A story with ton a of action. I really enjoyed it. I’m a big fan of Iris Johansen books. I highly recommend it.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

It has been a long time since I read a Iris Johansen book. And for good or bad it seemed the same as if I haven’t missed a thing.

This is the first in a new series and I have to say I was a bit disappointed in it. I hoped that Johansen’s writing had grown some. I loved the Eve Duncan series until it became the same thing all the time. The suspense changed but the characters never grew.

I will give the next in the series a shot since it is a new series but I am not thinking I will run to this series.

Another great thriller from Iris Johansen. Great characters, fast moving plot with a few unexpected twists. Highly recommended

Published by Grand Central Publishing on September 7, 2021

Credibility is not a prerequisite for the modern thriller. Writers know that they can ignore credibility if they craft a plot that encourages the reader to gloss over the story’s more unlikely events. Iris Johansen manages that task, albeit just barely, in High Stakes.

The novel begins with two hunters in a Russian forest trying to find and kill a 19-year-old woman named Lara. Fortunately, this isn’t another novel that spins Richard Connell’s famous story, “The Most Dangerous Game.” The hunt occurs early in the story, ends quickly, and sets up the action that follows.

The hunt is one of many contests created by Lara’s father, Anton Balkon, and a Russian crime boss, Boris Volkov. The two men wager on whether Lara will prevail. Sometimes she’s tasked with stealing things. The latest wager is on Lara’s survival. It resulted from Volkov’s displeasure at his recent losses to Anton as Lara used cunning and planning to succeed in her tasks. Her death will be Volkov’s revenge.

Lara is an improbably competent person. She has mastered a variety of life skills at a young age, from lock picking to hand-to-hand combat, but she is also a world-class pianist. Her ability to play Tchaikovsky attracted the attention of a Russian criminal named Kaskov, who (for multiple reasons) wants to extract Lara from Russia before Volkov manages to kill her. To that end, Kaskov hires Logan Tanner, the world’s best poker player. Tanner owns several casinos but he used to make a living extracting individuals from dangerous environments. Tanner is willing to do a favor for Kaskov if Kaskov will use his connections to locate Tanner’s mentor, a fellow named Sandrino, who has disappeared. By the kind of happy coincidence that only a thriller writer can imagine, the Sandrino story and Lara’s story are linked.

The plot follows Tanner as he extracts Lara and deals with the aftermath as Volkov and Anton come looking for her. Tanner and Lara travel to a compound in New York and then to a safe house in Vegas with Lara’s feisty mother in tow. They thwart killers while making a plan to take down Volkov and Anton. The plan leads to a climax that is filled with gunplay and explosions, including the obligatory helicopter crash.

Tanner would be shallow but for the depth of his testosterone. He spends about half his time setting up the much younger Lara for seduction while nobly claiming that he can’t seduce her because it just wouldn’t be right. Whether they will end up in bed is never a serious question. The story’s romantic angle is a bit cheesy, but even if Tanner had conquered Lara and then dumped her, it wouldn’t have bothered me. Lara is impossibly petulant. She manages to manipulate Tanner into doing everything her way, which usually involves taking Lara into dangerous situations, and then makes Tanner apologize for ever thinking he should do things his own way instead of deferring to a 19-year-old’s wisdom. It seems clear that Tanner only acquiesces because putting Lara’s life at risk is necessary if he ever expects to get her into bed.

I can’t say I liked any of the characters, with the possible exception of a gruff fellow who was also Sandrino’s friend and who threatens Tanner with death whenever Tanner admits that he hasn’t yet learned Sandrino’s fate. Like Tanner, he’s one dimensional but the dimension is entertaining.

Johansen has written a couple of dozen novels in the Eve Duncan series and a few novels in each of two other series, as well as several standalones. I don’t know whether High Stakes is intended to launch a new series. It isn’t one I would be excited about, simply because Lara is both annoying and too perfect to be real, while Tanner suffers from a serious personality shortage. I can recommend the book as an average modern thriller simply because it moves quickly and the action is fun, but it isn’t a book that thriller fans need to place high on their stack of unread books.

