Book Review: Steel and Shadows, A John Steel Thriller Book 1, Stuart Field
Thriller: Steel and Shadows, A John Steel Thriller Book 1, Stuart Field
A genteel garden party in the lawn of a large English manor is ready to welcome a beloved son home from war. His parents, his wife, his children, and many guests have gathered. So has a group of killers.
Shots are fired. The soldier’s father dies immediately. Other guests are cut down by bullets. The soldier’s mother, wife, and children flee into the house hoping to find refuge.
Once the soldier arrives, we quickly realize this is no ordinary soldier. John Steel is a one-man army. Although he arrives unarmed, he quickly takes one of the killer’s guns (along with his life) and begins to wage war against the people who have invaded his home. Sadly, he is not in time to save his wife or his mother, and we are left without knowing the fate of his children.
Some years later, a mysterious killer begins targeting young women in Manhattan. Detective Samantha McCall and her team hunt a figure who seemingly leaves no clues other than the professionally dissected bodies of the victims. Then a strange man presents himself and offers his help, and to her dismay her captain accepts. John Steel has come to New York where he begins working with McCall to find a vicious murderer.
Steel’s character is enigmatic, his methods are unorthodox, and his personality off-putting. What is he really after? Why is he working with them? Can the police really trust this man?
And, as a detective finally asks him, does he have a bat cave?
Within the thriller genre is a subset of books featuring the lone wolf, the uberman, the individual who can seemingly do everything and save the day. Often these individuals are quite damaged from personal tragedy or a warped upbringing. We have previously reviewed novels featuring “The Gray Man” and “Orphan X.” John Steel would find much in common with these characters. Ruthless, efficient, extraordinary, Steel brings the whole package to the team.
McCall though is no shrinking violet herself. Tough, intelligent, and demanding, she finds herself with very conflicted feelings about her new partner. Attraction battles anger. Respect wars with disdain. Throughout the novel we can easily see why these two would have a complicated relationship.
Author Stuart Field answers some questions for us but leaves many others to inform future novels. What we do know is that John Steel is a man who wants answers and will stop at nothing to get them.
Book Review: Steel and Shadows, A John Steel Thriller Book 1, Stuart Field