As usual this is a fast paced, page turner brought to you as only Ben Coes can. As one of today's most accomplished writers, he can deliver a action filled roller coaster ride that will leave you breathless. A must read for Dewey Andreas fans.

As North Korea is one of the places I find absolutely fascinating I was overjoyed to be able to nab an ARC of Ben Coes eighth book in the Dewey Andreas series, "Bloody Sunday" to read. His titles are most commonly described as political or espionage thrillers and Coes is no stranger to the world of politics. He started his career as a White House intern under President Ronald Reagan and went on to become a prominent speechwriter in President George H. W. Bush's government before turning his hand to fiction, penning his first Dewey Andreas book, "Power Down" which was released in September 2010. I have no idea whether his time in the political arena inspired him to write some of the stories within these books but if you read the synopsis for "Bloody Sunday" it will be instantly recognisable as almost mirroring real world events. The denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula plays a substantial role in the plot and all the players from the real world are present - North Korea, United States and there's a tie-in to Iran too.

I haven't had the luxury of reading all of the previous seven books in the series but I do know that of the ones I have tried that it is often necessary to be able to suspend your disbelief. That being said, there have also been other times when i've thought that the plot was very plausible and realistic. Either way, it doesn't matter as I adore this series. A thrilling, exciting, seat-of-your-pants adventure that you literally gallop through to find out what is going to happen in the end! One of the things that separates Coes books from those of similar writers is that he seems to have the edge over them regarding technical details and his thrillers contain stories that are ripped from today's headlines making them even more compelling to the reader.

If you liked fast-paced, action packed, political thrillers then this is a book you shouldn't miss! Ben Coes is quickly becoming my go-to author in this genre. Intelligently crafted and exhilarating as well as topical, I thoroughly appreciated my romp through Dewey's perilous world! Needless to say, I eagerly anticipate his next book.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

There is a LOT of action in this book. It reads like it is taken from our headlines. Highly recommended that you read this book. I will definitely seek out more Ben Coes books.

This is the 8th book featuring Dewey Andreas. And, as usual, the action begins on page 1. A highly specialized team of medical professionals are flying to Pyongyang, North Korea to examine the supreme leader, Kim Jong-un. Within 24 hours he is handed a diagnosis that sets in motion a potentially world changing event - the use of a nuclear bomb on the U.S. Andreas is ready to quit his job in clandestine services and move to Maine when he approached by President J. P. Dellenbaugh to take on one more mission. He is sent to Macau to discover why both North Korean and Iranian representatives are converging there. And then he must stop Jong-un from executing the plan. Clearly drawing upon current events and political alliances, the action is non-stop, and there is even a teaser of what is to come in the next book in the series. Coes, in my opinion, is in the top tier of thriller writers today. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy of this timely novel.

Completely improbable but compulsive readable as long as you don't quibble about details. This was my first Coes book so I don't have the track record with Dewey that others might. He's quite the action figure. I liked Anna, the MI=6 officer who works with him on this totally out there operation. It's imaginative and totally plot driven- perfect for travel or. beach day. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This would make a good movie.

Bloody Sunday by Ben Coes

Power Down was the first book I read by this author. The author writes with the pedal to the metal and doesn’t hesitate to gun down a character that you like. This is not a series for the faint of heart. Bloody Sunday takes us to the front pages of last week’s newspaper. North Korea and nuclear weapons are the main focus.

The main character is Dewey Andreas. Dewey was Delta Force but was forced out by some questionable circumstances. His background allowed him to become a major force in stopping the terrorists as shown in Power Down. Apparently some time and books have passed as he is back working for the government. Dewey has burnt out and decided to hang up his spurs but the President talks him into a mission.

A side story which looks to be continued down the road involves Jenna, a brilliant analyst from the Brits. Coes sets her up as a mystery.

Action, action and then a little more action characterizes the Coes books.

If you have issues with high levels of graphic violence the book may not be for you but I found it an enjoyable but frightening read. Too often the world’s fate may hang on a nut cases shoe string.

I recommend.

Web: http://www.bencoes.com/

This book is fantastic, highly recommended for thriller fans.
Art loosely imitates life as Ben Coes delivers the goods in his new thriller. Get ready for one heck of a roller coaster ride, chock-full of surprises waiting around every wickedly wild turn.
Thank you very much to St. Martin's Press for providing me with the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars

Dewey Andreas, after his last assignment, is ready to take care of some personal business and then retire. But when Kim Jong-un, faced with imminent death from cancer, decides to cement his legacy by dropping nukes on the US, the president urges Dewey to take the crucial assignment to stop him. Considering the recent tentative rapprochement between our countries, the timing of this book is a bit unfortunate, but it’s not difficult to imagine such a crisis having happened when relations were more hostile.

