It’s very sophisticated story-telling, written in a mature style, and targeted for a mature audience Review by A Camilleri, Amazon Hall of Fame & Top Ten reviewer oOo JJ Stoner is ex-military and a hired gun. You end up wanting to know more about what happens to JJ Stoner and his new life in the shadows. It’s only a quick read, not a full-length book, but it is a complete story which introduces some really interesting characters.

It’s written to be blunt and matter of fact, and it reveals a lot about the central character. Review by Dale Bridges, author of Justice, Inc oOo Immersing and involving: Frank Westworth ventures beyond his comfort zone and does he do it in style! The story gets going with an extremely violent scene, but it’s not gratuitous or excessive. Altogether a surprisingly enjoyable read. I wasn’t completely sure about JJ Stoner’s motivations, but this appears to be just a taste of a much longer series, and I expect Westworth will tell the reader everything in due time. One could easily see this being adapted into a screenplay. There was just enough to let you know that Westworth has done his research but not so much that it disrupted the flow of the narrative. Westworth didn’t cram every paragraph with soldierly lingo like some writers in this genre do. I know nothing about military operations, but the details certainly felt authentic. Once I started reading, the pages turned quickly and willingly. The dialogue is snappy, the characters are sharply developed, and the plot moves effortlessly forward.

However, I do like good writing, and First Contract has plenty of that. I don’t particularly care for war stories, espionage, or even mystery.

Review by Ian Sutherland, author of Invasion of Privacy oOo First off, I have to say that this is not my genre of choice. Looking forward to the full-length novels. The author makes no apologies for Stoner’s pragmatic attitude towards the elimination of his targets, and the result is an solid well thought through action thriller, intelligently handled. It’s intelligently written, with excellent characterisation, sharp wit and punchy back-n-forth dialogue. First Contract is a standalone short story that introduces JJ Stoner, the anti-hero of a series of novels yet to come.

First Contract by Frank Westworth