Ronald S. Barak

Payback may be the third in a series, but it stands alone as a fascinating novel of murder and mystery at a murder-and-mystery writers’ conference. Well stocked with publishing details, the novel shifts between agenting and threat, adding lots of ripped-from-the-headlines social commentary too, as you’d expect when the main protagonist is a retired judge. Important people disappear. Important organizers discuss just what can be revealed. And a wealth of new and aspiring writers wait to be discovered.

Payback gives the reader lots of insight into the world of writing, adding the excitement of mystery and danger, and the conscience of social issues, secrets and legal suits. It’s a page-turning read, with intriguing asides from the antagonist, as protagonists try to learn who-dun-it. Fast enough to let the reader gloss over potential mis-steps, it’s a fun novel for writers, best read perhaps when on a plane heading to a writers’ conference.

Disclosure: I wish I could go to a writers’ conference, but I was given a copy of this and I offer my honest review.… (más)

I received an ARC copy from the Authors' XP website.

This is the sort of thriller plot that begins rather confusing. The many repeats and characters that need to be introduced, challenge your reading speed. At times you wonder when the thriller part or story will begin. But all the preparations and back story is part of the building up to the actual story. In hindsight, I understand it now.
Brooks and Lotello find themselves in Spain, at a writer's retreat. Brooks is there to learn more about the craft and more specifically publishing. I have never been to one myself, the reason my interest peaked when I saw this book.
Writers can be very difficult, as well as very dramatic. I know from first-hand experience. But in this story, these writers take it a step further. Which enhanced the storyline tremendously. It gave the story a new dimension of reality and the inner workings of writers' craftiness.
When officials of the TITO organization began to disappear things became interesting.
The way that Brooke and Lotello handled the entire investigation was unique. Making this story really interesting and believable.
This is a must-read for all thriller readers that are looking for something new in this genre.… (más)

This was my first book by author Ron Barak and all I can say is “Why didn’t I find out about him sooner”. I love thriller/mystery books but add in all the legal stuff and courtroom drama and I’m hooked. The author was so great at explaining what was going on in the Supreme Court that I believe I learned a little bit as well. He’s writing was great and had you jumping back and forth between different characters and scenes. The characters were all well written, each with such different personalities. After reading the book, I took a pause and said “yep this really could happen”.

The story is about the fate of the 28th Amendment with a group who wants it gone so files suit with the Supreme Court. One of the highly respected Judges, Arnold Hirschfeld, gets a text message staying they have is granddaughter and wants to make sure the Judge votes the kidnappers way. The story goes through a lot of drama of the poor 11 year old girl who also unfortunately has diabetics. I think she is the hero of the story on how calm she stayed during the entire time she was kidnapped. A retired district court judge also starts to wonder why Judge Hirschfeld is saying things different that what he thinks he should be saying during the proceedings and begins to suspect something was up. So along the way Detective Frank Lotello is asked to find out what was happening. During the entire book, people were starting to wonder why Judge Hirschfeld is acting the way he was but no one was to know what really was happening in his family. The story goes on between the kidnapper, the Judge, the POTUS, the newscaster women and a few others. It is so well written and I think true to life that you start to think this really could happen.

Bottom line for me is this is not the only book I’m going to read by author Ron Barak. Look out John Grishman, Mr. Barak is great!… (más)

I was asked by the author to honestly review "The Amendment Killer" for a free copy of the book. He's going to regret that.

It's always exciting to see a favorite author (Lee Child) positively review a book. It's equally disappointing (and somewhat suspect) when said book is poorly written.

I must first confess that I could only get through 60 or so pages. But of those 60 pages, I just didn't get it. An organization had gathered 50,000 members and created a 28th amendment (supposedly invoking Article V). And now Congress was suing the organization and taking their case to the Supreme Court. In the meantime, somebody kidnaps the granddaughter of one of the Supreme Court justices. A few weeks prior, this poorly written bad guy gets a janitorial job at the Court and proceeds to hide several cell phones under gallery chairs so he can then become a member of the gallery during the proceedings. This way, you see, he can communicate with the justice to make his demands.

Just. No.… (más)