I read the first Dewey Andreas book and then skipped ahead to this one, a bit worried that I would have missed too much in between. I needn’t have been concerned. Coes reviews most, if not all, of Dewey’s adventures a couple of times in this story, so I’ve basically been spoiled for the earlier books. Fortunately or unfortunately, that won’t be a problem.

While I love fast-paced thrillers with international intrigue, some of the same things that irked me in the first book were in force in this one. Dewey still is on page for perhaps half or less of the book. Despite a lot having happened to him over the course of several novels, his character seems much the same. He has two modes: operational (which is fun to read) and his the-hell-with-this mode (which he snaps out of, sometimes with help).

But the real sticking point again for me had to do with details. I understand that perhaps only medical professionals might find some of the discussions and events unrealistic, so much of that would not bother most laymen. But there were so many sloppy mistakes with easily-checked information that I became increasingly detached from the narrative as more cropped up. A couple examples: Korean naming conventions have the (usually one syllable) surname first followed by the given name (which may have a syllable about birth order, etc.). For Kim Jong-un, Kim is his family name and Jong-un his given name. The story got this correct. But for every other Korean character, including General Pak Yong-sik who appears throughout the book, it is wrong every time. He is referred to as General Yong-sik rather than General Pak. Another example: an Iranian character spoke to his countryman in Arabic instead of Farsi. Both of these would have been so easy to check and get right.

Now I realize I’m kind of a PITA about details in books, but it only really gets in the way of my enjoying a story when mistakes are frequent, especially if they should be easily corrected. Dewey’s exploits are fun to read, and the stories feature pretty clear-cut good guys and bad guys for an enjoyable, escapist thriller. For many readers, that’s great. But for the type of reader I am, perhaps it’s not enough for me.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Ben Coes, and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

A fan of Ben Coes, I could not wait to get my hands on this latest Dewey Andreas thriller, which did not fall short in any way. After some of Dewey’s most harrowing experiences, he is ready to hang-up his gun and check out. The events surrounding the murder of his wife have proven to be too much for him and he dreams of nothing but life in the countryside. Trouble is, no one else seems to have that same dream for Dewey and hope he has a little more juice inside to run a few more ‘essential’ missions. When MI6 sends a top mission architect to the CIA, Jenna Hartford is somewhat bitter, but willing to try things on the other side of the Pond. Significant intel shows that the North Koreans have been stirring up the pot in the region with their nuclear testing and have a covert meeting planned in Macau with the Iranians. What these two American foes have to say and what plans might come for this remains unknown, but Hartford has an idea about how to extract it. Dewey is the key to its success, though he remains fixated on life after the Agency. A singlet persuasive chat changes his mind, if only for a time, and he agrees to make his way to the ‘Asian Las Vegas’, where the highest-ranking North Korean General awaits. While trying to execute a plan to force the news from the lips of the General, Dewey is struck with the same weapon and has only a short time to counteract the measure. The CIA learns a snippet of what North Korea has in store and it is nothing short of disaster, in a strike codenamed ‘Bloody Sunday’. Now, Dewey must try to stay alive and save himself before he can turn his attention to America, all while infiltrating the North Korean border, where spies and traitors are killed before breakfast. All eyes are on Dewey, as the countdown clock reaches its perilous final moments. Coes has done it again and brilliantly entertains readers in this fast-paced thriller sure to impress. Recommended for those who love the series and readers who cannot get enough political thrillers with an espionage twist.

