Book Review: Run and Hide (Eva Driscoll #1) by Alan McDermott

Conspiracy theory galore. Strong female lead character.

This is not a book which will cause you to fear the end of the world as we know it or have you think hard of who really runs the government or compel you to reach out for answers in the depths of your soul.

But it a great book if you enjoy intense, non-stop action, fast-paced political thrillers: - bullet-proof protagonists using spycraft, brute force and super-hacker technology against rich, powerful antagonists with an inexhaustive supply of minions cum government agents.

The odds are overwhelming. Will the ex-CIA assassin who suddenly finds herself in the cross-hairs and is bent to avenge her murdered brother, along with her formidable rogue band of brothers seemingly patched together by fate, outsmart shadowy billionaire conspirators acronymed ESO, puppet masters and the "real power" behind the presidency.

Not entirely an original theme, but quite a story. Predictable, even preposterous plot, but craftily written. I'd read the author again and understand he has a popular and highly-rated series of "Tom Gray" novels.

Review based on an advance reading copy presented by NetGalley and Amazon Publishing U.K. and Thomas & Mercer.

Run and Hide is the first book I've ever read by Alan McDermott and it's a good mystery and intrigue story with a steady pacing of government and private sector secrets. The story is pretty typical in which someone is being set up or on the run from something that they did not do. Hence, "Run and Hide" of course, but the main characters in this story truly are running and hiding from the "bad guys".

The story centers around two main characters - Colback and Eva Driscoll. While Colback is on the run from some shady group that we have yet to know their true intentions, Eva is on the hunt to find that group who is after Colback. The two are connected in a way that puts them both in immediate danger yet Eva is the strongest of the two. She is a covert operations agent trained to find and kill whoever the government tells her to. Only this time, she thinks the government is hired to kill HER. Colback meanwhile, finds out through Eva and their investigations that there is a secret and unsanctioned government group after them to sort of, "tie up loose ends."

Eva is determined to take down this evil group who had killed her brother. Throughout the entire story, Eva and Colback evade capture while finding ways to filter out their enemy. What we find out later on is that the secret government group is an ancient society hiding behind the government's mantle in order to play puppeteer of the entire world. Supposedly this group, the Executive Security Office or ESO, is even stronger and holds more power than the president of the United States. They are a group of billionaires who have amassed an insurmountable fortune throughout the centuries in order to control what goes on around the world. The author makes this group very interesting and worth wondering about. Is this a real group? And if so, how did the author find out about it?

Run and Hide is a strong story. But there was nothing too fantastical about it to make it stand out from the other government thrillers titles out there. Don't get me wrong - it's a well-written book and the pacing is really steady and kept me reading without stopping. But there were just too many characters and the plot itself sounds too similar to other stories of this genre.

The ending does tie things up well but I feel that there could be more to Eva in the future. Perhaps the other will have her do something once she and her friends are completely clear from the ESO and their enemies.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

The action started on page one and it didn't let up! I was immediately drawn into the book because of the action. I had a little trouble connecting to the two main characters, however; needed more rounding out as a person, I think maybe. I think there might've been so much focus on the action the characters didn't get quite as developed as I would've liked. However, that being said, the pace and excitement in this book was really good, I didn't want to put it down: definitely a page turner! I'll definitely read more of his work.

I cannot get enough of Tom! He doesn’t feature much in this episode, but as long as I get a piece of Sonny and Lenny then I’m ok. Yet again, this instalment did not disappoint.
I cannot put them down and can’t wsit until the next in the series is published. Full of intrigue and espionage, the action keeps coming. A clever, thought provoking plot line! With a few nail biting moments.
More, more, more, please!

Absolutely brilliant, fast paced book, highly recommended. From the moment it opens you are taken on a roller coaster ride with no stops along the way. If only half of it is true the world is a scary place. I'm looking forward to lots more from this author.

I enjoyed the book and the pace. Found it a bit implausible but that did spoil the read.

Eve is a likeable but damaged principled killer.

I would read more of her stories if and when they are published.

Though Run and Hide was quite entertaining, it was a bit over the top for me. The thriller factor is high, lots of action and oh my, the conspiracy theories abound. There were times when I felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of characters and the speed at which the story moved. The characters were a bit comic book like for me - sort of super heroine and arch nemesis villain, but I must admit that made the book fun and entertaining. The ending seemed a bit predictable, and I notice this is the first of a two book set. It stands alone well, but I look forward the next read, as I can say that Run and Hide was entertaining.

Thank you to Netgallery and the publisher for a free copy of this book.
Fast paced thriller made it very hard to put down.
I will be looking for the sequel.

First time in reading this author with this being one that snagged me right away. The team this author gives you in this -Eva and Rees takes you on a rapidly engaging dilemma that keeps you engaged. You soon feel frantic and excited as you go with the story. This is also brought across clear and concise so there is not any confusion which is great. This is one great suspense that keeps you going building at the the right times.

A big thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review RUN AND HIDE by Alan McDermott. This novel is the fourth in the Tom Gray series, but works as a standalone and Tom Gray has a very minor role.
The main character is Eva Driscoll, a former soldier and clandestine CIA agent. The story starts off hitting the ground running as Eva rescues Rees Colback, who has barely managed to escaped being killed in broad daylight by some unknown assassins.
Rees quickly realizes that Eva is the sister of his friend and former Special Forces teammate, Jeff Driscoll. The title of this thriller truly fits as both Rees and Eva realized they are in extreme danger because a powerful group needs to kill them both to keep some issues secret.
This novel goes at a furious pace and leaves you almost breathless. It is not a book for bedtime, but needs to be read at a time when you can be focused and uninterrupted for maximum enjoyment. I seem to be reading more and more thrillers of various sorts in recent months. RUN AND HIDE is definitely #1 for my summer reading and is a book for those who enjoy fast paced action and suspense.
I will be looking for more novels by the talented Mr. McDermott in the future.

