Category: Uncategorized

One of the Most Interesting Interviews I Have Ever Done

Recently, I did an interview with Sandra Ruttan at Toe Six Press. I have no idea about the origin of the name of the blog nor where the questions came from, but it’s definitely one of the most interesting interviews I’ve done since I’ve started writing. No “normal” questions here.  Find out more about Marcie Kane and Nathan Harris, who both appear in A Perilous Question and Remote Access in the interview.

You can check it out here: https://bit.ly/2ImvWNd

Ottawa Review of Books – Review of Remote Access

Remote Access by Barry Finlay

 May 4, 2018

Reviewed by Geza Tatrallyay

A political thriller that is very current and hard to put down, Barry Finlay tackles one of the most real dangers to the world today – cyber hacking – and weaves a suspenseful narrative of believable intrigue and romance, with a recognizable likeness of the current president as the intended victim.

On a trade mission in Shanghai, a rogue US trade representative delivers to a Chinese man who had befriended him a shocking draft of intended tariffs on US imports that would devastate the very lucrative export of electronic and other goods. As it happens, the man is a well-connected cyber-hacker, and the document ends up with a hardline member of the Politburo. With the threat of significant trade sanctions about to be imposed on China, the high-level government representative instructs the hacker, Yang Lee, to ensure that the tariffs never take effect.

After doing substantial research, the hacker decides to intimidate Annie Logan, the alcoholic wife of the president’s chief of staff, to get her husband, Craig, to use his power to kill the approval process. Yang Lee takes control of Annie’s computer and threatens to ruin her and her husband unless she is able to convince Craig to stop the tariffs. Annie has trouble convincing Craig of the plight they are in, but Marcie Kane, her friend, realizes that something is tremendously wrong and gets her fiancée, Nathan Harris, an FBI consultant to take action. With the help of an FBI computer expert, Nathan and Marcie are able to control the damage and foil Yang Lee’s plans. The president signs the executive order to put the tariffs in place and Yang Lee knows he has failed and will lose face and significant business in the future, He decides that the only way he can reestablish himself is to assassinate the president at a gala dinner along with all the guests, which as it happens, include Nathan and Marcie and Annie and Craig, her husband. At the dinner, Marcie realizes the danger they are all in, but all the exits have been remotely locked.

Remote Access is a well-written, well-conceived, gripping thriller, well worth the read. Mr. Finlay has a background in government and finance and knows this world intricately. He has supplemented his experience with substantial research into international politics and the cyber world and takes us on an exciting adventure into a very possible and real political trauma.

Remote Access is published by Keep on Climbing Press.

US Review of Books – Full Review
Remote Access: An International Political Thriller
by Barry Finlay
Keep On Climbing Publishing

 

reviewed by Joe Kilgore

 

“As he rounded the corner into the hall, Cheung’s parting words echoed through the open door. ‘Make sure it doesn’t fail, Mr. Lee. You will not like the consequences if it does.'”

This story definitely has a “ripped from the headlines” feel. It revolves around a mercurial President of the United States who is both loved and hated in equal measure. His consideration of slapping China with trade tariffs leads to multiple instances of mayhem that threaten both government officials and innocent bystanders.

Finlay paints a frighteningly realistic picture of two of the things people often fear today—terrorism and cybercrime. When a freelance computer hacker, who doubles as an assassin, sets a plan in motion to make sure the US President doesn’t impose tariffs, malevolence multiplies rapidly. A secret-selling bureaucrat gets more than he bargained for. The wife of the President’s Chief of Staff has her identity stolen and her sanity assaulted. An FBI consultant and his fiancé are swept into a race against time to find and stop an unknown villain whose tactics just might be trending toward mass casualties.

The author’s pace moves at Internet speed. With the introduction of each principal character, just enough backstory is provided to heighten interest. Scenes play out cinematically. From assignations in high-priced hotels to intricate computer setups in seedy apartment buildings, the narrative unwinds, almost climaxes, then regenerates itself into a heart-stopping finale. Finlay is a skilled writer who seems just as at home with computer criminality as he is with human frailty, friendship, and hope. His story feels authentic whether he’s describing fast-acting physical paralysis or slow-moving relationship disintegration. If you like crisp, well-crafted storytelling that’s as contemporary as today, you really should log on to Remote Access.

RECOMMENDED by the US Review

Remote Access Review – BestThrillers.com

Bottom Line: While grounded in reality, Remote Access is a must-read with a singular sense of escapism rare in a political thriller.
Annie Logan spends another lonely night with too much wine and social media, someone takes control of her computer. If this sounds like just another ransomware attack, think again. Logan, who is married to the president’s chief of staff, is faced with this threat: stop the president from signing an impeding executive order, or face far-reaching and deadly consequences.
Remote Access is the perfect entry point for new Barry Finlay fans, as well as those already familiar with his power pair, engaged couple Nathan Harris and Marcie Kane. Together, Harris and Kane discover a sociopath with hacking skills and various poisons who has been hired by the Chinese government  to stop the president from signing the executive order. Add in foreign governments and biological weapons, and Finlay has created a book that will appeal to readers on both sides of the aisle.
While it looks like the work that could come from a network of shady characters, our heroes discover that it’s more about cyber crime than established terror syndicates. The engaged couple’s back-and-forth adds a fun addition to the story, and the high-octane pace and high-stakes situations get even deeper with their relationship in the mix. Remote Access is recommended for both general thriller fans as well as anyone fascinated by the dark art of hacking.