew up under the ever-present scenario of war with Russia, I watched as Reagan said "Trust, but verify", I watched communism slowly crumble and Mikhail Gorbachev cause "Gorby-lock" in NYC when he came to visit. There was always whispers of the KGB/FSB having a school devoted to teaching young children/young adults to become Americanized to infiltrate our society and bring it down from the inside.
Executive Actions takes this premise and explores what could happen if that actually happened. Mr. Grossman's story is terrifying in its ramifications.
Bad guys abound, good guys trying to keep up and legal knots all make this an exhilarating and horrifying read.
From the Oval Office of the White House, commuter trains of the Northeast, law offices of Boston, beaches of Florida, mosques of the Middle East, CIA headquarters, to the newsroom of the New York Times, this story hops the globe bringing to life how fragile our democracy could be.
What a heart pounding read and a heart stopping climax. Bravo Mr. Grossman.
Recommend?
I recommend this to everyone! Boomers, Gen X, Millennials - everyone will get something from this geopolitical thriller.
This review appeared on my website.
Disclaimer
I received via the OverDrive/Libby app from the Harris County Library system. It was read as a Kindle Book.
I grew up under the ever-present scenario of war with Russia, I watched as Reagan said "Trust, but verify", I watched communism slowly crumble and Mikhail Gorbachev cause "Gorby-lock" in NYC when he came to visit. There was always whispers of the KGB/FSB having a school devoted to teaching young children/young adults to become Americanized to infiltrate our society and bring it down from the inside.
Executive Actions takes this premise and explores what could happen if that actually happened. Mr. Grossman's story is terrifying in its ramifications.
Bad guys abound, good guys trying to keep up and legal knots all make this an exhilarating and horrifying read.
From the Oval Office of the White House, commuter trains of the Northeast, law offices of Boston, beaches of Florida, mosques of the Middle East, CIA headquarters, to the newsroom of the New York Times, this story hops the globe bringing to life how fragile our democracy could be.
What a heart pounding read and a heart stopping climax. Bravo Mr. Grossman.
Recommend?
I recommend this to everyone! Boomers, Gen X, Millennials - everyone will get something from this geopolitical thriller.
This review appeared on my website.
Disclaimer
I received via the OverDrive/Libby app from the Harris County Library system. It was read as a Kindle Book.
September 20, 2014
As soon as I passed page 100 I was sure I am going to rate the book with 5 stars. I kept enjoying it, with the same enthusiasm till page 200. But then I started to realize two things. First one, was that the author seemed to be confused, regarding his writing. Many chapters looked more like Wikipedia rather than a suspense book. Long detailed description, that had nothing to do with the main story, and could be easily skipped without interfering with the main story.
Second problem was the way the story was outlined. Too many events scattered in too many places. The story jumped from one event to the other, and the reader start losing the story sequence.
So at that point, I felt the book deserved not more than 4 Stars. At page 300 it became too ridicules. I mean things like the president of the USA is flying an F18 for 9 hours into the Mediterranean Sea. Landing on a Carrier in the middle of the night.. Come on, Give me a break..
At that point it became a straggle to finish the remaining 100 pages, with more ridicules events.
Just because 50% of the book was good and I enjoyed it, I decided to rate it as 3 Stars (2 Stars if I wouldn't have finished it.)
The main Character of the book. A secret agent seems to be OK. Maybe I'll try the 2nd book with the same main hero.
Second problem was the way the story was outlined. Too many events scattered in too many places. The story jumped from one event to the other, and the reader start losing the story sequence.
So at that point, I felt the book deserved not more than 4 Stars. At page 300 it became too ridicules. I mean things like the president of the USA is flying an F18 for 9 hours into the Mediterranean Sea. Landing on a Carrier in the middle of the night.. Come on, Give me a break..
At that point it became a straggle to finish the remaining 100 pages, with more ridicules events.
Just because 50% of the book was good and I enjoyed it, I decided to rate it as 3 Stars (2 Stars if I wouldn't have finished it.)
The main Character of the book. A secret agent seems to be OK. Maybe I'll try the 2nd book with the same main hero.
