Committed

Chris Merritt

Publication date: 12/10/23

Publisher: Wildfire

SYNOPSIS

Former CIA undercover operative Ellen McGinley is battling to overcome PTSD when she stumbles upon a domestic terror plot. The deadly attack is due to take place in six days and will strike at the very heart of her homeland.

For Ellen, it’s a chance to find redemption for her greatest mistake – one she will never allow herself to forget.

But no sooner than she alerts the authorities, she finds herself diagnosed as delusional and locked in a psychiatric ward. No one believes her story.

She’s the only one who thinks the danger is real, which means she’s the only one who can stop it.

Ellen must draw on all her old skills to escape, stay alive, protect her family, and find those responsible – before all hell breaks loose.

Committed is the propulsive thriller you won’t want to miss this summer. Perfect for fans of Lee Child, David Baldacci, JB Turner and Robert Dugoni.

MY REVIEW

This is the first of Chris’s books I have read and wow, what a fast paced and totally gripping thriller!

The author has been a psychologist specialising in PTSD, and his expert knowledge was put to very good use. I found it interesting to read about coping mechanisms.

Ellen is ex-CIA. She is strong and fearless and a believable character who I enjoyed getting to know. After blaming herself for failing to prevent a terror attack some years ago, she will absolutely stop the one she has just overheard being planned. The thing is, no one will believe her.

She is put into a psych unit to stop her, but this woman is unstoppable! I like the way the author makes her very human by mentioning her trying to hold back tears on a number of occasions, and how being a mum and keeping her young son safe is more important to her than anything else.

I was annoyed at her husband who didn’t seem to be giving her as much support as he should, but she was such a strong character she just got on with it.

With her CIA training she manages to foil a number of attempts on her life, and I enjoyed reading how she had been trained to act in various situations. She makes a taser from everyday objects (who would think a disposable camera could be so useful?).

As well as Ellen, we also hear from Peter, or Pee Wee as he is called, the others tending to think he is weak. But he has a conscience and doesn’t want to go through with the attack. Can he stop what is already planned?

Really well written characters who jumped off the page. Couldn’t put it down!

Thank you Rosie at Headline for my early copy of the book and my spot on the blog tour.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hello! I’m a British author whose crime thrillers combine psychology, suspense, and characters you care about.

All my novels are set in London, where I live. My first trilogy starred Zac Boateng and Kat Jones, two detectives motivated by family, who tackle organised crime and police corruption. LAST WITNESS, the second Boateng and Jones book, reached #13 in the UK Kindle chart in 2019.

My second series features detective Dan Lockhart – an ex-soldier with a missing wife – and psychologist Dr Lexi Green, an American living in London. These novels are darker, more psychological serial-killer cases, with romantic relationships as a central theme.

I began writing fiction in 2014, after previous careers as a diplomat, based in Iraq and Jerusalem, and later as a psychologist working with victims and perpetrators of crime. I specialised in treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which sparked my interest in telling stories about how people cope when faced with extreme adversity.

Now, I spend most of my time writing novels and drinking coffee while *thinking* about writing novels. When I’m not writing, I love climbing and playing basketball.

You can find out more about my work at http://www.cjmerritt.co.uk or follow me on Twitter @DrCJMerritt