Nora Trier is a forensic accountant working for a downtown Minneapolis firm. The firm is hired by the athletic empire Strike, to find a missing 20 million in prize money before their major kickboxing tournament
I really enjoyed this author's previous books so I was excited to read this one as well. Unfortunately this one fell a little short of my expectations. Nora was very unlikable and Logan Russo, the owner and the face of Strike was even more so. I am not a sports fan, so I really did not enjoy the parts about kickboxing. Fortunately, the story was as much about following the money trail and trying to find out who stole it, as it was about kickboxing. It wasn't a bad book. It just wasn't for me.

Wavering between 3.5 and 4 stars. Need to think on this a bit...
And after further though I'm settling on 3.5 based on how quickly I forgot what this was even about :-/

In true Mejia style, she created another kick-ass and take-no-names female protagonist, which to me was the shining star of this book. The plot came out swinging as well, but further in I found myself struggling to stay focused.

Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad read. I've just had better experiences with this author, and hope to again with her next book.

ARC provided by NetGalley

Thriller and accountants shouldn't be words in the same sentence, but this worked.

Nora has become a forensic accountant, going after frauds and other financial mysteries, and she's good. But is she good enough to find 20 million dollar that went missing when the only suspects are her client and his wife, who happens to be Nora's idol?

You know... I liked this. I enjoyed the read, the idea was good. I was just not into the execution. The first big flaw is that it goes too slowly. And the accounting bit isn't the one to blame. To be honest, it wasn't complex at all. Also, we have a suicide that is beyond weird, so it had enough elements to make the initial part move. It was all instinging, And yet, we reach like 40% of the book and it still didn't feel like it had begun. Nora even concludes this closer to the end that she was just doing the basic, or something. Even to me the reader it also felt that.

I think the other part I didn't enjoy was the thing with Logan, the wife. Nora admired her to insane levels and it was bizarre for me. I know it fits the purpose of the story but some parts made me uncomfortable because Logan seemed the only thing Nora was really interested in. She was cold toward her friends, her husband, the men she flirted with, and I'm not even sure I'd describe her passionate about her job, but she'd sound a little too much when it came to her fantasy about Logan.

This is a good book but not so exciting. It did keep me interested in the solution to the mystery but it lacked those moments of boom that makes your heart race when reading thrillers. There were plot twists, I can't say I predicted some of the important ones, but it didn't dazzle me either. Mindy Mejia is insanely talented and her books usually give the feels, but this one lacked the something more I already expect from this author.

It's still a solid 3, considering the book itself and not my expectations, it was a nice read, but there are many better, even by this same writer.

Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

Tl;dr: Mindy Mejia has written another great thriller that stands genre conventions on their heads, and Stike Me Down is a fantastic, remarkable read.

Mindy Mejia has written another great thriller. This one is about forensic accounting and kickboxing--yes, you read that right. And guess what? The forensic accounting stuff is *more* interesting than the kickboxing! I loved the heroine, Nora, though I suspect a few readers may object to her lifestyle choices (she's in an open marriage, but the subject is handled with thoughtfulness and insight) The thriller part is shockingly intense, considering most of it revolves around remotely tracking money, but this story of a kickboxing legend, her husband, 20 million missing from the company, and Nora's investigation--and involvement--is riveting. I read this in one long gulp, preordered the book, and plan to talk it up at the library and bookstore when they reopen. Very highly recommended for those looking for a well written thriller that doesn't have a typical plot and features a strong, smart, female lead. In fact, highly recommended in general because did I mention Strike Me Down is awesome?

Ok, for those in the back, Strike Down is awesome and you need to read it.

It's not often I stay up later than usual and finish a book in bed, even if there are just a couple of chapters to go. Add this one to the short list of those that made the trip upstairs.

Mostly that's because the story is so unique - when was the last time you saw a character who's an international kickboxing phenom (female, no less)? Ditto for one who's a cracker-jack forensic accountant (also a female)? Throw in the the sudden disappearance of $20 million and husbands and wives who, let's say, don't seem well suited to each other, and you've got the makings for a page-turner.

The company at which the money went missing is Strike, a multimillion dollar joint creation of that aforesaid phenom, Logan Russo, and her husband, Gregory Abbott. The company is wildly successful, cashing in big-time on Logan's fame. Now, they're throwing a huge tournament with $20 million in prize money plus the chance to replace Logan as the new "face" of the company. But therein lie a couple of issues: First, Gregg suspects Logan has the hots for one of their young trainers and wants him as her replacement. Second, and most pressing, is the disappearance of all that prize money.

