I enjoyed this book, the third in the series, much better than the second. Readers disappointed in the ending of the second installment will be glad to know that there is no cliffhanger ending to Cold Harbor. This book picks up immediately after the events of Poisonfeather and could serve as a satisfying end to the Gibson Vaughn narrative.

This book is the third in a series, and I have not read the other two. That being said, I probably won't read the other two, as this one could not keep my attention. I did not finish it, but I did try. The writing is good, but the storyline just did not work for me.

After a period of brutal isolation in a CIA black-site prison, former Marine and gifted hacker Gibson Vaughn is free—but with no idea where he was or how much time he’s lost. Struggling to maintain his grip on reality, he races to return to the life he left behind. Angry and disoriented, his thoughts turn to vengeance and the man responsible for his rendition. But Gibson’s drive for retribution and the ghosts of his violent past plunge him back into a world he wants only to escape.

As old enemies and once-trusted allies resurface, the architects of a murderous conspiracy will beat a sinister path to Gibson’s doorstep. In discovering the shocking truth about those he thought he knew best, only one thing is certain: those responsible must be made to answer…and pay

My thoughts:
First time I've ever tried to read anything by Matthew FitzSimmons, and unfortunately I just couldn't get into his writing , I read up to chapter 6 ,and just didn't enjoy what I read so far, so I'm not going on with the rest of the series. With that said I would like to think NetGalley for at least giving me a chance at trying out a new author.

Cold Harbor's fast-paced, intriguing plot kept me turning pages until well after my normal bedtime, and then I found myself thinking about it as soon as I woke. I loved the help Gibson received from his father and Bear. Cold Harbor could probably be read as a stand alone novel, but I think it is better to read the first two books in order. The reader needs the experience of The Short Drop and Poisonfeather to truly appreciate and understand just what is going on in the story. This series screams movie deal!

This is the third book in the Gibson Vaughn series, but it is the first one that I have read. I look forward to reading past and future installments in this series.

The story begins with a prisoner locked in a solitary cell for an undetermined amount of time, slowly losing his grip on reality as he reaches his breaking point. This is an interesting introduction that sets the tone for the novel.

From there it picks up with Gibson Vaughn as he is suddenly set free from the CIA black-site prison with no clue where he is or how long he has been held captive. His driving force is to return home to his daughter and to seek vengeance against the person responsible for his capture and captivity.

This presents a fascinating view of an institutionalized man having to re-acclimate to society. The fear and dread of performing simple tasks often leaves Gibson wishing he could just crawl back into his solitary cell. He is soon confronted by ghosts from his past that put him in a precarious position of working for friends and foes to carry out a suicide mission, dancing with the devil to assure mutual satisfaction. The plot is intricate and multi-layered, woven together to ratchet up the suspense as it unfolds.

There is minimal back story and character development in this book, so I assume that if you haven't read the first two novels of the series you sometimes have to guess at what exactly is going on. Overall this doesn't detract from the novel and it is still an enjoyable read.

I would recommend this book to fans of thrillers and suspense. I received this as a free ARC from Thomas & Mercer on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

COLD HARBOR is a fast moving story focusing on Matthew FitzSimmons’ protagonist Gibson Vaughn. The author provides a limited back story on Gibson and his survival of eighteen months in a CIA prison. He describes how Gibson deals with his isolation. FitzSimmons places his readers inside Gibson’s head so they can understand his experiences and feelings, I\including Gibson imagines visions or episodes with childhood friends and relatives. Gibson’s visions help him cope and maintain his will to survive. The author shares Gibson’s internal plans to gain his freedom, reunite with his young daughter, and get revenge on the one man who is responsible his imprisonment.
The storyline increases momentum and the suspense around Gibson’s sudden release. FitzSimmons describes Gibson’s frustration when he finds he has lost his family, his home, and most of his friends. He seems to be alone with only the ghosts of friends like Suzanne and his father. Both spirits seem to be pushing impossible agendas of finding his daughter and getting revenge for the one ruining his life.
The author introduces support characters sharing each character’s role as they enter the storyline. Readers see Gibson finding it difficult to readjust to all the changes that have taken place during his imprisonment. Gibson tries to focus on getting a handle on his life and dealing with a message from his ex-wife regarding his daughter. It seems everyone wants something from Gibson.
FitzSimmons keeps his readers aware of Gibson's challenges. The author shows how each time Gibson moves past an obstacle he remembers or engages old friends and enemies. After Gibson sets a plan of revenge in motion, he finds a friend needs his help to save another close friend. The dangerous scheme could cost him his freedom, his life, or it could help him move ahead. COLD HARBOR's storyline follows Gibson’s every move adding to the suspense and intrigue to unfolding events. FitzSimmons challenges readers to keep track of the changes in direction in the plot as they unfold. FitzSimmons keeps his readers holding their breath as they wait to see what Gibson does next. COLD HARBOR delivers a thought-provoking ending. FitzSimmons’ book is a must read and earns a five-star ranking.

