STEALTH ATTACK by author John Gilstrap is a fast paced novel that begins with the abduction of a teenage boy and girl due to the girl’s father’s criminal association with a criminal enterprise.

Roman is the young man who was up until the moment of the abduction feeling he was sitting on top of the world getting to spend time with the attractive young lady, only to find that he just happened to be in just the wrong place at the wrong time.

Venice is Roman’s mom, who as it turns out happens to be a highly competent person that has skills and connections in her profession that give her a leg up on being able to investigate her son’s disappearance.

Can Venice and her team be able to prevail in the recovery of her son and his new girlfriend matching their skills against the strength and power of the cartel that holds them?

Good action novel that is a search and recovery mission that gives the reader a desire to see the underdog prevail in the seemingly impossible mission to rescue the pair of teens from the clutches of a cartel.

4 stars.

You don't mess with Jonathan Grave and his friends. When his co-worker Venice son is apparently kidnapped in El Paso Texas with another student, Graves goes into Stealth mode to bring him back. With border cartel, sex trafficking, drugs, and guns, it will take an army to bring Roman back safe.

This take down is personal and direct but it also has many variables. The other student who was taken. Who was the intended target and what is the end game? Venice of course is mother bear but she better serves her son and Grave's team by the computer as she works her magic to find her son. I loved the dynamics and I also appreciate the message of what the border is really all about. It is a breeding place of crime because of the vulnerability of those that are trying to escape the cartel. There are some bad people in the world and thrillers like this puts into perspective in my own little world.

A special thank you to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

Stealth Attack by John Gilstrap
Jonathan Graves #13

Wow! Great book that kept me up till the wee hours of the morning…I could NOT put it down then had trouble sleeping once I finished the last page. I have only read one other book in this series but was still able to read without any trouble at all. That said, at some point in time I really want to read this series through from book one to the end. Although, I would hate to see this series end at all!

What I liked:
* The intensity and immediacy
* John Graves: focused, skilled, intense, lethal, dedicated to his cause, good friend, team player, wealthy, a bit of an enigma (at least to me with only two books under my reading belt).
* Boxer: the man on the mission with Graves is bigger than most, scary, deadly, someone you want on your side.
* Roman: on a field trip in Texas, bright, almost fourteen, ruled by his hormones, trained in martial arts, protective, strong willed, a good kid in the wrong place and collaterally kidnapped with his female classmate
* The women: Gail, Venice, Mama, Sofia, Sister Katherine…
* The action scenes – felt real, gritty, dark and compelling
* That I felt I was there and all senses engaged
* That some bad guys were taken out
* That some trafficked children were saved
* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like:
* The bad guys and there were plenty to hate and wish gone.
* Realizing that human trafficking is all too real in this world

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley a nd Kensington-Pinnacle Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Stealth Attack is the thirteenth instalment in the Jonathan Graves series set primarily in El Paso, Texas and Mexico but Washington, D.C. is also featured. This time the mission is personal for Graves and his team of security experts from Security Solutions who specialise in locating and rescuing abducted or missing at-risk children. 13-year-old Roman Alexander, son of Venice aka Mother Hen and the supreme technology and cyber whiz kid in Graves’ clandestine operation is abducted during a school trip with his class from Northern Neck Academy. Only he and his crush Ciara Kelly were left hanging out at the swimming pool while the rest of them toured an art gallery and an old fort a stone's throw from the US-Mexico border.

The team soon realise that this kidnapping is to be used as leverage to persuade Ciara's father, a prominent cartel member, to commit an act that otherwise wouldn't have even crossed his mind and that the pair were taken by the worst possible perpetrators. A Mexican drug cartel who also seek to avenge the dent in their operations made by the team in Latin America are to blame. Jonathan dispatches his team immediately and they cross via the border bridge into cartel country. With his most successful operatives on the job, Graves must ensure he can rescue both of the teens before anything more sinister can go down. This is another action-packed, nail-biting and intensely compelling adventure thriller landing you right in the middle of all of the chaos from the off.

What ensues is a palpably tense race against the clock, as time is of the essence if they are to save both of the youngsters from the ruthless machinations of the cartel. Moving at rapid-fire pace, the suspense builds and you genuinely feel on the edge of your seat and the unexpected twists, fierce gunfights, witty banter between colleagues and no holds barred nature of the narrative has you riveted from the very beginning. Another stellar performance from Gilstrap who knows how to deliver exactly what thriller fans demand. If high-octane, compulsively readable action is your thing, this is not to be missed. Highly recommended.

I am so glad that I stuck with this book and followed through because WOW it went from about 10 miles per hour to 100 mph quickly! I seriously struggled with completing this title and that is likely because it is a series that I didn't have the background to understand all the idiosyncrasies and interplays going on between the title characters.

