Sympathy For The Devil

James Hicks #1

by Terrence P. McCauley, Terrence McCauley

James Hicks has been a ghost for nearly a quarter century, except to those few Assets who know him as the director of one of the most clandestine intelligence agencies in the world: The University. Hicks has every weapon and intelligence capability known to man at his disposal. Living by the motto, "preparation is paramount", he has made a career of bending the strongest people in the world to his iron will. Yet he is blindsided when Jason, the smartest and deadliest agent under his command goes rogue. Surviving an attack on his life, Hicks realizes that Jason is connected to an Asset who has access to some of the deadliest biological weapons ever created, including the Ebola virus, and threatens to unleash them on the American population. Hicks must use his considerable resources to discover who turned the agent and why before a deadly biological plot is unleashed that could bring the world into a new era of chaos and anarchy. A fast-paced contemporary thriller calls to mind classics like The Day of the Jackal; Terrence McCauley has crafted a riveting novel of espionage that will immediately raise him to the forefront of our very best spy novelists.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Mystery, Audiobook

352 pages, Paperback

First published July 6, 2015

About the author

Author also writes under Terrence McCauley

Terrence McCauley is an award-winning writer of Thrillers, Crime Fiction and Westerns.
His first two Aaron Mackey westerns (WHERE THE BULLETS FLY and DARK TERRITORY), published by Pinnacle, were finalists for the Western Writers of America’s Silver Spur Award. WHERE THE BULLETS FLY won the Western Fictioneers Award for Best Novel in 2018. The third and fourth books in the series, GET OUT OF TOWN and THE DARK SUNRISE, were published in 2020.

Terrence has also written three stand-alone novels for the successful Ralph Compton Series at Berkeley. THE KELLY TRAIL and RIDE THE HAMMER DOWN were published in 2020, with STAGECOACH TO HELL released in 2021.

Terrence is also the author of the acclaimed University Series, which includes: THE FAIRFAX INCIDENT, A CONSPIRACY OF RAVENS, A MURDER OF CROWS and SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL. He has also written two award-winning crime fiction novels set in 1930 New York City – PROHIBITION and SLOW BURN. His World War I novella – THE DEVIL DOGS OF BELLEAU WOOD – won the Silver Medal for Historical Fiction from the Military Writers Society of America. Proceeds from sales go directly to benefit the Semper Fi Fund.

In 2016, Terrence’s short story ‘EL CAMBALACHE’ was nominated for Best Short Story in the ITW’s annual Thriller Awards. His short stories have been featured in Thuglit, Shotgun Honey, Down and Out Magazine and many other publications. He is a member of the New York City chapter of the Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, the International Crime Writers Association, the Military Writers Society of America and the Western Writers of America.

Terrence is an avid reader, loves classic movies and enjoys traveling. A proud native of The Bronx, NY, he currently lives in Dutchess County, NY where he is writing his next work of fiction.

Reviews

[Left Coast Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I need to find another book pronto. I can't end the year with a book in which characters "waive" goodbye to one another, are "in route" to their destination and in which sentences unintentionally appear twice in successive paragraphs. For all that, the story was okay and the author kept things moving at a decent pace.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have found a new series, and its brilliant
Basically the University is a secret organisation that has access to ‘software’ that can monitor everything, anyone and anything, ‘software’ is too basic a term tbh it is an all encompassing bit of tek that secret services could only dream of, James Hicks is the main guy and he is a brilliant character, great to spend this adventure with and no one’s fool
The plot is very fast moving and exciting and full of drama surrounding terrorists who threaten the worlds existence via….well I wont give the game away by saying suffice to say it gave a shiver when read it!
As well as James we meet some very diverse to say the least characters 😎
My sadness at the book ending was soon overcome when saw there are 2 further books out now and 1 more due in Feb
Great writing, fantastic book

10/10
5 Stars

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this book four stars because the story was tight and fast paced. Definitely not your Mom's spy-thriller despite the 007/NSA style techno-gadgets! Really only one complaint: editing errors! They were making me crazy! I think I caught a dozen errors. For example there were homonym issues, ('wear' instead of 'where'), missing words, extra words. It was not quite dreadful, but certainly annoying. The errors pulled me out of the alternate reality of the book and back into the real world and that is something you don't want to happen. I rated this as a four star read, but I am going to deduct a little bit due to the numerous errors. Overall rating 3.85.

[3 no 7 · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Sympathy For The Devil” by Terrence McCauley is a spy thriller in the purest sense. The pages radiate with action from the from the start, and the pace never lets up.

James Hicks is the head of the New York office of “The University,” a secret intelligence organization that is everything you were afraid to think ever existed but knew does. Hicks uses the latest technology to find out what you are doing, what I am doing, and what everyone else is doing. He pries into everything from living rooms to terrorist organizations Along the way, Hicks and “The University” send the reader on a roller coaster ride of heart-stopping action, surveillance, and international espionage.

The characters are well developed and fit seamlessly into the technology-based story line. Page after page explode with action, conspiracy, and intrigue. This book is hard to put down except to take a breath.

