Monday, January 11, 2016

Saving Jason By Michael Sears



Here's my review of the new Michael Sears book, Saving Jason, the fourth novel in the Jason Stafford series. This book doesn't come out until February 2nd, but Penguin Random House has graciously given us three Advanced Reader copies of the book to giveaway. So three lucky winners will get to read this book before the rest of the world. The giveaways are open to US residents only. 

There are two ways to enter:

1) Comment below on why you want to read Saving Jason.

2) Go to the Mystery Playground Facebook page after 8:00 am PST today and find the photo of the cover and comment. You could win one copy of the book and another for a friend. 

Now here's my review of Saving Jason...

The story begins with a prologue showing us a tense and bloody shootout inside a private home, with no sign of our protagonist, Jason Stafford. The body count is high in the first few pages and you start to wonder how this will impact Jason, who does investigative work for an investment bank. 

As the next chapters unfold we realize that Jason's has him caught between a grand jury investigation and a group of mobsters who don't like loose ends

This series is complex. Part of Jason's back story is two years of prison time he served for an "accounting mistake" he made back when he worked on Wall Street himself. He doesn't always color inside legal lines while trying to do the right thing. He knows a lot about how Wall Street works and this is explained to us in a way that is easily understandable. But I don't read these books for the Wall Street angle. 

I read because I love the relationship between Jason and his autistic son, also named Jason. It's sweet and hard and you feel for them both every time they interact. This novel is particularly hard because Jason and his son have to go into the Witness Protection program. All the routine that comforts the seven-year-old is gone, and there are people who want to kill them. 

The book is well paced. The story starts out explaining enough so you can get your bearings, but not drowning you with information. It has just the right mix of investigation and personal story. 

If you like financial thrillers and Wall Street, you'll like this book. If you like mob entanglements and protagonists who won't quit, you will like this book. If you like touching father and son relationships, you will like this book. You should carve out some reading time before you start, because you won't want to put this one down.

This book was provided to Mystery Playground by Penguin Random House. The review is fair and independent. 







11 comments:

  1. I am not familiar with this series but this books sounds good. I think I would like the relationship between father and son as well as how going into witness protection affects them both. Going on the To Be Read Pile.

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  2. I'm all for a high body count right from the beginning. Jason sounds complex, I love that!

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  3. This series is captivating. The characters are so well portrayed and the relationship of Jason and his son is heartrending and beautiful. What a lovely giveaway which interests me greatly. Thanks for your excellent review. I would appreciate this advanced reading copy very much. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  4. I haven't read the series but this looks good!

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  5. Financial thrillers are always fascinating and combined with great writing and a father/son relationship a real winner. Many thanks.

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  6. I want to read this book just because of the interesting cover art!

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  7. I am always looking for good books for my mystery book club!

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  8. I'm always interested in the "mechanics" that make a good book. The pacing, interaction between characters, background and setting. . .this one sounds as though it has it all!

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  9. Oooh! I love thrilling reads like this. I want to read Saving Jason because the synopsis just pulled me right in.

    brookeb811 at gmail dot com

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  10. I havent read any of his books but I would like to win this one as it appeals to me because the review you wrote is the type of book I would enjoy reading

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  11. The winner is Brooke. Look for an e-mail shortly.

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