First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, J.D. Barker, and Hampton Creek Press for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

J.D. Barker is back with another explosive psychological thriller that mixes the sass some present as an emotional wall with the wily planning of someone scorned. In his latest novel, Barker turns a sarcastic radio shock jock into a piece on a sadistic chess board in A Caller’s Game. What seems to be a caller seeking their moment of fame soon turns deadly as New York City is the playground for someone’s vendetta for a past wrong. Readers will find themselves unable to put the book down, surely the literary version of ‘don’t touch that dial!’.

Jordan Briggs is a popular morning radio host with her own program on SiriusXM. Use the satellite airwaves, she is able to reach a larger audience across the country and uses her soapbox quite effectively. Jordan’s quick to cut people off and make it her point. When a caller asks that she help him out with a small game, she agrees, if only to pass the time. Her choice of taxi cab over Uber soon shows that this is anything but an innocent request, as the famed yellow cabs behind blowing up around the intersections of the studio. ‘Bernie’, as he calls himself, has a plan and nothing is going to stop him, though he places the blame solely at Jordan’s feet.

NYPD Homicide Detective Cole Hundley happens to be in the area and was following Jordan for another reason. Hundley is pulled into the middle of this game and finds himself trying to locate the elusive Bernie while limiting any future carnage. It would seem that Bernie has a plan and nothing is going to impede him from it, even as Hundley seeks to stop the body count.

While Jordan tries to keep Bernie at bay, new evidence emerges to tie her to this reckless caller. It all comes back to a prank that Jordan ran at the start of her career; one in which a woman did something on a dare and ended up paying a price, leaving many dead in her wake. While Bernie works on destroying Jordan for that, Detective Hundley must find the man and stop him before he can continue the rampage.

As fires burn and listeners tune in, what was once a simple call-in show seeking to elicit shock value has become the platform for murder, with no one safe from harm. Jordan Briggs will come face to face with how her treatment of others can have dire consequences and leave her with nothing, much like she’s done for those who are forgotten as soon as their entertainment value wanes!

It appears to me as though J.D. Barker has quite the handle on his writing, able to lure readers in with whatever he has on the go. His solo work, as well as collaborative efforts, always turn out to be highly captivating and leaves evetoyne wanting a little more. Barker admits to writing ‘literary popcorn’ and I am pleased to devour this snack any time I am able.

Sharing the protagonist spotlight, Jordan Briggs and Cole Hundley do well in their role. Both have some intriguing backstory that comes out as the piece progresses, as well as a slice of character development that evolves as the narrative picks up its pace. The struggles they have are intertwined, though their usually work in tandem, both seek to limit the blowback that Bernie has over the situation. Readers will feel their presence in competing first-person narratives, which enrich the overall story experience.

Barker carefully crafts a strong collection of supporting characters as well, eager to give the reader new perspectives on this most macabre situation. Offering up angles to both the smaller and major plots, Barker effectively finds ways to keep the reader interested in even the most minute development through the eyes of those who are living them.

The story was a winner from the beginning, pulling me in and never letting me catch my breath. The premise is strong and the embedded twists keep the reader from guessing too much at once. There’s a lot to explore in this piece and Barker provides a slow and intense rollout of where things are headed, all without allowing anyone to peek under the curtain. With a strong narrative told from two perspectives, Barker keeps the reader informed of the larger picture throughout. Short chapters tease effectively and keep the reader forging ahead to discover the twists that await them. I always enjoy J.D. Barker’s work and this standalone has me begging for more. Crisp writing complements a strong plot and will surely have those new to Barker’s realm rushing for more.

Kudos, Mr. Barker, for another winner. I cannot say enough about this piece and hope others feel the same when they have the opportunity to read it for themselves.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:

This book has a lot of action and twists. You never know who is good and who is helping "Bernie" the creepy caller on Jordan Briggs morning radio talk show that wants to 'play a game'. There are bombings and brutal killings. There are stories of tragedy and stories of love. You never know what can throw someone over the edge and be willing to destroy the people they believe have wronged them.

