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McKenzie McClendon #1
Chain of Command
The road to the Oval Office is paved in blood…
The simultaneous assassinations of the President and Vice President catapults the Speaker of the House into the White House as the first female President of the United States. Evidence points to a former Navy SEAL as one of the assassins.
Relegated to writing sidebar stories instead of headlines, journalist McKenzie McClendon composes a scathing story about the Navy training killers.
Former Navy SEAL Noah Hutchins doesn’t believe his partner could have committed the heinous crime. They’d endured the horrors of Afghanistan together. His buddy was a hero, not a murderer.
Thrown together in a search for the truth—and a career-making story—McKenzie and Noah must unravel a dangerous web of lies that includes a radical foreign faction, a violent ultra-feminist group, and corrupt politicians willing to kill to keep their secrets.
The simultaneous assassinations of the President and Vice President catapults the Speaker of the House into the White House as the first female President of the United States. Evidence points to a former Navy SEAL as one of the assassins.
Relegated to writing sidebar stories instead of headlines, journalist McKenzie McClendon composes a scathing story about the Navy training killers.
Former Navy SEAL Noah Hutchins doesn’t believe his partner could have committed the heinous crime. They’d endured the horrors of Afghanistan together. His buddy was a hero, not a murderer.
Thrown together in a search for the truth—and a career-making story—McKenzie and Noah must unravel a dangerous web of lies that includes a radical foreign faction, a violent ultra-feminist group, and corrupt politicians willing to kill to keep their secrets.
312 pages, Paperback
First published December 9, 2012
3 people are currently reading
631 people want to read
About the author
Colby Marshall
11 books54 followersWriter by day, ballroom dancer and choreographer by night, Colby has a tendency to turn every hobby she has into a job, thus ensuring that she is a perpetual workaholic. In addition to her 9,502 regular jobs, she is a proud member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. She is actively involved in local theatres as a choreographer and occasionally indulges her prima donna side by taking the stage as an actress. She lives in Georgia with her family, two mutts, and an array of cats that, if she were a bit older, would qualify her immediately for crazy cat lady status.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 9, 2012
With Chain of Command, Marshall has managed to deliver a deep mystery surrounding one of the most difficult premises imaginable: The simultaneous assassination of both the President and the Vice President. It's a concept that could go drastically wrong, but Marshall handles it with deft skill of craft and storytelling to confidently guide the reader through a plot that is by necessity both complex and satisfying. The book is a fast-paced page turner filled with masterful twists throughout the story, and everything culminates in an ending that wraps every harrowing thread together into a neat weave. It will leave you wanting to read it again. Then it will leave you wanting more.
Main character McKenzie McClendon is as conflicted about her job as she is with the name her parents gave her. On the day the unthinkable happens, she's stunned and changed with the rest of the country, all from the comfort of her home, where she's holed up with a migraine. When she gets in to work the next day, it's to find that her co-workers at the newspaper have all been assigned the most important stories of their careers, leaving her with scraps on page 4.
Enter the not-so-enigmatic (at least at first) Noah Hutchins, who takes personal offense at McKenzie's desperate, attention-seeking, ill-considered article. Noah is what you'd imagine if Jason Bourne were pulled from Ludlum's pages and mixed with a heavy smartass helping of Han Solo. Concerned at both the implication that his former partner is indisputably guilty of the most heinous crime this century, and that he himself was likely involved, Noah demands she retract her article. McKenzie jumps at the opportunity to eat crow in return for tagging along with Noah to get the inside scoop on the infamous assassin's partner.
A mystery complete with car chases, plots within plots, explosions and intrigue that would make Dan Brown proud. Buy this book, read it twice. You'll be glad you did.
Main character McKenzie McClendon is as conflicted about her job as she is with the name her parents gave her. On the day the unthinkable happens, she's stunned and changed with the rest of the country, all from the comfort of her home, where she's holed up with a migraine. When she gets in to work the next day, it's to find that her co-workers at the newspaper have all been assigned the most important stories of their careers, leaving her with scraps on page 4.
Enter the not-so-enigmatic (at least at first) Noah Hutchins, who takes personal offense at McKenzie's desperate, attention-seeking, ill-considered article. Noah is what you'd imagine if Jason Bourne were pulled from Ludlum's pages and mixed with a heavy smartass helping of Han Solo. Concerned at both the implication that his former partner is indisputably guilty of the most heinous crime this century, and that he himself was likely involved, Noah demands she retract her article. McKenzie jumps at the opportunity to eat crow in return for tagging along with Noah to get the inside scoop on the infamous assassin's partner.
A mystery complete with car chases, plots within plots, explosions and intrigue that would make Dan Brown proud. Buy this book, read it twice. You'll be glad you did.
