A Caller’s Game is a nerve-wrackingly tense action thriller set in New York City by the modern master of preposterous twists, JD Barker. I’ve had varying success with his previous books - he is one heck of a storyteller but they’ve sometimes been too long or too unbelievable. This one fixes the length issue, and while the accomplishments of the killer do still stretch credulity, probably no more so than your average Die Hard movie - to which I’ve seen this repeatedly compared (positively!) A warning - don’t start this book if you have anything important to do as the action starts early and just does not stop - I feel quite worn out from lying around reading all day.

Jordan Briggs is a ballsy uncompromising radio talkback host who doesn’t care who she offends. She’s sacrificed her marriage for her career and isn’t above toying with people to boost her ratings. When a caller asks her whether she prefers taxis or ubers, and proceeds to blow up seven of them, he forces her to play a deadly game which will bring the city to a standstill. Cole Hundley is a NYPD Detective who has been temporarily demoted to traffic duty after upsetting his lieutenant. When he follows Jordan into her high-rise office building about a driving offence (leaving her car in the middle of a traffic jam), his stressful day is only just beginning...

This was a relentlessly fast-paced adrenaline-ride, with more explosions than I’ve ever encountered in a book! Jordan is brash and unlikeable, which may put some readers off, but her relationship with her hilariously precocious daughter humanised her, which made the reveal of exactly why Bernie has targeted her all the more shocking. Cole was a straight-up Good Guy, doing the right thing in spite of everything. There’s violence and a fairly high body count, but it’s less gory than Barker’s previous books. I liked this a whole lot more than his James Patterson collaboration, so hope he’ll stick to writing future ones on his own now.
There’s a rather sobering afterword telling us how this was finished in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic, when no one knew what lay ahead, commenting on how the nature of publishing is that by the time the book comes out things can be very different. Even with his imagination, I don’t think JD saw the events of 2020/early 2021 coming...

Thanks to NetGalley and Hampton Creek Press for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. A Caller’s Game is published today.

A Caller’s Game by J D Barker
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What was the last book that had you reading till the wee hours of the morning?
For me it was this one! I just needed to see how it all played out!
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Jordan is a satellite radio talk show host who is good at putting her guests in their place. Things always go her way on her show. Until one caller asks her to play a game with him. And the game quickly turns dangerous.
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This book really ramped up the intensity and action right from the get go! It dropped me straight into this crazy “game” and had me scrambling to put together what was happening and why. I kind of loved it.
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The main character started out not really my favorite person but she grew on me. And the main detective trying to figure things out, Cole, was pretty awesome. He was probably my favorite character.
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I really enjoyed this book. I was ok with the ending but also thought it was going to end differently.
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I gave this one 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you @netgalley for my digital copy to read and review. This book is available today, happy pub day!!

*****Take A Deep Breath And Hold it Cuz You Won’t Take Time For Another One Until You Finish This Exciting Book!

I won’t take your time describing the plot of A Caller’s Game, J.D. Barker’s latest thriller, as this is already quite well done in the Book Description above; and because I think it’s one of those books that the less you know prior to starting, the more you’ll find your pulse pounding from beginning to end.

For me, A Caller’s Game grabbed my interest from about the very first word, held me captive throughout, and didn’t allow me to take another breath until the very last word. Now, how many books can you honestly say that about that you’ve read???

I found the first half of this book hooked me due to its interesting characters (with Jordan Briggs and Bernie being two you are unlikely to forget any time soon) and due to the ultra-intriguing game they wind up playing. A game you’ll never want to play yourself...but also one you won’t be able to stop yourself from reading about. The second half of A Caller’s Game is filled with exciting action, action and more action, which finally concludes with an almost heart-stopping ending. I think the book’s blurb that refers to A Caller’s Game as a book in which “DIE HARD meets TALK RADIO” is very apropos.

Now, with that being said, it’s important to realize that A Caller’s Game is a book that requires the reader to be willing to at various times suspend disbelief. This was not a problem at all for me and I don’t think it will be for most readers. In the hands of lesser writers, A Caller’s Game —with all of its many plot elements and characters — would not succeed very well. But that is far from the case with with J.D. Barker as its author. If you’ve read any of Barker’s other books, I think you know that he’s excellent at character development, developing realistic dialog and in making the readers feel that they are “right there” in the middle of all that happens in the story.

To sum up, I think J.D. Barker, in his Author’s Note at the end of the book best describes what the reader should expect from reading A Caller’s Game (which I highly recommend) or any of his other very good books — and that is “Literary Popcorn”, which he’s always been fine with. To use Barker’s words, “When you read one of my books, you’re never going to find some deep-seated social message or moral code. You’re not going to get to page 237 and discover the meaning of life glaring at you from the text. When I write a story, when I share it with you, my sole purpose is to entertain you. Distract you for a little bit from all the goings-on in the world. Help you forget your own What Ifs for a little while.”