I really enjoy J.D. Barker's writing style and will always pick up a book of his that involves mystery, action, suspense, and/or horror. He has a way of pulling you in to the character's stories to feel the pain, love and craziness they are going through.

A Caller's game is a great fast-paced thriller. Lot's of twists and turns and Barker keeps the tension tight throughout the novel and you flipping pages to get to the end.

It is "Man on a ledge" meets "Die Hard". The novel alternates between the Point of view of Jordan Briggs, a talk-show host and Cole Hundley, a homicide detective on traffic duty - due to his involvement with his lieutenant's daughter. The have to navigate the deadly game that Bernie, a caller on the show plays with them.

It was a great read - a nice popcorn "movie" with lots of action, bombs going off and a what if game of how choices you make every day can impact your life.

My thanks to J.D. Barker, Netgalley and Hampton Creek Press for the opportunity to get this ARC for an unbiased review.

Another phenomenal hit from JD Barker, who may just be the most versatile author of our generation. Seriously the man can write thriller, mysteries, action, horror, supernatural, you name it. If you're not already reading JD, you better get started.

But I digress. This book is a delightful mashup of Die Hard (both the original and number three), Phonebooth, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and the Saw series (minus the gratuitous gore). When an outlandish radio host (think a female Howard Stern, but less focused on sex) answers a call from a listener who just wants to "play a game," nothing will ever be the same... for her and for NYC.

We can all think of the archetype of the self-obsessed and will do anything for ratings host and the police officer who stops at nothing to get the job done. These are our two protagonists in this tale, and I had to remind myself that I wasn't watching a new novelization of John McClane's life.

If you like thrillers with a ton of action sequences and edge of your seat plots, check this one out.

Thank you to JD Barker and NetGalley for an ARC. All thoughts are my enthusiastic self.

The book dives into the plot from the first page and holds tension till the last page. The story unfolds on a live radio show with a killer threatening the city.
Barker writes really well, maintaining balance between tension and characters.

This story intertwines two main characters the first is Jordan Briggs who is a Radio talk show host with a program on Sirius Radio. She is not at the level of say Howard Stern but she does have around five million followers so she is not small time. Jordan is a recently divorced take no non sense woman who is very brash, really other then her daughter she does not care about anything other then ratings you could say at times she's is rude. Cole Hundley is the second main character that the author alternates chapters on. Cole is a NYPD detective who has made someone at the upper levels mad and because of it been busted back to a patrol officer. These two find themselves brought together when a madman brings the city to its knees when he decides to play a game of you choose with Jordan which will have deadly consequences.

This story is action packed and a page turner I would say there are times that it is a little predictable and the one issue I had with this story is that even though you like a book that is descriptive I thought the author drew out the ending a little to long. But over all still a pretty good read therefore four stars. Thank you to Netgalley and Hampton Creek Press for an ARC for a fair and honest review

