Rudy Baskin thought he was making the most of his forced retirement. He spent his days on the dark web, finding the best people to do the worst jobs. Then along comes Lucinda, and suddenly his world is shaken up not only by an amazing woman, but a conspiracy to take down the increasingly corrupt United State government. The problem is, Rudy and his friends aren't interested in America's problems. They know the Senate and House are at war, they know the dangerous Rene Gang is looking to overhaul politics, but they have no interest in having a part in it - until they realize that they do. When a plot to murder two Senators in an attempt to influence a Supreme Court appointment comes to light, and they realize that their work has lead up to it, Rudy and his gang have had enough. They have to turn the tables fast, or they'll take the fall for political assassinations they didn't know they facilitated. From Us by Randall Jarmon is a gripping, fast paced political thriller with twists and turns that weave together in unbelievable ways.

I thoroughly enjoyed From Us. I didn't understand the title until the last page, but that was a minor issue because I was pulled into the intriguing plot from the first page. I like how these white-collar criminals came together at first to do a job, but in the end to create a new way of life. This group of seeming misfits works together well, and it's amazing how their stories and their skills coalesce in this complex and fast paced plot. Randall Jarmon did an excellent job in creating this fascinating tale. If you like political thrillers and mysteries, then this book is a definite must-read!

In Randall Jarmon’s latest thriller, From Us, the United States is in dire straits. The Senate and the House of Representatives are in turmoil, with the major parties at each other’s throats. Judges considered left of centre are bending the laws of the land to reflect their “progressive” views, while those more conservative jurists are pulling in the opposite direction. The newly elected president has lurched the country to the right and the largely leftist media is rebelling. Sound familiar so far? Such is the background to this fascinating story; hopefully, that is the point where it parts company with reality. A wealthy Swiss financier decides to turn the tables by orchestrating two high profile murders. If he succeeds, it may tip the balance of power in the Senate in the opposite direction. A clandestine organisation is engaged to stop him, but they require assistance. Enter one Rudy Baskin. Rudy is an ex-cop — NYPD — where he finished up in Internal Affairs and was hated by just about everyone in the force. He is a whiz at IT and has useful friends in high — and low — places. And, with a bit of luck and a fair wind, he just might be able to pull off the impossible.

Randall Jarmon has a style of his own. From Us is written in the first person, which is not that unusual, but interspersed with Rudy’s narrative are encrypted satellite phone conversations, e-mails and articles extracted from newspapers and blogs. At first, I found this device a bit distracting, but it soon grew on me. It is a unique method of showing the reader, in a narrative written in the first person, what is going on elsewhere. I suspect that, like Rudy, the author has a better than average knowledge of IT himself, otherwise he has an exceptional imagination when it comes to modern technical devices and what they are capable of achieving. It is refreshing to see the main character in a novel who isn’t perfect in every way. Rudy is in his fifties, he’s overweight, not very good looking and gets involved in criminal activities. Yet somehow he is endearing and you find yourself egging him on, both as to what he has been hired for and his personal relationship with Lucinda, his boss and love interest. It is clever characterisation. As for the story itself, it is a genuine thriller, with twists and turns in the plot right through to the surprising and pleasing ending. From Us is topical and right up to date. It’s an incredible tale, a real page turner and a riveting read.

From Us by Randall Jarmon is a suspenseful, well-crafted political thriller with memorable characters. In a story set against the backdrop of a particularly turbulent moment in the US political arena, the reader is introduced to a bunch of interesting characters. While the Senate is tearing itself apart, a rich financier is about to orchestrate two murders that could tilt things in his favor, but who can stop him? And what do three miscreants have to do with the whole affair?

Rudy Baskin, who claims to be the best Internal Affairs has ever had in locating bad cops, is now an outcast of the system, a phenomenal character that readers will love. His unique skills in tracking information add great spice to this thrilling novel. The characters are well-developed and the intrigue comes out clearly. Randall Jarmon is a master storyteller who melds journalistic skills, well-crafted dialogues, and flowing prose to create an enjoyable reading experience. The pacing is fast and the intrigue grows steadily with the conflict which escalates quickly to a satisfying denouement.

The moment that Baskin makes contact with Lucinda Ashley, I felt something big would happen, and it did. From that moment on, I couldn’t stop reading. There is so much to enjoy in From Us, apart from the great writing and the compelling characters. The story is well-structured, with a lot of interesting backstory and subplots developed through the use of web chats and newspaper clippings. The chapters are short, each loaded with detail that is electrifying, and each one ending with something that pushes the reader over to the next page. Yes, I loved this story and the narrative voice, masterfully done in the first person, is irresistible.

From Us by Randall Jarmon is a really good story. Rudolph “Rudy” Baskin was once a NY police officer working in Internal Affairs, but was forced to retire after crossing some political members. Now he’s a world class hacker and, yes, a crook. He’s been asked to work for a consulting group headed by a retired government assassin and to work closely with a beautiful blonde consultant, putting his skills to use. The group has been hired by a rich foreigner that wants to use “dirty tricks” to alter the outcome of American elections. That’s where Rudy comes in.

After completing the opposition research, the group realizes that the data they have provided will be used for more than dirty tricks, much, much more. The rich foreigner plans on using the information to murder two Senators and blame it on a radical anti-American group. The little band of good guys knows the who; now they must determine the where and how in order to stop it from happening. What they don’t know is that once the deeds have been done, they are also scheduled to die.

I find From Us a little hard to classify. Is it a political thriller, a mystery, a story of intrigue, adventure, murder or more? Actually, it’s all of that and then some. The author has put together a varied group of characters in a setting right out of today’s news headlines, in a story told in a combination of first and third person. I particularly like the way he changed the names of people and places, knowing full well that a reader up on current events will figure out who and what he’s referencing. The book is funny, edgy, suspenseful and very well written. Overall very, very good.