A. C. Fuller

When Holden Burnside, a respected journalist and one of Alex Vane’s mentors, commits suicide, everyone is shocked. Especially since he and Alex had dinner the night before, and Holden was gathering notes for a new book. This doesn’t sound like a man who’s planning to end his life. Another journalist, Shannon Brass, feels the same way, so they investigate. But, before they find any definite answers, another journalist is killed, then another. This book, the end of a series, is full of twists and turns as a deranged killer targets investigative journalists—reminding us how risky their job can be. I like how the author hinted that today’s news is sometimes delivered with more opinions than facts. Certainly, online headlines are often posted as clickbait to generate views rather than inform the public. I’m glad Alex has decided to leave his Media Company, The Barker, and dive back into hard reporting in the future. Good luck, Alex.… (mehr)

The Shadow File, the fourth book in the Alex Vane Media series, almost entirely takes place in Cuba, where Alex follows his old friend and master hacker, Innerva, to help avenge James' death—and surprise! Greta goes with him. It's a good thing, too, because Greta speaks Spanish—who knew? What follows is lots of cat-and-mouse-spy-type action where Alex and Greta repair their marriage as they rely on each other to stay alive. Fast-paced and entertaining, I enjoyed this romp into the cyber world where nobody is anybody without a computer and internet.… (mehr)

Whoa! This third story in the Alex Vane Media series has some very creative computer hacking and social media posting. I'm not savvy in information technology, so I can't say I believe everything portrayed in the book exists, but it was exciting and wild. Mr. Fuller is very adept at inventing off-the-wall situations and unique characters. I loved the vulnerability and courage of Quinn Rivers, a paranoid computer hacker who lives off the grid until Alex brings the bad guys to her door. Her character gives this story its moral fiber. I can't say the same for Alex, who seems to be becoming more shallow and materialistic. Who goes to have a gourmet meal after learning of their friend's murder? I'm not feeling any love for Greta, either. Maybe her digestive system is in tune with her psychological beliefs, but she seems very judgmental and self-obsessed. I hope Alex has moved on to a new love interest in the next book.… (mehr)

The Inverted Pyramid is another explosive edition in the Alex Vane Media series. Alex, once a court reporter for The New York Standard, is now part of News Scoop, a pioneer online news outlet he runs out of a New York apartment with his friends, James and Lance. They all believe online reporting is the new wave of the future. Of course—as we know today—they're right. Alex lives with Greta, his new girlfriend, and finally puts his brush with death and his infatuation with Camila Gray in Hawaii behind him. But his old adversary, Denver Bice, isn't done with Alex. After a hacker's death and James's kidnapping, Alex embarks on a new fact-finding journey to his hometown of Bainbridge Island to investigate his parent's tragic death years ago. Alex's world explodes again as he discovers his mother's brief relationship with Bice set everything in motion before he was born. Well-written and fast-paced, this book has lots of action, media tech info, and complex characters, making it a fascinating story. Good to the last page.… (mehr)