KnockOut (An FBI Thriller)

Catherine Coulter does it again. This is a great book and the FBI series is fantastic. I would put this series on the level of Nora Roberts IN DEATH series. Definitely not a gruesome as IN DEATH, but, fast paced and interesting. Coulter has some interesting plots with twists and turns. Seller is one of the better ones.

This is typical Catherine Coulter. The characters are familiar to readers as they have appeared in her FBI thriller novels. I enjoy her books, but this one was a bit odd. Too much of the "supernatural" extra sensory perception stuff. Just good detective work is plenty for her characters. I would probably read it even knowing what I know after reading it. But I think some of her other FBI novels have been better.

This was a complete waste of time. It was erratic, didn't hang together well and the story was worthless. Other than that it was terrific. This review is from a person who couldn't wait for the next Savich/Sherlock book to come out - it will be a long time before I even look at another Coulter book.

13th book in the FBI series that is more suspense than romance.

Special Agent Savich gets a telepathic message from a 7 year-old girl just as he's falling asleep. She'd seen him on TV after a bank robbery and knows he's a hero and she needs help, so tried to reach him. Her father's relatives have just recently learned of her existence and all are gifted with various powers to mess with someone else's mind. And they want her in their fold and will stop at nothing to grab her, even though she's surrounded by deputies and the sheriff.

As with most of the books, there is a 2nd issue taking place. Savich was a customer in a bank that was getting robbed and stops the robbery. One of the robbers is a 16 year-old girl who wants to kill Savich and the bank's security guard because her mother, another of the bank robbers, was killed in a shootout before they could escape with the loot. With her cousin's help, she's able to escape from a hospital and the hunt is on.

The romance? Between 7 year-old Autumn's mother and Sheriff Ethan Merriweather who come together to keep Autumn safe from her very scary uncle.

The book takes place a couple of months after Tailspin, so the homelife of Sherlock and Savich goes forward with Sherlock recovering from losing her spleen in the last book. The characters are interesting, the story moves fast, the suspense is good, and as always, the book contains a lot of humor.

It seems a lot of the recent best selling authors are compelled to add some paranormal to their novels. This one went a little too far and detracted from what is usually expected in this series. Hope she gets back to what made this series so great.

Cathrine Coulter is one of the few authors that I see a new book of hers and immediately buy it. I sometimes if I am in a hurry) dont even read what it is about until I am home. I always know they will be good and I have never been disappointed.

I stopped reading Catherine Coulter's FBI Thriller Series a few years ago. I don't remember why, because the series books are always good and fast paced. KNOCK OUT is no exception.

Special Agent Dillon is waiting in line inside a D.C. bank when the infamous Gang of Four burst in, demanding money. He hits the floor with the other customers, his hand in his jacket pocket speed dialing his wife, Agent Lacey Sherlock. Sherlock hears the gunshots and screams - she is immediately on the way with FBI re-enforcements. Things end quite badly for the thieves: only the 16 year-old robber survives. And once again, Dillon is in the news. He is a hero, and 7 year-old Autumn Backman needs one.

She calls Savich at midnight. He bolts up in his Georgetown bed. He's not used to getting telepathic messages from one so young. Autumn is afraid of her late father's family. She has seen something in their private cemetery that she shouldn't have seen. And there is Blessed. He can take over a person's mind. He and her Uncle Grace are coming for them. She needs Dillon to stop them before they kill her mother and take Autumn back to Georgia. Uncle Tollie isn't in Titusville, Virginia, but Sheriff Ethan Merriweather is. Could Dillon come, please? Before it's too late?

Savich is busy. Lissy Smiley has escaped from the hospital with the help of Victor. Her cousin is the Gang of Four's get-away driver. Lissy has sworn to kill Savich and the bank security guard for killing her mother during the robbery. Dillon will have to rely more on his telepathic ability rather than his computer MAX to help Autumn and catch two young killers as they leave a trail of bodies. Though, Ethan has vowed to keep Joanna and Autumn safe, he doesn't know what he's up against. Sherlock has a vague idea from an old case involving religious cults. It will take all three to stop the Backmans from gathering Autumn into their evil fold. the married agents will have their hands full trying to help Autumn while pursuing Lissy and Victor.

Coulter writes in breathtaking pace building twists in a well arced plot by focusing on the paranormal suspense. The villains are pure evil psychopaths. She got me with the ending - I was completely caught off guard. Autumn's mother, Joanna, was intriguing and no wonder Sheriff Merriweather wanted to shake her. But how could she be straight forward about Autumn's gift when she wasn't certain of it herself. All she knows is that Sheperd, Grace, and Blessed are pure evil with paranormal gifts and they are after her and Autumn.

