"Never underestimate the power, for good and bad, of religion."

Colter Shaw, a reward seeker, abandons his personal mission to find his father's secret and goes undercover to Washington State. His mission: to find out why two neo-Nazi fugitives escaped to the Osiris Foundation Camp and its charismatic leader, Master Eli. Shaw finds more than he could have imagined in a place full of terrible lies and secrets. NO SPOILERS.

This second in the Colter Shaw series is just as good as the first. Full of action and well-plotted, it moves very fast and is hard to put down. There's a lot going on and the narrative is full of surprises. I like the main character and find the details of his background quite interesting. I can't wait for the next installment!

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend.

In The Goodbye Man, Colter Shaw is searching for two boys. The reason? For the $50,000 reward, of course. That’s his job.

Adam and Erick are accused of painting racist graffiti and burning a cross on a church lawn. Worse, they shot the church’s janitor and its lay preacher. When one boy dies during their capture, Colter decides to see for himself if a cult is behind the boy’s strange actions.

“Shaw’s career as a reward seeker, no, his essence was about survival. Saving lives. Finding the kidnap victim, the imperiled runaway, the serial killer stalking the sales clerk or college coed. And here he’d failed. [A boy] was dead. He needed to know why. And he needed to know if anyone else here was at risk.”

The Goodbye Man is another great thriller from Mr. Deaver. It’s a compelling look into a cult from the inside as Colter goes undercover as Novice Carter. I really loved this inventive and thrilling tale. If you are as into reading or streaming cult documentaries as I am, you too will love this roller-coaster ride. 5 stars! While this can be read as a stand-alone, it is better if you know a bit about Colter from the previous book in the series, The Never Game.

Thanks to G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

As a lifelong fan of Deaver, or so it seems, I always have a hard time when being introduced to new characters. It is hard to switch off from the tradition Lincoln Rhyme style. This new character, Colter Shaw is very different from Deavers previous leads. In fact the entire style of writing seems different, it is fairly easy to get lost in the story and forget that this is the same author who created Lincoln and Amelia.
I do find that the new Shaw stories are more than a little 'out there' in terms of believability. This one man is similar in comparison to Jack Reacher, who again pushes the limits on believability, however this makes for a great read. I could not put down the book, The subject was interesting, I wanted to know more. I wanted to learn how this cult really worked, and how Shaw was going to make it out alive!

I look forward to the next Shaw instalation (but hope also for more Rhyme stories!)

I can't help anticipating the next installment of the Colter Shaw story by Jeffery Deaver. The Goodbye Man was captivating and engaging.

Colter Shaw is a professional reward seeker whose latest job takes him to Gig Harbor, Washington State. He is searching for two men accused of hate crimes, but through that job he learns about a secretive group that may actually be a cult. Colter puts his own personal problems aside to look into this group to see if they are really helping people or are they a dangerous cult whose leader is endangering the lives of the members. Before he gets the answers, Colter will have to fight for his own survival.

I am a fan of the author’s “Lincoln Rhyme” books, but missed the debut novel in this series. I read a short story that comes before this one, so I was familiar with the character of Colter Shaw and his profession. Even without reading a prior book or short story, new readers will have no problems getting to know Colter. He is truly a unique character with an unusual skill set because of his upbringing by a survivalist father. These skills help him go about his job as a reward seeker and helping others in a much different way than other people would. I like Colter’s uniqueness as well as his kindness. Of course, he welcomes the money from the jobs he takes on, but he also really cares about the people he is helping and I love that aspect of his character.

The plot of the book pulled me in from the beginning. Colter’s time investigating the organization and its charismatic leader is very intense and suspenseful. The book is full of Deaver’s trademark plot turns so you never know what’s coming. The inside look at the fictional, creepy cult is scary and kept me interested and anxious to find out what would happen next. The unexpected twists in the story keep coming through until the very end. I look forward to reading more in this well-written, entertaining series.

I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of the Penguin Group. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

Why Would Someone So Willingly Kill Himself

A 200 pound rock rolls onto the mountain road right in front of Colter Shaw. Split second decision sends Colter crashing into a rocky outcropping. As he tries to get out of the car, someone starts shooting at him! The story timeline shifts to six hours earlier. Colter is in Gig Harbor, Washington State, to find two youths who were wanted hate crimes. There was a $50,000 and a $900 rewards for information leading to their arrest and conviction. Colter’s competitor is already on the track of the two. After he shakes off his competitor, he finds the two fugitives in an isolated and forested area east of Tahoma. They appear to be waiting to be picked up. He calls the local police but is suspicious of them when they arrive. He sends them the long way around. Colter takes the short way. When he approaches them, the older fugitive runs and jumps off the cliff to his death. After moving the younger fugitive away, he watches a van pull up from further east. He notices the apparent leader looks over the cliff and shows no emotion. The leader then chastises one woman that did show emotion. Talking with the younger fugitive, he learns that the older fugitive wanted to take him to a place he recently visited that helped him through the many troubles he was experiencing. The novel proceeds from here.

