Member Reviews

A complex plot, woven across centuries and tying together the current US and British security forces with Count Dracula. The story seemed somewhat loose and rambling to begin, but the last half of the book tightens the tale and pulls the reader into the closing action. A fun and fitting addition to the Brit in the FBI series.

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I thought this was a standard read even though there was lots of interesting information about drones. I imagine if you read the books with these characters in them, you would like the story.

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I like this series of books, and look forward to the next one when it comes out. I liked the plot of this book, and the technological aspects of it. It was something that could happen, which makes it more frightening. However, some of the dialogue in this book is the same as Coulter started doing in the FBI series. The characters talk to each other and if they have to explain everything in a funny, joking tone. It seems forced and silly. The last FBI book got better with this, but now this book picked it up. The dialogue seems unnatural.

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Scenario: A megalomaniac, LSD addicted, mad genius who has developed a security system which is currently utilized worldwide on every single computer, including governments. A militarized drone army. The Voynich Manuscript which is a mysterious, centuries-old puzzle, with its unknown language and illustrations of plants and stars. The Voynich Manuscript represents a riddle yet to be solved. Major political figures are mysteriously dropping dead on the spot. All of this and more are present in this gripping, edge-of-your seat thriller which features FBI Special Agents Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine in Catherine Coulter's and J.T. Ellison's fifth book in her "Brit in the FBI" series.

Twists and turns abound in this action packed thriller. I was totally riveted. Returning main characters, Nicholas and Mike are very likeable and have terrific charisma and chemistry together. The handpicked group of their whole "Covert Eyes" unit are definitely a cohesive team with an unconventional bent. The whole scenario of an increasingly unstable mad scientist having control over every computer in the world, with a silent drone army was a frightening, timely prospect. Catherine Coulter and J.T. Ellison have once again penned a thrilling murder/mystery novel. Hang onto to your seats and get ready for another roller coaster ride!

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Mix in a dash of Dan Brown's "DaVinci Code," a splash of James Patterson's "Private" and a whole lot of originality from two very talented co-authors and what do you get? A page-turner of history-linked chills, thrills and intrigue that will keep you engrossed from beginning to end. In fact, I highly recommend the entire "Brit in the FBI" series (this one, I believe, is the fifth).

Primary characters and friends with benefits Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine are on the special Covert Eyes FBI team - one that plays well with the FBI's British counterpart (Nicholas is the first British agent to join the FBI). They've been called in amid what is thought to be assassinations of a couple of business and political bigwigs in London, with the hope that the team can sort things out and, needless to say, catch the culprit(s). As readers learn early on, the killings may be linked to the Castle of Vlad Dracul III in 1448 and a mysterious Voynich Manuscript that involves cryptophasia (a.k.a., a language of twins); the occasional chapter flips to days of old to trace the manuscript's footprint throughout its elusive history.

The trail extends far and wide but seems to be tied to Roman Ardelean, the uber-wealthy owner of a cybersecurity firm that provides software to governments and businesses worldwide. Not insignificantly, he's also a descendant of Vlad the Impaler (often believed to be Dracula), and his twin brother, computer genius Radu, suffers from a particularly nasty and incurable form of hemophilia. The brothers are convinced that pages in the Voynich Manuscript - pages that have just turned up at a London historical museum after having been mysteriously "discovered" by Romanian expert Dr. Isabella Marin - spell out what Radu needs for a complete recovery.

In between are real and threatened attacks by a cadre of seriously high-tech drones and seemingly low-tech but deadly falcons; whether or not they're all connected to the Ardeleans and the manuscript will put to the test the considerable computer skills of Nicholas and his team-member friend Adam in what might be called a battle of the programmers. Non-techies needn't worry, though; everything is explain well enough that even an aging grandmother like me can understand it (well, enough that it all made sense, at least).

Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review - which is that this is a very exciting, well-written story you don't want to miss. Another winner!

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I like both Catherine Coulter and J.T. Ellison. The FBI series are usually one of my favorites. This particular story line was hard for me . I love the familiar characters but was not able to get lost in the story. I am looking forward to future endeavors by these two. I was sent this from NetGalley in return for an unbiased review.

