This espionage thriller is a joy to read! One of my favorite scenes is early in the book where two people are fake fighting by trying to make it look real. They are trading information at the same time and I can just picture the scene. Talk, punch, talk, hit. I loved it! I read this book before the first book, which is not recommended, but I wasn’t lost in the book. If you love a multi layered government agency thriller, you will enjoy this book!

This book was the second in the series and it there was information that was not cleared up until the end of the book. I am not sure if there had been any disclosure in the first of the series but I found myself asking myself questions that should have been answered early on. The book is open ended and so a third is probably in the works. It was enjoyable but I feel the first book may have had additional insights.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Blackstone Publishing Audiobooks for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

Daniel Burke is back in his second book. He was on a secret black ops team who faked his own death to get vengeance (in book 1) and in book 2 he is dealing with the government who wants him dead.

I enjoyed Edoardo Ballerini's narration.

I’ve been reading popcorn thrillers and rom coms all summer. It was a nice change to read a military man spy type thriller.

This one starts out at a breakneck pace and really never lets up. I didn’t read The Killing Room, the first novel in the series, so my opinions of Daniel Burke are based solely on this book. I had a hard time deciding if he was a good guy or not for most of the book. Was he formerly a military man doing his job or was he a bad seed. Was I being set up by his heroics or was he set up by people from his past?

This isn’t a short book but I was gripped throughout it trying to figure out who would prevail in the cat and mouse game. The action in this one was electric.

Edoardo Ballerini is one of my favorite male narrators. He’s great at bringing intensity to the spy genre. He took the story and his narration just put it over the top. It made the listen so good.

I should warn you this ends on a cliffhanger no doubt getting ready for book 3. I can’t wait.

I was nervous going into the sequel of The Killing Room because I loved that one so much, that this wouldn’t live up the hype I placed on it. I was wrong; it lived up to the hype! While these books were similar in their writing style and how fast paced, and action packed they were, they are very different stories!

If you loved the show Scandal, this is your book! It has a secret organization that the president gets filled in on, scandals, a situation room, fixers, and so much more. Daniel gives me Jake, the head of B613 in Scandal, vibes.

While you don’t have to read The Killing Room first, I highly suggest it based on how this one ends. It won’t have the same shock factor like it did for me if you don’t read the first book beforehand. Lot of twists and turns and an ending that leaves you wanting more!

The audio was great, the narrators voice was perfect for this. I can’t wait for the next one to come out! Thank you Blackstone Publishing, Robert Swartwood, and NetGalley for allowing me access to the audio early. I also am so greatful for the gifted physical copy! Now I need to get a copy of The Killing Room for my shelf 😊

I dug right in after reading book 1 in The Killing Room series. It ran continuously from one book into the next seamlessly. This is a fast-paced #espionagethriller series full of constant action! It ends with a twist I didn’t expect that you’ll get if you read both books in order. With that twist, I’m already looking for book 3!

Thank you, Robert Swartwood, Blackstone Publishing, netgalley, & Thriller Book Lovers the Pulse,, for including me on this tour, for my physical copy & the audiobook! All opinions are my own.

Daniel Burke is alive and back!!

The second installment is just as good as the first one! Espionage, action packed, and thrilling ride!! In order to survive Daniel must stick to his instincts and go against the special ops team. Addicting fast pace read that left me on the edge of my seat and holding my breath! Just great! The narrator, Edoardo Ballerini does a wonderful job portraying Daniel at his finest. The tones and inflections used were wonderful. I hope there is more Daniel Burke.

Hands down, when you have a thriller, there is no better narrator than Edoardo Ballerini. He brought the story to live, he played the drama perfectly and I was kept on the edge of my seat. Loved it!

Thank you Blackstone Pub Audio for the gifted ALC.

4.5 Stars

This was the follow up book in a new series that took me completely by surprise. I read my first Robert Swartwood book - The Killing Room- just recently and it really blew me away. I was surprised with how much I enjoyed it. So, when I was awarded the audio ARC for the follow up book - I was thrilled.

First let me say that I am already a fan of Edoardo Ballerini as a narrator, so that was just a bonus.