This guy is swiftly moving up my favourite author list. I devoured 4MK and, well, everything else since. He is so versatile and, well, just writes some darned good stories, starring some cracking characters. And this book is no different. I pretty much read start to finish in just a couple of sittings. Stopping only when life really made me...
To be perfectly honest, it actually had me in mind of Sebastian Fitzek and his book AMOK - although the stories are completely different - definitely no copying - but the delivery and twists and turns are reminiscent of each other and I blooming loved that audio adaption as much as I loved this book. Neither author pulled their punches, both lead the reader up and down the garden path in the pursuit of obfuscation and duplicity.
Anyway... Jordan is a bit of a shock-jock. Controversial really doesn't do her justice. She has sacrificed everything - and I mean everything - to get to and remain top of her job. She walks over people, she acts above the law, and will do practically everything for her own success. She's not a nice person...! But one day her world all comes crashing down when a caller to her phone in asks her to play a game. One that proves to be deadly... And so begins a cat and mouse game with roots in her past that will have her and many others pitting their wits against a very nasty foe...
Wowsers! I blooming loved this book. Oh tangled web weaved indeed. Phew, I was exhausted by the time I eventually got the the end. When all the threads had been disentangled and all come together nicely to present the whole, real, absolute truth of who and why! Oh my goodness. Talk about reap what you sow... It's fast paced, often delivered at breakneck speed, but never runs away with itself. Just! It's revenge at its most sweetest. Thrilling all the way to the wholly satisfying, if a bit grim, end. Ok for full disclosure, there are maybe parts which skirt plausibility... but you know what.. the rest of it is so darned good that I am willing to take one for the team and gloss over that...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Along with most of the characters in this lightning-paced novel, my attention was zip-tied to every word in this horrifyingly good thriller!!!
Everything about this story was outstanding, from the writing, the characterization, the dialogue - right down to the ritzy New York City setting. After the latest (in a long line of) political scandals, this tale of a band of renegade militia, intent on getting revenge for past crimes that went relatively unpunished, is downright timely - topical even!
If you want details about this story, read the blurb! It is enough to say that, from the get go, your heart won't stop thumping madly with dread, and your mind won't stop dwelling on the seemingly inevitable outcome of the nightmare situation that Barker's characters find themselves in. They are at the mercy of ruthless killers whose agenda only becomes clear toward the very end of this fast-paced race to the top of a burning building. (NB: There are many interesting references to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and what NOT to do when you are in a burning skyscraper. Helicopters are useless in that situation, apparently, as we find out in this very well-crafted story.)
This was my first, but certainly not my last, experience of this author's riveting writing style. I rate this one a 7 out of 5 stars! A total page turner: I was truly entertained!!! (Loved the author's Afterword. Such a decent, intelligent man. Stay well, JD. Barker, the world needs more writers like you!)
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

<b>3.5 Stars</b>

When I first read the blurb of this book it gave me vibes of this:
<img src="https://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/41600000/Play-Misty-for-Me-clint-eastwood-41657301-245-180.gif"/>

But it turned out to be more like this:
<img src="https://media.tenor.com/images/e72cc821e0fccba5bfccd1f03a939697/tenor.gif"/>

And that was okay with me because this book kept me turning pages, fast. I admit it was way over the top with explosions going off every minute and lots of things were just not possible, but this was a fun read and I enjoyed the ride. The funny thing is this usually wouldn't be my thing...I have not seen the Die Hard movies (this book has been compared to those flicks) and have no intention of doing so...BUT I was really entertained by this book.

J.D. Barker has a pretty amazing imagination and he managed to keep the adventure in this story fresh. I loved how I couldn't figure out where the story was going and how intense the plot was. The chapters were short and I think that helped the readability factor and kept the suspense ramped up. All in all a decent book I would recommend to adrenaline junkies and thriller lovers alike.

„A Caller’s Game“ is a fast paced, character driven thriller with a ridiculous unbelievable story. But it is highly entertaining.

Jordan Briggs has her own radio show in New York. She is a difficult character, a strong woman who speaks her mind but is also harsh and a bit ruthless. When one morning someone called during her show and offered her to play a game, she willingly agrees. Maybe it will be interesting. But it turns out, Bernie, the caller, has his own agenda. He is on a vendetta and he has chosen Jordan for a reason.

The plot is complicated and highly unlikely. But who cares. JD Barker is an excellent writer and he takes us on a wild ride. This book is like an action movie. The characters are well developed. There is Jordan, the sharp talking radio host who won’t let anyone, and never a man, tell her what to do. And there is Cole, a detective, who gets involved in all the drama happening. He is the one you can sympathize with.

I will not tell more about the plot. Read it for yourself. The author says in his Author’s Note himself: he writes literary popcorn. That’s what you get and that you can enjoy. Speaking of this Author’s Note: that was the best Author’s Note I have ever read. He sounds like a really nice guy and I liked how he writes about the beginning of the pandemic. And if you read this, Mr. Barker: Yes you entertained and distracted me in these difficult times, very much indeed. Thank you for that.