June 25, 2012
My review:
Executive Actions by Gary Grossman is a good political thriller which was well-written, it features solid and complex characters and a plot that makes you turn the pages quicker that you realize. I enjoyed the writing style and the surprises in the story
The story starts with assassination of a Presidential candidate during the campaign and suddenly several forces are involved, the current president, Special Service agents, an attractive attorney, sleeper agents and many others. As soon as the trigger is pulled, the story takes an incredible pace and it's over way too soon. When you turn the last page, you want more and that is a good sign in my book.
I enjoyed the characters and I loved that one of the main characters was a strong woman which is rarity in a good political thriller. I also loved the writing style - it was very visual! The author took the writing to a level where reading was like watching a movie and I truly enjoyed that.
I would highly recommend Executive Actions, it's a great thriller, it has fascinating story and interesting characters!
Executive Actions by Gary Grossman is a good political thriller which was well-written, it features solid and complex characters and a plot that makes you turn the pages quicker that you realize. I enjoyed the writing style and the surprises in the story
The story starts with assassination of a Presidential candidate during the campaign and suddenly several forces are involved, the current president, Special Service agents, an attractive attorney, sleeper agents and many others. As soon as the trigger is pulled, the story takes an incredible pace and it's over way too soon. When you turn the last page, you want more and that is a good sign in my book.
I enjoyed the characters and I loved that one of the main characters was a strong woman which is rarity in a good political thriller. I also loved the writing style - it was very visual! The author took the writing to a level where reading was like watching a movie and I truly enjoyed that.
I would highly recommend Executive Actions, it's a great thriller, it has fascinating story and interesting characters!
June 10, 2017
Executive Summary: Gary Grossman’s EXECUTIVE ACTIONS is one fantastic political thriller. No hyperbole, this is a read you just won’t want to put down. It’s exciting and full of twists and turns, exactly what I want in the thriller novels I enjoy reading. Full of good guys and bad guys alike. Only one problem: you can’t tell the good guys from the bad guys. Who’s doing what to whom? And why? You’ll have to read EXECUTIVE ACTIONS to find out. You’ll be happy you did. More good news for new Grossman fans: This well-crafted piece of fiction is but the first in a series. There’s more good reads in store for you! And did I say fiction? This story’s no less believable than what our real world political leaders are exhibiting today.
May 29, 2012
This book was great. Teddy Lodge the running hopeful reminds me alot of stories about Robert Kennedy. While he is speaking in NY someone tries to kill him and ends up killing his wife. We also learn that tragedy has been striking Teddy everywhere he goes. This book bounces around between the Middle East and USA. As Roarke delves into the case we learn alot about Teddy Lodge’s life and what has happened to him over time. We also hear about President Morgan Taylor who is very afraid of Teddy Lodge and loosing the presidency. This book was full of suspense and a definite thriller anyone will love!
November 3, 2014
Oh dear! A real book of two halves. So distinct it could have been two authors!
I really enjoyed the first half. A decent plot and interesting characters but from then on it just descended into puerile nonsense. A quiet unbelievable follow through plot and girly narrative from the "hard man" lead character.
It appears that modern day best selling authors have replaced intrigue and suspense with shock and awe with a PC edge. Very disappointed with this and can't see me reading any more of the series.
Felt the same over recent dips into Camilla Lackberg and Val McDermid. Where to next I wonder?
I really enjoyed the first half. A decent plot and interesting characters but from then on it just descended into puerile nonsense. A quiet unbelievable follow through plot and girly narrative from the "hard man" lead character.
It appears that modern day best selling authors have replaced intrigue and suspense with shock and awe with a PC edge. Very disappointed with this and can't see me reading any more of the series.
Felt the same over recent dips into Camilla Lackberg and Val McDermid. Where to next I wonder?
July 16, 2012
Great book. Author dragged it out a lot with excessive background information allowing me to guess the outcome, but I enjoyed it and will probably buy the next one.
March 28, 2017
The 3 "Executive ..." Books by Gary Grossman were the best books I have read in 12 months
June 11, 2013
Really enjoyed the first book in the trilogy. Looking forward to reading the other two.
