Rating: 
Summary: Strongly recommended thriller debut
Review: What could possibly generate more anger and sympathy in a reader's mind than a mother and young child being blown apart by a car bomb. This is just what happens to the ex-wife and daughter of John Pavlak, a small college athletic director and ex- military hero. The question is, why? Pavlak will stop at nothing to discover the truth no matter the cost in dollars or loss of life. As we accompany Pavlak on his search for "someone to kill", we enter into the world of the cold war and its spies. Pavlak must also search for answers in his own family's history including his relationship with his physically abusive father. Kurt Corriher is a student of the international thriller sub genre. This is quite evidenced by the fact that his first novel is almost a survey of what makes a thriller successful. First of all is a sympathetic hero with a military background who can be realistically expected to step into the role of savior of the universe. John Pavlak easily fits that part. The loss of his ex-wife and young daughter, not only make him a victim, but generates much anger against the villains by, not only Pavlak, but the reader, as well. Pavlak needs a beautiful love interest and Karin, sister of another victim eventually is just that. The scenery must change and with the book comes a free ticket to such widespread places as Germany to Crete. Most important of all, the plot must be plausible, have a certain level of complexity and move like the wind. All of this is successfully accomplished. A problem with this book, albeit a minor one, is the length. Thrillers can be quite lengthy. However, this particular book is a bit too long as the book appears to run out of steam into a somewhat disappointing solution and predictable conclusion. However, there is much promise in this book and it is one that is strongly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: GREAT!! WHEN IS THE MOVIE?
Review: Why do we read fiction ? Two answers come to mind : 1) The simple pleasure of experiencing a well-told tale and 2) The possibility that we might learn something.
First time author Kurt Corriher satisfies both desires with an explosive action-thriller-whodunnit that kept me on the edge of my seat from the first page until the last. Entwined with his rapid paced, twisting turning plot is more than enough well-researched intellectual meat to satisfy that desire to learn from one's pleasure reading. In this book we follow the protagonist from country to country experiencing those respective cultures along the way, we learn about pre- and post-coldwar government intelligence operations, international finance, and how to "shake a tail". (Corriher's writing is fearless : he even allows two of his main characters to discourse about the pros and cons of a government subsidized liberal arts education.)
Most importantly, this book is fun. It is filled with fascinating characters from CIA operatives to members of an underground immigrant community to the protagonist, John Pavlak, a dark, brooding, and dangerous man.... think of James W. Hall's character Thorn.... but with a PhD and Special Forces training.
Let's hope Mr. Corriher has a second book in publication soon!
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