City of Windows

Five Stars. This is one smart read with a protag unlike any other. I don't know if Mr.. Pobi has written anything else, but I'm for sure going to find out. And have my fingers crossed that there will be more from him, especially hoping there will be more with some of these very same characters.

A fabulous thriller! Top-notch writing style, with a beautiful, cinematic atmosphere in place descriptions, and an utterly singular, alluring wounded hero.
“City of Windows”, by Robert Pobi, is a gripping, suspenseful read, with fabulous characters, characterization and setting, and a tight, cohesive storyline.
Lucas Page is the most fascinating, low profile, wounded hero I’ve read recently. He’s a complex character, a superior mind living in a scarred body; lacking some social skills, yet incredibly tender and sweet with his family and warm and caring to friends (I just hope Dingo will have his own story).
He’s matter-of-fact with the missing parts and adapted to his new body – treats I found fascinating; and I also liked that the contents of “The Event” were never revealed. Still, I would have liked more details about his physical appearance.
I also liked how Lucas’ domestic life is interwoven throughout the narrative.
The descriptions of Manhattan and snowy, frigid landscapes, creating sometimes a whimsical atmosphere, the vivid crime scenes depictions, and the social and political satire make this a fabulous thriller.

Dr Page has a life he enjoys.....teaching at the university and creating a family with his wife and foster children. He planned to leave his past behind, the time with the FBI which left him with a replacement leg, arm and eye.

His ability to absorb and mathematically calculate crime scenes brings FBI to his door to solve the shooting of an FBI agent. The fact the dead man is Pages former partner draws him into the storm. A blizzard. Revenge. And time running out.

I enjoyed the story and pace. It helped to understand Dr Page better after the childhood flashbacks. The plot kept me guessing. Great resolution to the crime.

If you like action novels, this should be at the top of your list!

This review is from an ARC provided by Netgalley.

I greatly enjoyed this book. The supporting characters were even more delightful than the main man, the mathematical genius with the prosthetics. It was heartwarming to see that the main character had recognized that his seeming aloofness could be counteracted by having these others support him. The crime itself was not as surprising because Americans have become numbed to outrageous mass shootings, it seems. This is a great story for our times.

Robert Pobi has written an excellent thriller introducing Lucas Page who is a brilliant character in an engaging plot.

This is the first of Pobi’s novels that I’ve read, and I was intrigued by the premise. Very quickly, it became clear that this is a very good novel by an excellent writer. I really enjoyed this, and I’ll definitely be reading more of Pobi’s work in the future.

Each of the characters in City of Windows is interesting and distinct. Even those who only appear briefly felt entirely real on the page: Pobi gives readers just enough details to give them a three-dimensional feel. For those characters who feature more prominently, you become invested in their fates, curious about their backgrounds and experiences. Even the sphinx-like Brett Kehoe, Page’s former boss and the special-agent-in-charge who ropes him back into the FBI fold: he recalls Thomas Gibson’s “Aaron Hotchner” in Criminal Minds.

Antagonistic Graves never felt like a cartoon or cliché cynical agent while butting heads with the outsider called in to help (Page). Whitaker, the specialist on domestic terrorism, becomes Page’s handler and their working relationship is great: her spooky ability to read what people are not saying, or about to say, offers an amusing foil to the purposefully withholding Page. I enjoyed seeing their friendship and respect develop — I think she’s my favourite character, followed closely by Dingo (Page’s friend who features prominently in the story, too).

Lucas Page is an interesting protagonist. After a horrific event in his past — a work-related accident or attack — he now has a prosthetic leg and arm, and is also missing one of his eyes. Page doesn’t allow his situation to get in the way of his work — he’s so driven, so single-mindedly focused on figuring out the puzzle. Pobi does a nice job of showing how Page has adapted his life to account for his prosthetics. Page also has a prodigious mind for mathematics, which is why the FBI comes to him — luckily for him, his intellect wasn’t affected by the accident (Pobi doesn’t give us many details about the event — perhaps saving them for a later novel in the series). Given the incredible shots taken by the sniper, Kehoe pulls Page back in to help locate the firing sites, and maybe crunch the data to help them discover the shooter’s identity.

Over the course of the novel, Pobi gives us some flashbacks from Page’s past — a foster kid, he was taken under the wing of a wealthy patron after his gift for mathematics and physics was uncovered at an early age. It an interesting and welcome bit of insight into what makes Page tick.

