John M. Wills

John M. Wills is an award-winning author and freelance writer. Writing in a variety of genres, including fiction, non-fiction, technical, short stories, and poetry, he credits this multi-discipline approach for improving his writing overall. John’s latest novels are The Year Without Christmas, a story about a small town police officer whose life spirals downward after an on-duty shooting. And Healer, a tale about a young boy who receives the gift of healing and how it changes his life and those around him. Both books have won awards.

A former Chicago police officer and retired FBI agent, he writes a monthly column on Officer.com and has published more than 150 articles relating to police officer safety and training. All of his books are available on Amazon, and you can visit John’s Amazon Author Page to view them.

He is a member of the Virginia Writers Club, The Public Safety Writers Association, and The National Book Critics Circle. Visit John at johnmwills.com or at his blog: jwillsbooks.com/blog-2/. 

 

Book Reviews by John M. Wills

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“The author has done a masterful job writing Kate Warne’s story in this eye-opening novel.”

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 "If nothing else, The Fall of Lisa Bellow is a great character study of someone trying to survive growing up."

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The Darkness of Evil is the seventh book in the Karen Vail series. Vail is an FBI profiler who’s investigated some of the world’s most vicious serial killers.

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The Third Hell is one hell of a good story.”

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The River at Night is an engaging story . . .”

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Darktown proves to be an uncomfortable read at times. Set in post WWII Atlanta, it unabashedly puts racism front and center in the South.

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Duane Swieczynski has created a great historical fiction/cop novel set in Philadelphia and spanning three generations.

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Alexandra Oliva has set the bar high in her debut novel The Last One.

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The Good Life starts with a bang, grabbing the reader’s attention, when Roger Goldenhar buys a gun without his wife’s knowledge.

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Andrew Grant has written a fascinating thriller with more twists to it than a pretzel. The story begins with the kidnapping of a seven-year-old boy.

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Breaking Wild hardly seems like a debut novel. The story flows easily and the characters seem real, not forced.

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“With a fast-paced story and surprise ending, River Road is a destination you’ll surely want to take.”

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“a comfortable, enjoyable read . . .”

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Although this novel is not very long at 204 pages, it is packed with mystery and suspense. Sarah McDonald, a writer, and her husband, Johnny, a doctor, live comfortably in Shadow Cove, Washington.

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“With an unexpected ending, this thriller is one to remember.”

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The Accidental Truth is a memoir/true crime story that is both intriguing and frustrating.

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“Brendan Duffy keeps readers on a rollercoaster of mystery and suspense, saving the best for last.”

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“compelling and masterful”

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“a slow plodding ride down a comfortable track. . . . it could have been much more.”

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Harlan Coben is the bestselling author of 16 previous novels, including the #1 New York Times bestsellers Long Lost and Hold Tight. He is the winner of the Edgar Award, t

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a wonderfully written mystery . . . The Bishop’s Wife is not only a great story, but a revealing look at Mormonism and its followers.”

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Dailey writes with a masterful hand as she ties together the beginning and ending of the book in a surprising twist.”

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a heckuva good read.”

Irish author Paul Charles has created an endearing character in his new novel, Down on Cyprus Avenue.

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No Strings gets under your skin like a rash that won’t go away. You keep scratching until it no longer bothers you.

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These bizarre short stories will have you looking over your shoulder and questioning everything you once thought normal.”

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“Just when you think you have it all figured out, Jacobson throws up a dead end sign and you have to back out of what you thought was the right path to turn down.

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“The author pulls no punches or keeps any secrets. 400 Things delves into topics not normally on most people’s minds, but at some point things they may have wondered about. . . .

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Kamm calls on his vast experience with the L.A. County Fire Department . . . to insert the reader into the midst of all the action. . . .

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“Marc Krulewitch has done a marvelous job in introducing this trilogy.

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“The tale is interesting, captivating, and suspenseful.

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The City is many things: serious, light-hearted, nostalgic, courageous, scary, and mysterious.

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Invisible is a difficult book to read because of the sheer horror and mayhem, but it’s even tougher to put down.”

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“The author does a masterful job throughout of ratcheting up the suspense and placing clues that make the reader believe the killer’s identity may be at hand.

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“Hannon’s treatment of the heartbreaking issues of adoption and abandonment educates the readers.

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“Replete with plot twists and surprises, The Butcher is an engrossing tale that piques the reader’s interest immediately and then holds on to it like an angry pitbull.”

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“Morley’s writing is magnetic, instantly attaching the reader to the story. We see, we feel, and we cringe at the victim’s circumstances.”

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“The novel is fascinating, the premise intriguing. It’s a story that readers will find difficult to put down . . .

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Shadows of the Past is well written . . . Taylor Martin is a strong protagonist . . .”

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". . . a delightful tale . . ."

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Theresa Schwegel was born and raised in Chicago. She is an Edgar Award Winner for Best First Novel. Her latest novel, The Good Boy, takes place in Chicago, a town she knows well.

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“. . . one may wonder if Singularity is fact or fiction.”

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Lorena McCourtney is a two-time winner of the Daphne Du Maurier Award of Excellence. She has also won the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Mystery Book of the Year.

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“. . . more twists than a pretzel . . .”

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“A wonderful debut novel . . .”

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“. . . a worthwhile read.”

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“Powerful stuff, honest and brutal.”

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“. . . filled with authentic human emotion and believable drama.”