Having read the first two books in this series I was always going to read this one. I would suggest this needs to be read as part of the series rather than a standalone and my particular favourite of the series is book 1 so start there. We are reunited with Gibson Vaughn at a particularly low point and I will confess to finding the first half of this book pretty hard going. I enjoyed the remainder much more and I’m happy enough with where we left Gibson at the end. If there is a 4th book I would definitely read it but I’m also content if the story finishes here.

Gibson Vaughn is back & he’s not doing well. Eighteen months in complete isolation has left him clinging to his last shred of sanity. When abruptly freed, he has nothing but 2 travelling companions…the ghosts of his father & childhood fiend Bear. Gib knows it’s not normal to talk to the dead but after losing everything, he takes comfort in their familiar faces.

Once he makes it home, Gib tries to pick up the pieces but never loses sight of his goal. The man responsible for his incarceration will pay. But while he’s putting the plan together, there are a few complications.

Turns out his ex-wife & daughter have disappeared & a very persistent detective would really like to know where he’s been. He also gets some startling news regarding Poisonfeather (last book) that seems to be connected to his abduction. Then Bear’s grandmother summons him for an audience. She’s an aristocratic old bat he loathes but she has a plan of her own & if he can pull it off, it just might save his life.

This is book #3 in the series & I’d really recommend reading the others first. The plot is intricate & draws heavily on events from previous story lines. There are many returning characters & as all the little bits & pieces slide into place, it feels like everything that came before will finally become clear & help Gib make sense of what happened to his life.

It’s definitely an action thriller but Gib’s battle with PTSD is a poignant thread that runs through the story. His fragile mental state, conversations with the dead & desperate attempts to reconnect with the living make this character much more complex than your stock action hero.

Questions are answered & true villains revealed. And as tension amps up for the last quarter, a wee beverage might come in handy to help you get through an explosive finale. It’s an ending that will have you wishing you could jump right into book #4.

This book is the third one in a series and ties up a lot of loose ends for readers of the first two novels, The Short Drop and Poisonfeather. For this reason I would suggest it is better to read the earlier books first as there are many references to Gibson's earlier life.
Gibson Vaughan is an ex Marine and an amazing computer hacker. At the end of the previous book he was captured by the CIA and as Cold Harbor opens he is locked in a prison cell in solitary confinement with only the ghosts of his past for company.
Sligtly mad from being alone for so long Gibson is released and dumped in the middle of nowhere. Trying to find his way back to his ex wife and young daughter he continues to see the ghosts of Duke, his dead father and Bear, his childhood friend who pull him in different directions- obviously one is the voice of reason or his conscience and the other represents his more self destructive side.
On discovering that his family have disappeared after an arson attack on their home he is devestated and is left wondering if they are alive or dead.
Resolving to take vengeance on the man he blames for his dire situation, Gibson starts on a path that can only end in one way..
However as the plot progresses he meets up with some former friends and enemies and starts to put his life together whilst obviously suffering from PTSD. Resolving to help a former colleague Gibson hopes this will be enough to redeem himself and heal his fractured mind. At this point he demonstrates his formidable hacking skills which are well described (although as usual I was not quite sure what he was doing!)
This is an action packed thriller which also looks at some dark themes including mental health of those that survive something dreadful. In Gibson's case being locked in a cell for 18 months with no hope of release.
It seemed to wrap up Gibson's story but left room for another book in the future which was good news as I have found these novels compelling reads.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

A story that balances huge themes with first-rate thrills and succeeds in every way imaginable!

Matthew FitzSimmons made a grand entrance on the world’s stage of political thriller writers with his first novel THE SHORT DROP. But his third one truly plays in a league of its own!

COLD HARBOR tells the ambitious story of a young man trying to readjust in a world he barely remembers, after suffering a trauma which the average Joe can’t even fathom. Throughout the book, FitzSimmons proves that he is a master storyteller at the prime of his craft! He deftly guides his protagonist as well as his readers through a maze of deception, long-buried secrets and emotional turmoil. Along the way we meet some long lost and dearly missed comrades of Gibson Vaughn and his most cunning nemesis steps back into the spotlight.

The end is poised to leave you awe-struck but also torn about one particular character’s death. This is one of those novels where the term “must-read” doesn’t quite cut it!

This ARC was provided compliments of NetGalley. Gratitude sent to Thomas & Mercer for making this pre-release available.

What might happen to the psyche of the human mind when all form of communication has been totally stripped away? Hard to imagine. The author stepped forward with a hard-boiled answer. Acute psychosis. In this case, the mind's manufactured way of survival. I was full in. The main character's shattered self was well-defined. It haunts me just to think about it. Him.