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Another great book with Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine. The German Vice-Chancellor surrounded by security is killed just as he is about to step into 10 Downing Street. He is not the only one who is killed in a few days with no one near. except a drone in the air. There are a number of sides to this story. Drones that can attack and raptors trained to bring them home again. Which brings us to Roman Ardelean and his twin who has a very rare health problem. They think they are descendants of Dracula and the Voynich Manuscript's missing pages can help cure Radu. Roman has also provided the operating system used in most governments around the world. He has a backdoor built in to give him access which he uses when needed. There are many things going on that keeps you wanting to just sit and read what will happen next.

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Well written with much detail given to help the reader understand the storyline. Nicholas Drummond was superb as usual, personally and professionally.

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I really enjoyed this new book in the Brit in the FBI series. It's well-written & very on topic of current events, & technology. You do have to get past the whole question why is the FBI taking charge in a case in England & involving English citizens. It's a little slow getting started and does get into the computer hacking/fixing part heavily but the ending really picks up in action, bullets, explosions & other fun stuff. Nicholas and Mike take a few hits but keep ticking away. I did feel some sympathy for the bad guy's brother Radu. #TheSixthDay #NetGallery

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Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine are on a vacation in Great Britain that starts out with a computer hack and suspicious deaths of political leaders. British Security has been hacked. Every secret is exposed and key strokes can be seen on every system. The inventor of the security system that runs on the British system and systems all over is called in to fix the problem. Is the fox guarding the hen house?

The story has chapters that take you back in time to Vlad the Impaler and Dracula. Supposedly characters in the present time are descendants of Dracula, which requires you to suspend belief. There are drones, killer falcons, and just plain crazy characters. I found it a little hard to get into the book, but once I did it kept me interested. This was definitely not my favorite book in the series, but I will continue to read the series. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy of this book.

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The Sixth Day by Catherine Coulter and J. T. Ellison is a mesmerizing thriller. Although there is a mythical element to the story, the events could conceivably take place in our highly technology dependent world. The Covert Eyes team have apparently been in place for some time. After reading The Sixth Day, I will definitely be reading the earlier books. I would definitely recommend this book to just about any type of reader. I received this advance copy from Net Galley.

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Somewhere around chapter five in reading The Sixth Day, the theme song to Mighty Mouse started playing in my head. For the rest of the book, it would not stop. Nicholas enters and there goes "Here I come to save the day.” Mike enters and the same thing. Nicholas calls Adam and oops there it goes again.

While the plot was news-worthy and timely, the execution was fairly unrealistic and almost cartoonish. Maybe that’s why Mighty Mouse kept appearing. Drones seem to be the latest fad, so they were incorporated in the book. That was the most interesting part of the entire novel. Oh and throw in Dracula for good measure.

There were plenty of characters to try and keep up with, but none were really developed to the point that made them matter. Sure, the good guys were good, but they weren’t necessarily likable to the point that I was really rooting for them. The bad guys were bad, but much of what they did made some sense, so they weren’t really dislikable.

All in all, The Sixth Day was entertaining to read. It’s escapist fiction. After reading it, I also realized it was a waste of enjoyable reading time.

I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley and Gallery Books in exchange for my honest review. Thank you.

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Another fantastic Brit in the FBI series book! I love the characters of Nicholas and Mike and the way they work together. I also love the way that the characters Coulter created continue to make there way into her novels. This story had a lot of intrigue and history in it. The drone use and falcons really makes the reader wonder about the technology of the world we live in! I just loved that the mystery grabs me from the beginning in this series and doesn't let you go. It's also nice to see these characters again since they seem like old friends!

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Some interesting historical elements mixed in with the modern day story. As usual, another great book in this series!

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The description made this sound like a very interesting book--spies, intrigue, ancient texts, even Dracula--but I had a very hard time getting through it. Perhaps all the threads didn't weave together well enough for me. There was a large team of operatives and I didn't feel engaged in their group dynamic. There was the back story of two twins from Romania, who were Dracula's brothers, along with several chapters from various time periods. There was the story line of two modern-day Romanian twins and the struggle to keep the weaker one from death. And then there was the main conflict: a drone army built by a billionaire computer genius. Maybe if so many different things were not going on and the authors really focused on more vital plot lines, this book would have been more engaging to me. As it was I really contemplated not finishing it several times.
For fans of the series, I am sure they won't mind the faults in the book and will enjoy it. I would not recommend it to a new-comer, however

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Catherine Coulter never fails to delight and "The Sixth Day" was awesome. Superb storytelling. I liked the suspenseful elements of the story. Kept me hooked. Enjoyed it greatly!