October 19, 2015
Overall, I really enjoyed this. Had some minor issues, but liked the ending.
July 14, 2017
I received a free copy of Executive Actions in exchange for an honest review.
This is one of the best mystery novels I’ve read. Any reader who craves intense political intrigue, international drama, and detailed plotting of the American election system will be swept away with Executive Actions. Gary Grossman obviously has in-depth knowledge of the numerous levels of the American government and layers of national security agencies. Not being an American, I felt overwhelmed in trying to keep pace with the story’s complexity related to the American structure. However, as the novel has the ‘x-ray’ feature, I could retrieve information easily and quickly.
The characters were interesting and diverse. In fact, it gave me a fair amount of trepidation to be pushed into the mind of some really nasty dudes. They were the most lethal and cold blooded characters I’ve come across in a while. I was grateful for the characters of Roarke and Kessler who nicely heated up the pages with their playful flirting …. etc. Even though those two added some fun to the story, they also were key to solving the mystery via their guts, resourcefulness, and higher than common intelligence.
Executive Actions has been perfectly edited. However, I would have preferred less detail. The back story of Libya and other scenes slowed down the plot. What kind of weapon, the details about the aircraft was not important to me. Other readers may disagree. The upside of including a lot of specific information of scenes and action meant that I was never confused about what was happening.
The best part I enjoyed about Executive Actions was trying to sort out the Arab connection with the American election. Given the current controversy regarding President Trump’s possible liaison with Russia, the story is timely and makes me wonder how much nasty stuff goes on we never know about – perhaps thankfully.
The downside of Executive Action for me was that the plot moved along too slow. I skipped over paragraphs or didn’t pay close attention to other scenes. Details such as how the technician aged the image of a person was irrelevant. I know that can be done, but I don’t care how it’s done. The one other beef I had was the inclusion of a lay reporter on the final mission. It didn’t feel realistic.
Executive Actions is a great mystery story. On that basis, I give it five stars.
This is one of the best mystery novels I’ve read. Any reader who craves intense political intrigue, international drama, and detailed plotting of the American election system will be swept away with Executive Actions. Gary Grossman obviously has in-depth knowledge of the numerous levels of the American government and layers of national security agencies. Not being an American, I felt overwhelmed in trying to keep pace with the story’s complexity related to the American structure. However, as the novel has the ‘x-ray’ feature, I could retrieve information easily and quickly.
The characters were interesting and diverse. In fact, it gave me a fair amount of trepidation to be pushed into the mind of some really nasty dudes. They were the most lethal and cold blooded characters I’ve come across in a while. I was grateful for the characters of Roarke and Kessler who nicely heated up the pages with their playful flirting …. etc. Even though those two added some fun to the story, they also were key to solving the mystery via their guts, resourcefulness, and higher than common intelligence.
Executive Actions has been perfectly edited. However, I would have preferred less detail. The back story of Libya and other scenes slowed down the plot. What kind of weapon, the details about the aircraft was not important to me. Other readers may disagree. The upside of including a lot of specific information of scenes and action meant that I was never confused about what was happening.
The best part I enjoyed about Executive Actions was trying to sort out the Arab connection with the American election. Given the current controversy regarding President Trump’s possible liaison with Russia, the story is timely and makes me wonder how much nasty stuff goes on we never know about – perhaps thankfully.
The downside of Executive Action for me was that the plot moved along too slow. I skipped over paragraphs or didn’t pay close attention to other scenes. Details such as how the technician aged the image of a person was irrelevant. I know that can be done, but I don’t care how it’s done. The one other beef I had was the inclusion of a lay reporter on the final mission. It didn’t feel realistic.
Executive Actions is a great mystery story. On that basis, I give it five stars.
July 24, 2017
In Executive Actions, author Gary Grossman weaves a riveting political thriller that will captivate the reader's attention, and keep them sitting on the edge of their seats.
