FABULOUS!! This was a fantastic first-in-series and I hope like mad that Pobi follows it up with more Lucas Page adventures in math and murder as soon as humanly possible...

Page is a marvelous character - bent, not broken, and working like a dervish to keep himself and his family in one piece. There are just enough nods to current events, political theories, and social commentary/debate to make this one scary and resonant on multiple levels. When those issues are presented with a deft talent at storytelling, they become even more so. Pobi has done an exceptional job creating a world that is believably bleak without feeling hopeless - and the latter bit is largely due to the phenomenal Page who shines like a beacon in the darkness, offering an almost mystical set of abilities that allow him to see through the pitch. It's one hell of a story and I'm already chomping at the bit for more!

This is a topical and truly page turning thriller. Dr Lucas Page, who lost a leg, arm, and eye in what he calls the "Event", is an astrophysicist who has an uncanny ability to see things the rest of us don't and compute geometric things (I don't know how to describe it). He's happily married to Erin and they have five adopted/foster kids and a dog and a double amputee named Dingo who lives in their garage apartment. Life is good and then he's pulled back into the FBI because some one - a wicked someone - is killing law enforcement officers with a sniper rifle. Page is paired with Whittaker, a strong African American woman who is an excellent foil for him, especially as things descend into nightmare territory. Make no mistake, this has some graphically gory spots and there is alt-right rhetoric from some of the characters. There's a scene at Page's house that well,,,no spoilers. Pobi has a knack for creating great characters in a swoosh and for scene setting (a frigid and snowy New York and then Wyoming). More importantly, he keeps the tension up. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. An excellent read.

Thrilling, riveting, absorbing - all words you are likely going to be seeing when you read reviews of this book. Then you get the pleasure of adding your own description when you've read it for yourself. In City of Windows Robert Pobi writes with an intensity of feeling that immediately had me gluing my eyes to the pages. The story unfolds at a steady pace helped along by short chapters which often skip to different locations and viewpoints. I certainly can't complain that Dr. Lucas Page isn't a well developed character because I was given plenty of material in order to understand everything the author wanted me to get about Page in this book. The complexity of Dr. Page is illustrated by many facts, one of which is finding out that he had left the FBI ten years ago after suffering a terrible injury resulted in him losing an eye, a hand and a leg. Page is now a professor but his ex-boss has a desperate need for Page to help with the crime scene where Page's ex-partner has been assassinated by a sniper. Page has a special skill that will enable him to figure out the location the sniper used. From there the body count just continues to rise.

Dr. Lucas Page's experiences offer a slew of story opportunities tied to him in the forms of his wife and children; they feature prominently in this story. This alone could be a possible indicator of more novels to come. Just imagine all the plots that could unfold. Even without his family it will not be lost on readers that we haven't heard the story of The Event that caused the physical damage Page sustained. Pobi went to a lot of trouble to save all of that information for another story.

Recommended for the fact that this book is different from the single-loner type protagonist more typical of thriller novels. You will also begin to wonder just exactly how cold it was supposed to be in New York. I know they like to think they do everything bigger there, but even blizzards?

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for an e-Galley of this book.

4.5 stars rounded to 5 stars

OK everyone, listen up because this one is really really really GOOD! It’s different, it’s clever, and it’s got a great protagonist in Dr. Lucas Page. Dr. Page is not a medical doctor, but a university professor who happens to be a former FBI agent. He also is half metal with arm and leg prostheses thanks to a disastrous event while earlier serving in the FBI. And not only that, but he is a savant with special mathematical mental skills that can come in quite handy. Lucas is being recruited back to the FBI for a “guest stint” in order to help track an ultra talented sniper who is knocking off law enforcement personnel.

Lucas is a curmudgeon, but a likeable one. He is paired with Whitaker, a talented African American agent who knows how to get along with curmudgeons. I liked Whitaker and hope to somehow see her again in another book, though I believe this novel is a stand alone. I can’t help but mention that Whitaker has her own interesting little mental talent. We have a fairly large cast of characters that forced me to seek out the SEARCH button on a few occasions to refresh my memory of who was who, but that didn’t bother me too much. The plot is nicely complex and had me totally baffled. I love it when I can’t even think of a single scenario to explain the situation.

I was especially impressed by the fact that there is fabulous edge-of-your-seat stuff going on at less than 50%. And it kept on going. Even when it all seemed wrapped up. As I say, very clever writing. I was so happy with this read that less than half way through I was digging through Goodreads to see what else this author has written. I was pleased to see that he has two or three other novels that are calling my name.