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

Engaging, quick read. Perfect for a plane flight or after a long day at work. Characters are one-dimensional but an interesting plot keeps you reading.

Annoying editing intrudes on the story. Truly, a high school kid could have cleaned this book up. Desert instead of dessert. Repeated words. Phrases left in that obviously should have been deleted. Here instead of hear (or the other way around, I forget.) Anyway, I wonder why the editing was so lousy? Did no one bother to read it before they pushed "print"?

No worries, enjoy it for what it is (not a work of art). :)

[J.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A James Bond for the modern age. James Hicks is ruthless, resourceful, and willing to do some nasty stuff (or have it done on his behalf) to get the job done. It's a quick, compelling read that races to the end. Highly recommended.

[Manfred · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very entertaining spy thriller with a true hero, Hicks. Hicks is a no-bullshit man and doesn't keep his mouth shut when he disagrees with his bosses. He works for a private organisation, The University, and also has some quite resourceful buddies. Roger would be my favourite ;)
Looking forward to more books in the series.

[Kandice · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would give the author 3-4 stars. I enjoyed the story and the characters. The plot moved quickly and held my interest. I would read another book by the author but only if it was not published by Polis Books. This was the most poorly edited book I have ever read. Misspellings, grammatical errors, and a host of other mistakes abounded on every page. It made it impossible to become totally immersed in the story. A publishing firm not only publishes books but also positions their authors in the best possible light. They did a huge disservice to McCauley by publishing his book in this state. I have read that Polis is a small publishing house that uses mostly contractors to do the work. If that's the case, they need to invest in an editor or at least a better one. I would give Polis zero stars. For that reason, my overall rating is only a 2.

[Gatamadrizgmail.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrence McCauley’s terrific start to what promises to be a heart stopping series is his best work ever.

The story follows James Hicks who works for a shadow organization called the University, that is more powerful than the CIA, NSA and FBI.

This book is in line with great spy thrillers I have read like, Three Days of the Condor and the James Bond series but with fresh twists and modern day technology that never overpowers the characters.

I seriously couldn’t put it down, and didn’t realize it was after 4 am when I got to that last page!

Hit that “Add to Cart” button IMMEDIATELY

[Rory Costello · Rating 4 out of 5]

A straight right hand to the face, just like the blows that are delivered at a couple of points in this very satisfying spy thriller. The pacing is terrific -- I raced through this story in less than a day. Hicks and his merciless no-BS approach to getting results form really hard bedrock for the story. McCauley gets the technical stuff right with sinking into the trap of having his story be just a techno-thriller. He's a New Yorker through and through, and it shows in his excellent use of multiple neighborhoods in different boroughs as backdrop. This reminds me so much of William Friedkin movies like "The French Connection" and "To Live and Die in L.A.".

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starts out strong and doesn't let up. James Hicks makes a great protagonist. Looking forward to the next James Hicks book. Also, audiobook narrator, Jonathan Davis, was excellent.

[Donadee's Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrence McCauley – Modern Espionage Thriller Bk 1 - Sympathy for the Devil – Reviewed 12/12/21 – Read 12/8-9/21

Hick’s working with a clandestine group named the University works at saving the United States!

Living in the shadows working for a clandestine group called the University is part of Hick’s life. He has been with them for many years and has become their best field man, and his only problem is that the world is changing, and the University will have to do the same. When one of his best agents is killed, Hick wants to know why. Through his search, he finds out that his agent had been turned by a terrorist group that has moved into the U.S. and is setting up a biological attack that threatens to create chaos and anarchy, not only in the U.S. but the entire western world and the story begins.

Join Hick as he fights to terminate the terrorist and save the Western World…

What did I like? This fast-paced thriller starts on page one and only stops as you turn the final page. It certainly gives the reader a ton to think about because this whole scenario sure sounds like real life. We all know that the world has been under attack for a long time, and it makes you feel good when you read about men like Hicks that is out there risking his life to keep ours safe.

What will you like? Wow, this is extraordinary writing, and this is only book one. What could surpass the excitement that this one has given us? Exciting, original, mysterious, espionage, terrorists, murder, mysterious agents, and a ton of action. The storyline reads like right out of the newspaper; of course, they would not print any of this, but it sure sounds like everyday action. The characters are unique and scary, with the terrorists intent on wiping out the world. Do not miss this exciting new series by Terrence McCauley with his first book, “Sympathy for the Devil,” available NOW!!!

• ASIN: B09LDCD2MN
• Publisher: Rough Edges Press
• Publication Date: 12/1/2021
• File Size: 2384 KB
• Print Length: 296 pages
• Genre: Technothrillers, Espionage Thrillers

[DiNapoli Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

To me this felt like less of a fully developed story rather a 300 page chapter 1 of the Hicks Trilogy. There are some action sequences, although they are brief as Hicks tends to dispatch his advesaries with one shot or one punch, spotted inbetween all the tracking and stake outs. The dialouge get a little repetative at times in case you forgot who Hicks was following, how much he disliked Jason and how the OMNI system sees and hears and knows all. Also, I am getting tired of the lazy unimaginative writing that has become commplace in most books with situations like when a character hears the elevator "ding" when they are inside a room somewhere on that floor, so he has time to prepare and shoot the bad guy as they come through the door. Have you ever heard an elevator "ding" when you were inside of your room??? I know it a small detail but it is writing like that that keeps a book from being 3 or 4 stars.