The son of a teammate goes missing, while on a school trip to a local water park, in this novel about living on the cutting edge of America and the drug cartels of Mexico. We join Jonathan Grave and his black ops team as they illegally cross the border and chase after clues to where the children are being kept. A race against time before being sold into a life of slavery or buried in the jungle as collateral damage.

The second half of this storey was non-stop action that I just wasn't able to put down and that I finished in a matter of hours. You'll love the settings and the detailed weaponry that reminded me of Tom Clancy and Brad Thor's novels. Lots of weapons, technology, and teamwork.

Thank you Kensington Books/Pinnacle, John Gilstrap, and finally to NetGalley for allowing me to review this ARC. The review and all opinions are my own and I was free to leave or not leave a review based upon my opinions.

What begins as skipping a day of a field trip to head to a water park, may end up as an International Incident...what else can go wrong? I've read a couple of other books in this series and have enjoyed them. This one made me really think about how vulnerable we can be if we just make one wrong step!

When the son of the computer specialist at Security Solutions goes missing, all the stops are off as Jonathan Graves and his team head out to find Venice's son, Roman. Thinking this is personal, the team is surprised to find out it's not all about Roman or Jonathan at all. Roman was just collateral damage when his girl friend is kidnapped off the street. As the team heads into Mexico, they're confronted with all the seedy things thugs do with the children they've taken. Drugs, child prostitution, and murder. The team not only were looking for Roman and his friend, but they also found other children who had wandered away from the safety of the resorts and were kidnapped. So much more was in the book, but, no spoilers!!

Excellent writing and it kept me on my toes. Another great book in this series.

Thank you Kensington and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC. The review is my own.

I have read almost the entire Jonathan Grave series and this one is in a similar vein to all the others. I really liked this book. Venice's son is kidnapped and Digger and Boxers must save the day. Some of the situations they find themselves in are a little unreasonable and if you suspend belief a little bit, the story moves along just fine. I love the morality of the pair that always do what is right regardless of the situation. A good book for anyone who loves action and a quick read with no let up.
Thank you Netgalley, John Gilstrap and Kensington Books for the ARC for my honest review.

Author John Gilstrap concludes Stealth Attack by telling us that "No price is too high to pay for that kind of reward." The reward being the return of a kidnapped boy.
His tale of "good guys" versus bad guys proceeds on the assumption that no law at all applies to the "good guys." They can steal, cheat, assault and kill at their whimsy. They can penetrate even the most private of internet files without repercussion. Essentially, they are as bad as the bad guys.
But, because they are trying to find the boy, there are no limits. Imagine this scenario expanded. We would soon become a lawless country as individuals decide that their idea of good exempts them from standards we have set for society. I don't buy into it. It may make for an interesting novel, but it didn't interest me. The so-called "good guys" in Stealth Attack are more like barbarians.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Author John Gilstrap has a winner in his novel “Stealth Attack.” It is a well written book that is definitely a page-turner. I had trouble putting it down.

The story is set mainly in El Paso and Mexico but occasionally in suburban Washington; it addresses several real issues of the day—child exploitation/kidnapping/sex-trafficking and drug cartel influence on this business. It mainly follows the exploits of young teens, Ciara and Roman, and their trials while being kidnapped, abused, and held for ransom.

Throw in a private investigation agency with ties to the US government, a whiz-person at delving into all things cyber, previous history with narco-traffickers, FBI murder plots, and other similar activities and you have the underpinnings of this story.

There are some pretty violent episodes described so this is not for the squeamish. Since I am not in the know on these issues, I don’t know how accurate the descriptions are of the types of events that occur. They do seem to be somewhat realistic based on some recent news reports. Regardless, this is a good storyline where good and evil clash. It is not always clear the distinction between some of the activities of the two extremes. A question to consider is “how does displaying evil actions account in the broader ‘for the greater good.’” It is not an easy question but does happen in this story. A reader must make up their own mind.

Stealth Attack is book 13 in the Jonathan Graves series from John Gilstrap.

"The son of one of Jonathan's Security Solutions employees is abducted while on a school field trip. He is taken across the border and held captive by Cartel thugs in Mexico. Jonathan and Boxers have a history with disrupting the cartels operations and know there is extra danger there. They head there to rescue him hoping to get there in time."

Stealth Attack hits closer to home for Graves. He is morally ambiguous about following the law as long as he saves the good guys and hurts the bad guys. And especially if it means saving a team member's son. His philosophy is rubbing off on his team too - even if they don't want it too.

Gilstrap always gives his characters some great technology but doesn't spend too much time with detailed descriptions. This is what it is and this is what it'll do for us - let's go get the bad guys.