Gibson Vaughn awoke to find himself in a cell. No windows. He didn't know where he was. But he knew who was responsible for his being there. Cut off from all communication from the outside world. Not a sound. Dead silence. The endless days turned into torturous months. I could envision the raging torment. Protein bars were the only source of food. Eighteen months. Eventually, he found refuge tucked away in the dark corners of his mind. Awaiting him there were two long-lost souls. Duke, his father. Bear, his childhood friend. Both deceased in the real world. Alive once again. Back with much-needed conversation. Mostly argumentative. Take what you got. Companionship. Day in, day out. No longer alone. Never knowing if it was day or night. Month, not a clue. Time had ceased to exist. As did life.

Eighteen months had passed. It could have been eighteen years. Sedated and dragged from this cell. Gibson found himself on a deserted airstrip. A cold winter's day. Where was he? Why was he set free? One foot behind the next, he plodded down the road. Any road. He wasn't alone. Duke and Bear kept him company. Always.

The one thing that kept Gibson going - revenge. Damon Ogden was responsible for his imprisonment. For that, he'd make him pay. Dearly. The question remained, just how would he break into CIA headquarters and kidnap a ranking official? It would definitely take some careful planning. Bear argued against it. She usually did. Whatever it would take, it would get done.

Gibson had few friends. Not counting Duke and Bear. And the ones he knew were usually on the shady side of the law. No time to be choosy. He was a hacker when he was with the United States Marine Corps. High level skills. Soon it would come in handy. For all the wrong reasons. The story of his life.

He hacked the Dulles airport system. Duke found fault with his plans. Then again, he'd always been like that. Expected. He gained access for a security clearance and a badge for entry into the Dulles terminal. He was working alongside an old friend. Her objective was to rescue a hostage who was stowed aboard a heavily guarded military aircraft. By the end of the night, he knew he would either be dead or going to jail for the rest of his life. All three of them. Might there be a third option?

COLD HARBOR is the third in the Gibson Vaughn series and is not a stand alone book; these are best read in order and then #3 provides a cathartic climax to a well-plotted series. It picks up where #2 ended: a very scary place and Vaughn has been completely broken in isolation in an unknown location for an indeterminate time. If revenge is a dish best served cold, Vaughn has ice in his veins when he is finally dumped back where he was first apprehended. Book #3 is about Vaughn putting himself back together from all of his troubles, everything that has happened throughout this series, all the unanswered questioned, all the painful losses he suffered and those he inflicted. Author Matthew FitzSimmons does a masterful job of deconstructing a man and slowly putting him back together again. The tale itself is fast and taut. This is one excellent thriller. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

In this third installment to author Matthew FitzSimmon’s Gibson Vaughn series, readers get a front row seat to Gibson’s most critical fight—a fight to regain all that had been so callousing ripped away. But after spending 18 months in brutal isolation in a CIA black-site prison, rebuilding his life is just one small part of the equation. Vengeance if first and foremost on Gibson’s mind, fueled even further by the ghosts of his past. Plagued with voices that seem determined to dictate his actions moving forward, Gibson continually struggles with his precarious grip on reality.

With his plans of retaliation now set in motion, Gibson begins to second guess his actions. Then, in the midst of battling his sudden turmoil, an old foe resurfaces, giving Gibson a whole new mission—one involving old comrades that are in dire need of his expert help. But trusting the enemy doesn’t come easy for Gibson, who maintains his own agenda, keeping it close to his vest.

In addition to the thrills and excitement one would expect from yet another covert operation involving Gibson Vaughn, “Cold Harbor” plays out the psychological impact of long-term solitary confinement, even on the sturdiest of minds. Yet, despite the damage to his psyche, Gibson manages to maintain focus on his meticulous planning and ingenious hacking skills—both of which, are a marvel to behold.

Time and again, Matthew FitzSimmons has proven his innate talent for writing complex characters along with intense, compelling stories. This, his latest novel, is no exception. Without a doubt, “Cold Harbor” is a great addition to this series, and dare I say, my favorite Gibson Vaughn book, thus far.

this last book in the series is very disturbing and explores the effect of torture on the mind as well as the body. It points out how power corrupts and money fuels the corruption. The characters are real. The friendships are forged under the most difficult situations are forever.

Continues the story, bringing past questions to conclusion...not a happily ever after ending but a good ending.

I really love this series. I would not, however, recommend it to readers who are fans of the... " I must do this thing to be true to myself even though it's bad for my family" type protagonist. I love Gibson Vaughan and will follow him gladly. I was a bit put off by the second in the series, but this one brought me right back into the fold. It is fast paced ans exciting. A great story for lazing on the beach or wrapped up in front of the fire.

I'm going to be the minority here but this book was just okay at best for me. I should note that this is the third book in a series - a series that I have not read previously. Usually books work well as stand alone books for me but I am guessing that I may have enjoyed this book more if I had read the previous books in the series prior to reading this one.