I always look forward to a Ben Coes thriller, as I never know what to expect. Full of political and spy-based branch-offs, Coes always injects just the right amount of dry wit and suspense to keep me coming back. In the early stages of the book, the reader sees some interesting happenings inside North Korea and a flame lit under its dictator with a plan to finally strike on US soil. Counter that with Dewey Andreas, who is hellbent on avenging the life of his wife, and the story could not get more intense if it tried. Andreas has long be a rogue character, none more than at this point in time. He is fuelled by revenge and wants nothing more than to strike at the heart of those who have wronged him. However, he still has a little something left in him and Coes portrays his protagonist as being steel-willed to the very end, making moves that few could expect to work. The introduction of Jenna Hartford has its own interesting spins, though the reader will have to take the time to see what Coes has in store for her. She is surely an interesting addition to to series and, should she remain, could prove interesting. The handful of secondary characters add flavour to an already spicy novel and allows the reader to feel in the middle of the action. The story is great, though the nuclear threat is by no means a new theme in the genre. However, Coes goes about it in a wonderful manner and portrays both the North Koreans and Americans in a light I have not seen. The intensity of the narrative and the action build within it to reach the climax is wonderful and keeps the reader guessing and hoping. As an unrelated aside, those who have read the short story that Coes released ahead of this novel, Shooting Gallery, may notice that this novel (#8), actually precedes the short story (labelled as #7.5) from a chronological point of view. Both stories run independently to one another, so there is no risk of spoilers, but I did notice that early on and promised to put it into my review. There is never a lack of excitement when Coes at the wheel and I can only hope that more novels are in the works, even with a different character base after the North Korean fallout.

Kudos, Mr. Coes, for a stunning addition to the series. I am addicted and cannot wait to see what else you have in store for your fans.

This was a decent thriller. I have not read any of the prior books in the Dewey Andreas series, so my only knowledge of the characters' back stories are what is contained in this book. The characters are interesting and well-developed. I really liked that the author chose a feasible general plot that dealt with a contemporary issue/concern -- Kim Jong Un planning a desperation nuclear weapon attack on the US. Without knowing the author's background in advance (I looked it up later), it is evident that he is very knowledgeable about/has done his research concerning the military, CIA and other intelligence agencies, US foreign policy, etc. The book has plenty of action.

In any good thriller/action novel, there is going to have to be suspension of disbelief by the reader, as the hero or heroes are going to end up in situations where it is highly improbable, if not impossible, for them to actually survive. However, this novel takes this too far. Think of every improbable event you have seen in any television show or movie, combine them all, and then magnify that by 100 and you arrive at this book -- the backstory indicates that in the previous two months, Dewey was involved in three or four situations where he realistically should have been killed or put out of commission for extended periods and then in the few days of action that encompass this novel, there are multiple instances of that happening again. A couple death-defying fight scenes or improbable escapes would be good, but in my opinion the author has gone too far.

I like the characters, the choice of realistic plots, and the quality of research and descriptions, which makes reading the earlier novels somewhat appealing, but with the likelihood that the earlier books will be too extreme (especially since some of the earlier books deal with the incidents that Dewey had been involved in in the months prior to the situation in this book) and considering the numerous other "thrillers" available by other authors, I am not sure I would ever choose to read the other books.

Also, while I understand the author was setting up a plotline for a future book, I did not care for the side plot involving Jenna Hartford, the MI6 agent.

Bloody Sunday is a Bloody Awesome Thriller!!! Dewey is an Animal....

This is my first Ben Coes novel and it will not be the last. While there are many writers in this genre, I would put Mr. Coes up with the best. Dewey reminds me of Mitch Rapp from Vince Flynn, but has a different persona. Since I'm coming into the series late, I'll have to start at the beginning to see Dewey from the start.

Dewey has walked away from his black ops career, so he can be a normal person. The President persuades Dewey to save the United States one more time. Dewey must stop North Korea from launching a nuclear missile targeting the west coast. Can Dewey do it. You will have to read this high octane thriller to see if Dewey can save the day.

Ben's writing style is very fast paced, full of twist and turns, with a few hangers at the end. I'll watch for the next installment, so I can see what happens with Dewey and the others.

great book full of suspense and action great serie with a great character would make a summer blockbuster movie look forward to more in this serie in the future

Author Ben Coes throws CIA Tier One operator Dewey Andreas into the thick of it this time. Dewey finds himself in North Korea trying to stop a dying Kim from launching nuclear tipped missles at the USA. The story is so in tuned with current global situation it's hard to put it down. By the time you Finish you find yourself saying "phew that was touch and go". The author also manages to leave you wondering what will happen in his next book after he gives a tease about Jenna, a U.K.citizen working for British Intelligence who becomes loaned to the CIA. I found myself saying WOW, where will this story line go next.

#BloodySunday #NetGalley Available July 31, 2018
This is the 8th book in the Dewey Andreas series. North Korea’s leader just found out he is dying, which makes him all the more determined to launch a nuclear attack on the United States. He needs help with bringing this about, however, so he teams up with a neighboring country, Iran, for an exchange.

The United States is aware of activity in North Korea, but they need more information. In a daring effort to learn more, they plan to inject a special designer poison into one of Kim’s top military generals. They will then inform him where to find the antidote if he gives over nuclear information. He will have 24 hours to live, which should be plenty of time to reach the antidote.

