Blog Tour and Review: At Once (Alex Troutt Series) by John W. Mefford

New Release….

Alex Troutt Thriller, Book #3

AT Once

“If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.”

FBI Agent Alex Troutt has no intentions of falling for anything. Apparently, neither do the bad guys, as the Boston area is once again targeted by extremists. Boston Strong of just a few years ago is now Boston on Edge. And this time, the targets are men of the cloth—priests.

At least that’s how it looks at first.

As investigators struggle to make sense of the bombings, Alex is thrown for a loop when the FBI assistant director asks her to investigate one of their own—a colleague and friend who is suspected of having ties to a known terrorist. Torn between her values of friendship and the oath she gave when she accepted her FBI credentials, Alex must now lead two investigations simultaneously.

The bombings don’t stop, and panic sets in as the carnage spreads beyond the realm of the original targets.

Bloody Sunday. The IRA. The movement toward peace. Wounds of decades ago have reopened, bleeding all over Boston. As she pieces together the puzzle, Alex begins to wonder just how innocent her colleague really is. It’s almost too much for her to fathom.

Just how far will someone go to make a stand?

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I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions are 100% my own.

I have been a fan of John W Mefford ever since I read his Booker series. I have enjoyed most his books and was thrilled when I heard about the Alex Troutt series. This is the third book in the series and can be read as a standalone. I did not enjoy this installment as much as I did the previous book in the series, however, I still found it to be an interesting read.

  In this installment it would appear that someone as a vendetta against the men of the cloth. This was evident by the recent bombings, which have been aimed at them. However, things are not always what they seem. The bombings have been extended to include what appears to be unrelated personnel. These events have stumped the FBI has they are not able to make a connection. Added to this Alex has been ordered by the assistant director of the FBI to investigate her boss as he suspected to have terrorist ties. Is there a connection with her current investigation or is this totally unrelated?

The story started out on a high, however, as the investigation progressed it began to move a bit on the slow side. It is my belief that a good mystery is one where the reader is unable to figure out the perpetrator and his/her motive with ease. Well At Once falls into that category. It had me guessing at every page turn.

The characters get more interesting with each installment. Alex is a kick ass heroine who is not afraid to take on a challenge. She conducts her investigations without fear, and she is not afraid to speak her mind. I enjoyed her interaction with her children and colleagues. She is the type of mother who is there for her children in spite of the demands of her job. She is loyal and has the backs of those whom she works with.

Verdict: This is a great addition to the series. I can’t wait to read more of Alex’s adventures. If you love mysteries that will keep you on your toes as you try to figure what is coming next, then you will love this book.  

Alexandra Giordano never knew she had it so good. Until it was all gone in an instant.

As she begins her daunting quest to uncover the black spots on her memory, what she finds isn’t sweet or charming or even pleasant. And that’s when she begins to question everything, including herself.

Her work as a Special Agent for the FBI is only a distraction, serving as a mental metronome…anything to crank the gears of her feeble mind.

And then it happens—a bizarre, ritualistic murder. She loses herself in her work, fully immersed in the investigation. Unable to recall even her own kids, she’s somehow able to formulate coherent theories on what type of person could pull off such a sickening act.

As her mind slowly plugs a few memory gaps, her emotions are scrambled by the reality of herworlds colliding. And the resulting explosion tears her in two.

Can she pick up all the incendiary fragments to solve the twisted crime while she clings to somesemblance of sanity?

One woman can only keep so much…AT Bay.

AT Large (An Alex Troutt Thriller, Book #2)

The pursuit of the truth. The hunt for a life.

For the first time in months, FBI Special Agent Alex Troutt feels almost normal, hanging out at a local bar with friends after work. Not long into the evening she stumbles over one of the most disturbing images she has ever seen.

And that’s only the beginning.

A body is found in Lowell, the human damage, once again, inconceivable. Hours later, another strike. Pushing heartache aside, Alex immerses herself in the investigation. But with every new clue comes a new twist.

With the killing spree drawing the attention of every intelligence and law enforcement agency in a five-state radius, Alex is forced to partner with an egomaniac from the CIA. Yet, even with limitless resources, every step forward proves to be a step too late, the kill list seemingly endless.

Once the killer makes it personal, Alex is left with no other option—she must confront the person who destroyed her life to try to cease the vicious murders. And when she finally learns the killer’s end game, every second counts if she has any hope of stopping the brutal killings.

The hunt will end. Will Alex?

About the Author

A veteran of the corporate wars, former journalist, and true studier of human and social behavior, best-selling author John W. Mefford has been writing novels since he first entered the work force twenty-five years ago, although he never put words on paper until late 2009.

John writes novels full of intrigue, suspense, and thrills, but they also evoke an emotional connection with the characters.

When he’s not writing, he chases three kids around, slaves away in the yard, reads, takes in as many sports as time allows, watches all sorts of movies, and continues to make mental notes of people and societies across the land.

John lives in Frisco, Texas with his beautiful wife, three opinionated kids, and a feisty fat cat who rules the world.

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Nadene @ Totally Addicted to Reading

Nadene's addiction to reading began at an early age, when a family friend gifted her a copy of Wuthering Heights. From that moment she was never without a book.She will read anything as long the material is compelling enough to hold her attention. She gained many experiences through the pages of the books she had the opportunity to read.She created this blog to share her love of books with like minded individuals hopes that in sharing reviews of the books read visitors to the blog will discover their next addictive read. When not reading, Nadene enjoys cooking, listening to music and watching television.

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