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Catherine Coulter has written more than eighty novels, most of them bestsellers. “The Sixth Day” follows her formula of high technology and nefarious acts being perpetrated by a madman with intrepid cops hard on his heels. As usual, greed, insanity, power, and anger are big motives. A lot of money, unlimited imagination, and a bloat of official function are the means.

Actually the law enforcement activity in her books is highly skilled and filled with dedicated agents. There’s just too many of them. In “The Sixth Day,” two of her best creations, Nicholas Drummond and partner in both law enforcement and love, Mike Caine, pursue a billionaire with a sickly twin brother who requires his constant help. The number of officials pursuing the crook almost outnumbers him and his minions. With the vast resources of a worldwide security firm of nefarious activity, a fleet of remote drones, and a group of hungry falcons that exist to do his bidding, the obsessed man searches for both a cure for his brother and unlimited world power.

The plot is complicated and intriguing. The action is loud and threatening. The action is nonstop and riveting. In spite of some rather unbelievable technical stunts and questionable scientific operations, the author manages to keep her story in a readable mode with the fishy material suitably wrapped to prevent rank odors. That careful packaging has been a long-accepted aspect of her success.

I like Coulter’s books in spite of her flamboyant tendencies. I’ve long supported a writer’s privilege to write fiction with looseness for facts, a liberty this author uses with skill.

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Two authors that are a perfect compliment to each other in every way. I received an ARC of The Sixth Day in return for an honest review. To think that this could actually happen in our world today with all of the high tech gadgets and brilliant minds, we are doomed. Drones are everywhere and the evil they can be used for has not even been touched.. The mastermind assassin and his twin brother will keep you on edge throughout the book - I found myself not breathing in many parts until I finished the scene. Thank goodness for Covert Eyes and their brilliant team...it's back and forth - good vs evil. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it for anyone that loves a fast moving suspenseful thriller.

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In The Sixth Day (Gallery Books 2018), Book 5 in Coulter's popular Brit in the FBI series, the stars, Special agents Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine are trying to take a much-overdue vacation, this one in England to see Nicholas' family. Before they even settle in, Nicholas' father asks him to help with a ransomware problem that has shut down his company computers and the FBI asks him (since he's already in England) to check out the suspicious death of a German political leader who drops dead in front of 10 Downing Street. With the aid of Drummond's genius computer geek, the ransomware is quickly solved solve but not so the death. In fact, Drummond and Caine tie it to several other suspicious deaths that were previously considered natural causes and are now looking more like murder. The weapon of choice: drones.

In a time when drones are all over the place with little control and lots of variety, this addresses the terrifying fear of how easily they can be weaponized. My one complaint is that too often, the author goes a sentence too far in explaining his points. I get it, move on, and he's still talking. It makes me want to skip ahead. Not good for a murder mystery. But, I've read every book in this series, enjoyed them all, so there's no chance I won't keep reading because of a pesky complaint about too many words.
--to be published to my blog, WordDreams, March 9th.

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While members of the Covert Eyes team are taking a much-needed break, things start to heat up in London. Several important political figures die within days of one another, making some wonder if there's not something going on other than just a string of bad luck. At the same time, malware attacks hit computers in high places, despite the software company's assurances that security is their primary concern. Add in the discovery of some long-missing pages to an important historical document, a rash of drone attacks and characters who are descended from the legendary Dracula, and you have the makings of yet another hard-to-put down book from these authors.

I'm glad I was on vacation when I started to read this book, because once I got into the story, I didn't want to put it down. It was exciting to watch as the strings of story introduced early in the book are woven into one piece. Almost from the very beginning, the reader knows who the "bad guy" is in this story, but we don't know why until pieces start to fall into place as the story progresses. The end of this book was, of course, exciting, but it was also scary, as it's not that hard to picture these events happening in the world today. I really look forward to seeing what awaits the Covert Eyes team in the next book!

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