Executive Actions is a multi-layered fast paced tale that is masterfully interwoven with domestic and international intrigue; secrets, deception, and hidden agendas; political posturing, plots, threats, and enough surprising twists and turns that transports the reader into the fascinating world of politics and terrorism. The author easily engages the reader to follow ex-Army Special Ops Commando and current Secret Service Agent Scott Roarke's assignment to uncover who was behind the botched assassination attempt on Congressman Teddy Lodge's life ... only to uncover a more dangerous and serious plot by a hostile foreign power to overtake the US presidency.
The reader follows along as Scott is caught up in the middle of a dangerous web of political threats and deceit as this realistic story unfolds. This is an exciting and dramatic story that will keep the reader guessing who is behind the foreign plot until all the puzzle pieces are put together, and the explosive truth is unveiled in this dangerous international cat and mouse game.
As a fan of political thrillers, I really enjoyed how the author transports the reader into the fascinating inner workings of the domestic and international political world. When you add in the suspense and danger of the plot on the US presidency, you get an explosive story that takes you on one hell of a thrill ride, and a book that you won't be able to put down!
Executive Action is the first book in the Executive Series.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via Net Galley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours.
https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspo...
Executive Actions is a multi-layered fast paced tale that is masterfully interwoven with domestic and international intrigue; secrets, deception, and hidden agendas; political posturing, plots, threats, and enough surprising twists and turns that transports the reader into the fascinating world of politics and terrorism. The author easily engages the reader to follow ex-Army Special Ops Commando and current Secret Service Agent Scott Roarke's assignment to uncover who was behind the botched assassination attempt on Congressman Teddy Lodge's life ... only to uncover a more dangerous and serious plot by a hostile foreign power to overtake the US presidency.
The reader follows along as Scott is caught up in the middle of a dangerous web of political threats and deceit as this realistic story unfolds. This is an exciting and dramatic story that will keep the reader guessing who is behind the foreign plot until all the puzzle pieces are put together, and the explosive truth is unveiled in this dangerous international cat and mouse game.
As a fan of political thrillers, I really enjoyed how the author transports the reader into the fascinating inner workings of the domestic and international political world. When you add in the suspense and danger of the plot on the US presidency, you get an explosive story that takes you on one hell of a thrill ride, and a book that you won't be able to put down!
Executive Action is the first book in the Executive Series.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via Net Galley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours.
https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspo...
June 8, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. It was well crafted with believable characters and a timely plot. At times I felt like I was reading the background story to today's headlines. I am not much of a conspiracy buff but I was intrigued by this novel. The plot was realistic, with a planned takeover of the U.S. government seeming entirely possible.
Grossman did a great job of combining information and suspense. I learned much about the constitution and its instructions on the transfer of presidential powers. I really like it when I gain some knowledge reading fiction, especially when it is expertly woven into the plot.
I highly recommend this novel. It has a believable plot that is full of suspense. The characters are realistic and captivating. Readers who enjoy Tom Clancy and Vince Flynn novels will enjoy this one.
I was a little disappointed this novel contains offensive language and casual sex.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.
Grossman did a great job of combining information and suspense. I learned much about the constitution and its instructions on the transfer of presidential powers. I really like it when I gain some knowledge reading fiction, especially when it is expertly woven into the plot.
I highly recommend this novel. It has a believable plot that is full of suspense. The characters are realistic and captivating. Readers who enjoy Tom Clancy and Vince Flynn novels will enjoy this one.
I was a little disappointed this novel contains offensive language and casual sex.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.
July 20, 2017
Gary Grossman has a wild imagination and you, the reader, are the beneficiary. I figured out who did it and why pretty early in the book. You probably will, too, and that’s okay. It’s the HOW it was done and the race to stop it before it’s too late that makes this thriller shine. The multi-layered plot contained enough intriguing twists and surprises along the way to keep me hooked and turning pages long into the night. And Scott Roarke is a likable and well-rounded character who I expect to see grow as the series continues.
Executive Actions sets up the series nicely, leaving you satisfied with the ending, but wanting to see more from these characters. I have already purchased and added the next books in the series to by TBR pile!
This review was first published at lazydaybooks dot com.
Executive Actions sets up the series nicely, leaving you satisfied with the ending, but wanting to see more from these characters. I have already purchased and added the next books in the series to by TBR pile!