This book takes off immediately after the events of the previous book. Our MMC Daniel Burke was on his way onto a plane to head out into the sunset since he had just finished dealing with his brothers' situation. Unfortunately, some people had other plans for him. Now that he has come back from faking his death, he makes the perfect scapegoat for those who have things to hide.

This was one of those books where there is non stop action, but the events are moving so quickly that you as the reader are never really sure who is on which side. In other words, we know there are certain bad guys, but we also begin to find out that there are more bad guys than we were aware of in the beginning.

It also feels like the more Daniel attempts to come up with ways to prove his innocence - and he IS determined to find and deliver proof - well, it then seems like there are even MORE people trying to kill him. Not to mention that the longer the story goes on, the more deaths are pinned on him.

Daniel is a likeable character. He is also a flawed character, and we are given peeks into his past- into his actions in The Killing Room -so we are not fooled into thinking that he was an angel. But, it feels like there are things he did in his past that he is now trying to atone for, or at least to make certain things right.

We also get a couple of new secondary characters that help to round out this rag tag gang and they all seem to help make the storyline even more interesting.

The only comment that I have is that this book is not wrapped up nice and neat with a bow at the end. In fact, it is almost the opposite - setting things up for the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for the opportunity to listen to and review this audio arc. The opinions above are mine and mine alone.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #BlackstonePublishingAudiobooks for the book #EnemyOfTheState by #RobertSwartwood. I absolutely loved this second book in the Killing Room series and hope there is a third book! Daniel Burke is back from the dead. He faked his death to get revenge for his brother. Everyone is after him now and the CIA has called him an enemy of the state. Now he and Stephanie are on the run and trying to prove his innocence. Can they do it?

Five HUGE stars!!!⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What an amazing book!!! I loved The Killing Room by this author and was so excited to get the audio of book two in this series.

Daniel Burke is presumed dead…or is he??? This super fast-paced thriller has so many twists and turns as government fights bad guys fights good guys!!! Edoardo Ballerini is one of my favorite narrators and he tells this story perfectly!!!

Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the chance to read and review this book!!!

"Stuffing the phones into my pants pockets, I secured the spent Glock in my rear waistband, slipped my left hand---the one still wearing the handcuffs---into my hoodie pocket, then started toward an alley only twenty feet away, and did the only thing left for me to do.
I ran."

The first book of this series is THE KILLING ROOM. I HIGHLY recommend you read that book first and be WARNED this review may contain spoilers of that book. There is also some rough content, so please check the warnings.

Danny is BACK! I’m absolutely loving this character! ENEMY OF THE STATE is a high octane, no holds barred, FAST paced, action thriller. It starts with intensity and doesn’t let up! Danny used to belong to an elite team of operators who were sent in to “clean up” situations and get information out of people by any means necessary. They worked out of a black site that only a few people in charge even knew existed. Now, Danny’s former team is after HIM, because he’s been labeled a traitor to his country.

I couldn’t read this fast enough y’all. I loved THE KILLING ROOM and this one is just as awesome! There’s shoot outs, chases, hand to hand combat, intense standoffs, hackers, nefarious characters, surprise heroes, and oh yeah, a run in with an MC (motorcycle club)! Danny is a fascinating character. Is he a good guy? Maybe. Is he a bad guy? Mmmm Maybe? The moral ambiguity just makes for a realistic anti hero. Having Stephanie along for the ride this time, (after getting her involved in book one) with her holding her own among Danny’s world was so much FUN!

I had the pleasure of listening to the audio along with the physical book and Edoardo Ballerini’s performance was SUPERB! He had subtle nuances for different voices and his excellent modulation made for an exciting experience, especially with all the action! I need this to be a television series a la The Terminal List or Bourne Identity style. (IFKYK!) I have a bone to pick with you though Robert, and it’s that you keep leaving me wanting MORE! Where is book three sir??? I’m gonna need Quinn and Rita to be in it also mmmmkay?
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Thank you Blackstone Publishing for the gifted copies. All opinions are mine.

Potential spoiler content warnings below.




































⚠️Content warnings by me: Alzheimer’s, cancer, moderate language, assault, false imprisonment, violence, gun violence, torture, gore, death, Mention of: suicide & CSA