The Samaritan by Stephen Besecker

The Samaritan is a Mystery Adventure Thriller.

Kevin "Hatch" Easter is a Seneca native who works for the CIA.  He has grown up with stereotypes and racism his whole life.  He knows what it feels like to be an outsider.  When he meets and marries Karen, his life has new meaning and he begins to live life again.

On the day that Karen is to meet her sister, Patricia, at Rudy's Tavern to celebrate her sisters happy news, the two are killed in a mob hit when Capo Johnny Cercone and his cousin go to collect a debt.  Kevin is devastated and he returns to the Cattaraugus Indian Reserve to mourn his losses.

When members of mob Boss Tony D's begin to show up dead; Deputy Director of Intelligence, Jack Slattery, puts his best assassin on the job.  Someone is killing these people in a highly trained manner and Jack believes there are very few who meet that calibre and have a reason to do so.

Gray Taylor is having mixed reservations about this assignment.  He geniunely likes Kevin and wishes to do him no harm if he happens to have gone rogue.  Kevin is always one step ahead of Gray however and the two form a mutual bond of respect and friendship.  To make matters worse for Gray, his wife Terry, believes Kevin to be a great person and is against Gray's involvement in the situation.

As each person has their own agenda, the truth must prevail.  Someone is guilty of killing Karen and Patricia and everyone is going to pay.

I thought this was a great read.  I loved the character development and the plot has enough believability to make the plot acceptable to the reader.  I liked how there wasn't too much excess information that could have tied the book down, I am glad the author was able to write in such a way as to leave us with our own imaginations.

I thought Gray was a great character.  I loved reading about his stress and turmoil over his assignment and how he had to grapple with his own hidden ghosts.  I also enjoyed his relationship with his wife and thought the two of them made a great addition to the story.

I would have liked to have had a bit more back story with Karen and Patricia.  I couldn't quite feel for the Samaritan as he leveled his playing field.  Without knowing more about either of these ladies, it was hard to relate to the ordeal and often I wanted the killer to be captured, for I felt he over stepped his boundaries.  I'm thinking with a bit more interaction with the ladies, I would have felt more for his plight than I did.

I would give The Samaritan four out of five stars.  While I thought it was a great read, I found it predictable and I easily guessed the outcome of the story.  I was hoping to be wrong but the clues are displayed quite apparently and it ended as I had predicted as I was reading.  Although, it is well written and the outcome is definitely worth delving into.

I also enjoyed reading about Tony D, his character was a perfect addition to the story.  You wanted to hate and love him at the same time.  I felt more for his character than I did for any other and somehow I think it shouldn't have been that way.  I found him to be an honourable and courageous man who kept his associates under control and just wanted to enjoy life without too much stress.  I loved how even though he was the Kingpin, he seemed more concerned about his wife's welfare than his own.

If you love mystery thrillers than you are definitely going to enjoy this one.  The expletives are mild to moderate and the scene graphics are temperate to moderate in nature.

Stephen Besecker ~ Beyond The Cover & Off The Page

SYNOPSIS:
As a kid, Kevin ''Hatch'' Easter never had it easy, growing up half Seneca Indian in a mostly white society. Following the tragic death of his parents when he was only nine, Hatch found himself living on the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation with his shaman grandfather.

But as an adult, he's found a job he believes in--tracker for the Central Intelligence Agency--and a wife, Karen, he cherishes.

That life is shattered on a hot August night in New York City when a mob collection gone wrong leaves three people dead, Karen Easter among them.

Just a few days later, police find the gunman dead, the murder weapon on him, and the criminal case is all but closed.

Except someone doesn't buy it.

Someone thinks the guilty parties are still out there.

And that someone wants revenge.

 

** Disclosure: I did not accept any compensation from the sponsors other than review copies, my views are my own, reviewed by me..as I see it~!! **