JONATHAN MCCORMICK

“Barkley Sound Secrets has been on my bed-side calling out to me and finally, tonight I picked it up. I told myself, just for a moment.

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Of course, it pulled me in, and I just stopped at page 30 to write you this note. I was so pleased you were able to use my quote. I am very flattered!! I sent a pic to my son. 

I really love it when books are a series.

The characters almost feel like family. You have done a great job at letting the reader become connected with the characters, especially Jessica and Karen. I also love all the Canadian references.”

Michelle G, Kamloops, British Columbia

Jonathan McCormick quickly establishes his knowledge and expertise in martial arts, law enforcement, and the drug game.

His research speaks for itself, almost to the point where I thought he was overshadowing the plot just a bit much.

I had to appreciate his development of several strong female characters to lead the charge. The strongest, of course, was Jessica, and I was pleasantly surprised by how well McCormick was able to craft her insecurities into her development and then allow them to mature as the novel progressed. Overall, there is interesting writing here and a strong premise.

McCormick could do more to develop the novel as a product, as I'll share below, but it should be a fun read for people interested in crime, drug, and female starring thrillers.

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Writer’s Digest December 2021

“I really liked the use of the drone in 30,000 Secrets. I thought that was really cool. The cesium was great. It seemed to be the linchpin of the book. Rebecca was great as usual, especially when kicking ass. 

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You really have cut out your own territory with the integration of the fine-cuisine element in your books.

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I always remember my mother loved the early James Bond books and the early movies because of “all the luxury and fantastic settings.” She loved opulence.

I think she would have liked your novels. And that is indeed my highest compliment.”

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Les Wiseman

Royal Roads University

“In 30,000 Secrets, a genre novel by Jonathan McCormick, we are presented with a taut and captivating thriller that travels the lengths of the world and the depths of the human heart as it works to clear the convoluted plot.

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The title for the novel seems to this reader to be a key to expectations, signaling a sense of mysteries and hesitancies, of the importance of what is said and what is unsaid.

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The overall design of the book is professional.

It features an interior layout that is clean and clear with text design on each page that is readable and crisp. Also, the cover image for the book has the gloss of a political thriller but with perhaps too much of the wedged title elements interposed.

The characters here are fully realized, vivid and alive, and often do surprising things–or do/say things that are very human, which can be rare. I especially like Jessica. In short, she is a well-developed character, fully realized on the page with a plausible sensibility in an increasingly tragic and complex world.

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The chapters are nicely paced, with enough meat to make them satisfying but not so ponderous as to make it difficult to keep track of the narrative as it develops.

In fiction, so much of the pacing comes from the deployment of the chapters, how they build the suspense and in this case, things move along in a compelling manner.” 

Writers’ Digest November 2017

“A noble reason for writing (i.e., the author’s desire to end violence against women) provides a strong foundation for Vancouver Secrets.

Thematically, this thread works well in the novel in terms of protagonist creation and plotting. There’s also lots of high-octane energy in the prose, especially with chapters like 21 where the scenes of discovery deepen the character development.

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The author’s insight into law enforcement techniques reads as if he was one of them.

There are a lot of characters, but the author is good with descriptions.

How many of them think is evident and the romance between two main female characters is handled eloquently. Why ‘bad guys’ do what they do is well-rounded.”

Writer’s Digest December 2021

You have cut out your own turf and are sticking to it. As far as I know, no one has staked out this turf as you have.
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The luxury life is your beat. The men hopelessly shopping for summer togs was quite funny. Also, the detective agency opens up lots of interesting avenues for sub- and parallel plots.  The ladies’ shit-kicking men remain my fave scenes. I think we need them to meet a foe whose skills match their own in hand-to-hand.
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And, gotta love them kitties.
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Good work, my friend, and I look forward to the next installment.
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Best always,
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Les Wiseman
Royal Roads
man
Royal Roads Unive

In Wyoming Secrets, a mystery / thriller novel written by Jonathan McCormick, we are presented with a fast-paced globe-hopping tale that presents flawed characters and convoluted plans in a way that keeps the reader turning pages to uncover those titular secrets.
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The title for the novel seems to this reader to be haunting and interesting, providing a suggestive entry point to the work that establishes keen alignment with the genre and strong expectations. The dialogue here is particularly solid, sounding realistic and still readable, aiding the characterization and adding layers of nuance to the proceedings. An ear for dialogue is a wonderful thing in a writer and, throughout, scenes come alive and motivation seems earned as a result of believable dialogue.
 
The characters here are fully realized, vivid and alive, directing the action with trackable motivation which the reader can believe. And, the hallmark of well-drawn characters, they often do surprising things making them very human, which can be rare.
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The overall design of the book is professional. It features an interior layout that is crisp and clean with text design on each page that is readable and presented soundly. It may seem minor but getting the interior in order is an important step in getting the reader hooked and able to enter into the flow of the work! Also, the cover image for the book is much too dominated by script font, slightly difficult to read, to allow the imagery to really take over and give the reader an impression.

With a background in martial arts and as a law-enforcement trainer, the former United States Marine has penned many articles for publications, such as the law enforcement periodicals, Blue Line, Twenty-Four-Seven, and the Canadian Firearms Journal. He was also the security columnist for the Vancouver Province newspaper.​When he decided to write his first novel, Wyoming Secrets, it was natural the story is set in a world that he knows so well.​

The suspense thriller follows Secret Service investigator Jessica Fukishura and her hand-picked team of cow hand agent Rebecca Simpson, former Delta agent Jackson Pennington, North African Al-Qaeda fighter Jason Spencer and former junior high computer science teacher and hacker Elisabeth Peltowski on assignment in trendy spots all over the world.

McCormick tells his story through a plot seeped in suspense, mystery, love, sex and martial arts.​Wyoming Secrets was published on Jan. 28, 2012 and already it’s destined to become part of a series called “J” Team Novels. The second of the series, 30,000 Secrets is due to come out in February 2017.​The series’ target reading audience is women aged 21 years and over, but the reading demographics is fifty percent male.​“I’ve used personal background for the book, including martial arts, education, military and shooting.”

​All his books are available from Amazon.ca and Amazon.com​

ARLENE JONGBLOETS

5.0 out of 5 stars Wyoming Secrets, March 4, 2012 by Colleen

“The beginning of the book was like a Robert Ludlum book, but once the characters are introduced it gets very intense. I could not put the book down, and disappointed that the next book wasn’t sitting waiting for me to read. I would highly recommend this book to readers.”​

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Kris Patterson ​ 4.0 out of 5 stars nice first offering Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2014

The author was my former high school English teacher and a few years later was my instructor in a self defense program. He certainly knows the subject matter which is evident by the rich detail in this story. Only someone with his training and experience could add the necessary realism to this kind of story. I look forward to the next instalment of these characters and their exploits. ​Vancouver Secrets "There are a lot of characters, but the author is good with descriptions. How many of them think is evident and the romance between two main female characters is handled elegantly. Why certain ‘bad guys’ do what they do is well-rounded." ​

"The author is big on intricate descriptions concerning clothing worn, food prepared, and dwelling outlay, giving those who do not reside on Santa Barbara and Costa Rica a backdrop. The good guys are likeable and the villains well-rounded." ​ "McCormick's insight into law enforcement techniques reads as though he was one of them. " ​ "The book is exemplary in character appearl and development. All main characters (including antagonists) are unique and fully fleshed out with compelling, layered motivations and traits. Secondary characters are unique and have a meaningful purpose." ​ Writer's Digest December 2021