Big Thumbs-Up Reviews for VATICAN SHADOWS

 Ray Keating’s Pastor Stephen Grant is back in another action-packed, character-rich page turner in VATICAN SHADOWS. Grant is a Lutheran pastor who used to be a Navy SEAL and a CIA operative – but never fully left his old life behind. Now, Pope Paul VII calls on Grant to help stop deadly forces inside and outside the Vatican. 

Both Kirkus Reviews and Self-Publishing Review have given VATICAN SHADOWS big thumbs-up reviews…

VATICAN SHADOWS and the rest of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers/mysteries make for ideal reading in 2021! Get the paperback or Kindle editions of VATICAN SHADOWS at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08P1S5R26 or signed books at https://raykeatingonline.com/products/vaticanshadows

New thumbs-up review of THE TRAITOR from Kirkus Reviews

On THE TRAITOR, Kirkus Reviews says, 

“A clergyman of action tries to capture a former U.S. government agent on the run in this latest installment of a thriller series… Keating, the author of Deep Rough (2019), delivers a relatively brief adventure, but as in the author’s earlier books, it’s a swiftly paced one... Exciting, tightly written action scenes comprise the final act, but there’s humor sprinkled throughout the narrative, as well... Keating’s series is often grim, but this installment seems a bit darker than others, featuring a particularly violent death and a surprisingly bleak moment involving a series regular. A short but kinetic tale featuring a consistently entertaining hero.”

Grab the Kindle or paperback editions at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1709209771

3 Reasons for Reading the Pastor Stephen Grant Mysteries/Thrillers: Thumbs Up from Kirkus Reviews

Kirkus Reviews has favorably reviewed the Pastor Stephen Grant novels and short stories. Here are quotes from the most recent reviews.

1. Kirkus Reviews on SHIFTING SANDS: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT SHORT STORY: 

“Stephen is a well-rounded protagonist who’s skilled in combat but likewise vulnerable: He faces a bulky assailant who hardly acknowledges the pastor’s stranglehold. There’s an impressive mystery this time around, as readers may not easily discern the terrorists’ ultimate motivation or who exactly 11 is. Resolutions come to light during the rousing final act, rife with explosives, bullets, and a few bodies. Another solid thriller with the always welcome and dexterous hero.”

Read the entire review here.

2. Kirkus Reviews on HEROES AND VILLAINS: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT SHORT STORY: 

“In this short story, Keating’s (Reagan Country, 2018, etc.) recurring cleric Stephen Grant steps up to help a popular comic-book creator targeted by armed assailants... An entertaining, immersive jaunt with a formidable protagonist.”

Read the entire review here.

3. Kirkus Reviews on REAGAN COUNTRY: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL: 

“The villains, meanwhile, are just as rich and engrossing as the good guys and gals. The familiar protagonist, along with sensational new and recurring characters, drives an energetic political tale.”

Read the entire review here.

Kirkus Review Calls Heroes and Villains "An Entertaining, Immersive Jaunt"

Nice review of HEROES AND VILLAINS from Kirkus Reviews. It reads in part: 

"In this short story, Keating’s (Reagan Country, 2018, etc.) recurring cleric Stephen Grant steps up to help a popular comic-book creator targeted by armed assailants… When kidnappers eventually abduct someone, Stephen is quickly on their trail, and he has plenty of help—a convention’s worth of superheroes. The series’ protagonist remains a man of action even though the story isn’t novel-length. This relatively short piece is lighter in tone than previous outings, due mainly to its concentration on the cheery setting. Keating respectfully portrays the con as a mostly enjoyable experience… Much of the comedy is appropriate to the setting, as when people assume that the pastors’ clerical garments are costumes honoring the real-life comic-book series Preacher. An entertaining, immersive jaunt with a formidable protagonist.” 

 Read the full review at https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ray-keating/heroes-and-villainse/

Kirkus Reviews Offers Stellar Review of LIONHEARTS

LIONHEARTS: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL received a big thumbs-up review from Kirkus Reviews:

“In this seventh entry of a series, terrorists attacking Christians in the United States must contend with the proficient recurring protagonist armed with Scripture and a Glock… By now, fans of Keating’s (Wine Into Water, 2016, etc.) thriller series will anticipate skillfully drawn characters. [Stephen] Grant, for one, is a considerate husband and unquestionably capable in action… The narrative’s swift momentum is retained even during profound moments, like a scene in which terrorists debate their cause after murdering two men that’s intercut with clergymen reciting biblical passages. Though sequences of Grant or [Paige] Caldwell and her team engaged in combat are exhilarating, the story’s brimming with everyday heroes. One political figure, for example, is rescued by a neighbor whose courage is measured by the hefty Desert Eagle gun he brandishes. First-rate supporting characters complement the sprightly pastor, who remains impeccable in this thriller.”

Read the entire review at https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ray-keating/lionhearts2/

Pour a Glass of Wine and Enjoy WINE INTO WATER by Ray Keating

Kirkus Reviews Gives Thumbs Up for WINE INTO WATER

Kirkus Reviews gives a big thumbs up for Ray Keating's WINE INTO WATER: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL:

It was declared in the review:

"The recurring protagonist shares the spotlight with many characters who appeared in preceding novels. This narrative approach, however, proves beneficial. To begin with, the story, though boasting the series' now-prerequisite action sequences, shifts most of its attention to the mystery. Keating establishes genuine suspects: seems all winemakers, from the respected to the dubious, are under attack, so those culpable aren't easily detectable. Grant undoubtedly shines in confrontations with baddies as well as lighter subplots: scenes behind the pulpit and his visible awkwardness whenever Caldwell and his wife, Jennifer, are together. But it's the search for killers that makes the biggest impact, and the pastor can't take full credit; it's a team effort, with characters (i.e., Grant's old CIA pals) that are just as essential.
     "A first-rate mystery makes this a series standout, even if the titular protagonist splits his hero status with others."              - Kirkus Reviews

Read the entire review here.

Kirkus Reviews on Pastor Stephen Grant Novels

Ray Keating's MURDERER'S ROW and THE RIVER have gotten big thumbs up from Kirkus Reviews reviewers...

• On MURDERER’S ROW, Kirkus Reviews says, “Action fans will find plenty to love here, from gunfights and murder sprees to moral dilemmas.”

• Kirkus Reviews also gives a big thumbs up to THE RIVER: “A gritty, action-stuffed, well-considered thriller with a gun-toting clergyman.”

"Action fans will find plenty to love here..."

Reviewer on MURDERER'S ROW: A PASTOR STEPHEN GRANT NOVEL by Ray Keating...

"The author packs a lot into this frantically paced novel... a raft of action sequences and baseball games are thrown into the mix. The multiple villains and twists raise the stakes...  Stephen remains an engaging and multifaceted character: he may still use, when necessary, the violence associated with his former professions, but he at least acknowledges his shortcomings--and prays about it. Action fans will find plenty to love here, from gunfights and murder sprees to moral dilemmas."    - Kirkus Reviews

Get the book at
http://www.amazon.com/Murderers-Row-Pastor-Stephen-Grant/dp/1514137615/ref=pd_sim_14_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=1KC2PX415ZC31NH525TM