He and his wife foster a number of children — unlike in James Patterson’s Michael Bennett series, this side of the story is neither saccharine, nor schmaltzy. Page is giving back by giving these abandoned, abused kids a safe home and a new family. Pobi does a great job of writing the couple’s relationship, how they balance (and don’t) their various careers and responsibilities.

At times, this novel felt a little like a really good blend of Numb3rs and Criminal Minds. At the same time, Pobi has a real gift for setting a scene, describing places, people, and events in an evocative way without overdoing it. His prose is tight, flows brilliantly.

In addition to its gripping story, the novel also contains a fair amount of blunt commentary on American culture and politics. Through the use of various analogs, the author turns his sights on gun culture, survivalists, Fox News, and the NRA: he’s unsparing in his criticism, sharply puncturing the hypocrisies and madness that seems to drive so many of the American right’s entrenched beliefs and power-centres. Personally, I think he was spot-on in pretty much every instance.

Overall, this is a fantastic thriller. Highly recommended, I really hope there are more novels to come in the series.

Ok thriller lovers, listen up. There’s a lot of buzz around this book & I’m here to say you can believe it. This is a cracking read that delivers. Tense action, intricate plot lines, a frighteningly efficient killer & suspense that builds to a hair raising finish. It may sound like a stock recipe for any thriller but the reason this one succeeds so well is down to two things…..how the author blends those ingredients then tosses in a compelling & charismatic MC.

Dr. Lucas Page is a brilliant man with a unique ability. Once upon a time he was an FBI agent with a partner named Doug Hartke. That was before “the event” that ended his career & resulted in him losing a leg, an arm & one eye. Now he’s a mix of man & metal who spends his days teaching at Columbia University. The rest of his time is devoted to wife Erin & the 5 kids they foster. Until NYC Special Agent Brett Kehoe comes knocking.

Hartke is dead. He was sitting in downtown traffic when killed by a sniper. Kehoe needs Lucas’ brain & is willing to play the guilt card to get it. No one “sees” like Lucas. HIs gift is the ability to shut out the noise & reduce his surroundings to a series of vectors, angles & numbers to pinpoint where a shot originated. But when he visits the crime scene it becomes clear they’re not dealing with your garden variety sniper. The shot came from a distant roof top & should have been impossible.

As far as Lucas is concerned, it’s a one & done job. He’s well aware Erin is less than thrilled about him working with the FBI again & besides, he promised to devote the Xmas season to their herd of kids. Then another member of law enforcement is taken out in similar fashion. More will follow, each shot more unbelievable than the last. Lucas helps out but resists an official return to service until his family is targeted. Now it’s personal.

Holy Cats, buckle up people. This one will keep you on your toes. What follows is a riveting tale of the hunt for a highly skilled killer. Lucas & his colleagues must dig deep to discover motives & connections. There is a large & diverse cast of characters that add colour, humour & drama to the story. One standout is Whitaker, the agent assigned to Lucas. She’s a whip smart woman whose quiet demeanour masks a spine of steel. Good thing because while she may find Lucas’ abilities fascinating she’s less enamoured with his complete lack of social skills. Watching their relationship develop was one of the things I enjoyed most about this book.

But everything revolves around Lucas & he’s up for carrying the story. At work he’s terse, impatient & antisocial, sometimes with unintentionally humorous results. At home we get to see his softer side & through a series of childhood flashbacks we come to understand why he & Erin have created their unique family. It turns out he was once just like them, unwanted & moved around at the whim of social services. Another thing that is very well done are descriptions of his prosthetics & how they affect daily life.

It’s a great example of what sets this book apart from other thrillers. Yes, there’s plenty of action but it’s the personal details & characters’ histories that add the human element necessary for a reader to become truly invested. I ripped through this in a day & sincerely hope it’s not the last we’ve heard from Dr. Lucas Page. Recommended for fans of Daniel Cole or Jeffery Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme series.

Non stop action packed thrill ride of a book!! I really liked the depth of the characters and I could totally see this as a movie too. This book kept my attention 100% focused, and I totally enjoyed getting lost in it. Thank you for the chance to read this amazing book!

A propulsive, old-school thriller that will have you turning pages at roughly the speed of light. A sniper is loose, targeting law enforcement in New York City during one of the most fierce blizzards on record, and it's up to retired FBI profiler - and current college professor - Lucas Page to track down the culprit. Pobi's gift of storytelling and characterization raise this novel to a whole other level.