J.D. Barker is a must read for me. His books are strictly character driven. I know when I pick up one of his books to read, I am going to be entertained and given an escape from my current world. He draws you in within the first few pages and doesn't let up until the end. Then I am wishing the book hadn't ended because it feels like I just lost a few friends. He writes in such a way that I feel the characters and can imagine what and who they are.

A Caller's Game is a suspense filled ride. Jordan Briggs is a talk show.host that takes a seemingly innocent call one morning that ends up impacting her and NYC. Bernie is the caller and he wants to play a game. Soon, Jordan is held hostage by him to her radio show. She has to make choices. Her choices led to fire consequences.

Cole is a Detective bumped to traffic cop. By one little indiscretion, he is thrown into Bernie's game. Can he figure out what's really going on before it's too late?

Wrote with a fast-paced frenzy, I flew through this book, when I was able to read. Don't be like me, set you sometime to read it. You want want to put it down. It will be published February 22, 2021. Make sure you grab a copy. You want be disappointed.

Thanks to J.D. Barker for a Kindle version of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If ever there was a book that deserved to be turned into a feature film (or tv show as they are equally compelling these days) then JD Barker's "A Caller's Game" is it. Full of action, suspense and bombs, this book isn't just about the now but also has a solid backstory which is refreshing. It kept me gripped.

What was haunting was the Afterward by the author who wrote it in March 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic. That was perhaps chilling as that is real life, and sometimes there isn't anything as scary as real life.

My thanks to J.D. Barker, Netgalley and Hampton Creek Press for the opportunity to get this ARC for an unbiased review.

I have several books by J.D. Barker, and I love his style of writing, and the way he develops the characters. As with most Barker novels this well thought out, and although not his longest novel, it felt a little drawn out. As mentioned earlier great characters, a ballsy female main character with a hidden past, Detective Cole, who has recently been demoted down to traffic for an offence you find out later. Even the Bernie, the bad guy is a great character, flawed obviously but ….

This would make a great film, Die Hard on the Air? There are a lot of explosions and murders in this, possibly too many for some readers. Even I can only take so much death and destruction, but it helps when you have someone that we get to "know", that I'm rooting for, along with all the nameless potential victims of the destruction to come. Detective Cole is that guy.

One of my problems with this book was trying to believe the logistics of the plot. How long would they have had to spend meticulously planning and preparing for the events in this book. I struggle to see what the motivation was (apart from Bernie) to knowingly cause so many innocent deaths. Another problem was the length of the book, which although it moved at an incredible pace, helped by shortish chapters, seemed to be overly long and drawn out. Personally, I felt could of taken out 50 -100 pages with some rewriting and it would have been a much better book.

Loved Mr Barkers Acknowledgements at the end, especially when he talks about Covid-19.
Overall not a bad book I liked it but didn’t love it. Scoring 3.5 stars, which I round up to 4 stars, but could easily have gone down to 3 stars.

A Thriller on Adrenaline

This novel opens with many moving parts. Jordan Briggs, a morning SiriusXM talk show host caught in a deadlocked traffic jam a few blocks from her studio in the SiriusXM building. Just minutes before going on the air, she abandons her car and walks quickly to her studio. The police officer, Cole Hundley, who was just behind her, is astounded. He chases her and confronts her during a break. He is told that her car is in the garage by an intern. The he receives a radio call about his abandoned cruiser and must leave. Briggs’s ex-husband is there to drop off their daughter because he has a conflict and can’t have custody right now. The VP for Programming has scheduled an interview with a Senator that Briggs really despises. Briggs starts to take callers and gets to Bernie who wants to play a game. After discussing all the problems he is experiencing in his life right now, Briggs hears some loud bangs but Bernie brushes those sounds off. Finally, Bernie asks Briggs if she prefers Ubers or taxies. Briggs finally replies taxies. Several taxis blow up in down town New York around the SiriusXM building. The novel takes off at full throttle from here

The main storyline switches between the voices of Jordan Briggs and Officer Cole Hundley who actually is a member of the homicide squad, but is on the bad side of his Captain. He and his partner start to investigate the murders as they mount up trying to find what is the shared link between them. Near the start, I started to think that this main storyline was not feasible. If you start to think this also, keep reading. It took a little time for this novel to capture my attention, but it capture and held it tight to the end. Even as the story hurdled to a conclusion, new aspects kept popping up that put a new line across my attention holding it even tighter.