This review was first published at lazydaybooks dot com.
November 21, 2024
This is a story which follows Teddy Lodge on his quest to become the President of the United States. It begins with a rally in Hudson NY where a single event will change his fortunes. He goes from being an underdog to the one that is now favored to get the Democratic nomination.
With Teddy's rise, Morgan Taylor, POTUS tasks Scott Roarke to look into the background of Teddy. Read along as Scott's search is not able to learn much and find out who helps him along the way. Discover what other activity is going on behind the schemes which will have a major impact on who becomes the President, Morgon again or Teddy.
The ending is well done and will provide all of the answers to all of the questions that may be in your mind.
This is a great lead for "The Executive Series" and will make you anxious to read the next book. Don't miss it!
With Teddy's rise, Morgan Taylor, POTUS tasks Scott Roarke to look into the background of Teddy. Read along as Scott's search is not able to learn much and find out who helps him along the way. Discover what other activity is going on behind the schemes which will have a major impact on who becomes the President, Morgon again or Teddy.
The ending is well done and will provide all of the answers to all of the questions that may be in your mind.
This is a great lead for "The Executive Series" and will make you anxious to read the next book. Don't miss it!
June 5, 2022
Interesting story and premise, but it was to easy to anticipate the primary secret which was the impetus for the following actions. When the reader knows what is happening long before the protagonist suspects it, there is a weakness in the plot. Combine that with the total lack of competent proofreading and the distractions become laughable. There was still enough interesting action to generally hold my attention. I’ll be a lot more generous with three stars than would any of my English teachers from long ago. I doubt that any of them would give it more than one. Finishing the book would probably be interesting only if they were on a quest to count grammar, spelling and other general errors.
March 3, 2019
Executive actions, despite is somewhat farfetched plot, is a good story which is written in an enticing way. It draws you in like many modern novels wanting you to unravel the different plotlines.
The plot is a little hard to believe but never wanders into the impossible.
Good details on law, military and state structure which are understandable for non US-citizans.
A book that can rivel with others in its genre.
The plot is a little hard to believe but never wanders into the impossible.
Good details on law, military and state structure which are understandable for non US-citizans.
A book that can rivel with others in its genre.
April 18, 2025
Enthralling Read!
This is the first book in Mr. Grossman’s “Executive Series” of books. If the rest of his books are as enthralling as this one, I am eager to read them all. I absolutely love the characters and their interaction and I hope they remain throughout the series of books.
This is the first book in Mr. Grossman’s “Executive Series” of books. If the rest of his books are as enthralling as this one, I am eager to read them all. I absolutely love the characters and their interaction and I hope they remain throughout the series of books.
November 9, 2025
Exhausted from a week of prep for today’s community wide concert I was in charge of I went to bed early. Found myself still awake at 3 am. Interesting and creative story about what appeared to be two political party candidates and their teams but was so much more. (Can’t spoil it for you). A bit of romance. All kinds of characters. Excellent. Already downloaded the next one.
January 26, 2019
This is the first book of Mr. Grossman that I read, and its really really good!. A long sought thriller that filled gap in my heart after left by Forsyth and Clancy's works. I hope Grossman will stay there.
April 27, 2020
This book is a lot of fun. For me, the best part was the setting in my home town. It was clear that the author had done his research. There were a lot of characters, which was sometimes confusing, but overall it was a enjoyable read.
May 5, 2022
Quite Excellent! The first book I've read from this author and I couldn't put it down. Even though the timing was 2004, everything this author wrote can certainly apply today. I look forward to the next three books in the Executive series.
Nicely done.
Nicely done.
November 8, 2025
A story as current as todays headlines
Grossman has his finger on today’s political dirty actions. Is it art imitates life or life imitates art? You decide as the master storyteller Grossman spins his tale. Enjoy!
Grossman has his finger on today’s political dirty actions. Is it art imitates life or life imitates art? You decide as the master storyteller Grossman spins his tale. Enjoy!
May 19, 2019
Excellent thriller, reminds me of books written by Andrew Gross. Looking forward to the 2nd book
June 28, 2019
A fantastic read.
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