In today’s COVID-laden world, what Barker delivers in A Caller’s Game is all I could have asked for in a thriller to help me escape from some of the realities of life.

#A Caller’s Game #Net Galley

Available now! Happy pub day to Mr. Barker.

What a ride! It's the longest day of Jordan Briggs life. She's an uber popular, shock jock at Sirius XM Radio in NYC. Sure she's made some mistakes in her career, taking a few radio stunts way too far, but still, she has risen past the drama and is living her best life. Until that is, her past catches up with her with a radio caller who asks her to play a game with him. From there chaos descends on the building, NYC, and the surrounding suburbs. The caller as a personal vendetta to fulfill and will not stop until he is satisfied or Jordan is dead. Her choice of course, it's all part of the game.

JD Barker writes a thrilling radio version of Die Hard. Who is in on the game, and who is collateral damage? You will be kept guessing to the very end.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Hampton Creek Press for my advanced copy in exchange for this honest review.

While you are here, be sure to check out JD Barker's amazing trilogy, The Forth Monkey (4MK Thriller). It's one of my favorite thrillers, and you will not be disappointed!

Jordan Briggs is a controversial radio talk show host in New York. She's brash, obnoxious and opinionated with no holds barred especially when it comes to her job. Her job and ratings are priority.

The day starts off with a traffic filled, chaotic morning where Jordan is running late for work. Once she is in her studio, everything is normal until she picks up a call from Bernie. Bernie wants to play a game. She’s intrigued on how this will improve her ratings and has no idea what she is about to get into. Until she hears bombs going off.

Thank you NetGalley, Publisher and Author for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The thing about reading thrillers for me is to identify with the main character, like them, and want them to overcome the battle with the killer. And I just couldn't do it for this book. Jordan was an awful character to me, totally bigheaded and 'I can do what I want on my radio show and nothing will happen to me', and I learned that within the first chapter.
Barker was taking the approach of Jordan having to rethink her priorities and will become a better person after her experiences. The killer obviously listened to her show and doesn't like her, so there is the motive. But I just can't get behind and support a character I don't like, which ultimately loses my interest and gets me annoyed! Other readers have been able to ignore this, and I commend them for that.
Characters aside, the plot starts off well and then takes forever to get going for me, the pace needs to be much faster in my opinion. Then the ending picks up again so the middle bit could have been much better.

JD Barker has done it again! Ever since he released The Fourth Monkey trilogy I have been eager to get my hands on everything he has written as his books are never a disappointment. He knows how to thrill you, disturb you and pull the wool over your eyes with a twist-laden narrative that is impossible to resist. From the word go there is action upon action and the developments, twists and shocks come thick and fast barely giving you a moment to breathe through all of the excitement. There's never a dull moment and I am really in awe of Barker’s talents as a thriller writer; he is undoubtedly up there with the very finest writers in the genre and fills his books with all the elements required for a riveting, scintillating and darkly delicious read. He has a fertile imagination for all things devious and dastardly and there were several times throughout this tale that I had chills, which is not a common occurrence for me despite reading lots of thrillers and horror. I cannot recommend this highly enough and implore crime connoisseurs to grab a copy of this page-turning must-read stat.

Do you want to play a game?????

Jordan Briggs is a controversial satellite radio talk show host, a female Howard Stern if you will. She is a take charge, plow ahead and confrontational host. She is all about her ratings and is not shy about speaking her mind. Although her career is strong, her marriage is practically over, and she has not spoken to her mother in years. The only light in her life is her daughter, Charlotte. While taking guest calls on a hectic day, she is asked by a caller named Bernie if she would like to play a game. Who doesn't!?! Except this game is not as easy a picking "this" or "that". This game has consequences - big booming explosive consequences!

Live on the air, everyone listens as Jordan makes her choice, and the past comes back to haunt her!

Actions have consequences, so do decisions.

This book will remind you of the Die Hard franchise but it also reminded me of the movie Phone Booth with its mind games and a relentless caller on the phone. I could not help but think Bernie sounded like Kiefer Sutherland when I read this. Imagine answering a phone and having everything change in an instant. What is the caller's end game? Why is he doing what he is doing? Why is he targeting Jordan?

This was a clever cat and mouse, but I did find I needed to suspend some disbelief at times. Detective Cole stole the book for me. Demoted from homicide to traffic, he is at the heart of the investigation. I adored his character and his determination to save everyone while the bombs go off one after the other.

