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Book Reviews: “Between Two Scorpions” and “Hunting Four Horsemen” by Our Own Jim Geraghty
Ricochet’s own Jim Geraghty, co-anchor of the daily Ricochet “Three Martini Lunch” has written two Cracker Jack good novels, “Between Two Scorpions” from 2019, and “Hunting Four Horsemen” from 2020. They are great fun, I recommend them both, and I recommend that you read them in order.
The writing is crisp, and includes references that politically attuned observers will catch. Katrina and Alec are married to each other and are members of a quasi-independent branch of the CIA, able to operate with NSA, CIA, and other assets, while having the flexibility to do their job. Great fun. There are about a half dozen members of the team, which has a constantly changing bureaucratic name but often goes by “The Dangerous Clique.”
Both books involve a race against time, to uncover and expose plots against the United States and the world. Both books start with a bang and don’t let up until the end with twists and turns on the way. To my astonishment, Jim Geraghty can write, um arresting, sex scenes between the married couple; I would not have realized this after listening to Ricochet’s daily “Three Martini Lunch.”
Particular praise is due for the second book, published in 2020, which is set during the COVID-19 pandemic. That is great anticipatory writing, of how we struggled during the pandemic to get out of large cities, watch over our elderly parents, and participate in distance learning with our kids. In the second book, a malevolent scientist develops a virus that attacks members of an ethnic group, which could result in genocide. There is also a discussion about the likelihood that COVID-19 was developed in a lab, and was not the product of “wet” markets.
I am looking forward to reading the third “Dangerous Clique” book whenever it comes out.
Published in General
Between Two Scorpions is on Kindle Unlimited right now.
I have never used kindle. I am used to holding books in my hands. I should try kindle some day.
I have read Between Two Scorpions. I agree it was quite engaging . Hunting Four Horsemen is on my radar.
Is there any news from Jim as to when we can expect his next book?
Those sound good!
Thanks for putting this up. I have had the the first book on my Kindle for a while and I wanted to read it but just never did. I did read the Weed Agency (probably around the start of the year) and there were some interesting parts but it was a little dry. I hate to say that because I’m not trying to attack him or diminish him. He’s good people. I do have the book so I’ll push it near the top of my reading list based on the review.
EDIT: Let me just note I love Kindle Unlimited. Get you some. I’m not even getting paid for this. I just think that for people who read a lot, it’s a great service.
“The Weed Agency” was funny in a sly way, but was also a bit dry. Jim’s 2019 “Between the Scorpions” is a better book, and his 2020 “Hunting Four Horsemen” is better yet.
Is Jim at the level of Brad Thor, Vince Flynn or Tom Clancy? No. Or maybe “not yet.” But each book is better than the last one. And the references that only the politically attended can catch are excellent. And, heck, he’s one of ours who we hear from five times a week. That counts for a lot.
One other point. Jim has done some of the best writing on the notion of COVID-19 being man-made back when such references were erased from Facebook. He was a lonely voice in the wilderness. He develops that notion in his second book.
I can barely wait to buy Jim’s third book.
I think that you will enjoy them Bryan.
You’ve made Twitter in addition to the Main Feed, Gary.
Strong, positive, remarks. It’s funny because I haven’t read Thor or Flynn and I read Clancy when I was probably way too young to appreciate him; so I can safely enjoy the book without worrying about them. And yes, he’s good people. I basically got some of his stuff because he’s a good guy. I try to keep up with the Morning Jolt and I’m generally rewarded when I do. He should get an Amazon click. Gotta support. I’ll give him a read much sooner rather than later.
Whoa! My life is now complete!
The Weed Agency is the funniest damn thing, if you ever worked for the Gummint.
I thought “Between Two Scorpions” was A LOT the better book of the two. “Hunting Four Horsemen” felt a little preachy to me and, because of that, kind of dragged. Not saying not to read it, as both books were enjoyable. I will say that, as a gummint employee, I thought “The Weed Agency” was the funniest book I’d read in a long time.
@garyrobbins Jim gave you a shout-out in his “Morning Jolt” column today.
Whats most interesting in the first book is all the interesting allusions to Cthulu like influence on the world. He is just skirting the line of madness without going over the edge. Lots of stuff for gamers like me.
My life is truly complete.
Some great news, Jim is working on his third Dangerous Clique book. (I would be honored to serve as an free editor if Jim were to send me his first or second draft!)
Jim is truly a Renaissance Man. He is an author, he writes NR’s daily Morning Jolt, he is the Co-Anchor of the daily Three Martini podcast, and he appears on NR’s “The Editors.” We could all use more Jim Geraghty’s.
Ok, enough. I’m sure he’s a nice guy, and his stuff on the virus lab leak has been excellent. But he wasn’t exactly on the ramparts for the last election. He’s simultaneously what’s good and not so good about NR, much like the editor and some of his colleagues.