Vanishing Games

Angela and Jack return in this sequel to Ghostman, reuniting after six years for a heist involving rare sapphires in Macau. The operation goes wrong from the start, pulling them into a complex web of deception involving international criminals and private military contractors. The narrative alternates between the present-day events in Macau and flashbacks to Angela and Jack's early days working together in Southeast Asia. Through these parallel storylines, the relationship between mentor and protégé emerges while both characters navigate increasingly dangerous circumstances. The action moves through Macau's casinos, dockyards, and underground criminal networks as Angela and Jack attempt to outmaneuver their opponents. The book maintains a relentless pace while incorporating authentic details about heist techniques, weapons, and the criminal underworld. The novel explores themes of loyalty, identity, and the cost of living outside society's boundaries. Through its examination of mentor-student dynamics and the criminal code, it raises questions about what people owe to those who shaped them.

Readers found this crime thriller fast-paced but less compelling than Hobbs' debut novel Ghostman. Many noted strong action sequences and technical details about heists, weapons, and criminal operations. Liked: - Vivid descriptions of Macau settings and culture - Complex relationships between criminals - Meticulous research on criminal methods - Short chapters maintain tension Disliked: - Less engaging than Ghostman - Too much technical exposition slows pacing - Secondary characters lack depth - Some found the ending unsatisfying Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (180+ ratings) Representative review: "The author knows his stuff about professional criminals, but gets bogged down explaining every detail of their methods instead of moving the story forward." - Goodreads reviewer "Great action scenes and fascinating look at Macau's criminal underworld, but doesn't quite reach the heights of Ghostman." - Amazon reviewer

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🎲 "Vanishing Games" is Roger Hobbs' sequel to his acclaimed debut novel "Ghostman," which he wrote while still a student at Reed College. 🌏 The novel is set primarily in Macau, known as the "Monte Carlo of the Orient" and the world's largest gambling hub, surpassing Las Vegas in revenue. 📚 Hobbs extensively researched criminal enterprises and interviewed former criminals to create authentic details for his books, even learning how to pick locks and crack safes. ⚡ The author wrote the first draft of the book in just 11 days, though the editing and revision process took much longer. 💫 Tragically, Roger Hobbs passed away in 2016 at age 28, shortly after this book's publication, making "Vanishing Games" his final completed novel.