When reporter Teagan finds it hard to conceive a baby she channels her energy into starting a nonprofit to help women who are targeted by a political terrorist agency. But when she finds out that going against a terrorist organization that even your own government does not want to mess with has dire consequences.
Teagan soon finds out that not all good deeds go unpunished. She discovers that someone has stolen all the donated money from the non profit and has disappeared. Filled with vengeance Teagan goes on a vendetta to find and make them pay by whatever means necessary. Follow Teagan on her hunt for justice but beware she is not the only one hunting, she is also being hunted.
Overall rating 2 / 5
Political thrillers are not usually my thing, but the description convinced me to give this book a chance. However, the plot is not realistic. To believe that a journalist turned mastermind killer with little to no training can do what the government or a military organization can’t do is far-fetched. And to blindly believe that just because she knows a famous actress this opens doors for her that can not be opened for anyone else.
Thank you Netgalley and Pen and Picture for this ARC.

The story revolves around Teegan, a complex and compelling heroine, as she navigates a world filled with action and suspense. Michael Ebner's storytelling skillfully blends adrenaline-pumping moments with quieter, character-driven scenes, creating a well-rounded narrative. While the ending provided closure, it also left me eagerly anticipating the next installment. I'm excited to see where Teegan's journey takes her next.

This was a pretty fast paced thriller, which involves terrorist organisations, the Mafia, the CIS, and others. The events take place over North America and Europe. With all that being said, there is a lot going on! The audiobook narration draws you into the store, but at times can be overwhelming and can make you unsure of the events going on. Overall it was a good book. Not something I usually listen to but was definitely glad I did.

I was unsure of the narrator for this, with the main character being female it took me a while to get into the story with the male narrator.
However once i got past that I really enjoyed the twists and turns of this story. It kept me interested and listened to almost all of it in one day!

This was a fun listen. It was fast paced and on the shorted side so it was a quick listen. I really enjoyed the story overall but I will say was killing Todd at the end really necessary?! Like we thought after our main character thought he was dead she found out he was alive and they would finally be a family. Why did we have to kill the happily ever after potential. My only other potential issue is being a shorter book a lot happens in not a lot of time so it was a bit of whiplash but a fun listen none the less

Truly a good listen! I couldn’t stop listening and it really helped with my anxious days where I needed to be quiet

"The New Bad Thing" audiobook was a great listening experience that I thoroughly enjoyed. Braden Wright's narration was excellent; he brought the characters to life in a way that kept me fully engaged throughout the entire book.

The story revolves around Teegan, a complex and compelling heroine, as she navigates a world filled with action and suspense. Michael Ebner's storytelling skillfully blends adrenaline-pumping moments with quieter, character-driven scenes, creating a well-rounded narrative. While the ending provided closure, it also left me eagerly anticipating the next installment. I'm excited to see where Teegan's journey takes her next.

Thank you to NetGalley & Pen and Picture for this ALC in exchange for my unbiased review.

Relatively quick, day-long listen. Though I was expecting a standalone novel with a recurring character (e.g., Benoit Blanc, Hercule Poirot, etc.), this series is connected; you can't listen to one without the other.

The backstory motivation leading Teagan to be wrapped up in the Italian Mafia, while detailed and a little long-winded, sets a solid foundation for the drama to unfold in the sequel. It took me a bit to grasp the main storyline, but once things clicked, the action-packed narrative really took off. It's the kind of story that could easily translate into a thrilling action movie, perfect for a laid-back Friday night at home.

Given the setup and how things evolved, I'm inclined to dive into Book 2 and see where the story is headed.

Thanks to Netgalley, Pen and Picture, Michael Ebner, and Braden Wright for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

There is a lot going on in this book. Teagan is hired to write a biography of a major crime lord, who in turn is going to help finance a personal project of hers to rescue women kidnapped by terrorists. Everything backfires and she ends up in a type of witness protection until she can find the crime lord to save her family.
I enjoyed the storyline. I listened on audiobook, and the narrator did a good job.

The New Bad Thing by Michael Ebner is a mystery thriller that takes you on a roller coaster ride from the beginning. This thriller is action packed, starting from the very beginning when the main character, Teagan, is trapped in a Paris hotel room while armed terrorists are hunting her down. As the story unfolds, you discover just how she ended up being targeted and hunted by a terrorist group
The story switches from the present to the past several times due the story, revealing layers of Teagan’s personality and the reasons behind some of her decisions. After her ordeal in Paris, she becomes embroiled in a man hunt for a scam artist that is wanted by multiple agencies. But this puts her , her husband, and their unborn child in jeopardy. The story is fast paced for the most part, the center of the book slows down, but quickly picks back up at the end.
Danger mystery and suspense come at you from beginning to end, constantly revealing new information about Teagan and those around her. I’m definitely interested in seeing where the author plans to take the series and what other things will happen to and with Teagan.
The narrator for the audiobook was easy to listen to. He is very easy to listen to.

Teagan and Todd have been trying to have have a baby for years but unfortunately they have been unable to conceive. Teagan needed something else to focus on so she started a fund to help kidnapped girls but unfortunately the funds are taken by a greedy partner. When Teagan travels to Paris, she finds herself in a terrorist attack at the hotel she's staying at which started a terrifying but new time in her life.