This book grabbed me from the first chapter, really from the first page and I stayed up all night reading. Great protagonist, an intelligent and multidimensional character with a great backstory. Even more interesting side characters. The plot is not predictable. Great twists and the book is meant for someone who is intelligent and doesn't want the twists handed to them. Fantastic read.

A sniper is on the loose in New York City. Lucas Page (former FBI) is called back to consult with the bureau. Lucas' magnificent mind and geometrical manipulation make for one powerful character.

Even with Lucas' own family in peril, he continues to consult with the FBI as the sniper works to "pick off" law enforcement personnel.

Another MUST READ! Lucas, Whittaker, and Kehoe are characters that are well-developed and fit well together. The plot is something different from what I normally read - but it is a sure winner!

Highly Recommend !!!

Many Thanks to St Martin's Press - Minotaur and NetGalley for a superb read !

A dark story with more twists than a New York pretzel! I've always been drawn to stories -- both true and fictional -- of snipers and the nerves of steel they possess. When sniper rifles are in the hands of someone bent on revenge, however, chaos ensues. This book held my complete interest from the kick-started beginning to the satisfying end, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for spine-tingling suspense. Well worth the time to read!

*My sincerest thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reviewing an ARC at no charge.*

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this arc.

Whoa!! Get out your G-suit, strap in and prepare for lift-off! Oh, and remember to breathe...

This was a very fast paced read (I only remember a couple of "slow spots," about 4% in, Lucas loaded a dishwasher... about 60% in, he made coffee in his hotel room, describing the silly little teabags the coffee was packaged in for the hotel room's coffee machine). His real talent was his ability to reconstruct and calculate the physics of long range sniper shooting almost instantaneously in his head. And to irritate people. But then they usually irritated him first... (that was the fun part). I really like how he was able to just growl at and then walk right past life's "horseradish" and yet maintain very real and human relations with the folks he deemed worthy of knowing. Almost all the characters felt genuine and real to me, some even superhuman.

The plot line itself, maybe not so plausible. But who cares? Still a great read and I'll definitely be on the look out for more from this author!

4.5 stars

New York City is experiencing a deep freeze on top of a brutal blizzard. Nothing is moving. The city has come to a standstill. But there is something evil lurking from on high. A sniper is targeting people with incredible accuracy. The FBI is involved but they are stymied. How can these shots be made? Is there a pattern? Is it terrorism – domestic or homegrown?

The agent in charge can think of only one person who has the skill set to assist in tracking down clues to uncover who may be behind this mayhem. That person is Lucas Page, an astrophysicist with uncanny mathematical skills and an observational awareness that seems mystical. Lucas has a history with the agency, not all of it good. He also has a family, which he is reluctant to leave as Christmas approaches and his professorship at the university. Moreover, Lucas has experienced a horrific event that has left him with one good eye, one good leg and one good arm. But none of that will stop Lucas from exposing the truth.

Exciting worthy read for those enjoying thrillers, mysteries and a most unusual but tenacious protagonist who does not suffer fools gladly, has a dry sense of humor and even some good will to those who deserve it most. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

If there were 6 stars this would get the;m!

Excellent thriller with a fascinating character, Dr. Lucas Page, astrophysicist. Lucas is called back to his former FBI job to solve a series of officer shootings by an unknown sniper with exceptional skill.

The Page family is a unique group of individuals. Each child has had a challenging start to overcome with the love and help of Lucas and Erin.

The hunt for the sniper is a steadily building puzzle and the entire book was captivating. I didn't want to put it down!

Definitely putting Robert Pobi on my "to follow" list!

I almost bypassed this book thinking it was something I wouldn't like. Boy, was I wrong! This book was awesome and it looks like I have found a new author to read. I plan on taking a look at his other books.

Dr. Lucas Page is a college instructor with a background in astrophysics and also a former FBI agent. Due to tragic circumstances he left the bureau for the academic life. But as fate will have it an unrelenting sniper is on the loose in New York City and even the worse blizzard in history puts a kink in this killer's agenda. The Bureau needs Lucas back.

This character is unique in that he is a cross between the bionic man and a high speed computer. With his uncommon abilities he is able to see things in numbers, (I'm not sure I totally understand this), and his skills are put to the test as he races to stop this monster targeting law enforcement personnel.

