Reviews
 

“Deep, dark and authentic. Great characters. Great read.” — Colin Campbell, author of the Jim Grant Thrillers

“With Deep Red Cover, Barrows cherry-picks the best aspects from both procedural and thrillers and melds them together for one hell of a ride. Captivating." — Ryan Sales, author of Together They Were Crimson

“Barrows's unique experience... has enriched his insight into democracy, law and society — three realms that converge in his complex thrillers." — Azam Gill, The Big Thrill magazine of The International Thriller Writers  FULL REVIEW

The Big Thrill: "When ATF Special Agent David Ward infiltrates the world of radical environmentalists, his mission is to stop an eco-terrorist group determined to eradicate pollution — and the polluters who get in their way. It’s a case of Green Gone Extreme!"

Roundtable: Do day jobs get in the way of writing thrillers? And, while we’re at it, when might they help? This week we’re chatting with ITW members Joel Barrows, Dawn Ius, Susan Sleeman, Colleen Winter, Tom Wither, J. H. Bográn and Felix Francis.

Downandoutbooks.com: "In the real world, undercover work is a nasty, blood-covered place. Barrows gets it right. -- Jay Dobyns, New York Times bestselling author and ATF Special Agent (Ret.)


“As good as any Baldacci.” — Roald Tweet, co-host of NPR’s Scribble, for Deep White Cover


Ajoobacats: "I was hooked from the first page."

Scott Parsons: "The plot and the characters seem to leap from the headlines."

Michael Murphy: "There’s a new master of political suspense, and his name is Joel W. Barrows."

Peter Faur: "...It couldn't be more timely."

Silvia Meave: "Getting inside the characters' stories and feelings is one of the more touching values of this electrifying book."



Interviews

Interview with Brian Vakulskas on KSCJ Radio, April 11, 2021

Interview with Doug Wagner on WMT Radio, January 22, 2021

Interview with Jeff Angelo on WHO Radio, January 12, 2021

WVIK 90.3, June 17, 2017

​Georgetown Alumni Online, July 31, 2014

Quad-City Times: Crime thriller is judge's debut as author, July 19, 2014

The Dana Pretzer Show, June 24, 2014
​
​

Silvia Meave, Absintha Publishing: "'The Drug Lords' is an exciting novel, written by Joel W. Barrows (the second book in his literary career), which has the power to make the reader sweat cold and jump from his/her seat on the end of every chapter, being eager to reach the final page to know who is behind a chain of disturbing events in the erstwhile peaceful lives of the protagonists. Barrows explores for his novel the dark side of the pharmaceutical industry: Patent theft, greed over the greater good, the hidden side effects of drugs, and some other unethical business practices that are great ingredients in an explosive thriller book full of romance.... Definitely, this is one of the best books of 2017 due to the addressed subject, and the original way the author narrates a love story emerged in the middle of stressful criminal events."