Enter Nora's firm, which has built a reputation for digging through numbers to expose corporate theft and fraud. Gregg contacted them, knowing of their expertise through a prior meeting (and one-night stand) with Nora away from their Minneapolis base. Understandably, Nora - who's also a member of the local Strike gym and can hold her own with a kickboxing bag - is hesitant to accept Strike (and Gregg) as a client. But her partner gives her the green light and she gives in - despite concerns expressed by her husband, Mike, with whom she has a self-described "open marriage" as well as a 10-year-old son.

Her hardest task may be determining who to believe; Gregg and Logan are pointing fingers at each other. Nora's investigation becomes central to the story, which shifts in perspective from Nora to Gregg. By the end, the whole thing took a couple of very dark turns, all leading up to an exciting ending that showcases all of Nora's considerable talents.

Honestly, I'll be the first to say I probably wouldn't want to hang out with any of this crew; I love strong women, but Logan and Nora take it to a whole 'nother level. Neither is even close to perfect (although they're at the top of their respective games career-wise) - but then neither are any of their male counterparts - not at Strike and not at Nora's firm. Still, there's something riveting about each and every one, adding interest, intrigue and hints of unspoken love interests that may be lurking in the background (or perhaps just in my own mind).

All in all, I found it well worth reading. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

It takes some severe writing chops to make an accountant the hero of a breakneck thriller, and Mindy Mejia is flexing her power all over this book. Nora is vulnerable, yet strong and still flawed in some very interesting ways. The massive kickboxing tournament put on by a proto-feminist company makes a great backdrop for the story. Kept me hooked the entire way.

I wasn’t sure how a story about an accountant could be a suspenseful thriller, but it succeeded! This was a very entertaining story that centers around the sport of kickboxing, lots of money, and a few tense relationships. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

The book started out with an interesting premise that combined accounting with fighting, it felt like a good way to balance out the boring, even though forensic accounting does seem better than regular accounting. It alternated between Gregg, the husband of the fighter, and Nora, the accountant. The story was good, engaging, and suspenseful, I just had a hard time really liking the characters. I think some of it was intentional given how the suspense builds at the end, We are told Nora’s back story early on but don’t get a sense of how that impacted her. You are told very little of Gregg’s. It was a good read, just could have used more of that so the final fight gave me someone to root for.

A woman must force herself to remain professional when she’s hired by a former lover for a job. The more she investigates, however, the hard she finds it to keep her personal life out of the investigation. Author Mindy Mejia delves into the fascinating world of forensic accounting and pairs it with the sporting world in her excellent new release Strike Me Down.

Nora Trier has spent the last fifteen years of her life hiding in plain sight in downtown Minneapolis. Not because she’s in some witness protection program or because she’s running from the law. Quite the opposite, in fact. As a forensic accountant, Nora counts on her nondescript appearance to get people to open up to her even as she’s scouring their finances for fraud and theft.

When Gregg Abbott of Strike, Inc., walks through the doors of the firm where she works, though, Nora feels like she’s in the spotlight. Strike co-founder Gregg wants the firm to investigate a major theft, but all Nora can think about is the chance encounter that brought the two of them together during an extended layover. Now the man she thought was a one-night stand is in her office and asking for help.

Gregg is the marketing brains behind Strike, a premier kickboxing franchise. He formed the company with his wife, Logan. She’s the face, the kickboxing champion dozens of times over. Gregg is the man who groomed Strike into something bigger than anyone could have imagined. Now Strike is ready to launch its week-long kickboxing tournament called Strike Down. The only problem is that the $20 million in prize money has been stolen. If it isn’t found before the end of the tournament, Gregg and Logan will be ruined and Strike will collapse.

Nora throws herself into the case headlong. She’s been attending Strike’s classes in their downtown gym on her lunch hour and is mesmerized by Logan. If Nora is honest with herself, she’d give anything to be like her. She knows she can’t let Logan and Strike down.

None of the typical investigative tracks work, though. The more information Nora and her associates find, the more questions it brings forth. Nora keeps feeling like she’s missing something, like if she just concentrated on the case like she does on the punching bag she’d be able to put all the pieces together. The more she finds out, however, the more dangerous the entire scenario becomes.

