Thriller

The Sigma Conspiracy by Lee Gimenez

The novel “The Sigma Conspiracy” by Lee Gimenez was published for the first time in 2014 and then in a new edition with a different cover in 2020. It’s the first book of the J.T. Ryan series.

Someone is printing fake dollars of such high quality that they’re almost impossible to distinguish from the real thing. To make matters worse, these extraordinary fakes are being printed in large quantities and put into circulation in the USA. This has started creating problems for the national economy, so both the FBI and the Secret Service are investigating.

FBI Special Agent Erin Welch has an important role in the investigation but to obtain crucial information to discover the authors of the counterfeits, she has to resort to unorthodox methods. She hires J.T. Ryan, a private detective who doesn’t have to abide by rules and jurisdictional boundaries in an investigation with international ramifications.

The Cleaner by Mark Dawson

The novel “The Cleaner” by Mark Dawson was published for the first time in 2014. It’s the first book in the John Milton series.

John Milton is the number one man sent by British intelligence when they deem it necessary to physically eliminate some dangerous person and to do it in a clean way. He’s tasked with eliminating a couple of Iranian scientists linked to the atomic program who are officially on vacation in France but the information in his possession doesn’t include the presence of their son and he decides to spare him. Instead, he’s forced to kill a gendarme who arrives at the crime scene.

The mission has deeply affected John Milton’s conscience, already shaken by the long trail of blood he has left behind over the years. He wants to resign but such a choice is inconceivable in his type of work and his supervisor assesses the measures to take. By chance, Milton comes across a woman who wants to commit suicide and saves her. He discovers that she’s in a complicated situation with a teenage son who is part of a London gang intent on various crimes.

Crossfire by Lee Gimenez

The novel “Crossfire” by Lee Gimenez was published for the first time in 2019. It’s part of the J.T. Ryan series.

When the president of the most important social network is killed, a high-profile investigation begins. FBI Assistant Director Erin Welch calls J.T. Ryan but he’s on vacation and doesn’t want to interrupt it. The Pentagon has an interest in the case and General Keating has the investigator taken, reinstates him in the army, and force him to investigate the case.

Other people linked to the world of social media are killed, and recent cases considered accidents are reassessed. Behind the scenes, economic maneuvers have begun that aim to take control of online information. The situation concerns national security as well, also because the presidential elections are approaching.

Fireball by Lee Gimenez

The novel “Fireball” by Lee Gimenez was published for the first time in 2018. It’s part of the J.T. Ryan series.

The murder of three important people convinces the president of the USA of the existence of a conspiracy to throw the nation into chaos. For this reason, he calls a top-secret meeting to assign FBI Assistant Director Erin Welch and Alex Miller of the CIA to the investigation. J.T. Ryan is summoned also due to his military background and Miller announces that he will include agent Rachel West in the operations.

The investigation is even more complex than normal due to the need to keep it very confidential. J.T. Ryan cannot count on Lisa Booth’s assistance and must expose himself more than ever to the risks that come with his job. The political ramifications indicate that someone behind the conspiracy is capable of applying pressure at high levels through bribery or blackmail to target American institutions.

Roger Corman in 2012

The legendary director, producer, and actor Roger Corman passed away on May 9 (Photo Angela George).

Roger Corman was born on April 5, 1926, in Santa Monica, California. He studied at Stanford University but between 1944 and 1946 he served in the US Navy. In 1947 he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering but only worked for a few days as an engineer because he realized that he didn’t want to do that kind of job and immediately devoted himself to cinema instead.

In 2009, Roger Corman received an Honorary Academy Award for his rich engendering of films and filmmakers. It’s just a small tribute to a man who has been appreciated for decades for his productions. His influence on generations of filmmakers proves what a master of cinema he was, a craftsman capable of creating quality movies with limited means.