The action is what we've come to expect from Gilstrap. Lots of it - and a big surprise at the end. Fans of Reacher and Mitch Rapp will enjoy Jonathan Graves. A great addition to the series from Gilstrap.

Jonathan Grave the hostage rescue specialist has to be at his best in this book when the hostage is someone close, a person whom he considers part of his close family. With Boxer at his side he has to travel to Mexico to rescue Roman and his friend who seems to have been kidnapped for ransom. But where Jonathan goes, explosions occur and in tracing Roman they keep on cleaning up the bad guys , part of a drug cartel and have to fight and destroy their operations too in the process. Though the 23rd instalment of Jonathan Grave's series it can be read as a standalone and is worth checking out this book for the non-stop action which John Gilstrap delivers in his books.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback, thank you Netgalley for sharing this book with e.

Stealth Attack is the 14th and latest publication of the high-octane Jonathan Grave series…and this time it’s personal! The son of Venice Alexander, aka Mother Hen and the technical wizard of Grave’s clandestine operation, is abducted by a Mexican drug cartel. Thinking the kidnapping is in retaliation to prior operations in Latin America, Grave and team deploy all resources at their disposal to locate and retrieve Mother Hen’s son. However, the situation is more complex than they originally understood, forcing the team to toe the line between legal and illegal actions, crossing it as necessary to save one of their own family. It’s a race against the clock with brutal dismemberment of a teenager the price of failure.

John Gilstrap’s specialty is turning the action “up to 11” early on and never taking his foot off the gas, building suspense like watching a balloon expand to the brink of popping before being satisfyingly tied off at the exact right moment. Stealth Attack is no exception. You feel the building tension and anxiety throughout the story as it progresses at breakneck speed, wondering if this innocent kid will be saved or brutally murdered at the hands of a psychopath. And as you witness the lengths Digger, Boxers, Slinger, Thor and Mother Hen will go to, you are forced to grapple with how you’d respond and behave, consequences be damned, if faced with the same horrible situation.

Stealth Attack is another strong entry into a wholly underrated series that thriller fans need to be reading. You won’t find many series that can go toe to toe with this one on pacing, pure enjoyment and badassery.

John Gilstrap has another winning installment in the Jonathan Grave series. His firm fronts as a security firm yet his skills set indicates it isn’t much more than corporate or cyber security; he has made deadly enemies in his fight against drug cartels and ruthless syndicates. This time, the rescue of an innocent hits close to home as Venice’s son is kidnapped and taken to Mexico.

Mr. Gilstrap writes engrossing storylines filled within non- stop electrifying action! The reader is immersed in an intriguing plot which explodes quickly at the start and continues throughout at a rapid pace.! The characters are well developed, complex and three dimensional. While I can’t say I identify with any of them, I am fully engaged with them!

A thoroughly intense and spectacularly enjoyable read! It is also a horribly graphic read concerning “tourist trafficking “. Few Americans realize the extent of this trade that targets guests in luxurious resorts. Kudos to Mr. Gilstrap - and an extra star earned- for his well researched information of this horrific activity based in what otherwise one would consider “paradise”.

My thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A schooltrip to ElPaso, what can go wrong? Read Stealth Attack the 13th book about Jonathan Grave aka "Scorpion" by John Gilstrap and find out. I started this series with book 11 and had to do some serious reading to catch up and I am glad I did. Series usually have a chronological development with characters and you can easily miss stuff if you read out of order. This series is one of the best out there, even though the main task for Jonathan and his friends are the same it still never gets old. This time it's somewhat personal because one of the kidnapped youths are the child of an employee. But it's also personal from the viewpoint of the cartels. "Scorpion" and his friends are getting a reputation south of the border and it's getting difficult to operate down there. As usually the book is well written and filled with both action and humor. I highly recommend this series. by @johngilstrap7558 i must thank @netgalley @pinnaclepublishers @kensingtonbooks for giving me this advance copy.

Stealth Attack is an exciting tale of brutal retribution packed with crisp action and a scary time crunch for the protagonists who have to utilize their espionage expertise to rescue two kids from being executed by cartel members. John Gilstrap launches the action almost immediately, wasting no time in setting up an intriguing chain of events that unravel smoothly and naturally.
Even though this was my first Johnathan Grave thriller, the characters were developed with the right combination of intrigue and background that made it very easy to resonate with the personal stakes of the narrative. Grave and his team have a great dynamic with witty banters as well as heated arguments on the morality of actions in the heat of combat. The cartel members earn the title of proper villains with their inhumane violent and unpredictable actions that lend gravitas to the frightening predicament of the kidnapped youngsters.
The crisp and authentically detailed action sequences power on at rocket-fast pace, keeping the readers hooked in for the well-placed headshots and body shots where necessary. The narrative is not extensively packed with action, but it is wisely utilized when the situation calls for violence against evil.
Balancing a captivating story with exciting characters, Stealth Attack is a no-brainer choice for those seeking an easy read with a simple story and gritty action.