This story appears to be a standalone novel. As usual with these novels most of the B-storyline is just discovery in the main storyline. The soul of Jordan Briggs is revealed and laid bare. This is true of many of the characters that are part of the Jordan’s SiriusXM studio and the guests and family that is in the green room. For me this enriched my enjoyment in reading this novel.

For aspects of novels that some readers object, there are not any intimate scenes. There definitely is violence throughout the novel. Much of the violence is described as it occurs that always is edgier. The use of course language and swearing is not insignificant. For me, its use for me was context appropriate. People under stress swear. Language in this novel did not raise to a level that it was a concern to me or affected my enjoyment in reading this novel. For some, it might.

The only distractor was minor. The novel was slow as many main storyline threads were starting at the beginning of the novel. Once the taxis exploded, it was pedal to the metal right to the end. From this point on, I had a hard time to stop reading at night. I was just compelled to continue to read. There were not any loose ends and much heat-stopping action up to the end. There were two minor instances that did not seem feasible, but with most novels there are aspects that may need to be glossed over to keep the main storyline moving. While I recognized these when they occurred, they were not significant for me.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel as I have with all of his recent novels. If you liked previous novels by this author, do not miss this one. If the teaser sounds interesting, try it also. I rate this novel with five stars.

I received a free e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Hampton Creek Press with an expectation for an honest, unbiased review. I wish to thank Hampton Creek Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

This is one for those who like plenty of action in their thrillers and I mean PLENTY of action. Once it gets going the action is relentless and never gives up.

Jordan Briggs is a high rating radio talk show host or SiriusXM in New York. She's brash, obnoxious and opinionated with no holds barred when it comes to improving her ratings. Recently divorced, she is mother to a precocious (slightly obnoxious) eleven year old daughter, the only person she cares about apart from herself. She was already having a bad start to her day when she receives a call to the studio from a guy called Bernie who asks her if she wants to play a game. Curious to see where this will lead, she agrees and from there events spiral rapidly out of control in escalating intensity, taking lives and gridlocking the city.

This is a very addictive read, forcing you to keep reading to see where it's going to go next and why all this is happening. For me the intensity was almost too relentless and I would have enjoyed an occasional respite to get my breath back, but I'm sure others who enjoy this sort of full-on action will revel it. I also got distracted wondering how Bernie managed to have thought of so much and managed to have it all set up – not just inside the building but elsewhere in New York. It would have taking weeks of planning and organisation to get everything in place and everyone on board, so like me you may have to suspend belief a little here and just go along for the well-orchestrated ride.

Despite these minor reservations, I really enjoyed the unpredictability of the plot and what Bernie had in store for us as well as finding out his motivation (which did seem more than a little over the top with many innocent bystanders being killed). All the characters are also well drawn, from brassy, egocentric Jordan to kind, thoughtful Billy, grief-crazed revenge-driven Bernie and good-hearted homicide detective Cole, who had the bad luck to be on traffic duty that day as a punishment. While this won’t rank as my favourite of Barker’s books (it will take an exceptional book to knock ‘She Has a Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be’ off that perch), I nevertheless enjoyed the rush, the weirdness of all this happening on air and in a small recording booth as well as Barker’s wonderful writing and imagination.

It's hard to believe that much of what happens in this totally engrossing book could ever be possible, although given the recent pre-Inauguration Day events that rocked our nation, the concept may not be all that far-fetched. In the end, it matters not; my only question is, can I give this one 6 stars?

While I admit I do not like to be interrupted once I reach about the 75% mark, starting dinner and heading off to bed almost always take precedence over finishing whatever book I'm reading. This one, though, is the first for which I threw tradition to the wind and told my husband that if he couldn't wait to eat till I'd finished, he'd just have to head for the kitchen and fend for himself. For the record, that's because the action starts to build right from the first page and picks up steam all the way to the end, when I literally said, "Whew!"