[Nigel · Rating 1 out of 5]

This review is based on the Audible audio version of the book.

This was a book that had a lot of potential but in the end for me was just to slow to get going. I struggled to get through about half of the book but was disappointed in how little of actual plot had even been revealed. All that had happened was an initial recruitment, a betrayal and then the hints of the main plot of Arab terrorist that needed to be contacted. The story moved along at slow pace, with every bit of trade craft exhibited by Hicks is explained in detail, which slows everything down. It is not helped that the narration was softly spoken and made it difficult to maintain interest.
I think it's safe to say that I will not be seeking out another McCauley novel in the future. It may well suit some people it just wasn't for me.

[Maggie Lynn Heron-Heidel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sophisticated thriller that parallels our possible future...

This book got me through a week long power blackout. It was so good, I was reading it by candlelight.
One cannot help but notice this novel parallels and even possibly foretells times like these with biological warfare, weaponized viruses, and high-tech cyber tracking of citizens. This thriller is spot on and easily illuminates the reader to the hidden dangers that currently stalk our world. Five stars to an excellent beginning of a series.

[dennis barron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sympathy for the Devil. Terrence McCauley

James Hicks, which is his operational name is a man of many talents. Most all deadly. He has very few peers, if any. He works for a clandestine organization called the University. Their reach into a global network are well beyond the American and British counterparts. An American organization, no one knows of their existence. America is faced with a threat, multiple contagious viruses could be released in America. Killing millions. Non stop action, suspense from the first to last page!!! Enjoyed immensely!!

[David Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This action packet espionage thriller feels like it could be plucked from the front page of a modern newspaper. If you enjoy stories about clandestine operations by organizations with their fingers everywhere, staffed by fallible characters, then you may find Sympathy for the Devil a worthy endeavor. This was my first exposure to Terrence McCauley’s work, and it will certainly not be my last, especially from his University series. I received a free copy from the publisher for signing up for their mailing list and chose to provide this review.

[Kevin Stumpf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, quick read but the editing……horrendous. Is nobody proofreading these books? James is under cover so does not use his personal device, only to two pages late… USE HIS PERSONAL DEVICE?

“All he said was that it was far more productive better than he expected it would.” uh….what?

“None of that shit until this is settled. If I call, I’ll need you to right away.”, right away, what?

Samuelson one sentence, becomes Sellers the next sentence, and one sentence later is back to Samuelson?

[Christina Marioneaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

A New Kind of Mitch Rapp

A new agency…you only know the nickname, but they can so lots of scary “big brother,” stuff that other agencies cannot do. The main operative is really cool. The details are great and this could easily translate into either a series on Prime Video or Netflix. Like a lot of material today, there are a few editorial “oopsies” that are annoying, but it reads well. It’s a fast read, about 4-5 hours (for me.)

[Adam Sikes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read -- gripping and fast-paced. The edginess, darkness, and ruthless nature of the characters makes Terrence McCauley's series uniquely its own world, and also causes me to see whispers of John Wick. A secret intelligence apparatus outside traditional government power, determined characters driven by complex loyalties and codes, sharp twists and turns, and a nightmarish terrorist threat. I'll be picking up book two for sure, A MURDER OF CROWS.

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book and find another series to read. I found the story to be pretty lackluster and the characters boring. Additionally, I'm not sure if this was an issue in only the Kindle version, but there were grammar and editing issues on nearly every page--incredibly distracting.

[John Wintersteen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this book 3.5. I would have given it a 4.00 if it had not been riddled with typos and mysterious sentences. Other than that it was a good read. Have not read a book in years so filled with mistakes. Polis Books is publisher. I don’t think anyone read this book before it went to the printer. Very unprofessional.

[Diogenes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars is a bit generous.
Improbable, and at times impossible, terrorist yarn. A story that, if told better, could have promise. A mixture of futuristic gadgetry and comic book heroism that might play better as a graphic novel. In summary: not really bad, but not really good.

[Zozo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not awful but not great either.

THe main character was a real asshole spending most of his energy measuring his dick against his superior. He was arrogant and unpleasant and always gloomy.

The story itself was a little childish.

I'm not reading the next one.

[Stephanie Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

fast paced great book

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good quick read and nice to know it's the first of a series. Yay! But yes, poor editing but perhaps all my social media reading has make me able skip over many such mistakes. Sadly?

[Curtis Schonberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thriller

Well defined characters, non-stop action, excellent plot. Suggestion: some words out of place - proofread please. Look forward to the next exciting book.

[Thomas Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fortress of Solitude Modernized

Loved the tech combined with old fashioned hard as nails line warrior. Great reading. More than a page Turner, a page spinner!

[Nancy Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked very much.

Kept me interested and entertained. Could use more historical depth to the characters, but I still like them. Good job.

[Tom Woodbery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Numerous editing errors, as mentioned by other reviewers. Should be ashamed of themselves. The plot and characters are riveting.