March 24, 2015
This story starts with a bang... two bangs, actually... as the President and Vice-President of the United States are simultaneously assassinated while on opposite sides of the country. What a shocking way to grab a reader's attention right from the get-go, huh? But the question is... can Marshall maintain that level of attention once the smell of gunpowder fades? Yep, she sure can. She holds onto it tightly as she leads readers through every high-speed, sometimes chilling, twist and turn of this thrilling tale.
The consensus of opinion is that a murdered ex-SEAL killed the VP, but that's a belief his former SEAL partner refuses to accept. He and a female reporter work together... following a path in and out of danger... to get to the truth behind the assassinations. Their biggest challenge is to discover that truth without becoming part of the mounting body count the assassin is leaving in his wake.
This is a fast-moving, thoroughly enjoyable read. It even has a little bit of romance. (What? A hot ex-SEAL and a female reporter... what did you expect?) I highly recommend it.
The consensus of opinion is that a murdered ex-SEAL killed the VP, but that's a belief his former SEAL partner refuses to accept. He and a female reporter work together... following a path in and out of danger... to get to the truth behind the assassinations. Their biggest challenge is to discover that truth without becoming part of the mounting body count the assassin is leaving in his wake.
This is a fast-moving, thoroughly enjoyable read. It even has a little bit of romance. (What? A hot ex-SEAL and a female reporter... what did you expect?) I highly recommend it.
January 13, 2013
Excellent read. Grabs you from the first page.
November 28, 2021
I read this book a couple of years ago and was completely gripped by it. I could not put it down, I tore through it and then wanted more when I was done. I found it during a period where I hadn't read anything in a long time and it really brought back the joy of reading for me.
October 12, 2013
Colby Marshall in her new book, “Chain Of Command” published by Stairway Press introduces us to McKenzie McClendon.
From the back cover: The road to the Oval Office is paved in blood…
The simultaneous assassinations of the President and Vice President catapults the Speaker of the House into the White House as the first female President of the United States. Evidence points to a former Navy SEAL as one of the assassins.
Relegated to writing sidebar stories instead of headlines, journalist McKenzie McClendon composes a scathing story about the Navy training killers, igniting the fury of the alleged assassin’s former partner.
Former Navy SEAL Noah Hutchins doesn’t believe his partner could have committed the heinous crime. They’d endured the horrors of Afghanistan together. His buddy was a hero, not a murderer.
No one who knows the truth is safe…
Thrown together in a search for the truth—and a career-making story—McKenzie and Noah must unravel a dangerous web of lies that includes a radical foreign faction, a violent ultra-feminist group, and corrupt politicians willing to kill to keep their secrets.
And an assassin who is still on the loose.
His next targets are already in his crosshairs…
I think that Robert Ludlum had no equal when it came to writing thrillers. Since his death I feel that no one has been able to take his crown. I am happy to report that, while Ms. Marshall didn’t do it, she has come really, really close. Ms. Marshall has given us a superb cast of characters that join forces against sinister forces that are trying to manipulate the government. ”Chain Of Command” is a wonderful thriller as the tension mounts as McKenzie and Noah are trying to stay alive and ahead of an assassin while trying to learn the truth about the assassination. ”Chain Of Command” is loaded with twists and turns that will give you the feeling of being on a wild roller coaster. Don’t start this book late at night because you will give up sleep while you are flipping pages to find out what happens next. Ms. Marshall has provided us with a great character in McKenzie McCLendon and I hope that Ms. Marshall provides us more stories featuring her and Noah soon.
If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.
To listen to 24 hours non-stop, commercial free Christian music please visit our internet radio station www.kingdomairwaves.org
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Stairway Press. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
From the back cover: The road to the Oval Office is paved in blood…
The simultaneous assassinations of the President and Vice President catapults the Speaker of the House into the White House as the first female President of the United States. Evidence points to a former Navy SEAL as one of the assassins.
Relegated to writing sidebar stories instead of headlines, journalist McKenzie McClendon composes a scathing story about the Navy training killers, igniting the fury of the alleged assassin’s former partner.
Former Navy SEAL Noah Hutchins doesn’t believe his partner could have committed the heinous crime. They’d endured the horrors of Afghanistan together. His buddy was a hero, not a murderer.
No one who knows the truth is safe…
Thrown together in a search for the truth—and a career-making story—McKenzie and Noah must unravel a dangerous web of lies that includes a radical foreign faction, a violent ultra-feminist group, and corrupt politicians willing to kill to keep their secrets.
And an assassin who is still on the loose.