I picked this one off Net Galley in a moment of weakness, a whim, really. And I’m glad I did. After devoting most of the last 8 months to historical fiction, I am reminded just how much I love my thrillers and crime fiction. And for that, this book gets rounded up to 5 stars. Highly recommended to all thriller fans!

Thank you Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books, and Robert Pobi for granting me an ARC. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

This is a great police procedural thriller! It's blizzard time in NYC and a sniper has set his eyes on law enforcement. A former FBI agent, Lucas Page, is called back to help find the killer. I loved reading about NYC in this story, and the characters are all interesting. Especially Lucas. This book is fast-paced and keeps you wanting to read more.

This is a tight thriller, a page turner and the kind of book you cannot put down. It's not my typical genre but I was completely drawn into it, first to last page. The police action and regional writing is very very compelling. For me the only dead spots were some of the political messages and Lucas' wife and kids. The family felt like a necessary widget but didn't work for me at all. Some of the screeds about the 2nd Amendment I just flipped past.

If you want a taut murder/action/mystery, go no further.

This was a really gripping thriller, with a little sci fi spin. I'm not going to recap The plot. You can see that for yourself. I want to tell you my thoughts. So here's my brain dump.

The good
I loved Lucas Page and how grumpy and sarcastic he was.
I loved the world that was built
I loved the writing, which really drew me in
The story was really interesting, and Lucas' special abilities were fascinating.
I loved all of the characters and thought they acted true.

The not so good
I didn't like the ending. I felt like the whole story was so interesting and unique, and the ending was just... Ok. It didn't do justice to the rest of the book.

I understand this is the first in a series with Lucas Page, and I can't wait for the next one.

I want to thank #netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy. This didn't affect my review.

I almost bypassed this book thinking it was something I wouldn't like. Boy, was I wrong! This book was awesome and it looks like I have found a new author to read. I plan on taking a look at his other books.

Dr. Lucas Page is a college instructor with a background in astrophysics and also a former FBI agent. Due to tragic circumstances he left the bureau for the academic life. But as fate will have it an unrelenting sniper is on the loose in New York City and even the worse blizzard in history puts a kink in this killer's agenda. The Bureau needs Lucas back.

This character is unique in that he is a cross between the bionic man and a high speed computer. With his uncommon abilities he is able to see things in numbers, (I'm not sure I totally understand this), and his skills are put to the test as he races to stop this monster targeting law enforcement personnel.

This book will keep you on the proverbial edge of your seat and just wait until you find out who the sniper is. I'm not telling. You are going to have to read the book!

Highly recommended and looks like the beginning of a series.

3.75 Stars

For years Dr. Lucas Page lived a contented quiet life. But a past he gladly left behind came knocking on his door. A sniper incident forced him back with the FBI. Working together with a new partner and a few from the past, he must figure out who was the shooter before the time ran out.

Lucas was an interesting hero. He was selfless with his gift/ability. His past and his prickly personality were endearing in his own way. I loved how different he was with his family versus others. However, there were some major questions about his past with the FBI that were never addressed. It was hinted, but never properly explained.

The story started off a little slow for me. But once it turned personal, it became more engaging. There were several heart thumping moments in the book that made me felt invested in some characters. The revelations were not unexpected but it didn’t take away my enjoyment.

City of Windows is a story of hate and entitlement. It would appeal to readers looking for an intriguing crime thriller.

Really compelling mystery/thriller—with a smart underlying commentary about gun ownership, violence, and some of the factors complicating these issues, including societal malaise, ignorance often trumping facts, and longstanding patterns of power and fear.

I loved the balance of clues and revelation that didn’t make me feel manipulated or red herring-ed to death as with some mysteries.

Lucas Page is a fantastic character (as are Whitaker, Kehoe, Erin, and Dingo). I wasn’t sure if Page’s robotlike “booting up” references to waking up and getting going were going to overwhelm things, but Pobi struck a great balance for his idiosyncratic character.

The elaborate climactic scene was creatively gruesome—with realistic disgust felt as a result.

A couple of nitpicky details: Alice’s mind reading over the phone felt like far more of an unrealistic stretch than when she was anticipating questions in person. And I think Erin and the kids would have police protection in Montauk—a person could likely easily discover the existence of the house owned by the Pages. It wouldn’t have made any material difference to events, but not putting that in place felt like a huge miss for the FBI, much less Lucas.