This book will keep you on the proverbial edge of your seat and just wait until you find out who the sniper is. I'm not telling. You are going to have to read the book!

Highly recommended and looks like the beginning of a series.

This is a topical and truly page turning thriller. Dr Lucas Page, who lost a leg, arm, and eye in what he calls the "Event", is an astrophysicist who has an uncanny ability to see things the rest of us don't and compute geometric things (I don't know how to describe it). He's happily married to Erin and they have five adopted/foster kids and a dog and a double amputee named Dingo who lives in their garage apartment. Life is good and then he's pulled back into the FBI because some one - a wicked someone - is killing law enforcement officers with a sniper rifle. Page is paired with Whittaker, a strong African American woman who is an excellent foil for him, especially as things descend into nightmare territory. Make no mistake, this has some graphically gory spots and there is alt-right rhetoric from some of the characters. There's a scene at Page's house that well,,,no spoilers. Pobi has a knack for creating great characters in a swoosh and for scene setting (a frigid and snowy New York and then Wyoming). More importantly, he keeps the tension up. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. An excellent read.

4.5 stars rounded to 5 stars

OK everyone, listen up because this one is really really really GOOD! It’s different, it’s clever, and it’s got a great protagonist in Dr. Lucas Page. Dr. Page is not a medical doctor, but a university professor who happens to be a former FBI agent. He also is half metal with arm and leg prostheses thanks to a disastrous event while earlier serving in the FBI. And not only that, but he is a savant with special mathematical mental skills that can come in quite handy. Lucas is being recruited back to the FBI for a “guest stint” in order to help track an ultra talented sniper who is knocking off law enforcement personnel.

Lucas is a curmudgeon, but a likeable one. He is paired with Whitaker, a talented African American agent who knows how to get along with curmudgeons. I liked Whitaker and hope to somehow see her again in another book, though I believe this novel is a stand alone. I can’t help but mention that Whitaker has her own interesting little mental talent. We have a fairly large cast of characters that forced me to seek out the SEARCH button on a few occasions to refresh my memory of who was who, but that didn’t bother me too much. The plot is nicely complex and had me totally baffled. I love it when I can’t even think of a single scenario to explain the situation.

I was especially impressed by the fact that there is fabulous edge-of-your-seat stuff going on at less than 50%. And it kept on going. Even when it all seemed wrapped up. As I say, very clever writing. I was so happy with this read that less than half way through I was digging through Goodreads to see what else this author has written. I was pleased to see that he has two or three other novels that are calling my name.

I picked this one off Net Galley in a moment of weakness, a whim, really. And I’m glad I did. After devoting most of the last 8 months to historical fiction, I am reminded just how much I love my thrillers and crime fiction. And for that, this book gets rounded up to 5 stars. Highly recommended to all thriller fans!

Thank you Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books, and Robert Pobi for granting me an ARC. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

FABULOUS!! This was a fantastic first-in-series and I hope like mad that Pobi follows it up with more Lucas Page adventures in math and murder as soon as humanly possible...

Page is a marvelous character - bent, not broken, and working like a dervish to keep himself and his family in one piece. There are just enough nods to current events, political theories, and social commentary/debate to make this one scary and resonant on multiple levels. When those issues are presented with a deft talent at storytelling, they become even more so. Pobi has done an exceptional job creating a world that is believably bleak without feeling hopeless - and the latter bit is largely due to the phenomenal Page who shines like a beacon in the darkness, offering an almost mystical set of abilities that allow him to see through the pitch. It's one hell of a story and I'm already chomping at the bit for more!

The harrowing, breakneck pace of this book made me a nervous wreck the whole way through, and I’m pretty sure I’m still breathing oddly half an hour after turning the last page...but I loved every minute of it.

This story—a complex puzzle of a mystery/thriller—keeps you thinking while at the same time giving you a nerve-wracking, wild ride.

It reminded me slightly of I Am Pilgrim, which is probably the highest compliment I could give to a book.

I love books that are loads of fun AND make you think, and this one gave me both of those things in spades. Whether you read it as a puzzle and a paean to sensible gun control or as a seat-of-the-pants action thriller, City of Windows delivers magnificently.

With a fascinating cast of characters, a sense of atmosphere not common to the genre, and a deeply satisfying ending, Robert Pobi has written a near-flawless, rip-roaring masterpiece.