Author Mindy Mejia shares with readers the little-explored area of forensic accounting and builds Nora’s character out of a need for keeping everything orderly. Mejia gives Nora a compelling back story that keeps the protagonist at arm’s length from everyone. This forces Nora to face her fears and the other characters time and time again as the investigation into Strike’s finances gets deeper and more dangerous.

While readers may not naturally draw a line from accounting to kickboxing, in this book the two offer direct contrasts that heighten the dramatic impact of the story. Accounting’s dispassionate, practical methods butt heads with kickboxing’s emotional, melodramatic approaches. Likewise, Nora maintains her cool in the early part of the book while Logan leaps off the pages as larger than life.

Mejia offers readers fully developed characters, including the minor ones. Gregg’s assistant Sara and Nora’s best friend, Corbett, in particular, round out the story. And Logan and Gregg act as the perfect foils to Nora’s intentions. Every time she tries to get a straight answer, both of them push back. Readers will thoroughly enjoy the conflict down to the last line of the novel.

For those looking for a compelling story with fresh faces and ideas, I recommend readers Bookmark Strike Me Down.

When I first read that Mindy Mejia's newest book was about forensic accounting I thought maybe, despite enjoying her previous books, that I would have to pass. I am not only mathematically challenged (went to college with AP credits for English but had to take noncredit remedial math!) but it's an area of knowledge that is of no interest to me. But, Mejia still delivered a hell of a story, because it was really about so many other things.

The characters in this story are just unusual enough that learning what makes these people tick is enough to keep you guessing outside of the twists and turns of following the missing money. It's a story about ownership and blame, and the different kinds of strengths one can embody.

Nora Trier is a forensic accountant, skilled at catching and prosecuting those who embezzle money or commit fraud in large corporations. Nora is asked to investigate Strike, an athletic enterprise co-owned by kickboxer and "face" of the company Logan Russo, and her husband Gregg Abbott the marketing guru. Strike is hosting a kickboxing tournament in which the winner will receive $20 million dollars and become the next "face" of the organization. The prize money is missing and Gregg thinks Logan is behind it. Gregg has information, involving the death of an employee, that he feels implicates his wife in the missing money. Nora has a secret as well which may compromise her ability to remain objective in this case.

Strike Me Down is a corporate thriller in which a forensic accountant, Nora, is asked to investigate the disappearance of $20 million in prize money before the tournament ends. Despite the narrow time frame, Nora takes the job and is determined not to let her connection with both owners hinder her investigation. The closer Nora gets to Gregg and Logan, she finds herself torn between what she knows and who she can trust. Nora's character comes across as a bit emotionally detached, using her work as a buffer both at home and with others. This leads to problems when her emotions towards Logan and Gregg begin to cloud her judgement based on the claims each one is making about the other. As more secrets are uncovered Nora gets caught in a tangled web of lies and deception. This was an entertaining read filled with secrets, mystery, and suspense.

About as thrilling as one would expect a novel about accounting to be. I just couldn't stay interested.

I keep wavering on how to rate this book. If there were a way to give it half stars, it would be more in the 3½ range. I know a lot of people ask how do you give a half rating. It's hard to explain. I liked this one, but I didn't like this one. 

Overall, this is a great story. It's unique. It's mostly exciting. It's a race against time. I had no problems reading this book. BUT, if I'm honest. The who did not surprise me. I had it figured out pretty early. I think that kind of killed the book for me. I was just reading to see how it all played out at that point.

This book is full of strong characters. Honestly, I just wasn't all that invested in them. I didn't get a connection to them. I think that is a result of the writing style. I have read a few books from this author, and for the most part, I have wavered on her books. Her writing style either works for you or it doesn't. It definitely just didn't work for me in this book.

This will be one of those books where you either really like it or don't. I don't foresee too many being in the middle like I am. It's hard to separate my personal tastes in writing from the story since the writing didn't really make the story better for me.

I’ve given this book a lot of thought and it kills me to give it only 3 stars, as Mindy Mejia is one of my favorite authors. I applaud Mejia for writing a psychological thriller that is not only different from what she usually writes, but is also unique among others of this genre. The book explores both the worlds of forensic accounting (who knew that was such a thing?) and elite fitness. Much of the first 2/3s delved into these subjects, with a lot of in-depth info. Again, I love that Mejia is writing about something new and different, but the subject matter did not hold my interest at all and I found my mind wandering much of the time. The latter part of the book had a nice build-up of suspense with an unexpected twist, so I can honestly say that I’m glad that I read it. But, unfortunately, only 3 stars for me this time.

