Rating: 
Summary: Skullduggery in the FBI.
Review: FBI agent Puller Monk, the Washington-based protagonist of Gene Riehl's thriller, "Quantico Rules," has been around the block a few times. He has worked both in the field and behind a desk, and he knows how the system works. He also knows how to work outside of the system when necessary. Monk's latest and most urgent assignment is to dig out background information about a Supreme Court nominee. With the help of his beautiful assistant, Lisa Sands, Monk discovers that the nominee may have some embarrassing skeletons in her closet. Furthermore, there are some powerful people who are willing to kill to make sure that these skeletons remain hidden.Monk is an intriguing character. He is an excellent agent, but his personal life is a mess. He is a compulsive gambler who bets money that he cannot afford to lose, and he harbors a bitter grudge against his elderly father who abused him as a child. In addition, Monk's love life is nothing to write home about. However, his biggest concerns are keeping his job and staying alive, not necessarily in that order. Riehl, a former FBI agent himself, knows this territory well, and he provides fascinating information about the history and culture of the FBI. I loved the details about the sophisticated gadgetry that agents use these days to catch the bad guys. The only downside is that, as often happens in thrillers of this type, the villains are nasty stereotypes instead of real people. Overall, however, "Quantico Rules" is entertaining, action-packed, and well worth your time.
Rating:
Summary: Skullduggery in the FBI.
Review: FBI agent Puller Monk, the Washington-based protagonist of Gene Riehl's thriller, "Quantico Rules," has been around the block a few times. He has worked both in the field and behind a desk, and he knows how the system works. He also knows how to work outside of the system when necessary. Monk's latest and most urgent assignment is to dig out background information about a Supreme Court nominee. With the help of his beautiful assistant, Lisa Sands, Monk discovers that the nominee may have some embarrassing skeletons in her closet. Furthermore, there are some powerful people who are willing to kill to make sure that these skeletons remain hidden. Monk is an intriguing character. He is an excellent agent, but his personal life is a mess. He is a compulsive gambler who bets money that he cannot afford to lose, and he harbors a bitter grudge against his elderly father who abused him as a child. In addition, Monk's love life is nothing to write home about. However, his biggest concerns are keeping his job and staying alive, not necessarily in that order. Riehl, a former FBI agent himself, knows this territory well, and he provides fascinating information about the history and culture of the FBI. I loved the details about the sophisticated gadgetry that agents use these days to catch the bad guys. The only downside is that, as often happens in thrillers of this type, the villains are nasty stereotypes instead of real people. Overall, however, "Quantico Rules" is entertaining, action-packed, and well worth your time.
Rating: 
Summary: Quantico RULES!! A must read!
Review: For any mystery fan, this is a must-read book! Gene's experience with the FBI is evident in his writing. After the plot thickens, you can't put it down. Just when you think you know what the ending is, there is a twist. I can't wait for his next novel.
Rating:
Summary: Quantico Rules
Review: For any mystery fan, this is a must-read book! Gene's experience with the FBI is evident in his writing. After the plot thickens, you can't put it down. Just when you think you know what the ending is, there is a twist. I can't wait for his next novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Doesnt make the grade.
Review: I found this story to be arrogant and unrealistic. If FBI personnel are really this vain and flawed, we are in big trouble. Considering the hero is supposed to be a ranking FBI investigator, he takes time out from his high priority job to gamble away 11 thousand dollars which would have paid for his father's rest home bill. He is so proud of his ability to deceive people he brags about it. As a hobby, he practices lying on polygraphs. This novel is written with arrogance and insults the intelligence of the reader. My library is full of good authors like John Sandford, Stuart Woods, Michael Connelly, Robert Crais, John Grisham, Robert B Parker, Elmore Leonard, P.T. Deutermann, Stephen Hunter , etc. But Mr. Riehl will simply never make the grade.
Rating: 
Summary: A Start
Review: Interesting weaknesses help introduce a new protagonist in this work by a former FBI agent. The bad guys are not what holds our interest this time. Insider insight does. Let's see what the next entry holds.