This is another addition to the Catherine Coulter FBI Thrillers. As with most recent works by this author, it is one that you will either love or hate. I personally have not read all of her books; only a few, so I suppose I do not have the "Coulter reading background" that many of the other reviewers here seem to possess. But that is okay. I came into this read with no expectations one way or the other. Sometimes I find if I start a series "cold" I can enjoy the books before others tell me whether I should be enjoying them or not.

I personally found this work, Knock Out, to be simply a page turner. Was it the best book in this genre I have ever read? Hardly. But that is okay. The author has at least two story lines going, possibly three, and there are enough twists and turns to keep me well occupied and off guard most of the time. Of course I am not the brightest bear in the park, so perhaps others may indeed find some of her little zigs and zags predictable. I did not find them so.

Along with the normal police thriller (manic and vengeful bank robbers in this case), we have a parallel story in which the author has placed a strong element of the supernatural, cults and telepathy. I must admit that this normally is not my cup of tea, but since I had started the book I went ahead and finished it, and thought the author pulled it off quite well. Readers might take note that there is that aspect to this book, i.e. supernatural/cult/etc. and if that is not their "thing," then they might want to skip this one. I personally sort of enjoyed it in this case.

The author has thrown in just a bit of everything into this book from your normal heroic FBI Agent, to home town sheriffs, to likable animals, to wilderness survival, to psychic powers (which include cults, telepathy and other such things), to romance, kids, evil people and good people. Like I said, there is something there for every one. This brings up my only objection to this work. I feel that perhaps the author was trying to work just a little bit too much into her story and the plot, at times, becomes a bit disjointed and difficult to follow or to justify in my mind as I read it.

This was a great way to spend three evenings. I was entertained and am no worse the wear for having read it. As a matter of fact, I rather enjoyed it.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

I have read the Savich and Sherlock series for great enjoyment until this volume. What was the author thinking? An FBI agent contacted in a supposed dream by a child who needs help and then she continues to be able to contact Savich at various times throughout the story by mental telepathy. The story line is interesting since it deals with a young pair of killers and their mother who rob banks for a hobby until one day they pick a bank where Agent Savich happens to be doing his banking. Of course the result is two of the robbers are wounded, one killed and two others get away, but not after telling Savich they will come after him at a later time in return for killing their mother. The actual person who killed the mother was the bank guard who the two bandidts also try to kill during the tale. A secondary story is also wove into the book about gifted children and a cult that is promoting them. The little girl who contacts Savich is supposedly an excellent candidate for the cult and she is tracked from place to place where there are numerous attempts to kidnap her. One of the kidnappers has an unusual power that can mesmerize a person into doing what he wants the person to do and he naturally escapes several situations. There are periods of good action and gamesmanship by the agents and the characters, but in the end the story seems to loose steam and drags. I just don't see how the author is going to keep the FBI agent as a psychic from book to book in the future,but we'll have to see how the next installment works. For me I would suggest you buy the book because it is an interesting read if nothing else.

The husband and wife (Savich & Sherlock) FBI team are back with a pair of independent mysteries to solve that both involve serious mental issues. The more normal criminals consist of a modern day Bonnie & Clyde with a female teenage Dillinger out for blood after Savich is responsible for a botched bank heist that kills her mother. As for the more bizarre end of the paranormal spectrum, Savich is contacted telepathically by a girl who is being chased by a gang of psychically enhanced crazies with a plan for world domination. Both plot lines run concurrently throughout the book.

As is typically for Coulter works, the pacing is excellent with novel and unexpected unfoldings (they don't qualify as plot twists) of both investigations. The interchange between Savich and Sherlock is muted this time around and another male / female pair thrown together handles the romantic angle that is also usual. A suspension of belief for the paranormal elements is necessary as well as all the extras to make this work, but for escapist fare that tends towards the rougher side, this is well worth the read.

I won this book on Goodreads First Reads. You know its a good book when you can picture yourself in the story line even if it is fantastical -- that you want to be part of the story line. Also if you care about the characters and can imagine meeting and having conversations with them. This book filled all of these. I already had the entire series on my to read list as it looked good, but hadn't gotten to the series yet. I absolutely loved the book even though it was book 13. It could stand alone, but I bet it would have been even better it I had read the books 1 thru 12 before. The story was intricate, but easy enough to follow. The characters were very likeable and believeable. Of course the "bad guys" were not likeable. This book actually had 2 main stories going on, but surprisingly the author was able to pull both of them off. This book is now on my all time favorites list.

I don't know why other reviewers complain about the lack of romance in this book. I rather liked the lack and was relieved in reading this, my first Coulter novel, without encountering much romance, especially the sickly kind. There is too much action to have that, as well. Coulter supplies action and two plots going on at the same time. The child Autumn has telepathic powers that join with FBI agent Ethan Dillon's. Only seven years old, she proves her mettle in impressive ways. There are Lissy, the psychotic teenaged bank robber and her hapless cohort Victor. Lissy swears to kill FBI agent Ethan Dillon for causing her mother's death at the bank robbery. While recovering from her injuries she pursues Dillon. And there are Blessed -- a mind bender -- and his brother Grace -- a shape changer -- from a secret enclave calling itself the Children of Twilight. FBI agent Ethan Dillon and his FBI agent wife Sherlock come through this murderous scenario in an engrossing read.

