And So It Goes by Gary E. Smith follows federal prosecutor Jenny Stone after she realizes she is being watched, following a major money laundering case. Carrying critical digital evidence she barely remembers receiving, Jenny leaves the United States and seeks refuge in northern Italy with Warren Steelgrave, a distant relative with a guarded past. As powerful figures linked to an international criminal network race to locate her, Jenny and Warren move through Italy and California, staying ahead of both hired operatives and compromised officials. Each decision is driven by the need to protect evidence that could expose corruption reaching into government institutions. From isolated villages to crowded cities, the story tracks a pursuit in which trust is limited, and visibility is dangerous. Jenny must rely on Warren’s judgment.

Gary E. Smith’s And So It Goes is a contemporary international thriller that operates at a high level of writing skill, and it is clear that Smith has a brilliant command of legal and political matters, as well as all things covert. Who knew that there was zero authority in Italy for American Witness Protection folk? This story moves at a fast pace, with Jenny Stone standing out as a central figure because her decisions remain rooted in professional duty even as her private life fractures. Ahmed Arslan is an equal counter, doggedly employing methodical tracking, targeted assassinations, and an unrelenting pursuit. I love all of the places that Smith takes us and, from the comfort of an armchair, we're first in a secluded Italian village where isolation becomes protection, to the shifting anonymity of my own hometown—San Francisco—wandering through hotels, safe houses, and cargo ships. Overall, this is a book for lovers of legal thrillers, international intrigue, and stories where intelligence and survival shape every decision.

In And So It Goes by Gary E. Smith, Jenny, a prosecuting attorney, has just finished a significant money laundering case when she begins to suspect someone is following her. The unsettling feeling pushes her to accept a longstanding invitation to visit Warren Steelgrave in Italy, where she hopes to regain a sense of peace. Jacob Colburn, having turned state’s evidence, gave Jenny a thumb drive containing incriminating email exchanges between himself and David Crib, evidence the justice department has long needed to bring David down. With this evidence in hand, Jenny and Warren are the target of a deadly pursuit. David hires Ahmed Arslan, a feared and relentless assassin, to kill Jenny and Warren and retrieve the thumb drive. Can Jenny and Warren survive long enough to testify before the grand jury?

And So It Goes by Gary E. Smith was a complex and intriguing read. The story was fast-paced with enough action to hold my attention throughout. Several plots were woven together, and came together perfectly. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat and had me turning the pages as fast as I could. I could not put the book down as I had to know what would happen next. The characters were authentic and relatable. The plot was brilliantly planned and executed, and I was hooked from start to finish. The story has all the elements of an excellent thriller. The photographs included by the author enhanced my reading. I enjoyed the glimpses into his personal world.