Rating:
Summary: A well paced debut thriller
Review: Puller Monk is an FBI agent in charge of a SPIN or special inquiries squad. He is assigned to check out the background of Judge Brenda Thompson, a Supreme Court nominee. Something in her background, however, is not adding up and it appears the judge is lying. As Monk and his partner Lisa Sands look into the matter, their search leads them up to the highest reaches of government and directly into murder.
Gene Riehl has written a well paced debut thriller. There is no skimping of characterization as both Monk and Sands are realistic creations. The complex plot has a very well conceived solution and conclusion. However, in the end a bit to complex and a bit too long.
Rating:
Summary: Rules Are Meant To Be Broken...
Review: Quantico Rules is a suspenseful thriller set in Washington, DC at FBI Headquarters. Special Agent Puller Monk is a wonderfully flawed lead character - he is a chronic gambler and professional liar who actually studies to defeat the lie detector tests to hide his illness from his superiors. When the novel opens, Puller is leading the SPIN (Special Inquiries) squad that is conducting a routine background check for an African American Supreme Court nominee who has lied about a three-week unaccountable absence nearly thirty years ago. Puller's instinct propels him and a trusted rookie agent to dig further despite direct orders from the Assistant Director to wrap up the investigation within seven days. When the college roommate of the nominee admits to keeping a diary which could provide incriminating evidence is murdered and Puller is attacked at the scene of the crime; he chooses to engage Quantico Rules - moreso the breaking of conventional rules and application of unorthodox techniques - to get to the bottom of the conspiracy. What happens next leads to more murder, mayhem, blackmail, and clues that point to a very unlikely and equally powerful culprit. Puller is a troubled lead character who makes bad decisions but he is a likeable, wounded hero whose actions are well intentioned. The conspiracy theory within the novel is plausible and the plot is intricately laced with clues and filled with tense moments. The author delivers solid character development which allows the reader to clearly understand their actions and motives. This was an enjoyable read - hopefully this will not be the last time we read about the adventures of Puller Monk. Reviewed by Phyllis
APOOO BookClub, The Nubian Circle Book Club
Rating:
Summary: Rules Are Meant To Be Broken...
Review: Quantico Rules is a suspenseful thriller set in Washington, DC at FBI Headquarters. Special Agent Puller Monk is a wonderfully flawed lead character - he is a chronic gambler and professional liar who actually studies to defeat the lie detector tests to hide his illness from his superiors. When the novel opens, Puller is leading the SPIN (Special Inquiries) squad that is conducting a routine background check for an African American Supreme Court nominee who has lied about a three-week unaccountable absence nearly thirty years ago. Puller's instinct propels him and a trusted rookie agent to dig further despite direct orders from the Assistant Director to wrap up the investigation within seven days. When the college roommate of the nominee admits to keeping a diary which could provide incriminating evidence is murdered and Puller is attacked at the scene of the crime; he chooses to engage Quantico Rules - moreso the breaking of conventional rules and application of unorthodox techniques - to get to the bottom of the conspiracy. What happens next leads to more murder, mayhem, blackmail, and clues that point to a very unlikely and equally powerful culprit. Puller is a troubled lead character who makes bad decisions but he is a likeable, wounded hero whose actions are well intentioned. The conspiracy theory within the novel is plausible and the plot is intricately laced with clues and filled with tense moments. The author delivers solid character development which allows the reader to clearly understand their actions and motives. This was an enjoyable read - hopefully this will not be the last time we read about the adventures of Puller Monk. Reviewed by Phyllis
APOOO BookClub, The Nubian Circle Book Club
Rating:
Summary: Insiders View of the FBI
Review: Talk about your bad days. Special Agent Puller Monk has a gambling problem, a money problem, a woman problem and then people start trying to kill him. SA Monk and his FBI partner Lisa Sands get involved in the background investigation for the first African American woman nominated to the Supreme Court, Brenda Thompson. What they assumed to be a case mired in paperwork turns out to be full of murder, mayhem and betrayal when they find a discrepancy in her past. Monk and Sands wind up gambling with their lives as the stakes get higher and higher. This book is a fast paced and plot driven, and makes the FBI world very real on the page. Riehl makes excellent use of his background as an ex-FBI agent and makes this book more interesting than most of its kind.
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