RECOMMENDED

On the promise of information and the love of music, Tanner extracts Lara and her mother Maria from the clutches of a Russian mafia boss Volkov at the behast of another Russian mafia boss Kaskov. Now the question becomes, what to do to Volkov so that he will no longer be a danger to Lara or Tanner. In the end, a neatly orchestrated sting is employed that provides a nicely timed explosive ending. A fun thriller to read

Okay so this one is out of my normal wheelhouse but because of the author's abilities I quickly saw how terrific it is. Complicated, violence as warranted, full blown characters. It's got it all
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc

I’d normally start a review with a plot summary, but I honestly don’t think I could do a better job than the publisher, not without including a bunch of serious spoilers so I won’t even try. I will say that I’ve been reading Iris Johansen since the late 90’s and bottomline: High Stakes is yet another awesome thriller from Ms. Johansen. She just never disappoints. High Stakes features an excellent story with a ton of action, some major twists, a great set of heroes, and some absolutely despicable villains. I loved the characters and look forward to seeing them pop up again in the future. I would love to see Netflix or one of the other streaming service make this into a mini-series. I’d also love to see them turn the Eve Duncan books into a series as well. I know they made at least one of the books into a movie, but I think a longer format would work better.
I’d like to thank Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of High Stakes.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1ISZQBBZKUIGU/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/high-stakes-iris-johansen/1138556819?ean=9781538713105&bvnotificationId=53f83c1d-2b83-11ec-8975-12b50f9e8213&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/188693478

Another excellent thriller from the queen of suspense!!! Iris johansen never cease's to amaze me even after so many years and so many books her storytelling is second to none! And in High Stakes she does it again by having one hell of a storyline with two of the most despicable villains. Both Anton and especially Volkov were sick motherfucker's who got off playing games with are heroines Lara and Maria. This mother and daughter team had been at the center of both these scumbags sick twisted shit but they had amazing strength and just waited for the first opportunity to escape from both these men and that's where are hero Logan Tanner comes in! What a character he is, highly intelligent and lives by a code. He loves nothing more then the game and the thrill of it all.And i also love the guys that surround him and are a part of his team like mallory and ex undercover cop Rennell and when Kaskov asks him to get Lara and Maria out of Russian and in return he will give him information about were Sandrino, a friend and like a guardian to him is. Logan sets out on a journey that will either get him the truth of what happened to sandrino or be just another fly caught in Volkov's sick twisted web! Theirs action,passion and intrigue and with characters that are unique and a story that has you on the edge of your seat! This is one of Iris Johansen's biggest games of cat and mouse! This writing is simply superb! She's like fine wine,better with time! Until next time Luv's💕💋

This book was sent to me by. Netgalley electronically for review. The characters are dynamic and intriguing…the story is unique…sometimes it is a little too much,and sometimes it moves slowly. However, the plot has twists and turns that surprises the reader at times…enjoy

High Stakes
by Iris Johansen
Pub Date: Sept. 7, 2021
Grand Central Publishing

All bets are off as #1 New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen introduces gambler Logan Tanner, a man with a secret past that’s about to come back to haunt him.
Even if you haven't read this entire series, you can jump right in and enjoy this book. Parts of the story are really slow, but the "twists" make up for it.
Great Book!
Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

4star

While I totally enjoy all the books featuring Eve Duncan and the cast of characters that comes with those series I was very pleased to find a cast of new characters in this story that takes me back to original thrillers that I enjoyed from this author. 
Lara Balkon is a musical prodigy who has become a pawn between two major Russian crime families even as her own father treats her like a commodity to bargain with.  Logan Tanner used to be in the hostage rescue business. He's not quite looking to get back into it to rescue Lara but he's compelled by her talent and his need for information that he can get in exchange for the rescue. 
From the moment Logan steps into a Russian forest and gets between Lara and those who hunt her the story grabs readers and takes you on a fast paced adrenaline fueled ride.  Between Logan, Lara, her mother Maria and the other supporting cast of characters who have their own stories to tell this book takes on a depth beyond the thrill of evading the Russian mobsters chasing Lara. 
The Russian mobsters who are after Lara are pure evil and some of their activities are pretty dark and gruesome. The light in the darkness is the music and how Logan makes the keyboard that he buys her the top thing that accompanies them everywhere even when they are on the run so Lara won't be deprived of the solace of the music. Two such unlikely people who probably would never have met if Logan hadn't been forced into it and yet love blooms. Is there a secondary relationship in store for Lara's feisty mother? It's left to the readers imagination but I definitely hope so. 
While there are some twists and turns that one expects in a story of this nature, the author is still able to surprise us with a twist in the end that reveals a connection to some of her beloved characters. All in a all a great read.

