The Gemstone Peridot

by Jon Hébert

Liv Baird faces the one legal challenge she can’t control—a Russian assassin at the heart of her final death row case in this ‘ripped from the headlines’ international thriller.

Liv advocates for countless death row cases, but none as dangerous as Ned Baker’s. She thought the case would be cut and dry, then she uncovers evidence he may have been framed. When her investigation unearths a covert operative named Amethyst, it threatens to expose the high-ranking intelligence officer who’ll do anything to keep his agent’s whereabouts a secret—including putting her life at risk.

With a crooked cop army on her tail, Liv must navigate the rural town of Atwar, Alabama, to trap Amethyst and extract the truth: did he frame Ned? And if not, who did? But Amethyst’s motives aren’t easily discerned; he may be the real killer; he may be her savior; and she may have to partner with him to prove her client’s innocence.

As she closes in on the shocking truth, Moscow dispatches an assassin to kill Amethyst, putting Liv in the way of his dragon-like blade. With the pressure mounting, the scene is set for a fiery, bloody showdown. Gripping and darkly fun, The Gemstone Peridot’s slow-burning plot and action-filled twists push an expansive cast of characters toward a blistering, unforgettable finale.
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Reedsy Discovery has this to say about Jon’s debut spy thriller The Gemstone Peridot, available on all major publishing platforms as an e-book and paperback:

“Murder. Spies. Assassins. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It was one of the most thrilling mystery books I have read in a while, and Jon Hebert does an excellent job of weaving the story together from a multitude of perspectives. Only pick it up if you have plenty of time though—once I started reading this book I did not want to put it down!” ~ Kelsey Cashman, Reedsy Discovery

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Crime

340 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 17, 2023

About the author

Jon Hébert is an author and songwriter from south Louisiana. As an artist, musician, photographer, jewelry maker, and writer, Jon spends his days in his creative studio. When he isn’t in creation mode, he’s reading every thriller he can get his hands on.

Reviews

[Brie · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the characters were a bit hard to keep straight and parts of the storyline far-fetched, but I really enjoyed this book. There were a lot of likeable characters, the pace and writing were good, and some of the people lost weren’t predictable. I’m hoping there will be follow up prequels about other Gemstone members!

#giveaways

[Julie Kleckner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow start

I almost quit on this book. It was slow starting and so many characters to remember. It was hard to figure who the good guys and the bad guys were. It did start to pick up speed and I was happy I kept at it. Not my normal genre.

[Elizabeth Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

came out November 25, 2022. espionage thrillers (kindle and books). political thrillers. guess what are you looking for? fast paced? i enjoy the on your toes moments. curious. had me wondering. i will read more from JH soon, i hope. i do believe it was a Goodreads giveaway win for me ...so fun!! read on.

[David Congdon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read

I find it hard to believe that Cole could function at all while going through withdrawal. Beyond that I feel the story was pretty good

[Stacy Posey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was an interesting read. Couple of twists. Not my normal genre, but it kept my interested and looking for more. Cole’s trials with drugs was a bit unbelievable. I enjoyed Liv’s role in the store.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Set in Moscow; Atwar, AL; Washington, DC; and other locations. 340 pp. OMG I got sick of reading the word “kudzu”! There were too many plots, too many characters to keep straight… I’m still not sure I’m clear on who all the good guys vs bad guys were. I kept waiting for the various stories to converge, but they never did. Maybe this would have worked as a collection of short stories? Two stars because the Liz storyline was mostly cohesive.

The Gemstone Peridot by Jon Hébert

[Faraz Ahmad · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gemstone Peridot by Jon Hebert is the book to read if you want an exciting spy thriller. The plot follows Jack Marconi, a former CIA agent, as he is drawn back into the world of espionage to recover a priceless diamond. The well-developed characters and emotional depth of the novel make it stand out in the genre, while Hebert's attention to detail in regard to spy methods and technologies provides a feeling of reality to the story. The plot moves along at a great pace with just the proper mix of action and character development. The Gemstone Peridot is an exciting book that is challenging to put down.

[R J Mckay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Goodreads in exchange for a review.

Liv Baird is working for an innocent’s project, helping those who have wrongfully been incarcerated. Her most recent case takes her to the small town of Atwar, Alabama. But hidden behind the kudzu vines is a conspiracy with tentacles that reach from the American military to the Russian Intelligences services.

Who to trust and who to fear? Spies trying to cover up a conspiracy. Assassins sent to silence any threats. And a rogue home town cop with his own twisted agenda.

Throbbing with energy and packing a punch, this book will keep you turning the pages and holding your breath.

[Jill Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good thriller, a spy novel set in the U.S. with part of the plot based in Russia. It has a lingering buildup, but leads to a great climax and several twists I didn’t see coming. Lots of female characters. Like some of the reviews said, there are a number of characters to keep track of, but they are each connected directly to the plot, and the book gets good when their motives all converge.

[Helen Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this ebook in a give a way. It was just okay book but not really for me. It is a blend of global conspiracy mixed with small-town corruption, The Gemstone Peridot examines the savagery of government intelligence operations, the cracks in America's judicial system, and the lengths some people are forced to go to hide the truth.

[Crystal · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Gemstone Peridot

I think this is a dozen stories cut up and scattered throughout this book. There is no consistency and it makes no sense. I kept waiting for the stories to overlap or for it to begin to come together but it took too long. I quit on this book. I only DNF 1/100 books. This one earned it.

#GoodreadsGiveaways

[Yvonne Marks · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Gemstone Peridot was an interesting read. At first, it was confusing as there are a lot of characters and it was a little confusing how they related and if they were the good guys or bad guys. The author included characters and law officers from all levels (local, national and international); so there is a lot going on in the story.
Thanks for the free book.

[Louise Bienvenu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book!
Loved the female protagonists and villains. Good storyline. Lots of ACTION! Plot twists galore. And the character development was excellent.
Highly recommend.
I love thrillers/spies/global conspiracy and this book had all of what I love in a novel!

[Rehan Ali]

The Gemstone Peridot by Jon Hebert is a gripping spy thriller with compelling characters, meticulous attention to detail, and an engaging storyline.

[DAVID ALSPECTOR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Exciting story that keeps you turning pages from cover to cover. Very Cloak & Dagger-esque. Definitely would recommend this book