Deal Breaker

By Harlan Coben,

Book cover of Deal Breaker

Book description

The truth can get you killed... A stunning thriller from the SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author of SIX YEARS.

Investigator and sports agent Myron Bolitar is poised on the edge of the big-time. So is Christian Steele, a rookie quarterback and Myron's prized client. But when Christian gets a phone call…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Why read it?

4 authors picked Deal Breaker as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

With this book began my true passion for mystery/thriller novels. I willingly tumbled through all the books Coben has written in this series with Myron Bolitar and his lofty sidekick, Win (Windsor Horne Lockwood III). Coben’s clever writing style and sports references captured my interest… and my reading heart for all the years that followed this. I simply couldn’t get enough of it. Still can’t! Coben is a master of words. 

From Janet's list on intriguing whodunits.

Myron Bolitar is not as hardened or cynical as others on this list. His career as a basketball star cut short by injury, Bolitar is now a sports agent. The fiancé of his number one client, a college quarterback about to go professional, disappears and foul play is suspected. Worse, the missing girl is the sister of Bolitar’s former girlfriend, a woman he still loves. Believing the missing girl is still alive, Bolitar attempts to locate her, bring peace to the girl’s family, and clear his client’s name. It’s a solid crime story and Bolitar is a funny, intelligent, and…

From Rob's list on a hard-nosed detective series.

Lawyer and sports agent Myron Bolitar has a client who will make a name for both of them. I love football, so was not put off by the sports link, but that aside, football plays a small part. It’s the mystery that is front and centre. So when Christian Steele, a rookie football quarterback in the American League and Myron's prized client receives a phone call from a former girlfriend the deal starts to go sour. This author excels at throwing the unexpected at his character, I like seeing how they react and use some of the same methods with…

Trans-Mongolian Express

By David L. Robbins,

Book cover of Trans-Mongolian Express

David L. Robbins Author Of War of the Rats

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve penned (so far) seventeen novels, most set during some historical conflict or other, all of them revolving around intense personal relationships (loyalty, love, betrayal, those sorts of profound truths). I tend to read the sorts of books I wish to write. I also teach creative writing at a university (VCU); I tell my students that if they want to really know what a character is made of, shoot at them or have them fall in love. In my own work, I do both.

David's book list on love and war and describing both battlefields

What is my book about?

In the harrowing aftermath of Chornobyl's meltdown in 1986, the fate of Eastern Europe hangs by a thread.

From Beijing, American radiation scientist Lara, once a thorn in the Russian mob's side, is drawn back into the shadows of the Soviet Union on the Trans-Mongolian Express. She isn't alone. Anton, a Soviet scientist exiled for predicting Chornobyl's catastrophe, is on a quest to expose the truth. Amidst them, Timur, a Chechen giant fueled by vengeance, plots to destroy the already crumbling Soviet Union.

Suddenly, a murder on the remote tracks of the Gobi thrusts them into a deadly game of cat and mouse. As Chief Sheriff Bat races to solve the murder, their lives are thrown into jeopardy. Lara finds an unexpected ally in Gang, a reluctant assassin sent to end her life, and an illicit romance blooms amidst the chaos. But Gang isn't the only killer onboard. A hidden menace lurks, threatening to unravel all their plans.

In this electrifying ride across a historical backdrop, suspense and passion collide in an unyielding dance of survival and redemption. Who will survive the Trans-Mongolian Express?

Trans-Mongolian Express

By David L. Robbins,

What is this book about?

In the harrowing aftermath of Chernobyl's meltdown in 1986, the fate of Eastern Europe hangs by a thread.

From Beijing, American radiation scientist Lara, once a thorn in the Russian mob's side, is drawn back into the shadows of the Soviet Union on the Trans-Mongolian Express. She isn't alone. Anton, a Soviet scientist exiled for predicting Chernobyl's catastrophe, is on a quest to expose the truth. Amidst them, Timur, a Chechen giant fueled by vengeance, plots to destroy the already crumbling Soviet Union.

Suddenly, a murder on the remote tracks of the Gobi thrusts them into a deadly game of…


This is the first of 11 books featuring Myron Bolitar, a hotheaded but tenderhearted sports agent. He is one of the most fascinating and complex heroes in suspense fiction.

Bolitar is poised on the edge of the big time. So is Christian Steele, a rookie quarterback and Myron's prized client. But when Christian gets a phone call from a former girlfriend — a woman who everyone, including the police, believes is dead — the deal starts to go sour. Trying to unravel the truth about a family's tragedy, a woman's secret, and a man's lies, Myron is up against the…

Want books like Deal Breaker?

Our community of 10,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Deal Breaker.

Browse books like Deal Breaker

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in New York State, football players, and blackmail?

10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about New York State, football players, and blackmail.

New York State Explore 709 books about New York State
Football Players Explore 14 books about football players
Blackmail Explore 26 books about blackmail