This was a great thriller, I read it in one sitting about 5 hours. If you like a lot of action this is the book for you. The characters were well developed. The ending is a surprise have fun if you like thrillers you will love this. I received a copy of this from NetGalley to give my honest opinion.

This is a fast paced thriller with non stop action and suspense. The characters are well developed and I liked the storyline. Plenty of mystery to keep me interested. I received a free copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving this review

This is my first book by Alan McDermott, and I loved it. It grabbed my attention from the very beginning. The plot, even though a little more for conspiracy theory readers, was well thought out and flowed smoothly. Characters were well written. I am looking forward to more from McDermott.

Intense, fast-paced political thriller with the idea of 'the republic' as its basis. The power behind the presidency is a popular theme in North American literature and TV currently but this story provides a credible basis for the theory alongside the non-stop action.

Eva Driscoll a CIA operative suddenly finds she is the target rather than the assassin, her tragedy makes her dig into the conspiracy surrounding her change in status and what she discovers destroys her inner self.

Detailed and peppered with graphically described violence and language this thriller is a page-turner, the characters are believable and sophisticated and the action relentless. The ending is well conceived and leaves the story open for more adventures with Eva.

I received a copy of this book from Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This seemed like one long chase scene. I didn’t bond with anyone but for the 2 guys from the security agency and old timer. Slow moving until the end which was well written

4 Stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read this book.

Alan McDermott is a new author to me, I havent read any of his books before. When I saw this one I just knew that I had to read it and I am glad that I got the chance.

I was hooked from the start and gripped all the way through. This is a well written book and I am interested in reading the next installment from this series as I want to find our what awaits Eva and her team.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes crime and suspense novels, in particular those readers who liked the books "Close To Home and In The Dark"

I am here for this story, series and the characters. There is action, intrigue, conspiracy, competition, clock and dagger/black ops and some fantastic relationships. One must pay attention as they read because characters are always moving around as the action and facts are non-stop. The steps leading up to the ending and actual ending were quite twisty and have me excited to see what happens next for Eve and her group.

AM has a fast paced story that involves politics and travel, along with the military and secret agencies. This story is a great start to the series and is full of descriptive language that allowed me to visualize a really fun and suspenseful movie as I read. Eve is a strong character who is able to convey strength, love, humor, anger, compassion, distress and more through her interactions with others. Several scenes where I expected violence, there was none. Then, as the story progressed and we learned more it was fascinating to see how her friends, those after her, and the villains in the story all viewed her and her skills.

Thank you NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Thomas & Mercer for the chance to read this story and share my opinions!

This fast paced novel starts with a bang and doesn’t slow down. I loved the two main characters, badass and fearless lady spy Eva Driscoll and ex-military Colback, who secure the help of two Brits and a spook to take on the ESO. Some of the tricks they used to outsmart the spooks chasing them were pretty cool and smart. I also liked the opening sequence in NYC and can imagine this to be turned into an awesome movie. The conspiracy theories were a bit much at times, but overall the book was very enjoyable.
I stayed up way past my bedtime to find out what happened next and only gave up when I physically couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore. I finished the book in two days. I look forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to netgalley for a copy of RUN AND HIDE in exchange for an honest review.

Run and Hide has all the makings of an amazing action packed conspiracy theory that one could desire. There are agencies galore hunting down people who are running and hiding (hence the name) by using false identities, staying one step ahead, hacking software, and doing a darn good job of it.

Eva Driscoll is one of the main characters. She is on a mission to find out why someone killed her brother, and seems to be adding others to the same hit list. Along the way she rescues one of those on the list, and they continue on the run together.

I am usually really into spy novels, conspiracy theory novels and the like, but I had a hard time finishing this one. Something fell short for me. I failed to connect with characters and I think I found the book to be more of a tell style than a show style writing. For whatever reason, I did not relate to the story like I normally do, and therefore struggled to the completion. By no means was it badly written, but without a connection, it didn't seem to draw me in like I had hoped.

This was my first McDermott read, and I think I would be willing to read another if the opportunity occurred. The concept was good, the story was well aligned and flowed well. It seems others have liked it more than me, so I would definitely say if you enjoy a good conspiracy read, give this one a go.

If you like a book with a strong female lead character and lots of action to keep you interested from page one to the end this is the book for you! Eva Driscoll is after the most powerful secret society in the world. This select group will do anything to fill their pockets. They buy off politicians, create disasters to make money and buy off police, judges, lawyers, foreign diplomats and anyone who can be of use in their pursuit of money and power. And if they can't buy them they kill them. This secret society killed Eva's brother and staged it as a suicide. Eva, a trained assassin, is a deadly force to reckon with and she is going after the people who murdered her only brother. A roller coaster ride of a story that keeps you reading into the night. So well written you feel connected to Eva and the characters she enlists to help her bring down this powerful and evil society. I will be watching for the next Eva Driscoll story! I received the digital copy through NetGalley in return they ask my honest opinion. I highly recommend this book! I can't wait to get the sequel when it's written!