Colter enrolls in a three-week course at the Osiris Foundation to find out why someone would go so willingly to his death. He finds many obstacles in his way. The author weaved a very good story that captured my interest and compelled me to continue reading.

Most of this novel is spent with Colter in isolation with the rest of the world with the only interactions with other people at the Foundation as he tries to maintain his cover story in perilous conditions, identify and makes friends who may help him in his quest without exposing his real self, and how he applies his father’s survivalist rules so that he has options if things go south. The reader also will see how Colter interacts with his mother and much of that relationship is revealed. Also, some of the people, upon whom Colter relies, appear and more about their background and relationship is provided. These B-storyline aspects of these threads helped my enjoyment in reading this novel.

Mostly there are only inferences to intimate relationships, one of which was with an underage girl, and some to all were not be consensual. There is some adult language, but not excessive in my opinion. One issue that I had with this novel was that most of it took place in a cult environment. Many of the participants and employees exhibited mindless adoration. I’ve never understood this type of behavior, and this aspect hindered my enjoyment in reading the novel. This is personal and, hopefully, will not bother you while reading it. The other aspect was that the ending is what I call a “Who Shot JR” ending. It was a lead into the next novel in the series. I will say that the author wove this storyline quite well and seamlessly into this novel’s storyline. Otherwise, the novel is well written, engaging and easy to read. On the upside, this novel can be read without having read the first novel without missing anything.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this novel. The cult nature and the ending did not allow me to enjoy this novel as fully as I would have wanted. I rate this novel with four stars. If my issues are not important to you, then I would recommend reading this novel.

I have received a free e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Penguin Group, G.P. Putnam's Sons with an expectation for an honest, unbiased review. I wish to thank Penguin Group, G.P. Putnam's Sons for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

Jeffrey Deaver's novels have kept me awake for a very long time. The Goodbye Man, his latest which I read courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, happily did the same.

Colter Shaw, an professional fugitive hunter who first appeared in The Never Game, is after two teenagers who participated in a vicious hate crime. Finding them and watching one leap joyfully off a deadly cliff, he finds himself in the middle of another mystery - who were the secretive and oddly dressed folks who charged into the scene just as the young man jumped, why did he jump in the first place, and who was the enigmatic young lady who was being treated so badly by the group. So many questions. So few answers. Complicating all this is Coulter's quest to find and decipher a message his father hid right before his dearth - a message with a secret more dangerous than he realizes.

Shaw's search leads him deep into the the primeval forests of Washington state to a mysterious organization (or a dangerous cult) with a powerful leader; a cult that will stop at nothing to protect their secrets.

Deaver's novel is filled with everything one expects of this master storyteller - harrowing chases, deeply guarded secrets, complicated conspiracies, betrayal, unexpected romance, and thrilling, fast-paced adventure.

The Goodbye Man is a satisfying read and a great introduction for anyone wants to get a feeling for why readers are hooked on Deaver's best selling books.

I have read most of Deaver’s novels and short stories. But of all of them, I think Colter Shaw and in particular The Goodbye Man has to rank near the bottom. I don’t find this man who never does wrong, who seems more inhuman than human, to be a credible character. The major topic of this novel focuses on cults and there are several other worthy sub-focus areas as well. By the second third of the book I was rooting for Colter to slip up just once, to not have prepared perfectly for every possible eventuality, to be wrong about something that counted. The book’s ending sets up the next entry in this series. While I know others will enjoy it, I, for one, will give it a miss.

Another page turner by Jeffery Deaver featuring Colter Shaw "Investigator / Reward Seeker". Love this fast paced, action packed suspense series! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I’m a huge fan of Jeffrey Denver’s Lincoln Rhymes series and have also enjoyed his stand alone novels. With this second book in the Coulter Shaw series he has another winner. As well paced as his Lincoln Rhymes books, the lead character is a reward seeker who predominantly takes on missing person cases that the police have given up on. Goodbye Man has Coulter Shaw infiltrating a murderous cult to save innocent victims. An excellent page turning thriller. Highly recommended

I've read several books by Jeffery Deaver and have enjoyed them all. This one is no different. He has the ability to draw you in and want to finish the book to see what happens next. I highly recommend this book..

I absolutely loved this book. It did take me a few chapters to get into it but once I did I was hooked. Jeffrey Deaver has a way of pulling you right into the middle of his stories. This was an intense thrill ride of a novel that left me wanting more. Mr. Deaver’s powerful imagery of a cult and its leader will leave a lasting impression. I highly recommend this high intensity novel.

It's always a treat to see a new series from a favorite author, and I absolutely loved The Never Game, which launched this one last year. I loved this - the second - as well, albeit not quite as much, but the reason is nothing more than a personal peccadillo; the primary setting isn't, shall we say, a favorite of mine. That said, you can bet your mother's G.I. boots I'll be waiting eagerly to see what's next for self-described "reward-seeker" Colter Shaw.

