Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

An Outstanding Thrill a minute Read from Robert Pobi, City of Windows introduces Dr Lucas Page - Ex FBI now University Lecturer and Foster Parent to a gang of kids.

When a Sniper starts taking out law enforcement agents in the City, including the ex partner of Page, he is pulled back in by the powers that be to help tackle this crazed and exceptionally skilled Shooter.

Suffering from life changing injuries from a past case, Page is now part bionic man, Eye, Arm and Leg all prosthetic. He is also gifted with a stunningly accurate and intelligent mind. Page wants nothing to do with the case but with bodies piling up and a threat to his family he is soon ensconced into the cat and mouse chase for the killer.

Paired with the brilliant Agent Whitaker, who bounces off Page with some humour to lighten the violent and brutal undertones this really is a white knuckle break neck thriller.

There are a lot of political notes to this book, some will be put off as the book is clearly against the administration that was in charge of the writing of the book, but in including this political element, Pobi brilliantly lays bare the state of the US streets.

This is an exceptional, high class thriller, it’s engaging, powerful and Absolutely hurtles along to a an absorbing and shocking finale.

I’ll be reading more from Pobi and Lucas Page very soon.

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Thanks to Mulholland Books and NetGalley for my copy of the book. My Review is completely unbiased.

Great plot, great characters and totally gripping. I'll definitely look out for more from the author in the future as this was a good read.

Compelling Read-a great plot, good characters, a little slow in places but necessary for the plot. Lots of twists and suspense. Recommended reading.

A unique hero American cop trying to catch a terrorist assassin in snowy New York.

He is almost like the Bionic Man - one eye, one arm, one leg. He is also an astrophysicist professor who isn't too keen on people. Except that he has a large family of fostered and adopted children all with prosthetic limbs, whom have been gathered by his nursing wife. He once was a police officer in the City of Windows (New York) until his injuries required him to leave, but he is called from retirement when an assassin's bullet kills his former partner.

His skills include a remarkable spatial awareness ability to calculate distance and so he can gauge where the gunman was when he delivered the fatal shots. He has a new partner, someone he likes because she doesn't talk too much, although she has an almost psychic ability to answer questions he has not yet asked. There is a warmth and humour in their relationship, despite him being a curmudgeonly thing.

This is a deep and well written book. The characters are fully formed with their personal quirks and are very human. The details about prosthetic limbs, and how to live with them, are fascinating in themselves, as well as the day to day consequences of being very scarred and physically damaged. How a simple thing such as taking a shower can be so different for disabled people is realistically demonstrated, and in what order the prosthetics are removed. All adding layers to the interesting characterter.

As for the hunt for the terrorist sniper, this is done with great pace, action and tension in equal measure. His colleagues and family are at risk so the search remains taut. Lots of FBI procedure and Americanisms. A great plot with a look at certain other current social issues in the United States, such as racism, which makes the story current and a fully rounded book.

​This is the first of a series about this character. I can see this being a long-running one. Recommended.

#NetGalley #CityofWindows

I thought this was a well written and well plotted book, which I thoroughly enjoyed...possibly not much of a stretch to work out who the assassin was by the main character, rather the deductions just ‘appeared’ out of thin air, but don’t take this as too much of a negative...it’s only my opinion and it was an enjoyable read.

4.5 stars towards 5 because it's really good
This book it's like watching a movie, a very good one, with such a great characters, a suspense that will keep you on the edge till the last page and a lot of twists and turns that you'll think you know it all, you got everything sorted out or feels predictable at times, but honestly it's not because the more you read, the suspense gets higher.
I liked the writing, the author has a gift of a great storyteller and the book overall it's very recommendable to any lover of suspense mystery crime and even the TV serials like Numbers because it has a lot of vibe from it and i just loved it.

During the worst blizzard in memory, an FBI agent in a moving SUV in New York City is killed by a nearly impossible sniper shot. Unable to pinpoint where the shot came from, as the storm rapidly wipes out evidence, the agent-in-charge Brett Kehoe turns to the one man who might be able to help them–former FBI agent Lucas Page.

Page, a university professor and bestselling author, left the FBI years ago after a tragic event robbed him of a leg, an arm, an eye, and the willingness to continue. But he has an amazing ability to read a crime scene, figure out angles and trajectories in his head, and he might be the only one to be able to find the sniper’s nest. With a new wife and family, Lucas Page has no interest in helping the FBI–except for the fact that the victim was his former partner.

Agreeing to help for his partner’s sake, Page finds himself hunting a killer with an unknown agenda and amazing sniper skills in the worst of conditions. And his partner’s murder is only the first in a series of meticulously planned murders carried out with all-but-impossible sniper shots. The only thing connecting the deaths is that the victims are all with law enforcement–that is until Page’s own family becomes a target.

To identify and hunt down this ruthless, seemingly unstoppable killer, Page must discover what hidden past connects the victims before he himself loses all that is dear to him.

At first meeting, Dr Lucas Page is not the most affable soul. The traumatic events in his past have left their mark and he is keen not to get drawn back into the life of an FBI investigator. The physical and psychological scars run deep, and Page wants little more to be left alone. Veering somewhere between gruff, surly and downright unapproachable, all he wants is a quiet family life.

The problem is that Page is extremely good at his job. Seeking solutions to problems is his Kryptonite. Page is compelled to try and unravel the truth behind mysteries. That compulsion, the search for answers, makes him an incredibly good detective. There is a tenacity that forces Page onwards, almost irrespective of any personal cost. This is one of the things I liked most about the story. The main events don’t occur in isolation. The author takes the time to explore each choice Page makes. He has already given so much to his career he could easily walk away, no-one would think any worse of him, but Page can’t. Giving in is not part of the good doctor’s DNA. The consequences of this sometimes gung-ho attitude is just as riveting as uncovering the killer’s identity.

The plot also offers some details regarding Dr Page’s history, but leaves plenty unsaid. I like this approach. You’re left with a sense that there is still more to learn about the doctor’s past. It certainly leaves plenty of room to further flesh out the man and his motivations in future novels. It would be great to learn more about some of the other characters as well. There is a fella called Dingo who, though he only appears in a handful of pages, leaves a distinct impression.

Setting the majority of the plot in New York during the midst of a particularly cruel winter seems like the ideal backdrop for a tense game of cat and mouse. The killer is helped, and the authorities hindered, by the increasingly poor conditions. The grey streets, near empty due to public panic, have a wonderfully evocative feel.

Pobi also spends time examining the motivations of the sniper. Is this violence driven by racial or religious hatred, or something more personal? How are the seemingly random set of victims connected? In light of recent events in the United States and the renewed calls for gun-control, City of Windows also finds itself in the unenviable position of being incredibly topical.

The only thing I’m not sure about is the book title. City of Windows just doesn’t seem terribly enticing. Put it this way, if I was in a bookshop and I saw a book with that name then chances are I would pass over it and look at something else. That’s a shame as I think what lies within is first rate story well worth any reader’s time.

Though it is entirely serviceable as a complete story in its own right, I think City of Windows can best be viewed as an introduction. When I had finished reading, I was left wondering what will happen next? If you’re a thriller fan and you’re looking for a novel that should, and probably will, develop into something far larger, then this is a good place to start. This is the first Robert Pobi novel I’ve read. Based on this experience I look forward to reading more.

City of Windows is published by Mulholland Books and is available now.

My musical recommendation to accompany this novel is the soundtrack to The Girl in the Spider’s Web by Roque Baños. It has a nice sense of urgency and increasing tension that leads itself well to the book’s narrative.

It's amazing to create a character, luke Page, who is charming and nerdy (he is super-smart) , wearing prosthetics we hear about, who it is claimed is unpopular .. the author dwells on his life a lot in the midst of revealing how police prejudices/ mind sets can deflect an investigation .. smart, novelistic (which I like) this crime thriller I hope will generate other stories. In this one he's recalled to find out who killed his ex-partner ... terrific ..

Oh my goodness this was tense.
Ex FBI agent Dr. Lucas page is drafted in to the investigation into a sniper who is targeting FBI agents in the city. This sniper is terrifyingly accurate, but so is Lucas page!

A very clever, edge of your seat thriller!
5 stars

When I finished this book, the first thing I did was to try and find out whether it was the start of a series. I found out, to my absolute delight, that it is indeed. This makes me so happy as I don't think I'm ready to say goodbye to some of the characters I have got to know during my time reading this book.
Former FBI Agent Lucas Page left the Bureau after an accident took two of his limbs and his eye. He has rebuilt his life and now works in education. But his ability to read a crime scene is required when a sniper takes out his old partner and the FBI are clueless as to where the shot has come from let alone who could have fired it. Reluctantly, and only to avenge his former partner, he agrees to help but is frustrated when the powers that be insist that the attack is terror related and they are instructed to investigate in accordance with that supposition. But then there's another murder, and another, and a pattern starts to emerge; but the official line remains. Page is determined to follow his own, highly regarded and well tested, instincts, ably assisted by FBI Agent Whitaker who has her own special skills. But as things start to come to a head it all gets a bit frenetic and personal for Page. Can he come good before the stakes get too high and more innocent lives are lost?
I loved this book - well, OK - I did, once I got used to the author's writing style. But it didn't take me long, I just had to earmark a bigger chunk of uninterrupted time to dedicate to the opening chapters. Not too much of a burden and I did get there quite swiftly.
I found the story to be fascinating and gripping - both the plot, which was intricate but so well crafted, and the investigative process that Page followed to expose all the whys and wherefores and, more importantly, the who.
I also loved the characters, especially the pairing of Page and Whitaker - chalk and cheese but together they just work. Page's own family life was also interesting and fitted into the narrative well. Also interspersed throughout is Page's own backstory and, through that, we see how he got to where he is today and also explains some of his choices through life. All this only served to bring me closer to the man himself rather than being in any way distracting. It injected a very human element into the mix which really worked well with the storyline.
All in all a cracking series opener which hit the ground running, held me captive throughout and left me wholly satisfied at its conclusion. Satisfied that is, but gagging for book two! My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this nailbitting book

think lincoln rhyme
think michael bennett by james patterson

this is a man that can do strange things with his brain..turning a landscape into a mathematical problem with answers...every angle he sees

so imagine a murder scene where there is a man shot in a moving car and then imagine new york city...where could the sniper be...well call in page and he will walk the scene and turn it into a different viewpoint, figuring out all the angles and come up with the place that the sniper laid in wait...he is that good

i was hooked right from the first page and it just kept coming with shock after shock after shock, one brilliantly written book that kept me glued till i had finished and the ending wasnt shabby at all...brilliant, hope there is another book with this strange man called page...

going to be adding this author to my list of ever growing authors to keep a look out for

City of Windows is the first book written by Robert Pobi that I have read however I felt that it didn't quite live up to the promise of the blurb and I struggled to enjoy it

Robert Pobi's fast paced, action packed crime thriller is intense, and so gripping that it will have you turning the pages frantically right through to the nail biting finale. It's central protagonist is the gifted atsrophysicist professor at Columbia University, Dr Lucas Page, an ex-FBI agent who quit after losing his leg, arm, eye and almost his life. This part metal man is not a man to suffer fools gladly and makes no bones about it, there are few people he chooses to interact with. He is married to Erin, with a houseful of traumatised foster children they have taken on and which have become their family. Arctic storms and freezing temperatures have brought New York to a standstill when a sniper kills an FBI agent in a moving SUV in what should have been an impossible shot. There is zilch in the way of evidence, and the crime scene is surrounded by high rise buildings, and no amount of tech can pinpoint where the sniper was located fast enough, so NYC FBI Chief, Brett Kehoe calls in the human magic eye, Lucas, the one time partner of the victim.

The reluctant Lucas is blessed with a gift with his highly evolved mathematical brain that can work out the position of the sniper. Kehoe assigns FBI agent, Whitaker, to Lucas, she is an intelligent black woman with the smarts, curiosity and fearlessness, qualities that tend to make the best FBI agents, she also has disconcerting and uncanny ability to often read peoples' minds. They have an awkward relationship initially that grows in strength through time, despite Lucas's unabashed and direct hostility to others and his disinclination to converse at all. As the unprecedented big freeze and snow continue, the sniper continues to kill, with the only connection between the victims being they are in law enforcement. Other than that, it all looks random, with Washington certain they know the identity of the sniper, a wealthy French national, deemed to be a terrorist, but they have no evidence whatsoever. Page does not buy into this theory at all, in fact he is convinced the sniper is a home grown American. Kehoe under political pressure to go after the Frenchman, leaves Lucas and Whitaker free to carry out their own investigation, one which brings deadly danger far too close to Lucas's family.

Robert Pobi's thriller speaks of the state of the US with its political and social commentary, the troubling political administration, its tendency to arrange so called facts that support their political narrative. Lucas operates from a well informed perspective but real life facts and actual realities are not what drive politics or peoples' opinions, such as those who unequivocally argue for the 2nd Amendment, underpinning the growth in private militias upon Obama becoming president. He shows nothing but disdain for those people and for him the FBI buckling under political pressure is a source of alarm. This is a hugely entertaining and riveting read, effortlessly holding the attention of the reader and with a fascinating central character in Lucas. I hope Pobi resurrects Lucas for future outings. Many thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC.

This boook is just amazing! It is well written, and the characters are nicely developed.
I loved Lukas Page as a leading character with his grumpy, cold manner meanwhile he is a caring and loving father.
Two thing came to my mind while I was reading the book.

The whole book build around the gun violance in America and the different opinions within the society. However it does mention some opinion about the guns in USA, it does not about the issue itself and it is balanced out and it floows trough the whole book.

I would reccomend for everyone who would like to read an amazing crime story with a genious but a little bit grumpy and antisocial ex FBI agent on the lead

New York City is in the grip of an arctic freeze, but the chills are not merely due to the inclement weather. An off duty FBI agent is killed by a sniper who, despite the adverse conditions, pulls off a seemingly impossible shot. This isn’t a one off killing though, as law enforcement officers across the city appear to be a target. Make no mistake, this killer is frighteningly efficient, the likes of which the FBI haven’t seen before.

Scientist and teacher Lucas Page is persuaded to join the investigation. Lucas is a former G Man, and the bureau are fully aware of his unique ability to accurately read a crime scene, and regardless of the fact that he wants nothing to do with it, ( he barely escaped with his life last time) this case is personal - someone he knows, so he feels obliged to help.

This is a really intense page turner of a thriller - there was a scene about half way through that literally had my heart pounding, well let’s be honest, there were plenty of scenes like that! The plot was completely gripping, and the main protagonist Lucas is both a fascinating yet frustrating character, but I could see this making a great series - one that I would happily follow. Brilliant!

When a man in a moving car is shot dead in the middle of a blizzard in central New York, Dr Lucas Page, a physics professor, and one-time consultant for the FBI, is abruptly yanked out of retirement. Since working for the FBI almost cost him his life, this is not a move either Page or his family view with relish. But as a series of extraordinary long-distance killings escalate, Page has no choice but to follow the clues to their explosive conclusion.

There is no doubt that City of Windows is a rip-roaring thriller. It moves at a fast pace. The pursuit of a serial killer and the reasons behind their motive are unveiled bit by bit, allowing readers who like a bit of a puzzle to sift through the clues as the story progresses. But it was the characters and their interactions which, for me, really cemented City of Windows as an engaging thriller.

Physically and emotionally damaged Lucas Page, a maths prodigy able to mentally process complex maths problems quickly in his head, is lucky enough to have some great people working to support him.

At home, there is a long-suffering wife who not only has to bring an emotionally awkward man in line, but also organise a family of children who need a great deal of love and security.

Living above the Pages’ garage is Dingo an ex-combat photographer who has been seriously injured by a land mine. Dingo’s bravery and loyalty to the family adds a wonderful poignance to Page’s and Dingo’s relationship.

The quietly confident Agent Whitaker, whose preternatural ability to constantly second guess Page, pre-empting all his needs, right down to his favourite beverage, is a perfect partner for him. Whitaker could be considered on an equal billing with regards to the way the story unfolds and it is a paring that I would like to see more of in another story featuring Page and Whitaker.

Wow what a book, what a brilliant read this is and one hell of a thriller that has everything you want in a story and don’t you just love it when you read that story and it totally blows your mind it’s that good !! When I first read the overview of the book I knew it was something I wanted to read and I just hoped it was going to be as good as it sounded, well it went far and beyond that and from the first pages I just knew it was going to be a winner.
The book is what I would call a real grownup thriller with the main character of Lucas Page intriguing, clever and captivating so I sure hope we are going to be treated to more books in the future featuring him as he really is my new favourite character.
The plot line is exciting, interesting, witty and fast paced with so much going on you barely have time to breathe let alone put the book down and I so didn’t want to finish this book even though I was desperate to read how it was going to end !
Well Robert Pobi you have excelled yourself in writing this wonderful book and all I ask is please let us have more from Lucas Page and a very big thank you for so much enjoyment in reading this I loved it.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton, Mulholland Books for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book. Lucas Page is a brilliant character. His back story makes him really interesting and likeable. The plot is well thought out and well written. I will definitely be reading more books by this author and I hope that there are more Lucas Page books to come.
Lucas Page seems to be a bit of Jack Reacher and Alex Cross. I really like those two characters. Lucas Pages circumstances make him an endearing character.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Didn’t know what to make of this book when I started reading it but it soon became a page turner. Didn’t really see anything coming until it was right there. Lucas was intriguing and a bit of a mystery. The background given on him was just enough to let you fill in what you wanted about him. I found Whittaker amazing with knowing exactly what question was going to come next and answering before it was asked. Was a great book and an excellent read