His next targets are already in his crosshairs…
I think that Robert Ludlum had no equal when it came to writing thrillers. Since his death I feel that no one has been able to take his crown. I am happy to report that, while Ms. Marshall didn’t do it, she has come really, really close. Ms. Marshall has given us a superb cast of characters that join forces against sinister forces that are trying to manipulate the government. ”Chain Of Command” is a wonderful thriller as the tension mounts as McKenzie and Noah are trying to stay alive and ahead of an assassin while trying to learn the truth about the assassination. ”Chain Of Command” is loaded with twists and turns that will give you the feeling of being on a wild roller coaster. Don’t start this book late at night because you will give up sleep while you are flipping pages to find out what happens next. Ms. Marshall has provided us with a great character in McKenzie McCLendon and I hope that Ms. Marshall provides us more stories featuring her and Noah soon.
If you would like to listen to interviews with other authors and professionals please go to www.kingdomhighlights.org where they are available On Demand.
To listen to 24 hours non-stop, commercial free Christian music please visit our internet radio station www.kingdomairwaves.org
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Stairway Press. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
January 13, 2013
I don't usually read thrillers, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I picked up Marshall's first novel. By the time I finished it, I wanted more!
McKenzie McClendon and Noah Hutchins are unlikely partners from the beginning, and more than once, I found myself wondering which of them was going to give in and punch the other first. The tension between the two characters was a delicate balance, and Marshall pulled it off nicely. Their conversations and interactions felt completely natural, and the progression of their relationship from animosity towards a partnership felt seamless.
While much of the narrative followed those two, there were a lot of secondary characters in the mix. Each time a new one was introduced, I worried that I would have to start keeping a list of who was who, but Marshall did a very nice job of keeping each of these characters easy to identify, and easy to keep separate from the others. There were a few that seemed a bit over-the-top, but those seemed to show up, serve their purpose, and then leave, so I didn't mind their brief time.
There was a lot going on in the story. There were many shifts in the narrative, moving from focus on the assassin, to McKenzie and Noah, to the newly-appointed president, and a few other characters. Once or twice, I felt myself pulled out of the moment by these shifts, but overall, Marshall incorporated them in a way that enhanced the novel rather than interrupting it.
This is not a book for someone who doesn't have the stomach for violence (although, if you don't, you're probably not reading this genre anyways), but every death or beating had a purpose. I didn't always like the purpose, but I think that was the point. When you're reading about a brutal murderer, you're not really supposed to like him, and Marshall definitely made sure I didn't like him. As someone who has spent a lot of time studying anatomy and physiology, the descriptions in these scenes felt plausible, even though I haven't actually been involved in anything remotely like what happens in the book. That sort of realism made it more enjoyable for me - I hate to read something and think, "That's not the way that would happen."
I really enjoyed this story. I'm not sure that it has made me into a fan of the genre yet, but I'm certainly going to be on the lookout for other novels by Colby Marshall.
McKenzie McClendon and Noah Hutchins are unlikely partners from the beginning, and more than once, I found myself wondering which of them was going to give in and punch the other first. The tension between the two characters was a delicate balance, and Marshall pulled it off nicely. Their conversations and interactions felt completely natural, and the progression of their relationship from animosity towards a partnership felt seamless.
While much of the narrative followed those two, there were a lot of secondary characters in the mix. Each time a new one was introduced, I worried that I would have to start keeping a list of who was who, but Marshall did a very nice job of keeping each of these characters easy to identify, and easy to keep separate from the others. There were a few that seemed a bit over-the-top, but those seemed to show up, serve their purpose, and then leave, so I didn't mind their brief time.
There was a lot going on in the story. There were many shifts in the narrative, moving from focus on the assassin, to McKenzie and Noah, to the newly-appointed president, and a few other characters. Once or twice, I felt myself pulled out of the moment by these shifts, but overall, Marshall incorporated them in a way that enhanced the novel rather than interrupting it.
This is not a book for someone who doesn't have the stomach for violence (although, if you don't, you're probably not reading this genre anyways), but every death or beating had a purpose. I didn't always like the purpose, but I think that was the point. When you're reading about a brutal murderer, you're not really supposed to like him, and Marshall definitely made sure I didn't like him. As someone who has spent a lot of time studying anatomy and physiology, the descriptions in these scenes felt plausible, even though I haven't actually been involved in anything remotely like what happens in the book. That sort of realism made it more enjoyable for me - I hate to read something and think, "That's not the way that would happen."
I really enjoyed this story. I'm not sure that it has made me into a fan of the genre yet, but I'm certainly going to be on the lookout for other novels by Colby Marshall.
September 22, 2015
This book started out great. Tension was high, the pace fast. It is a fascinating premise, and I didn't see the end coming. Unfortunately, the characters let me down too many times to remain excited about it.