This was a fun book that had an explosive start, waned a little around the middle for me, but picked up soon thereafter and became tense and suspenseful in the last part of the book. There is little down time for the characters. With so much to lose and high stakes, everyone is scrambling to stay alive.

This book had a <b>LOT</b> of action, tension, suspense, twists, turns and reveals. Again, I did have to suspend some disbelief at times, but it was entertaining. If you love action and nonstop action, this book will be for you. J.D. Barker is a talented writer, and I will read anything he writes. He has a gift for writing characters I care about and as I becomes invested in what happens to them, he raises the stakes and puts them in harm’s way. Was this my favorite book by him? No, but it was enjoyable and had me turning the pages to see how it was going to end.

Do not forget to read the Author’s note at the end. You’re welcome.

Fans of Barker and action books be on the lookout when this book explodes on the scene on February 22, 2021.

Thank you to J.D. Barker, Hampton Creek Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Caller's Game was definitely an adrenaline-pumping, non-stop action thriller. Right from the beginning, it was intense and exciting. It was fast-paced so it kept my attention throughout the book. This book had a tight plot, excellent character development, and thrilling conclusion. Not sure of who I felt sorry for the most in the end. It kind of reminded of Die Hard. You have a solo cop hiding in the building trying to stop the bad guys.

I definitely recommend this book if you are looking for an action thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hampton Creek Press and J.D. Barker for a copy of "A Caller's Game" in exchange of an honest review.

A Caller’s Game is a fast-paced psychological thriller that starts out with a bang and doesn’t let up. The story is told from the POV of three characters - Jordan, Bernie, and Cole.

Bernie puts his “game” into action when he calls in to Jordan Briggs’ radio talk show and gives her a choice. At first it seems odd, but when Jordan’s response results in a series of bombs going off throughout New York City and parts of New Jersey, the game is on between Jordan and Bernie, each one goading on the other. Detective Cole happens to be on the scene when some of the first bombs go off and he is drawn into the game and the resulting investigation when he receives some cryptic phone calls. Bernie’s agenda and his reasons for putting his “game” into play gradually unfold and the action becomes more and more bizarre and more and more violent. At times you have to suspend disbelief in order to imagine how Bernie set everything up.

The story drew me in, keeping my attention from the onset, making me determined to find out what happens next and, more importantly, why. With all the non-stop action, this is an addicting story that is difficult to put down. An exciting read!

Just when you think he can't get any better, J.D. Barker ups his game. This gripping, twisty thriller will grab you from the beginning. It's action packed, full of suspense, and the tension is off the charts. I caught myself holding my breath on several occasions. I got completely sucked into the story and before I knew it hours had went by and my stomach was growling. This is a book to get lost in. Fascinating and complex characters drive the plot. Cole makes for the type of hero you want in a thriller. Jordan is opinionated and not afraid to express it. And she gives new definition to the term dogged. By far though, Charlotte was my hands down favorite. She gives a needed dose of snarky humor at all the right times.
I'm never disappointed when I pick up a book by this author. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next!

I haven't had the best of luck with thrillers for the last few months, I just haven't been as gripped by them, but A CALLER'S GAME was everything I could want in a thriller!

Jordan Briggs is a controversial radio host whose on the air to thousands when a call comes in from a man named Bernie who wants to play a game - one that quickly turns deadly. I was so on edge throughout this entire book - like edge of my seat, holding my breath - completely on edge. This is such a well paced, clever and gripping novel that I honestly could not put down!

This is a great action packed thriller that well and truly had me hooked.
Jordan Briggs, is an opinionated radio talk show host who encourages callers to debate many things with her, but when Bernie calls and asks her to play a game, she soon realises she is way out of her depth - as people start to die.
Jordan is given a choice between taxis and Ubers and she chooses taxis not realising she has created a chain reaction of bombs going off in taxis in New York. Jordan does everything she can to stop this man from killing more people but soon it’s those closest to her that are in danger.
This book is non-stop action as Bernie creates havoc in the space of a few hours.
This is a gripping thriller that I really enjoyed.
Thanks to Hampton Creek Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Synopsis: Jordan Briggs is a famous, sharp-tongued NYC radio talk show moderator. People love that she absolutely doesn’t hold back grilling her interview partners. The only thing remaining from her family is her eleven years old daughter Charlotte. She recently divorced from her husband Nick, and she hasn’t seen her mother for more than ten years.

Every show, she talks to several callers, and one of them is Bernie who asks her to play a game.

“When it comes to public transportation here in New York, do you prefer Ubers or taxies?”