Wow, Savitch and Sherlock get pulled in because of a bank robbery. If course, the perpetrators are totally crazy Then in a small Southern town a local Sheriff helps a desperate mother and child. Lots of pain, gore, narrow escapes and, of course a big dose of the super natural.

Part of a series of FBI novels. Two main characters, FBI agents, Dillon & Sherlock Savage (husband & wife team). Page turnr, with many subplots. Starts out with bank robbery; bank robbers daughter plots revenge for Dad who died in heist. Some paranormal activity in this book. Dillon is contacted telepathically by a child, who is seeking help for herself and her mother. They are running away from the child's paternal family who wants to use the girls telepathic gifts for evil.

Good Characters & not predictable

Maui H.S.Knockout

I've never cared for Catherine Coulter's writing style, so this review is a bit slanted. I start out with a five star review for plot and keeping the story moving to keep the reader interested. Coulter does this well.
1. I deduct .5 star for the Coulter style of hokey and annoying cutesy add on like dogs slurping faces and toes, special dad cups, cats that stretch and flop. Dogs that lick to death and play basketball. A pink Winne the Pooh t-shirt? These add on little side clips are not necessary. What next, lacey curtains and checker board tablecloths with a fine porcelain tea set? Cutesy and completely out of line in a serious crime, thriller, paranormal, and mystery novel.
2. I deduct .5 star for stilted uninteresting and boring dialogue in an alleged nail biting mystery novel. "I can't," she said. "Trust me," he said. "I want my momma," she cried. BORING! There is little to any emotion coming through in any of the dialogue.
3. I deduct .5 star for bloody and gory. This is a personal choice in reading. I can take a little shoot up here and there, but to go into depth description of the gore is not something I like to read, like the blood spreading across his chest flowing into his hair and matting it. Or the blood shot out from her neck like a fountain. I don't care for it.
4. I deduct .5 star for unnecessary profanity. It is all right for a properly placed curse phrase no and then, but with the characters spewing out these expletives like breath is irritating. Again, some people may like it. I do not.
5. I deduct .5 star for the obviously not researched or understood paranormal events in the book. It is obvious to me Coulter has never had a paranormal experience in her life and obviously had not researched paranormal activity. The presentation of psychic power was left wanting in this story.
The result is a 2.5 star out of a 5 star review. It makes me wonder if book publishing editors force talented writers to write in genres they don't really like or know. I wonder if the publishers coerce writers to write crime mystery paranormal simply because they believe what sells. If this isn't the case, then I suggest Coulter return to writing her historical romance fiction.

Book # 13 is a very will written mystery/thriller. The characters are interesting and well developed. The story line is fast moving with lots of twist and turns. There are two mysteries too be solved. The conclusion for both is quick as the good guys come through. I would recommend this series too anyone who enjoys will written mysteries. Enjoy reading

Could not put it down. Lots of action, chills and thrills with just a bit of romance as well. As with some of the other FBI series, the dialogue starts to suffer towards the end when the action is fast and issues are getting resolved. However, it was not enough to change my rating. Five stars it is.

This is a good book by Coulter. The characters and the plot are a little unusual and in this case it makes for a good story. Such is not always the case but here it works, and works well. Wo'nt tell you about the story because you should read it yourself. Mystery folks should like this one.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the Isms" and "Wesley's Wars.

I love this series of books... Savich and Sherlock are two of the most compelling characters in suspense today. The problem is that the quality of the writing, or perhaps editing, seems to be dumbing down this series. I just couldn't get over how awkwardly some of it was written. The scene and setting descriptions are minimal and rarely compelling and the dialogue just isn't believable. Consider this statement "It's my fault, that family is all my fault, no one else's" that Dillon utters while driving with Sherlock. I'm sorry, but this is not the way educated professionals would talk. It's like reading a book written by a college student who hasn't crafted the art of dialogue well. I have to agree with another reviewer. Suzanne Brockmans style, or better yet, WEB Griffin and Lee Child are much more credible and riveting. I won't be keeping this book... it's off to the used book store as we speak. I do, however, look forward to more Dillon and Sherlock in the future with the hope that a little more time will be taken on the points above.

This is one of the first Catherine Coulter books I've read and I loved it. When Savich gets a mysterious message from a 7 year old girl you want to keep reading to find out how they connect. Her relatives are pretty scary. There's also a second story going on where Savich was in a bank when it was robbed. One of the characters is trying to kill him. I thought it was fast paced, the characters are interesting. I couldn't put it down until I finished it.Through A Crack