Mindy Mejia continues to impress me with her writing skills. This is the third book of hers I have read, and each one of them has a unique style, flare to them, and the topics of the pots are vastly different. This alone is a testament to her abilities as a writer.

Once again, based in Minnesota, Mejia's home state, Strike Me Down tackles financial investigations through the eyes of a determined CPA. I'm confident that the time Mindy spent as a CPA influenced aspects of the book, and certainly made it stronger.

The book starts off with a riveting scene that grabs the reader's attention. Once the reader has been hooked, the book delves back into the history of the characters to help fill in some of the details that make them who they are today. Nora is a tenacious CPA who has the notoriety of being a whistleblower that took down a major corporation, which happened to be run by a close friend of her family. Logan is a kick boxer that has found success after success in the arena, becoming a star and the global face of the company founded by her and her husband Greg. She is larger than life. Greg has been content to sit in the background, running the company and managing its expansions as the brand continues to grow and evolve.

The book centers on a major, worldwide kick boxing tournament to be held in Minneapolis, sponsored by Strike, and including a $20 million payday for the winner. There is one catch, the money is found to be missing from Strike's accounts a week prior to the tournament. The firm that Nora works for, specializing in discreet investigations is hired and turned loose to try and fulfill the heroic and virtually impossible task of finding and recovering the funds before the end of the tournament.

I found the book to be interesting and engaging. The lookback at the history of the characters was a little sluggish, but it did provide valuable insight into the characters and helped to build the foundation for the story. The kick boxing aspect was interesting, and certainly not the center of the story arc for any of the books I've previously read. I wasn't fully emotionally connected with the characters, but the strength of the writing and storytelling compensated for that, and I found it hard to set the book down. The story moves along at a good pace, and has several twists and turns along the way. There are lies and duplicity, emotionally charged scenes, and a-ha moments throughout the story.

Strike Me Down is not my favorite book by Mindy Mejia, but it is still a well written and engaging book, and definitely worth the time for anyone looking for a good mystery, investigative, who done it type of thriller.

I received a copy of this book from the gracious marketing team at Emily Bestler/Atria Books in exchange for my thoughts and opinions.

I’ve read two of Mejia’s previous novels and didn’t love them; recognized her name and decided to give her another try. This wasn’t for me either.

Who said numbers are boring? Take a kick-boxing tournament, $20 million of missing prize money, a tenacious forensic accountant…and you’ve got yourself one heck of a spectacular, original thriller. Mindy Mejia’s STRIKE ME DOWN is fast-paced, masterfully woven and wholly unexpected, with an ending that’ll make your jaw drop. An absolute must read.

Overall, a well written book, but it just didn't pull me in like I expect thrillers to. I think this was mostly due to the strange combination of subject matter- kickboxing and forensic accounting along with (for me) the highly unbelievable premise that the book revolves around- that the whole world cares about an amateur kickboxing tournament. Oh, and said tournament has a prize of $20 million. I found it baffling that a start-up gym company would not only have $20 million that they could just give away and that they could also just misplace this same amount of money too. There are also talks that they might have a billion dollar deal coming- it all just made no sense to me. Where is all of this money coming from? Look at these guys from Ninja Warrior building gyms. None of them are rich and they are well known in their sport. The whole money part of the plot was so unrealistic that it was hard to take anything else in the book too seriously.

I’ve given this book a lot of thought and it kills me to give it only 3 stars, as Mindy Mejia is one of my favorite authors. I applaud Mejia for writing a psychological thriller that is not only different from what she usually writes, but is also unique among others of this genre. The book explores both the worlds of forensic accounting (who knew that was such a thing?) and elite fitness. Much of the first 2/3s delved into these subjects, with a lot of in-depth info. Again, I love that Mejia is writing about something new and different, but the subject matter did not hold my interest at all and I found my mind wandering much of the time. The latter part of the book had a nice build-up of suspense with an unexpected twist, so I can honestly say that I’m glad that I read it. But, unfortunately, only 3 stars for me this time.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Atria/Emily Bestler Books and Mindy Mejia for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Nora is working at an accounting firm that specializes in fraud and embezzlement. Her current gym Strike which is own by the goddess Logan Russo has hired her firm to find the 20 million dollars that have disappeared. They have one week to find the money that is the prize money that is going to be given to the new face of Strike after a weekend-long boxing tournament. Nora and her team are working to uncover the mysteries of the money when she finds out her biggest ally may be against her.