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“Readers aged 14 and up are sure to enjoy this well constructed story.”

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“When A Secret Kills is a sure winner.”

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“Irene Hannon knows the power of words and the miracle of faith.”

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“Adam Mitzner’s legal thriller is fresh and satisfying.”

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“Readers will find themselves engrossed in this grim but well-written account . . .”

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“Connie Dial perfectly captures the highs and lows, the best and worst of what it’s like to be a cop. Well done.”

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“. . . just the right amount of suspense, mystery, and violence to keep the reader on edge.”

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“. . . a novel that breaks all the rules . . .”

Unconventional best describes Flimsy Little Plastic Miracles.

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“. . . a quick, satisfying read to whet readers’ appetites for the next installment.”

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“. . . a refreshing read with a message of hope, love, and redemption . . .”

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“Three Graves Full is deep and dark, yet funny, a refreshing combination that snags the reader like a grappling hook—destined to become a success.”

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“Norah McClintock has found a formula that works.”

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“A Thousand Pardons has the potential to lead Jonathan Dee to yet another award.”

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“. . . the story is a good one.”

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“. . . one of those addictive books that once started, compels you to shut out the world till you reach the very last page.”

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“. . . a thought-provoking and thrilling mystery.”

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“. . . [an] exciting and emotional read. . . . a gritty tale told with honesty and compassion.”

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“Don’t miss this satisfying mystery written by a very talented writer.”

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“Great suspense. . . . Powerful stuff.”

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“. . . a well-written mystery that will have readers eagerly awaiting the second installment.”

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“. . . a damn good mystery.”

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“The 13th Target will create a host of new fans for the author. . . . a winning formula.”

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“A remarkable story.”

The Reunion is a wonderful story about one man who represents a large segment of our society: Vietnam era veterans.

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Discretion is intriguing, . . . leaves you wondering if the book is truly fiction—or not.”

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“Russell Hill positively hits the mark.”

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“Cyclone is based on a true story—the author’s. . . .

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“The writing in Start Shooting is crisp, the dialogue excellent. The street vernacular and cop speak is right on.

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“The Chessman succeeds in drawing in the reader with action and drama, wearing us down with mystery and suspense, and finally rewarding us for our tenacity by giving us a well-dese

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“Capitol Murder disabuses us of any notion that we as a nation can ever let down our guard. . . . like a cold shower—it grabs our attention and gets our adrenaline running.

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“The author has penned a Christmas tale that will brighten the lives of all who read it.”

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“Throughout this dark, suspense-filled story there is no way to predict what will happen next.”

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“J. D. Robb is at the peak of her powers as a writer—truly masterful.”

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“. . . my 13-year-old grandson picked it up and began reading the first chapter after I had put it down.

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“The Perfect Suspect will have readers on edge wondering what’s around the next corner.”

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“Our Man in the Dark is an eye-opening insight into the troubling times this nation experienced as it struggled to reset its moral compass.”

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“As incredible as it seems, a relatively new author with no law enforcement background has created a protagonist with insight and skills that rival the best crime solvers of all time. . .

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“Alan Jacobson’s novel has more twists and turns than a giant slalom course. . . . a mystery masterpiece. . . .

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This is the fifth novel in the author’s Constable Molly Smith Mystery Series.

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If you or family members are contemplating a trip to Mexico you may want to rethink your plans.

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Ian Rankin is the U.K.’s most popular crime writer. His books have won numerous prestigious awards and been on every bestseller list.

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Being an FBI agent is a dangerous job at times; being an FBI agent working the Mafia in New York City is a life-threatening experience 24/7.

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Dan Walsh is no one-hit wonder.

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Philip Carlo is no stranger to violence and death.

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Anyone who thought Noah Boyd’s first novel, The Bricklayer, was a fluke, has yet to read the follow up to that first thriller.

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Carl Sandburg once said, “A woman is like a tea bag. It’s only when she’s in hot water that you realize how strong she is.” 

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Mike Angley is a retired Special Agent, formerly with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.  That background allows him to bring the reader another real-life story about an investigator w

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If one doesn’t make the comparison of the author’s debut effort to George Orwell’s novel, 1984, then there’s been a huge disconnect somewhere.  Veracity is a futuristic tale of a gove

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This fine author had a hit last year with his novel, Trust No One. The question is: Did he follow that effort with another that’s just as good or better?

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If you pick up this book thinking it has anything to do with an animal, you are partially correct.  The Lion is definitely a story about an animal, but not one that lives in the jungle.  R

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There’s a new sheriff in town, well, actually he’s a new hero created by a successful author of several action/mystery novels involving the FBI.

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Supreme Justice is a novel of suspense with plenty of characters and more than a few plot twists and turns.

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This well-written book affords the reader an unobstructed view of the inner workings of the clumsy governmental machine named the FBI.

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Still Missing is Chevy Stevens’s debut novel—it is that good. Stevens writes as if she has been doing it for years.

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What can one say after reading the latest James Patterson novel, except, “He did it again.” In Cross Fire, featuring his popular protagonist, Alex Cross, the author employs an apropos cont

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Debut author Chandra Hoffman hooks her readers with a contemporary topic many people are passionate about: adoption.

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Topical, intriguing, and suspenseful—all apt descriptions for Michael Angley’s Child Finder. His debut novel in the mystery trilogy about the perennial horror of child abductions could alm