Go

Payden Beck Crime Thriller Book 4

Fiction - Crime
358 Pages
Reviewed on 03/30/2024
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

    Book Review

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Go by author Michael Golvach is a work of fiction in the crime thriller, mystery, and suspense subgenres, and it forms the fourth novel in the Payden Beck Crime Thriller series. The work is best suited to mature readers owing to scenes of graphic violence, sex, and explicit language throughout. The story follows Payden Beck, a police officer in a town plagued by corruption and crime. With his new partner, Lisa Reid, he's made strides in cleaning up their community. However, when a fellow detective is murdered, Payden is forced to confront uncomfortable truths, both about himself and Lisa, to solve the case. The novel also explores the interesting moral complexities faced by police officers and the sacrifices they make in the line of duty.

Author Michael Golvach has crafted an engrossing novel with a tense and suspenseful atmosphere, immersing readers in the challenges and dilemmas that come with law enforcement in a convincing and exciting fashion. The characters, especially Payden, are multifaceted, making them relatable and intriguing, with a strong command of dialogue and thought presentation to allow us to connect with them on a more meaningful psychological and emotional level. One feature that particularly impressed me was the author's ability to build a nuanced and morally ambiguous world where the boundaries between right and wrong are blurred. The story also does a fantastic job of expanding on the themes of trust, loyalty, and the cost of maintaining order in a corrupted system, but never at the expense of the characters and plot. Overall, Go is a well-crafted crime thriller that keeps you engaged from start to finish, and I’d highly recommend it for readers seeking a sharply penned plot that is rife with unexpected twists.

Alma Boucher

Go by Michael Golvach is book 4 in the Payden Beck Crime Thriller series. Payden Beck and Bryan Verrill have been partners for many years; they had secrets and trust. Payden and Bryan cannot share with others their actions to get things done. The captain partnered Bryan with a new detective, and Payden thought he would have the freedom to work on his own. Payden is, however, partnered with a new transfer, Lisa Reid. When a fellow detective is found dead, Payden is forced to confront the truth about Lisa and himself. Payden's work requires him to make sacrifices because the town's safety comes at a hefty cost. The police department had started using a pay-to-play strategy to keep a lid on drug-related violence, but not everyone was on board, including Payden.

The plot in Go is fast-paced, jam-packed with action, and it had me hooked from the start to the end. Michael Golvach took me on a roller coaster ride of murder, betrayal, and secrets. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat, turning the pages as fast as I could. All the twists and turns had me guessing until the end. The characters were authentic and relatable. My favorite character was Lisa. She was a strong woman and stood her ground. She did not allow herself to be treated like her colleagues. She and Payden worked well together as a team. The story was brilliantly written and was nothing like I expected. The ending was a big surprise, and I did not see it coming.

Lex Allen

Detective Payden Beck's world has always been one of violence, intrigue, and as true to life as it gets without actually living it. The crime rates are dropping, as are more than a few criminal bodies, and Payden now has a new partner, Lisa Reid, a female detective with baggage and attraction that draws Payden like a bug to light. As this new relationship grows, so do the difficulties in juggling personal relationships with ex-partners, lovers, and a hard-core captain while chasing down a killer intent on eliminating the city's drug dealers who make the mistake of killing a police officer as well.

After 10-30 and Dormir, Go is the third Payden Beck detective novel I've read and it checks all the boxes that make Golvach the outstanding writer he is: lots of snappy dialogue, action scenes that put the reader in the front row seat of written reality, and the portrayal of real-life situations behind and intermixed with the action. For me, Golvach's talent for interconnecting personal life issues and emotions with a sense of verisimilitude throughout the storylines is second to none. For new readers of the Payden Beck series, the dialogue is often lengthy, with several participants (occasionally confusing who is who), and at machine-gun speed. This trait takes some getting used to, but trust me, it's doable. Bottom line—Go is an exciting read, with great characters, several intertwining plotlines, and a philosopher's view of life and personal relationships.

Pikasho Deka

Go is the fourth book in the Payden Beck Crime Thriller series by Michael Golvach. In a town filled with criminals and crooked cops, Detective Payden Beck has his own sense of justice. After he is assigned a new partner, Lisa Reid, suddenly a string of murders of drug dealers take the police precinct by storm. As Payden and Lisa are investigating the cases, a shocking murder of another police officer occurs, leading the captain to also assign Payden's former partner, Bryan Verrill, to the investigation. Meanwhile, Payden and Lisa get to know each other's secrets and form an unexpectedly close bond. However, their dark pasts soon put them in a position from which there might be no coming back. With his former partner in his path, can Payden figure out a way to ensure his and Lisa's freedom?

Michael Golvach's pageturner of a novel showcases how extreme situations can blur the lines between right and wrong, good and evil. A tale of murder, betrayal, and blackmail, Go is tailor-made for fans of crime thrillers who love stories with morally grey characters and unpredictable plotlines. From the first page onward, Golvach keeps the plot tight and moving at a brisk pace, and the narrative rarely lets you take a breather until the end. This isn't the kind of story where you want to root for anyone. Instead, it's the characters' inherent flaws and dynamic personalities that keep you invested in their story arcs. All in all, Go is gritty, action-packed, and devoid of any dull moments. I was hooked from start to finish, and I think crime thriller lovers will feel the same!