Can’t wait for the next one!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an advance copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If there were 6 stars this would get the;m!

Excellent thriller with a fascinating character, Dr. Lucas Page, astrophysicist. Lucas is called back to his former FBI job to solve a series of officer shootings by an unknown sniper with exceptional skill.

The Page family is a unique group of individuals. Each child has had a challenging start to overcome with the love and help of Lucas and Erin.

The hunt for the sniper is a steadily building puzzle and the entire book was captivating. I didn't want to put it down!

Definitely putting Robert Pobi on my "to follow" list!

New York City is experiencing a deep freeze on top of a brutal blizzard. Nothing is moving. The city has come to a standstill. But there is something evil lurking from on high. A sniper is targeting people with incredible accuracy. The FBI is involved but they are stymied. How can these shots be made? Is there a pattern? Is it terrorism – domestic or homegrown?

The agent in charge can think of only one person who has the skill set to assist in tracking down clues to uncover who may be behind this mayhem. That person is Lucas Page, an astrophysicist with uncanny mathematical skills and an observational awareness that seems mystical. Lucas has a history with the agency, not all of it good. He also has a family, which he is reluctant to leave as Christmas approaches and his professorship at the university. Moreover, Lucas has experienced a horrific event that has left him with one good eye, one good leg and one good arm. But none of that will stop Lucas from exposing the truth.

Exciting worthy read for those enjoying thrillers, mysteries and a most unusual but tenacious protagonist who does not suffer fools gladly, has a dry sense of humor and even some good will to those who deserve it most. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this sci-fi thriller eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  So here be me honest musings . . .

city of windows (Robert Pobi)

Title: city of windows

Author: Robert Pobi

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Publication Date: TODAY! (hardback/e-book)

ISBN: 978-1250293947

Source: NetGalley

I picked up this book based on two ideas: 1) that NYC is stuck in an apocalyptic type snow storm and 2) that the main character, Lucas Page, has an uncanny ability to view the world in mathematical vectors and angles.  The sci-fi element of seeing the world in this way combined with hunting down an extraordinary sniper appealed to me.  While this was a fast read, it ended up only being okay.

I think part of the issue is that these special abilities of Page really come across more like magic than anything else.  While they seemed awesome the first time they were used, eventually this talent seemed almost arbitrary in how it was used and how it worked.  Also what Page used these skills for became repetitive.  I didn't expect this small sci-fi element to be the focus of the book given the thriller nature but I was disappointed by it.

Additionally, I was also annoyed by elements of the plot.  While I loved the introduction of the mystery surrounding why law enforcement personnel were being targeted, the resolution was completely lackluster.  A random group of Page's grad students help solve the question in under 48 hours.  The entire answer of who the mystery sniper is and the motivations behind the crimes were so cliché and ridiculous.  I didn't mind, at first, that many of the characters in this were anti-government but the eventual politics involved were just super over-the-top.  I didn't like the cult aspects, the Muslim hatred aspects, or the silly red herring aspects.  And I especially hated the entire ending.

I did like that Lucas Page was a curmudgeon and snarky.  I really enjoyed his antagonistic relationship with the lead FBI agent.  I thought the many of the elements of his disabilites were interesting in terms of the practicalities of dealing with them.  I also loved his driver, Whittaker, and thought she would have made a better main character.   I did not like how Page's relationship with his wife was portrayed.  She seemed so pissed at him no real reason other than to add "drama" to the plot.  Also I thought the entire subplot involving the sniper and Lucas's family was dumb.

This is apparently the first book of a series starring Lucas Page.  As the book was a fast read, I don't mind having read it but I won't be continuing with the series.

So lastly . . .

Thank you St. Martin's Press!

Goodreads has this to say about the novel:

During the worst blizzard in memory, an FBI agent in a moving SUV in New York City is killed by a nearly impossible sniper shot. Unable to pinpoint where the shot came from, as the storm rapidly wipes out evidence, the agent-in-charge Brett Kehoe turns to the one man who might be able to help them--former FBI agent Lucas Page.

Page, a university professor and bestselling author, left the FBI years ago after a tragic event robbed him of a leg, an arm, an eye, and the willingness to continue. But he has an amazing ability to read a crime scene, figure out angles and trajectories in his head, and he might be the only one to be able to find the sniper's nest. With a new wife and family, Lucas Page has no interest in helping the FBI--except for the fact that the victim was his former partner.