Author Iris Johansen's High Stakes introduces readers to high stakes gambler Logan Tanner, a man with a secret past that’s about to come back to haunt him. Logan Tanner lives the exhilarating life of a professional gambler, taking risks with nerves of steel. From casinos in Macau to Monte Carlo to Milan to Las Vegas, he’s racked up a fortune and become a living legend. But all the glitz and glamor hide a dark and violent past as an extractor—a world that comes rushing back to him when the beautiful and innocent Lara Balkon enters his life.

Meanwhile in Russia, pianist Lara and her mother Maria are basically hostages to a powerful Russian mobster (Boris Volkov) and Lara's corrupt and scheming father (Anton Balkon). For years, Lara has had to participate in challenges that she wins more than she loses because she refuses to give into the satisfaction as to what would happened to her mother if she failed any challenges. In this round, Lara is told no weapons, bare hands only in order to kill her hunters and escape. But she is shocked to find out that someone (Sergei Kaskov) cares enough about her to send Logan to rescue her, and keep her safe.

Logan is dragged into the conflict between two Russian mafia bosses over Lara, whose life now hangs in the balance. Logan has been offered something more valuable to him than money—information he desperately needs to find the man who means the world to him and mentored him—in exchange for getting Lara out of Russia and to safety. Once together, Tanner discovers that Lara is a force to be reckoned with in her own right. Lara is a beautifully balanced dagger ready to strike at the first hint of trouble.

Tanner’s search for the truth leads them to the bright lights of Las Vegas. Tanner has a few surprises up his sleeves including someone even deadlier than he is, as well as home cooking. With the stakes climbing with each deadly confrontation, Logan and Lara are soon catapulted into a game against pure evil. The odds are stacked against them, but it’s a game they know they must play…even if it may cost them their lives. But what's even more surprising is that everyone took Maria for granted until she proved she was as deadly as her daughter.

At the end of the story, the authors mentions Eve Duncan and her family as well as Cara Delaney. I haven't read the Eve Duncan story in a long while, so I have no clue whether or not these characters were part of Duncan's series, and in what capacity. Does that mean there will be another Logan book?

High Stakes by Iris Johansen

Lara is a pianissimo in the virtual sense, the finest. She is also beautiful and deadly. Russian mobsters rule her life but an even bigger mobster with mysterious intentions wants to change it. Tanner, gambler extraordinaire, is hired to extract her from a perilous life with a nebulous promise of payment.
Tanner is a savant, he excels in all he touches. His ego may be superior to his skills and he finds that his intentions are impacted by an unforeseen emotion.
Lara trusts no one but soon discovers to change her life she is going to need to trust someone.
There is action aplenty, relationships and treachery.
I enjoyed the book but was not over enjoyed with the book.

Book starts out with new people and there is one name that pops up that you have heard before, but the character’s is just mentioned with no relevance. And the story goes on and on, it is a really good book. You won’t believe the ending! Twists and turns that let you know the next book will be even better!

Logan Tanner is in it to win it. Each and every time. Living the life of a professional gambler and casino owner, Tanner has traveled the world over, playing at the most lucrative casinos. But there is more behind the man. Much more. In fact, Tanner is former Special Services and also was an extractor. It is Tanner's unique skill set that pits him in the middle of two Russian mafia bosses. He has been tasks to extract a young pianist named Lara out of Russia. Her life is at risk and Tanner is the best man for the job.

In this thrilling game of cat-and-mouse, not only are Lara and her mother Maria forced to trust Tanner, they must be prepared to face danger at every turn. Just as each of Iris Johansen's other series, including her long-running Eve Duncan series, are utterly exciting, this book with a new protagonist, a male one at that, proves just as exhilarating. This engaging read was literally impossible to put down and had me tapping my Kindle at a fever pace. I hope to see much more of Tanner in future books as he is a man who will walk on either side of the line to get the job done.

Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Another great read from Iris Johansen!

Logan Tanner is a legendary, professional gambler that is good at his profession. He is willing to bet it all in order to get valuable information he has been seeking. He finds his challenge when he agrees to extract Lara Balkon from Russia where she has been under the thumb of the Russian mob.

After extracting Lara and her mother from Russia Tanner discovers that they are a force to be reckoned with.

Lara and her mother Maria have suffered through horrendous circumstances and are willing to do whatever it takes to be free.

The stakes are high but worth it to Logan and Lara to get the answers they need as well as the freedom.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of High Stakes by Iris Johansen that I read and reviewed.
This was a new book by Iris Johansen and I just did not feel it like I did like her other series. At the end we did learn that one of the characters had a link to one of the characters in Johansen’s other books and she trie to tie this book with her other characters maybe in upcoming books so maybe that will make future book better but I just could not get into this one like I usually get into Johansen books.
Unfortunately I could only give High Stakes three out of five stars.

Love the title…. You guessed it, this book is all about the gamble. The cover is charming, blurb was fun, but let’s be honest I’d read anything by this author!

What did I like? This was an engrossing story as two people with highly intelligent minds get thrown together to thwart a psychotic mafia boss. Lara is rescued by Logan in a high stakes chase to the finish! I loved the slow burn between the two and the skilled conversations that vetted their intelligence. Both Logan and Lara have an end game that was deliciously delivered! The story ends with a tie in with Eve and Joe.

Would I recommend or buy? This book had a whole set of new characters branched off but you won’t get that until the end. A great stand alone and a fun read. I love this author and would read anything from her. Four stars of entertainment!

I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left a review!

This book is hard to review cause I am not sure how I felt about this book. There was a lot of violence in this book and the main charcters led a rough life.

Loosely tied to the Eve Duncan series, this book seemingly comes out of no where. I scratched my head several times as I tried to place where I have seen Logan Tanner's character. I want to say that he was someone that Eve made use of in one of her escapades. I'm not 100% certain. I was able to figure out why Kaskov seemed so familiar. He is Cara's grandfather who was an aspiring musician until his possible career was brutally ended. Now he is a mafia boss who patrons incredible musicians. Not knowing this backstory will not impact this story. This can be read as a standalone.

In some ways, this story reminded me of the movie Hanna. Although not with a supportive father, more a horrible father who should be shot. If there is one thing I can consistently count on from Ms. Johansen in her contemporary romance suspense, it is the element of darkness. This one highlights the horrors of human trafficking. I find this term, "human trafficking" to be disingenuous because it is a sugar coating of the word slavery. For people to think slavery is no longer in existence, it is sadly laughable how willful people like to wear their blinders.

Maria is a gently bred English girl whose been a sex slave for too many years. Quite honestly, I'm not sure if this is a positive or negative thing. Positive in that Maria survived this long that she may have a chance to escape. Negative in that she spent years at the hands of brutal men raping her at their whim. Her plight is well described by Ms. Johansen. From the research I've done on human trafficking, it is brutal and with a very short shelf life because of the horrendous conditions people are kept in and the drugs they are fed to keep them docile and obedient.

Maria is the leash used to rein Lara in. Lara is her daughter and the one given crazy challenges for two men to bet on. When she loses, she faces dire consequences. Everything about this set up is disgusting and inhumane. The bad guys in this book are 100% evil villains and should be shot. Wipe them all out. There is just enough graphic details that makes me want to go in with rocket launcher and blow them to bits.

When Tanner is tasked to extract Lara for the price of much needed information, he finds himself shocked and intrigued. Lara's piano playing is out of this world. Yet she's lethal as she'd had to learn so many things on her own in order to survive the challenges. When it comes to being independent and suspicious, Lara has it down pat. Her constant head to head arguments with Tanner are fiery. I like Lara not trusting anyone yet. I also like how she is skilled enough to help Tanner out when he needs an extra helping hand.

This story is a wild ride and at times a little disorienting. The pace is slow at times and then suddenly picks up and moves quickly. The little twists and turns to get Tanner what he wants and also grant Lara freedom from the men wanting her is exciting to watch. This thriller is recommended to readers who enjoy romance to their suspense and a female lead who can take care of business.