If you are a ‘Jack Reacher’ fan, then drop everything and read this book right now. Fearless by M W Craven is an action-packed thriller in the tradition of his fellow Brit, Lee Child.

Ben Koenig was with the US Marshals’ elite Special Ops Group who hunted down bad people. Six years ago, he chose to disappear. He has spent all that time travelling across America undetected, going from law enforcement agent to a drifter. Someone who has the know-how to stay off the grid, to stay alive with some of the very bad people now hunting for him.

Now someone else wants him found and is willing to go to extreme measures to do it. His face is popping up on every television across the country. Koenig’s help is desperately needed. You see, Koenig has a very special skill required for the job. He has an extremely rare condition, he cannot feel fear.

Finding himself in a small desert town in Texas with some big secrets, Koenig is going to need all his talents and extensive training to uncover what they are desperately trying to keep hidden.

Now those he is chasing need to be afraid, very afraid. They are going to find out what someone unable to feel fear is truly capable of.

Craven has created an engaging smart alec character looking for vengeance in this cat-and-mouse thriller. I hope there is more to come. I absolutely loved this book.

Reviewed by Joanne Brewer

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Multi-award-winning Mike was born in Carlisle, where he spent the first six months of his life, but grew up in Newcastle. He went to the same high school as Alan Shearer and held the position of centre forward before Mr Shearer showed his potential … Having had his football career cut short, aged 16, he accompanied his best friend to the army recruitment office, where a wily sergeant convinced Mike to also take the test.

Mike joined the army. His friend did not. After twelve years of travelling the world, he left the army and moved back to the northeast, where he had a multitude of jobs ranging from personal protection bodyguard to housing otters.

Mike enrolled at Newcastle University and completed a social work degree (after realising it was a two-year course, rather than the three years a law degree would take). Influenced by a fellow student, who went on to become one of his best friends, Mike decided to become a probation officer and returned to Cumbria to take up a position at the Whitehaven office. He quickly rose through the ranks, leaving sixteen years later at the rank of assistant chief officer.

During this time, he survived a serious cancer diagnosis and rigorous treatment that reignited his love of writing, and he became a full-time author in 2015 after taking redundancy. Mike will always describe himself as a reader first – quoting Lee Child, who says he only writes one book a year but will read hundreds. Mike loves music – punk and rock in particular – and real ale. And if he can combine the two, which he frequently does, he’s a very happy man.

Visit M. W. Craven’s website