Stop At Nothing - Michael Ledwidge
Harvard Square Press
276 Pages
I have taken to this page before to voice my displeasure with James Patterson. This time, there is something good that comes from the World of Patterson. His co-author on the Michael Bennett series, Michael Ledwidge, has tackled the same genre with his newest release, Stop At Nothing. This book is much like a Patterson book, albeit with a lot more meat on the bones.
Michael Gannon, a former military man who has retired to the Bahamas to escape the drudgery of his former life. As he’s out in the ocean aboard his boat, he watches as a Gulfstream plane crashes into the waters of the Atlantic. He dives on the wreck to see if he can save anyone. Instead of survivors, he surfaces with a bag full of riches and a whole lot of trouble.
While Gannon tries to keep his new windfall secret, he quickly finds himself being hunted by a group of powerful people with worldwide connections. They will use any means to catch him and recover their property, even utilizing their connections and power to create a narrative that makes him a dangerous enemy loose on the countryside.
Can Gannon use the skills honed in his former professional life to stay ahead of the pack of wolves at his heels? Can he save the people around him who are thrust into the fray by the unscrupulous men intent on destroying him in any and every way possible? The twists and turns of this novel will keep the reader turning the pages as quickly as the twists and turns hit our characters.
The pace of this book is very fast. It’s almost as fast as one of Patterson’s books, but Ledwidge gives the reader a bit more meat to gnaw on. This gives us a deeper, more intricate novel that entices us to keep coming back for more. He has written a vibrant world full of danger and suspense.
The characters are intricate and driven by a deep backstory that only comes out piecemeal as he needs it. There is a clear drive for Michael Gannon, and a real empathy for his survival. The protagonists in this do tend a little towards cliche, but overall, they tend to fit into the basic framework of the story. The conspiracy of a deep state program definitely was a great addition to the narrative.
I truly enjoyed this story. As a very short book, it was a fast read for me. I hope the next installment of the Michael Gannon series is just as good, and possibly a little longer. This would be a great book to read while you’re sitting by the pool while the kids are swimming. It’s definitely a solid summer read. Stop At Nothing by Michael Ledwidge is for the James Patterson fan who wants a bit more of a story and wants to get through it quickly. It’s very worthy of grabbing a copy for your enjoyment.
Craig Bacon is always looking for new authors to read. The bigger the pool from which to draw, the more great reading he can accomplish.