Agreeing to help for his partner's sake, Page finds himself hunting a killer with an unknown agenda and amazing sniper skills in the worst of conditions. And his partner's murder is only the first in a series of meticulously planned murders carried out with all-but-impossible sniper shots. The only thing connecting the deaths is that the victims are all with law enforcement--that is until Page's own family becomes a target.

To identify and hunt down this ruthless, seemingly unstoppable killer, Page must discover what hidden past connects the victims before he himself loses all that is dear to him.

To visit the author’s website go to:

Robert Pobi- Author

To buy the novel please visit:

city of windows - Book

To add to Goodreads go to:

Yer Ports for Plunder List

With a sniper on the loose killing law enforcement officers in New York City, former FBI agent, Dr. Lucas Page, is approached to consult on the investigation based on his area of expertise. Though well established as a professor, husband and adoptive father, Lucas is hesitant to consent, but he is keen to use his unique skills to solve the case. What ensues is a chase that puts all at risk of being a target.

“But he couldn’t turn off what he was built to do – to see patterns. In patterns, there was direction. Order. Predictability.”

From the beginning, the narrative is punctuated by the inexplicable murders and how Lucas has adapted to his new life. Though Lucas could be anti-social and sarcastic at times, he is also dedicated to his word and it showed character dimension along with his vulnerabilities.

“Lucas didn’t have anything more to give these people. Not unless they needed a little resentment.”

As for the pulse of the story, the search to identify and catch the sniper was full of deductions and multiple paths leading to different theories. With themes taken from current events, the reality of certain ideologies offers a sad and disturbing commentary that fuels distrust in these characters. Though some of the pacing was slower than I would have preferred and the trajectory wasn’t a complete surprise, the cast of characters and punchy narrative maintained my interest.

City of Windows is crime thriller that reads like an action drama with a prickly but endearing leading man.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this arc.

Whoa!! Get out your G-suit, strap in and prepare for lift-off! Oh, and remember to breathe...

This was a very fast paced read (I only remember a couple of "slow spots," about 4% in, Lucas loaded a dishwasher... about 60% in, he made coffee in his hotel room, describing the silly little teabags the coffee was packaged in for the hotel room's coffee machine). His real talent was his ability to reconstruct and calculate the physics of long range sniper shooting almost instantaneously in his head. And to irritate people. But then they usually irritated him first... (that was the fun part). I really like how he was able to just growl at and then walk right past life's "horseradish" and yet maintain very real and human relations with the folks he deemed worthy of knowing. Almost all the characters felt genuine and real to me, some even superhuman.

The plot line itself, maybe not so plausible. But who cares? Still a great read and I'll definitely be on the look out for more from this author!

4.5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC copy.

Loved this story about a sniper who is terrorizing NYC and the reluctant former FBI agent who gets sucked into the task of uncovering the who and why before more victims pile up. It's an intriguing mystery that's fast paced with a high body count. FBI agent Lucas Page is likeable, perceptive, and has a unique gift/talent that makes him the perfect man for the job. He's also grumpy and doesn't suffer fools gladly. There's a lot of heart and witty lines scattered throughout which prevent the whole story from getting bogged down into the dark world of blood and gore. I'll look forward to more stories with this main character and his supporting cast.

Love and had super Jack Reacher-ish vibes. The title made me think of Rear Window though which is what really captured me and made me read what it was about but it wasn't Rear Window-like. Still a good read.

An expert sniper hunting victims during the worst snowstorm to hit New York City in recent memory? Sign me up. I was a really big fan of this thriller of a book and I can't wait to read more by Robert Pobi.

I thought that the story was fantastic and fast-paced. I also really loved the characters and their backstories and development. My only complaint was that in places, the writing didn't seem to flow very smoothly and I thought this book could have used a little extra editing. That said, I hope this is just the beginning for Dr. Lucas Page and his friends and family.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

A dark story with more twists than a New York pretzel! I've always been drawn to stories -- both true and fictional -- of snipers and the nerves of steel they possess. When sniper rifles are in the hands of someone bent on revenge, however, chaos ensues. This book held my complete interest from the kick-started beginning to the satisfying end, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for spine-tingling suspense. Well worth the time to read!

*My sincerest thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reviewing an ARC at no charge.*

This book grabbed me from the first chapter, really from the first page and I stayed up all night reading. Great protagonist, an intelligent and multidimensional character with a great backstory. Even more interesting side characters. The plot is not predictable. Great twists and the book is meant for someone who is intelligent and doesn't want the twists handed to them. Fantastic read.