Gibson Vaughn is set free after being kept in isolation at a CIA black site prison. Initially he does not know his whereabouts or just how long he has been imprisoned. The days turned into weeks; weeks into months, months into...well, you get the picture. But for some reason he is freed and he is quite a mess - emotionally and physically.

Trying to get back on his feet proves difficult as ghosts from his past keep popping up - literally talking to him causing him to appear mentally ill in public. Gibson also learns that his ex-wife and daughter are missing after their home has been burnt due to arson. Arson that the authorities feel he may be responsible for. He seeks revenge and gets involved in scheme not fully knowing who he can trust.

The premise sounds so good. Other reviewers have given this book very high ratings. I just struggled with this book. A man desperate to get back on his own two feet, to make people pay and reclaim his life sounded intriguing. I do believe I would have benefited from reading this series from the beginning as this one did not work very well for me as a stand alone.

I received a copy of this book from Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

A Good Read, But a Very Good Read If You Have Read the Previous Two Novels

Cold Harbor is the third novel in the Gibson Vaughn series. Gibson finds himself in a CIA prison. He has not had any human contact since his arrival whenever that was. His isolation has brought fourth two people from his past, Bear, Suzanne Lombard, a character from the first novel of this series, and Duke, his dead father. Talking and reminiscing with them was the only way he kept his sanity. He planned how to take revenge on the CIA agent who put him in this prison. Suddenly, the door opens, and he finds himself hooded, shackled, and in a descending plane. He was dumped at the same airport from which he was taken by the CIA. With him was Charles Merrick who had been renditioned with him. Merrick blames Gibson for his current situation and attacks Gibson. Gibson gets free and tries to pick up his life. The main storyline takes off from here.

Now, I had read the first novel in this series, Short Drop, and had purchased but not read the second novel, Poisonfeather. Much of the first part of the novel seemed to rely heavily on the previous novel, I decided to stop reading Cold Harbor, and read Poisonfeather. Now, can you read Cold Harbor without first reading Poisonfeather? Yes but, the essential background is provided in most instances, but in some the background is a little light. Because of this, I strongly recommend that you read Poisonfeather before Cold Harbor. You will not have the doubts and questions that I did when starting to read this novel. I am glad that I did go back and read Poisonfeather.

This is a thriller, so the main storyline involves Gibson solving problems as where are his wife and child, how to get his life back together, and how to achieve revenge on the CIA agent. He still argues with Bear and Duke to his chagrin when people noticed his behavior. All of them are quite challenging and brings him under police scrutiny. Then, when it seems that it could not get any worse, he gets a lifeline from an old enemy.

The B-storyline is quite rich and will advance your understanding of Gibson as a person, his relationship with his wife and daughter, and many characters from the first two books. The author weaved these storylines into the main storyline quite well and enriched my enjoyment in reading this novel.

This novel did keep my interest and keep me reading once I had read the previous novel. This keeping my interest is one of my major criteria for a high star rating. Also, all of the loose ends were tied up by the end. Because of some parts of the novel really were better having read the previous novel, I give this novel a four star rating. To be honest, I recommend reading all three novels in order, and your enjoyment will increase to five stars.

I have received a free Advanced Reading Copy of this novel through NetGalley from Thomas & Mercer with a request for an honest, unbiased review. I wish to thank Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this novel early.

Im sorry, I just didn't enjoy this book. Please keep in mind you should read the first two books to understand whats happening in the third. Where the book stumbled and fell apart for me is that I didn't buy into the fact that the CIA would put a US citizen in complete isolation for 18 months because he overheard some top secret information. To put someone in complete isolation, no windows, no clock, no exercise, no reading material no human interaction is flat out torture and beyond cruel. I just didn't buy it and since this is the opening scene in the book it really colored my outlook going forward.

Matthew FitzSimmons does not make life easy for his protagonist, Gibson Vaughn. I loved the first in the series, "The Short Drop", but thought that the sequel, "Poisonfeather", was a little too bleak and dark for my taste. This third volume of the Gibson Vaughn series takes off where book 2 ended, which was definitely not a good place, but things quickly turn better for our hero.
FitzSimmons is an excellent writer and the pages just fly by with an easy, although he gets a little IT nerdy now and then when describing Vaughn's hacking efforts. The character development - especially of Vaughn, who is haunted by his past and has recurrent conversations with primarily his dead father - is superbly done and makes the plot more realistic than it probably would be in real life.
Many ends are tied throughout the book, and I will not be surprised if this is the last book of the Vaughn series. New readers should not drop into the series in this third book as a lot much needed background info from the first two books will be missing from the reader's picture.
Summing up, this is a fantastic third volume of a fabulous trilogy (?!) that I cannot recommend enough.