I thought this was a great concept for a book and I found it engaging and easy to follow. I thought the characters were very well developed and the settings were very descriptive. I enjoyed the thrill of the book, it was very fast paced and actioned packed entangling mafia and terrorists. I did have a hard time with the talk about miscarriages and that could be a potential trigger for people but I DO understand why there was continual talk about it. I liked that the book goes back and forth between the past and the present, it helps develop the characters and setting. I really enjoyed the narration by Braden Wright, I found it easy to distinguish the characters and I enjoyed the voices.

This is the first book I've read by Michael Ebner but it will not be the last. I'm excited to see the next installment of the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Pen and Picture for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'm typically a thriller and espionage person and have read others like Brad Thor, Brad Taylor, Ben Coes, David Baldacci (to name just a few) quite faithfully. I had high hopes for Ebner's The New Bad Thing but have to admit that I had a really hard time following the narrative. I'm not sure if this was because of the audiobook and the flashback and present not being marked really well, whether it was just relatively hard to follow, or whether it just didn't keep my attention and so my mind wandered, but I struggled to make sense of the various plot lines in the book. The characters were likable enough, but I just couldn't fully understand their motivation. The MC Teagan Penn is a reporter living a seemingly quiet life and who has never taken someone else's life, but when the hotel she is staying at gets attacked, she seemingly has no qualms about killing a terrorist (or two) and moving on with her life as though nothing really happened? I just couldn't buy it. I see how others might like this kind of book, but it unfortunately wasn't for me.

This was a good listen but I can imagine it would be a great movie.. I found it entertaining and quite refreshing from the normal books I read, good to have a change

Page turner from start to finish. Two timelines but fits in perfectly with the story so doesn’t add to confusion

I really like the main heroin character, Teagan, and enjoyed her journey of terrorism, fertility, marriage and gangsters

Thank you to Netgalley and Pen and Picture

3.5 ⭐️ I enjoyed this crime thriller. Not your average crime solver either, I liked that aspect of the main character being a reporter who gets thrust onto the other side of things. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was pretty good and easy to listen to. Finished this book in one day. Looking forward to the next book in the series!

Thank you NetGalley and Pen and Picture for an advanced copy of this audiobook.

This was a fast paced thriller involving the CIA and the Mafia through North America and Europe.

Teagan is an evolved character showing you an action packed adventure.

This book touches on a lot of sensitive subjects and depicts terrorism in a foreign country.

I enjoyed how fast paced the book was, but the amount of characters and events made it confusing at times.

The first book in a new thriller series. I was drawn in from the start and enjoyed the ride in the fast paced, gritty book. I liked Teagan and connected with her right away. I can't wait to see where the story goes next.

I thought it was an interesting choice to have a man narrate Teagan's story. There are male characters, but the story seemed to center around her. It's narrated by Braden Wright. I enjoyed listening to his deep voice and with the chapters clearly labeled when they were in the past, I had no issues following the dual timeline.

This is a fast paced thriller that involves terrorist organisations, the Mafia and the CIA, amongst others, and spans North America and Europe. So there is a lot going on! The audiobook narration drew you in to this web but could be a little soporific at times, which was a stark contrast to the events being described.
There are descriptions of the processes involved in fertility treatments so anyone who has gone through that, or especially if they are currently experiencing this, may want to bear that in mind. It is justified within the story but could be triggering for some.
The female protagonist is a well drawn and believable character, as someone who finds themselves in extreme circumstances their responses are credible, where they could easily have fallen into parody. It felt at times that there was a lot of groundwork being done to set the scene for future books but it was still an enjoyable listen.

Not my normal kind of read but I really enjoyed this one, great plot, intricate characters, kept me listening over 3 days while on holiday, have recommended to friends

The New Bad thing is an espionage thriller. I listened to the audio version. There are many characters and plot twists. It took me a while to get through the story since I had to often rewind. I had trouble keeping up with characters. I think I would have enjoyed this more as a paper book. But otherwise it was a very good story that kept you guessing. Will read again.

"The New Bad Thing" by Michael Ebner was a rollercoaster ride packed with action, but it faltered on some of the turns. While the fast-paced narrative and tenacious protagonist, Teagan, kept me engaged, certain aspects left me wanting more.

Strengths:

Fast-paced thriller: The story throws you right into the action, whisking Teagan from journalist to unwilling spy/assassin. The constant danger and twists kept me guessing.
Strong protagonist: Teagan's transformation from an ordinary woman to a fierce protector of her family was powerful. Her unwavering determination to survive and return to her son resonated deeply.
Emotional core: The inclusion of motherhood as a central theme added depth and weight to the violence and suspense. Seeing Teagan's fight for her child fueled my desire for her success.
Weaknesses:

Graphic depictions: While some may appreciate the gritty realism, the brutality and focus on terrorism went beyond my personal preference.
Uneven handling of sensitive themes: The impact of terrorist events on the characters felt minimized, which lessened the emotional weight of those scenes.
Confusing narrative: Frequent jumps in timeline and perspective were jarring, requiring effort to re-orient myself each chapter.
Overall:

"The New Bad Thing" is a thrilling read with a relatable protagonist, but its reliance on graphic violence and uneven treatment of sensitive topics may not appeal to everyone. If you enjoy action-packed thrillers with a strong female lead, but have a low tolerance for gore and terrorism, proceed with caution.