White Smoke

Description

THE STAND meets William R. Forstchen’s ONE SECOND AFTER in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author John Gilstrap’s third pulse-pounding thriller set in an America ravaged by global conflict. As a community of survivors strives to rebuild all they have lost, they look to one woman – single mother and former West Virginia congressional representative Victoria Emerson—to balance survival with justice…

“One of the most compelling heroines to come along in years.” —Jeffery Deaver

One-time congressional representative Victoria Emerson has received a request from the deposed president of the United States—come to the bunker at Hilltop Manor, where the remnants of the U.S. government have been imprisoned. A ruthless band has seized power, leaving civilians to die of starvation and untreated injuries. The self-appointed leader, Roger Parsons, plans to punish the former rulers for thrusting the country into Hell Day, the devastating war that changed the world in just a few hours.

Victoria is reluctant to leave Ortho, the West Virginia town she has developed and defended. But as a born leader, she feels the call of duty. Forging her way through a landscape terrorized by local warlords and desperate scavengers, she arrives at Hilltop Manor to find a powder keg of battling factions.

The lofty ideals on which the Republic was founded and the values that once held society together have devolved into anarchy. Calling on her deepest personal resources and her unwavering convictions, Victoria must somehow return the rule of law to a society where many of the old rules and laws don’t matter anymore.Praise for John Gilstrap’s Victoria Emerson Thrillers:
 
“Gilstrap lives up to the promise of his daring, and chilling, premise. White Smoke is his most fully realized version of life in the new America, almost like “The Walking Dead” without the zombies but where the humans are even more monstrous. A one-sitting read if ever there was one.”  —Jon Land, The Providence Journal on White Smoke

“Gilstrap has really hit it out of the park… Fans of the genre are sure to like Victoria Emerson, who is strong, smart, and unflappable. But the real key to this series working is the world in which the characters operate, and Gilstrap has established that brilliantly, laying out a universe that, well, doesn’t seem all that far-fetched sometimes these days.” —The Real Book Spy on White Smoke
 
“A John Gilstrap thriller, crammed with violence and testing of the soul, might be the perfect work of fiction to sink into in a tough time for the real world.” —New York Journal of Books on Blue Fire
 
“Gilstrap’s engrossing sequel to 2021’s Crimson Phoenix finds former U.S. Congresswoman Victoria Emerson continuing to organize…Power struggles among surviving U.S. government officials hunkered down in D.C.-area bunkers add to the drama. Fans of doomsday military thrillers will delight in the resilience of Gilstrap’s family of preppers and their quest for survival on their terms. Readers will eagerly await the next installment.” —Publishers Weekly on Blue Fire
 
“Crimson Phoenix ticks every box for big-book thrillerdom. We’re treated to political turmoil, military action, harrowing escape and relentless pursuit, and heart-warming—and heart-wrenching—scenes of family struggling against conflict, which Gilstrap pens like no other author. The novel seizes you on page one and never lets go—and I don’t mean just until the last page; this riveting book will stay with you long after you finish it. And to top it all off, he’s created one of the most singular and compelling heroines to come along in years.” —Jeffery Deaver, New York Times bestselling author on Crimson Phoenix
 
“A single mother’s smart, fierce determination to protect her sons turns this vivid day-after-tomorrow scenario into a gripping page-turner.” —Taylor Stevens, New York Times bestselling author of Liars’ Legacy Crimson Phoenix
 
“Gilstrap’s apocalyptic thriller about nuclear war and one family’s fight to survive in its aftermath weaves tradecraft and survival skills with themes of the nature of evil and the power of justice into an explosive story that keeps your mind churning and pulse racing while it locks you into your chair until the final page.  Don’t miss this powerful new series from a master thriller writer.” —Jamie Freveletti, international bestselling and award-winning author of Running from the Devil and Robert Ludlum’s The Janus Reprisal Crimson Phoenix
 
“John Gilstrap’s Crimson Phoenix snaps with action from the very first page. It’s certain to hit the 10-ring with old and new readers alike.” —Marc Cameron, New York Times bestselling author of Stone Cross and of Tom Clancy’s Code of Honor Crimson PhoenixJohn Gilstrap is the New York Times bestselling author of award-winning action novels including the Jonathan Grave Thrillers and the Victoria Emerson Thrillers. A master of action-driven suspense, he’s touted as one of the most accomplished writers on the planet and his books have been translated into more than 20 languages. He is the recipient of an International Thriller Writers’ Award for Against All Enemies and a two-time ITW Award finalist. He also won the ALA Alex Award for Nathan’s Run, which was optioned for film by Warner Bros. A nationally recognized weaponry and explosives safety expert, John Gilstrap frequently speaks at conferences, events, clubs, youth programs, and military bases. He is a former firefighter and EMT with a master’s degree in safety from the University of Southern California and a bachelor’s degree in history from the College of William and Mary in Virginia. John lives in Fairfax, Virginia and can be found online at JohnGilstrap.com.US

Additional information