In this 13th installment of the Jonathon Grave series, Stealth Attack, by John Gilstrap, two teenagers are kidnapped by a Mexican cartel while in El Paso, TX. Grave and company are known in certain circles as the people you call to rescue hostages discreetly and off the books. Except this rescue mission is like no other because one of the children taken is someone they know and love.

Stealth Attack has all the usual hallmarks of a Jonathan Grave book: plenty of action, great dialogue and heart. Because one of the hostages is someone they know and love, the tension is ratcheted up and emotions are high. For me, the best part of the book was the dialog between the characters as they wrestle with their fear, the desire to kill everyone involved in the kidnapping, and thinking strategically. Things were said and some decisions made could change the dynamic of the group moving forward. Gilstrap has plenty of options in future books and it'll be interesting to see how he plays it.

I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of Stealth Attack.

Stealth Attack by John Gilstrap is book 13 in the Jonathan Grave series. In this book Jonathan pursues two missing teens that have been abducted by the Mexican drug cartel. Unfortunately for the drug cartel, this time it's personal for Jonathan and his team.

This novel was a page turner from beginning to end. It is enthralling, suspenseful, action packed, and deeply satisfying. The characters are well developed and the story telling almost puts you right in the middle of the action. I have only read the first three books in the series and after reading this book I need to go back and read the previous books. I highly recommend this book and I can't wait for the next book in this series.

Thanks to Kensington Books, the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book and share my honest review,.

In this installment of Jonathan Graves and the off the books hostage rescue team the mission is the closet to home they have ever done.
Their own Venice's son Romeo has been taken from a school field trip. Gail is left to watch over Venice as Jonathan isn't sure how she is going to react to the chaos and danger they usually face with an unknown.
As they load up and head toward Romeo's last known location Jonathan and Boxer soon realize this could go bad quickly.
But is Romeo the real target, is it Jonathan, or someone else? These are the questions they must ask themselves without time to really consider the answers.
This book was very quick paced and action packed as usual.

I highly recommend this book as well as the other Jonathan Graves books in the series.

Book Review - As a fan of John Gilstrap and his Jonathan Grave action-thriller series, Gilstrap will keep me as a fan because he hardly ever disappoints. I absolutely love the Jonathan Grave series and excited about the new Victoria Emerson series. Stealth Attack, Jonathan Grave #13, was a good read, I really enjoyed it! I especially like the artwork on the new book cover which surpasses the artwork on the Scorpion Strike hardcover book. As a hardcover book collector, I really wish the publishers would publish this book as a hardcover. I would purchase it even if the contents were not that good, but fortunately it is a really good story told by a really good author. I love the story of ‘Digger’ and ‘Boxers’ and their hostage (PCs, “Precious Cargo”) rescue business. Gilstrap has done an excellent job of creating and including ‘diverse’ supporting characters in his novels which is key to me as a person of color. I was especially pleased in this story to read about an interracial couple which hits home for me as I have been married to my Mexican American wife for 31 years and it was good to finally read about a real-life situation in a albeit fiction thriller novel by one of my favorite authors. Although there were a couple of things that pushed the envelope of believability, the story – the kidnapping of Venice’s son and girl classmate from a school field trip in El Paso, Texas and taken into Mexico – it, the storyline held no bars as Grave and his team, including Mama Alexander (the kidnap boy’s grandmother) took it up several notches in getting Venice’s son, Roman and his friend back. Great character development, strong and current events storyline and plenty of action, Stealth Attack is a rock-solid and well-timed read. I highly recommend it and suggest to the publishers of releasing at least a public library hardcover edition like Gilstrap’s Final Target and/or Scorpion Strike. I received an advanced digital copy of this book from NetGalley and Kensington Publishing and voluntarily provided my honest and fair review. #NetGalley #KensingtonPublishing

The umpteenth title in Gilstrao'd popular series featuring Jonathan Graves and his team of security experts who specialize in rescuing kids at risk, this one brings the job perilously close to home. When the teenage son of Venice, Jonathan's close friend and chief technology wizar, goes missing on a school trip close to the Mexico border and the reach of the drug cartels who knows exactly who Graves is, the team is frantic. And when they realize that the boy's co-conspirator is the daughter of a known cartel operative, they know they'll have to go deep into enemy territory, guns blazing, to rescue him.