Shortly after she decides for cabs, half a dozen of them blow up in the traffic jam around Rockefeller Center. That’s only the start of the choice game, though, and it doesn’t end with murdered foreigners.

Review: The novel begins with a funny contrast: there is this standstill jam, but Jordan’s radio show starts in just a few minutes. The race is up, she just leaves her car, runs for the building where a last-minute Wifi headset waits for her. Policeman Colin can’t believe what he’s seeing and runs just after her up to the studio. That’s how the two main protagonists are introduced in a frantic pace. Funny at first, but then very early darker, terroristic murderous, up to a nail-biting pace with a proper show-down as a finish.

I don’t read thrillers very often and was promised a popcorn action thriller of the sorts of “Die Hard” by the author. That’s the way he writes, nothing philosophically, nothing you’d have to think about after turning the last page, but a highly enjoyable, fast paced fling where you don’t get the time musing about plot holes or some preachery sections with Jordan’s talks.

Self-centered, hidden agendas unfold slowly over the course of the narration, everything is entangled one way or the other. The talkative fight between anti-hero Jordan and antagonist Bernie drives the story, and Colin seems only to be able to pick up the left-behinds, always too late to prevent anything.

Let’s play a game: how many bombs do you count in the book?

Recommended for readers who need a break from thoughtful books, but don’t want to watch an action movie.

The book started out a little different from the author's other books. Not bad just different. Not long in it starts to grab you with the premise of a game. The characters are interesting and the twists surprising. At one point it felt like shades of Die Hard. I loved it. Bring on the literary popcorn.

What a frantic ride this was!! Rarely do I come across a book that is nearly impossible to put down.. this is certainly one of those!

In the acknowledgments, J.D Barker wrote that the characters’ stories write themselves, they have their own opinions and agendas. Most, if not all, of these characters were self centered with many hidden agendas. Which made for a remarkable thriller that kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat from start to finish! I highly recommend! Every time I think I’ve read my favorite Barker story, another one comes along to take the cake!

*Many thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Great book and well written. I really disliked the main female character but I think the author did that on purpose.

Whew! That was exciting and exhausting! A Caller's Game is classic JD Barker...well written, fast paced, great characters, evil characters you love to hate, and situations seemingly impossible to survive.
Jordan Briggs is the queen of shock jock satellite talk radio. She offends a lot of people and always speaks her mind. One morning she gets a call from a listener named Bernie. They talk for awhile and then he asks a simple question of Jordan---taxis or ubers? She isn't sure what he means but answers taxis. Soon enough taxis start exploding in the streets of New York! Bernie calls back and lets Jordan know it was her choice--she picked taxis. It seems that somehow, somewhere Jordan has wronged Bernie and he is determined to utterly destroy her and her loved ones. The other main character is Cole, an NYPD homicide detective who got in trouble and has been moved to traffic duty for the day. He gets drawn into this whole mess due to a chance encounter in traffic with Jordan.
This whole book takes place in a matter of hours and made me so anxious while reading it. I could not read fast enough to find out what was going to happen. Please read this book! And while you're at it, read all of JD Barker's books. He is the type of author that when he writes a book I don't even need to read the description, I know I'm going to devour it. Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

When is the film coming out ? This book read like an action movie, I could just imagine it on the big screen. It was fast paced with plenty going on. I didn't like the main female character, but that was okay. I don't think she was meant to be likable. Plenty of twists and non stop action. made for an interesting read

The Review

What a heart-pounding thriller. The author immediately jumps into the action as readers are introduced to the protagonists, Officer Cole and Jordan Briggs. The threat of this anonymous caller is evident to the entire city as he unleashes the first of many attacks and lays the blame at Jordan’s feet. Yet from the beginning it is clear not everything is as it seems.

The author expertly balances character development and action/thriller vibes in this narrative. Themes of facing the past and roads to redemption make this a memorable read, as we see the character’s overcome some dangerous situations while facing some difficult memories that could tear apart the best of us.

The twisted game that the antagonist, “Bernie”, plays with Jordan and Cole really does capture the action and suspense of films like Die Hard and Phone Booth, with the threats increasing and the reader’s hearts pounding faster and faster as the mystery behind this relentless killer takes unexpected and emotional twists and turns, drawing the reader in deeper and deeper.

The Verdict

This is J.D. Barker at his best. “A Caller’s Game” is another fantastic thriller from one of the best authors I’ve read in recent years, and readers will love delving into this mystery. The evolution Jordan Briggs takes as her ruthless talk radio personality starts to face the consequences of her actions over the years, and Cole emerges as a fantastic new hero facing down this powerful threat. If you haven’t yet, be sure to preorder or grab your copy of this amazing novel today!