Jordan Briggs is the host of a popular radio talk show, broadcast from the SiriusXM Building in the heart of New York City. She's brash, runs a tight ship together with her in-the-booth sidekick Billy and cherishes her 11-year old (equally brash) daughter Charlotte. On this day, a caller named Bernie insists that she play a game; she must choose which way she'd prefer to get around the city - by taxi or Uber.

Down on the street near Jordan's building, homicide detective Cole Hundley has been temporarily demoted to traffic duty because of a transgression involving the daughter of one of his superiors. Suddenly, all hell breaks loose as explosions start to happen all around. As Cole stands near a taxi, the driver takes a call asking to speak to Cole; it's a man named Bernie, who says he's sent a bomb to Jordan's floor and gives Cole a choice: Stay and try to help the cab driver, who's been wired to a bomb, or leave and try to intercept the bomb in the building before it detonates.

Cole ends up taking off toward the building, managing to get inside amid smoke from the blasts and police attempting to cordon off the surrounding streets. From her broadcast booth, caller Bernie continues his "game," demanding that Jordan make impossible choices that suggest Bernie may be trying to even the score from a disastrous event that Jordan engineered years ago. Whatever his reason, it's clear he's a technological wizard who's way ahead of anyone who tries to stop him - including Cole, who quickly is forced into channeling Bruce Willis in "Die Hard" as he races against time to get to a finish line that keeps moving (with my own heart pounding every step of the way).

In short, this is one book that truly lives up to the "thriller" description - if you are comfortable on the edge of your seat, this one's for you. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. And oh, yeah, if a movie based on this book isn't already in the works, it should be. Whew!

Another great read from JD Barker. A ton of action and suspense! Like reading Die Hard instead of watching it! If you like action, adventure, and suspense, I highly recommend this book.

Mr. Barker, you can call me anytime!
Dude is a serious wordsmith.
This was my first deep dive into the mind of J.D. Barker, and I can tell you, it most certainly will not be my last.
Much love to NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press for my DRC.

Ideal for those days in which you need nonstop action through the book to keep you hooked. Now, be aware that you need reality suspension from the start, because the caller is not only a strategy genious, but is able to do the most amazing technological feats.

This said, Jordan Briggs a talk show hostess who treats people as shit, but even though has an audience on the millions and never makes you hate her, or almost never, thanks to her unfiltered personality. She is the main character of the game Bernie's playing, seeding chaos in Manhattan. Detective Cole is there by chance after he was punished to traffic duty and has to stop Bernie before everything goes BOOM. The excuse is a little so and so to me, but what do I know about psycology and trauma.

Final part, trapped in the SiriusXM building, is much better in my opinion. Even though there are some chapters in which it looks like something was changed in the draft and was missed in the galleys. That's basically a part in which Bernie can neither hear them nor know what they're doing and then resumes knowing everything that's happening around and where's everybody.

Very visual also.

What the hell did I just read it was brilliant, fantastic and so damn exciting I was left gasping for breath !!
Every time I start a new JD Barker book my heart begins to beat a little faster as I know I am in for a thrill of a ride but this book took it all to another level and more.
What can I say about Mr Barker that I haven’t said before well I will give it a try, every single book of his and I have read them all is different, his execution of a plot line is flawless and his characters are to die for and how the hell he can think up a story like this I have no idea he really is a genius.
In my opinion this book surpasses all previous novels and I loved each and every one of them but just how the hell he worked all this book out in his head astonished me it really was a non stop thrill of ride that never let up and the surprises just kept on coming right till the end I really did feel I was right there in this crazy film like plot and wow how many bombs !!
So as you can see I loved the book it was everything a thriller should be, impossible to describe so I’m not going to try but let’s just say it completely blew me away by its complexity and cleverness , you did it again JD another five star read and long may you continue to write such wonderful books and a big thank you and as you say stay safe.
To finish all I want to say is please don’t miss out on reading this book it really is that good so do yourself a favour and read it and I promise you you why regret it.
My thanks to JD, NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.