Review of Where Love Means Nothing

[Rajnee Varma]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Where Love Means Nothing" by Howard Gimple.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Where Love Means Nothing by Howard Gimple is a gripping crime-suspense thriller with a well-structured plot. Jake Marks was a celebrated tennis player whose long absences from tennis remained unexplained and a mystery for both his fans and the media. The Lone Ranger was a dreaded assassin who was blamed for the killing of Russell Townsend, an anti-nuclear activist. Townsend was killed during a live interview in front of the UN building. The journalist, Brigid Quinlan, was also shot dead, but the Lone Ranger knew he did not kill her. Then who killed her, and why? Ronald Goldbarr, a billionaire and founder of the Millennium Society, was a pro-nuclear politician, and he, along with his associates, Marcus Glyn and Mendel Stryker, had hired Lone Ranger for the assassination of Townsend. They also wanted to get rid of Colonel James Kelleher, who retired from the US Army and was the husband of Brigid. Believing that Lone Ranger was the killer of his wife, he was dead set on finding and killing him. But no one knew the true identity of the Lone Ranger except Goldbarr and his friends. Kelleher’s daughter Maggie believed her father was dead. He met her and warned her about the Lone Ranger. She was Jake's fitness trainer, and they were deeply in love. Marks found himself pitted against Kelleher. Now that he realized the true nature of the Millennium Society and Goldbarr’s political agenda, he wanted to clear his name, leave the life of an assassin behind, and save innocent people’s lives, but how? Will he succeed?

The plot of the novel is complex but well-developed and flawless. Marks, as the celebrated tennis player, was a compassionate man and aspired to win the Wimbledon Championship and the US Open Championship, and he tackled his rival player Riemer’s hatred and enmity with patience and professionalism but lost his temper from time to time when provoked to the extreme. As the assassin with the persona of the Lone Ranger, he was a thorough professional and never failed in his assignments. His dilemma was that he was killing for the wrong reason for the wrong people. He was made to believe that the people he killed were enemies of the US and were fit to be eliminated. His character under the pressure of his performance as a tennis player, the constant threat to his life, and how he remains calm and composed while living two lives at a time show great courage and stability. On top of these, Riemer was another reason for his stress, but he managed well. Kelleher is equally skilled and shows his ability and strength of character at the age of almost sixty years. His personal story is compelling and impressive.

The author has created very eloquent characters in Goldbarr, Glyn, and Stryker with their twisted sense of patriotism and greed. Goldbarr has his political ambition to be the President of his country someday. He is ruthless and cold-blooded in using his power and money to eliminate peaceful and innocent people without remorse. Mohammed Levi, the peace activist, represents people who work towards bringing peace to the world—for all nations and for everyone, irrespective of their race, religion, or ethnicity. He believed that the politicians of all countries were the root cause of unrest, hatred, and wars. Kelleher’s daughter, Maggie, is also an impressive character, showing independence, strength, and courage in difficult situations. Riemer is an emotionally insecure tennis player in need of professional help who becomes violent and hateful without provocation.

The book explores many themes, such as politics, greed for power, world peace, personal stories that highlight corruption and crime, rivalry and malice in sports, and the role of media in society. The author’s skills at character building and executing a complex plot are remarkable. The book is very interesting and meaningful. However, the poor editing that overlooked the numerous typos compelled me to deduct a star from its rating. I rate this otherwise excellent book 4 out of 5 stars.

It is a highly enjoyable, fast-paced, action-packed book, and the suspense continues to escalate till the end. There are no explicit details of violence or sexual content, making it suitable for all. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy suspense thrillers with meaningful stories, especially those who enjoy tennis.

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Where Love Means Nothing
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[Lauren Victoria]

Wow! The fact that there is a book that not only has tennis [my favorite sport] but is also a mystery/ thriller? I really enjoyed your review and look forward to picking up this book and giving it a go.

[Nneka Bridget]

This book sounds really intriguing with its mix of crime and sports. The dual life of Jake Marks as both a tennis player and an assassin adds a lot of tension. It’s interesting to see how the characters deal with their moral dilemmas and ambitions. I appreciate the review highlighting the themes and character depth. I might have to check it out!

[NetMassimo]

This thriller features a tennis player who seems to have retired for mysterious reasons but the story is far broader with ramifications that embrace even politics. The sophisticated plot and the well-developed characters make this novel engaging. Thank you for your great review!

[Steeve Bowen]

Where love means nothing is an interesting crime thriller, a case of multiple persons. I hope that when Lone Ranger finds how that he was killing the wrong people for the wrong reasons he would kill the right people (Goldbarr, Glyn, and Stryker)for the right reasons.