Every one of authority approves the plan and Dewey Andreas sets out to put it into play. But like most well-laid plans, this one goes awry. During a struggle, Dewey injects a small amount of the poison into himself. But the antidote is in North Korea, and Dewey knows he has only hours to live if he doesn’t get to it in a hurry. And what’s to happen with North Korea’s determination to launch an attack on the United States?

Concerns:
This is a very detailed story, which makes it all the more believable, but I would suggest starting with the first book in this series. That being said, I haven't read any other books in this series and still really liked the story. But I do think it wouldn't have felt quite so overwhelming in the first half of the book if I'd had a little insight regarding some of the characters and back history.

What I Liked Most:
What I liked most about this book is what I usually don’t like: details. I like a book to move right along with only necessary descriptions. The first half of this book is very detail oriented, but it felt like the author had an inside track to what goes on behind closed doors with high officials and the story was building to a high point where Dewey injects himself. (At least for me that’s where the action really started.) The descriptions and conversations didn’t make me doubt a thing. It all felt authentic.

I'll not be reviewing this book. I read the first few chapters and did not want to go further. I just did not hold my interest,

Wow! Wow! Wow! I’ve read all Coes’s books this past six months. and they are all equally great! But this may be one of my favorites! Dewey Andreas was amazing as always, but he really caused the pages to fan in this one! And it couldn’t be a more timely plot! My only complaint is that he doesn’t write fast enough—of course with all great authors you want the next to be out as soon as you finish!

Book Review: Bloody Sunday (Dewey Andreas #8) by Ben Coes

Pure red meat. Uninhibited by political correctness, Ben Coes has authored an impressive series of books where in no uncertain terms the good guys are sorted from the bad guys, with an intuitive focus on relevant hot-button topics and issues, delivered with the level of technical accuracy, realism and plausibility which make each story compelling and provocative. Admittedly for some readers, the stories may border on jingoism - but, shall we say, on the good side.

The latest, the eight of the series, "Bloody Sunday" reads like newsflash ripped off the wires on the probably one of the most highly-charged issues at the time of the book's publication - the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, North Korean nuclear weapon testing, and the potential end of the 70-year Korean conflict. In the story, ICBM deployment is facilitated by another rogue regime, which could very well be happening or may happen in future. At the time of this review, the American President in real life is meeting with the North Korean Leader to try to seek a resolution to issues.

The protagonist, a CIA agent of sorts with his own demons, is brusque and brutal, unapologetically patriotic and absolutely the opposite of a suave Bond superspy, yet utterly human, vulnerable to pain, bullet holes, a little love, with some compassion.

Non-stop action, twists and turns, a little melodramatic at times, easy to read creative "iceberg" style, unputdownable.

Review based on an advance reading copy presented by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.

Kim Jong-un is dying, and he has one last dying wish; send nuclear bombs to wipe out the United States. He needs to be stopped at all costs, but with all of his protection, ruling with ruthless abandon, can anyone stop Kim Jong-un?

Dewey Andreas is very good at what he does, but he quit his job. All he wants now is revenge. His old boss wants to stop him, but can anyone stop Dewey when he puts his mind to something?

These two scenarios are the beginning of a hold-your-breath adventure when Dewey volunteers to go deep into the heart of Kim’s world to save not only the United States, but himself. Deathtraps await him as he attempts to navigate the tightly controlled and hazard-ridden North Korean peninsula. North Korean soldiers and technology hunt him relentlessly as he tries to penetrate the inner sanctum where Kim resides. And he’s running out of time.

Ben Coes is at his best as he leads his readers through this fast-paced espionage thriller. It’s a book you really need to put on your Summer reading list.

I received a free advance copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I can recommend this thriller. What do you do when, while trying to inject poison into someone, things go backward? What do you do when Kim Jong-un fires off ICBM's at the US? Non-stop action! A few flaws. As when Dewey gets beaten up and no one notices. Or he keeps on going like the energized bunny. However, exciting book. Get it!!

Dewey Andreas is back and in great form! Dropped into a bold storyline of malefic plots - involving coercion, personal reckoning, city-wide destruction and action - Ben Coes delivers another exciting edition to the Andreas legacy. Coes continues to find way to develop his character into a mythic yet relatable hero. Together with his increasing ability to devise sinister plots, Coes shows his growing skills as a great writer and addition to the thriller genre.
Highly recommended.