As he sets out to find two young male runaways who reportedly committed serious hate crimes, he learns that the local police are on the trail as well, but with a difference: Unlike Shaw, they have no intention of capturing them alive. That doesn't sit well with Shaw, and when he and the cops find the boys, he starts to take preventive action. But suddenly, he and the cops are flummoxed when one of the boys does something unthinkable. Shaw manages to get the other boy out of harm's way, in the process learning that his cohort may have been under the influence of a cult. Home-grown survivalist and realist that he is, Shaw sets out to learn more.

As all this is transpiring, Shaw's mind remains on finding out what his late father - whose death may have been helped along by unsavory characters - was working on that seems to be connected to the growing drug trade. But most of the story's action takes place on the grounds of the Osiris Foundation, the public name for a highly secretive organization that claims to help people who are carrying around a ton of emotional baggage (a "cure" that comes with two very high price tags).

It is the nitty-gritty of that operation and Shaw's personal investigation thereof that keeps the pace moving quickly and kept me on the edge of my seat much of the way through. I also got more insights into where the quirky Shaw is coming from. In that regard, had I not read the first book, I'm pretty sure I'd have had no trouble relating to this one. Still, IMHO it's always a good idea to start any series as close to the beginning as possible - and in this case that's not very hard to do. Both are definitely worth reading, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read advance copies of both.

I choose Jeffery Deaver's newest book The Goodby Man since I always read his Lincoln Rhyme books. This book featured Colter Shaw. who is a bounty hunter. I At first it was hard for me to. get involved in the plot .I felt that .here was very action and little plot movement. However once Shaw entered The Osiris Foundation the book got more interesting. Shaw showed that he is devoted to helping other ppeople and not afraid of any dangerous situations. Personaly I found it hard to relate to him and his behavior. I'll stick with reading Jeffery Deaver books about Lincoln Rhyme

What an awesome book! I have it to hand it to Jeffery Deaver. I have always been a fan of his writing because his stories are always original, unique, well researched, and this one is no exception. I really liked the storyline about being inside a cult, and I liked main character, Colton. I also liked Virginia, who he meets while he is trying to take down the cult. Colton is smart, and provides lots of plot twists. This book was set in Washington State, where I live, so that was an enjoyable bonus. In a lot of ways this story was timely with the pandemic going on, and Colton being a survivalist, makes me wonder what I would do, if I was put in some of the same situations.

I would like to thank NetGalley for the advance copy of the Goodbye Man by Jeffery Deaver, release date May 12, 2020.
This is the Second of the new Colter Shaw thrillers by Jeffery Deaver. I found Colter a charming survivorist, he seems to have a way to say goodbye to the tightest situations in clever and ingenious way. I had not expected to be seized by the riveting plot as Colter Shaw pursue two young hate crime suspects. The many details revealed only make this case more perplexing. Shaw is fascinated by the evidence and what had occurred during the arrest that he determine to pursue the mysterious cult that impacted this case. I enjoyed the intriging character Colter Shaw, in the Goodbye Man, I will await his future adventures, and say adieu for now.

This is the first book that I have read by the author and I found it engaging and a pretty fast read. I assume that the main character was in at least one prior novel based on the information contained in this book, but there was sufficient background for this to be a stand alone novel. The storyline revolves around a cult for those who are interested in those types of books. The ending is set up for a sequel book involving the main character's late father.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook  page.

I’m getting a kick out of this series.

I like Colter Shaw and his habit of quantifying everything into risk percentages. I also like the way he makes his living.

He also keeps trying to be Batman and he’s very, very bad at it. He’s such a ‘fish out of water’ character and I’m really not sure if it frustrates me more or amuses me more…but it sure does entertain me.

In this book, he ends up looking into a very dangerous organization. And, as usual, he does it kind of…badly. Every time he tries a bit of subterfuge he a) gets caught at it and b) then spills everything he knows to whoever catches him out. And I just…shake my head and go along for the ride.

I end up loving him and just about all the characters and find myself reading breathlessly until the end.

I’m totally reading the next book. And Colter Shaw will get himself into some impossible situation and he’ll probably blow it and I’ll still read and enjoy the heck out of it.

This is fun.

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

Colter Shaw is on the trail of two teenagers who are accused of committing a horrible hate crime. When the recovery takes an unexpected turn, Colter has more questions than answers. In his search for answers, he must infiltrate a shady organization that claims to be a grief support group. Jeffrey Deaver is a master of building suspense making it very hard to put down his books. His well-researched portrayal of the cult at the center of the mystery was not only disturbing but at times truly terrifying. Colter Shaw is a fascinating character and I look forward to his next adventure!

I have read a lot of Deaver books in the past but this one wasn’t my favorite. Maybe because I hadn’t read the previous book I was a little lost in a couple of spots. I had trouble connecting to Shaw and skimmed part of the book. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.