The main characters, an ex-SEAL and a struggling reporter, were fairly well-drawn characters. But too often they behaved out of character, especially the reporter. And even when she was being in character, her constant weeping got on my nerves, as did her naivete. After being in the run for two days, are you still going to hold on to your denial so much that you're still disturbed by shocking events, violence, or revelations? It just seemed unrealistic. As did their romance. I got the impression it happened because it was supposed to happen. Or maybe it's just that if I'm on the run with a stranger, as good as he may look, I'm not going to try to kiss him or even have romantic thoughts about him. I'm going to be focused on survival. It was very contrived.
Sorry, I had hopes for this and maybe even the series, but not by the end.
The main characters, an ex-SEAL and a struggling reporter, were fairly well-drawn characters. But too often they behaved out of character, especially the reporter. And even when she was being in character, her constant weeping got on my nerves, as did her naivete. After being in the run for two days, are you still going to hold on to your denial so much that you're still disturbed by shocking events, violence, or revelations? It just seemed unrealistic. As did their romance. I got the impression it happened because it was supposed to happen. Or maybe it's just that if I'm on the run with a stranger, as good as he may look, I'm not going to try to kiss him or even have romantic thoughts about him. I'm going to be focused on survival. It was very contrived.
Sorry, I had hopes for this and maybe even the series, but not by the end.
June 4, 2013
What can I say? This book was one hell of a ride! I mean, from the first page to the last, this book kept right on rolling with action.
McKenzie is a sharp girl with an even sharper wit. She's got the guts to take on finding the truth in this story. She's a strong character.
Noah is a strong character as well. His presence in the book is just as commanding as McKenzie's. The two of them together made a huge impression on me.
I seriously could not put this book down. Usually, when I try to find a good place to stop so I can pick the book up later, it's not a problem. But I couldn't find a good spot to put this book DOWN! That's rare for me these days.
So if you want to read an awesome thriller with lots of twists that will keep you guessing from cover to cover, pick this book up!
McKenzie is a sharp girl with an even sharper wit. She's got the guts to take on finding the truth in this story. She's a strong character.
Noah is a strong character as well. His presence in the book is just as commanding as McKenzie's. The two of them together made a huge impression on me.
I seriously could not put this book down. Usually, when I try to find a good place to stop so I can pick the book up later, it's not a problem. But I couldn't find a good spot to put this book DOWN! That's rare for me these days.
So if you want to read an awesome thriller with lots of twists that will keep you guessing from cover to cover, pick this book up!
February 28, 2013
I was immediately hooked in the first few pages, and the rest of the book did a good job delivering on that promise. With a little more fleshing out of some parts (and less of the forced romance) this might have gotten a higher rating from me, but even as-is, I thought it was fun and entertaining, a strong debut novel. I'll be interested in reading more from this author.
You can read an extended review on my blog:
Review: Chain of Command
(review copy received via NetGalley)
You can read an extended review on my blog:
Review: Chain of Command
(review copy received via NetGalley)
June 24, 2013
I don't often pick up thrillers, but I had no trouble getting into this one. The first page alone snagged my attention and I was sucked in immediately. Mac and Noah have great chemistry and I really felt like I connected with the characters. The intricate plot kept me on the edge of my seat as I tried to figure out the mystery right along with them! Excellent debut novel - I look forward to reading more.
May 2, 2015
I really wanted to like this book more than I did. Luckily it improved as it progressed and ended up being OK. The beginning though was peppered with some of the lamest dialogue I have come across. It sounded like it had been written by a teenager. I found it so off-putting. The story itself was pretty good and I think the writer has promise if she can just leave out the cheesy, juvenile repartee.
May 24, 2013
If you're the kind of person who likes the idea of political thriller/action/espionage kind of books, but who in practice cannot wade through a Tom Clancy book, I have the answer for you. Chain of Command has just the right number of layers to its plot, a level of detail that will keep your attention but not bog you down, and a tough main character you will want to cheer for.
December 29, 2013
Just one word can sum up this book. WOW. I really loved the first few pages. It gets you from the start. It was very fast paced and not boring at all. Hated to put it down at night to go to bed. Will for sure recommend this author and book to friends. Enjoyed this book to the last page. can't wait for the next one.
March 22, 2013
Loved this book! Kept me turning pages late into the night trying to figure it out. It was mysterious, action packed, filled with political intrigue, and had a good dose of sexy thrown in for good measure.:)
July 23, 2013
It did captivate me right off the bat. However, pay attention. A few times I had to turn back pages and re-read things to understand. At the end, it all comes together. I thoroughly enjoyed it and want to download the other books from this Author.
April 22, 2013
Awesome page-turner guaranteed to keep you up into the wee small hours. It's complex and challenging, and one definitely needs to pay attention but it's well worth it. RECOMMENDED TO ALL.
March 8, 2013
Debut thriller. Fast paced and furious.
November 30, 2013
A really great read. Fast paced, action packed. I rarely read thrillers, but I'm so glad I picked this one up. Suspenseful from start to finish. Great job, Colby!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews