Another 5 Star review on Goodreads.

Camille Hanson

October 28, 2025

“From the first chapter to the shocking finale, this book delivers nonstop tension and intelligence. Couldn’t put it down!”

Here is something for you to read from Chapter One of New World Order: The Rise of Power.

Chapter One

The city never truly slept, but tonight, it held its breath.

Special Agent Steve Hawks leaned against the hood of his black SUV, his eyes scanning the scene. A body lay sprawled on the cracked pavement of an alley, illuminated by the strobe of red-and-blue lights. Rain slicked the ground, turning blood into a macabre watercolor.

“Victim’s name is Daniel Peters,” said Detective Ashley Cooper, her voice clipped. She handed Hawks a file, the manila folder already damp from the drizzle. “High-profile defense attorney. Found dead an hour ago. No witnesses, no leads.”

Hawks flipped through the report, the pages sticking together. Peters’ face stared back at him—a man used to winning. His tailored suits, courtroom dominance, and controversial client list had earned him plenty of enemies.

“Shot twice, point blank,” Ashley added. “No wallet, no phone. Feels like a hit.”

Hawks nodded, closing the folder. “Professional, but messy enough to send a message.”

He crouched beside the body, taking in the scene. The alley smelled of wet concrete and copper, a stench Hawks knew too well. He traced the outline of Peters’s body with his gaze, noting the precision of the wounds.

“Anything unusual?” he asked, his voice low but firm.

Ashley hesitated. “There’s… this.”

She handed him a small evidence bag. Inside was a single playing card—a jack of spades, edges frayed. Hawks turned it over, his gut tightening. Scrawled in blood-red ink on the back was a single word: “Justice”.

Hawks exhaled slowly. “This isn’t random.”

He stood, his mind already piecing together a puzzle he didn’t fully understand yet. The card wasn’t just a clue—it was an invitation. Whoever had done this wanted his attention, and they’d just succeeded.

“Ashley,” Hawks said, his tone steely, “get me everything on Peters—cases, enemies, everything. And call my team. This is just the beginning.”

As Hawks stepped back into the rain, his thoughts raced. The last time he’d seen a card like this, it had been years ago. Another murder, another alley.

And a killer who had promised to return.

Hawks clenched his jaw, his gaze lingering on the playing card. The rain seeped through his overcoat, but he barely felt the chill. It wasn’t just the card that unnerved him—it was the timing. Peters wasn’t a random target, and the message wasn’t for anyone else.

The crime scene buzzed with activity. Uniformed officers cordoned off the area, their flashlights casting erratic beams through the mist. A crime scene photographer snapped shots of Peters’s lifeless body, her camera clicking like the metronome of death.

Hawks turned to Ashley. “What else do we have?”

She hesitated, and he didn’t miss the flicker of doubt in her eyes. “There’s… something else. You’re not going to like it.”

“Try me.”

She gestured to a forensic tech, who walked over holding another evidence bag. This one contained a small black envelope, sealed with wax. The emblem pressed into the seal—a set of scales tipped heavily to one side—sent a shiver through Hawks’ spine.

The tech handed it over. Hawks examined the envelope, careful not to break the seal just yet.

“Found it tucked under his arm,” Ashley said. “It wasn’t there when we first arrived. Someone left it after we secured the perimeter. It has your name on it. That is why I called for you.”

Hawks’ eyes narrowed. “Someone walked into an active crime scene and left this?”

Ashley nodded grimly. “We’ve got officers reviewing the perimeter cams, but so far, nothing.”

Hawks sighed, his breath visible in the frosty night air. He slid on a pair of gloves and carefully cracked the seal. Inside was a single piece of heavy parchment, folded neatly. The handwriting was precise, almost surgical:

“The guilty cannot escape justice. 

Neither can the ones who protect them. 

Your move, Agent Hawks.”

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Until next time,

 John

 My Amazon page can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/ysn44ye5

Here is the link to Hawks’ Dilemma https://tinyurl.com/2mtal5xf

Book two, Marked to Kill: https://tinyurl.com/46bh932s

New World Order: The Rise of Power on Barnes and Noble https://tinyurl.com/3mrn5z5u

Book One

Book Two

Book Three