Wrap up in warm layers for a chilly adventure through Siberia as CIA Agent John Tyler is brought back into the fold for a mission where friends and foes do a Freaky Friday swap and all hell breaks loose. One thing’s for certain: the extravagant moments of guns-blazing cinematic action only add to the old-school adventure vibe of the narrative that feels as grand and compelling as you’d expect.
John Tyler wants to wipe his slate clean with the Agency. He can do that if he undertakes a perilous mission involving a journey to an old Soviet-era hotel on an ice-locked island in the frozen wastes of Siberia to obtain information from a Russian scientist about a double agent within NATO. If only it would be that simple for Tyler. With strange events occurring lending their heritage to the KGB’s Cold war experiments into psychic phenomena, Tyler must form reluctant bonds with mysterious strangers and trained killers to not only keep the scientist alive but also himself as an unhinged killer roams loose in the midst of other formidable opponents.
Even though this is the third book in the series, D.L. Marshall makes it delightfully easy for new readers like myself to get acquainted with the characters like old friends. It’s a two-pronged narrative, one half taking place in the past and one uncovering in the present day, both alternating in captivating fashion to retain your attention. Not only is the protagonist charismatic and witty, but he’s a formidable action-oriented fellow with an old-school charm that one would relate most to icons like Dirk Pitt and similar highly adventurous heroes.
77 North is rife with gruesome violence balanced wonderfully with grand action sequences. Helicopter chases across frozen wastelands with gunfire lightning up the night is just one example of the numerous enthralling kinetic moments in the story that fill you up with enthusiasm for the whole experience.
At the heart of the story, 77 North is a gritty murder mystery that dips into action, espionage, and a bit of paranormal but it’s still a compelling suspenseful mystery that keeps the ball rolling until the last few moments where everything comes full circle for an awesome reveal and showdown. There’s no one who can be trusted in this narrative and that’s what D.L. Marshall nails as the essential recipe of creating a true spy adventure that has all the adrenaline-pumping excitement of danger and thrills but also the nagging paranoia that no one is as they seem. This leads to an emotionally satisfying resolution.
77 North is the right blend of classic blazing adventure, intrigue, and triple crosses. You’re gonna want to read this whole series after you finish this terrific gem.
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Purchase 77 North
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Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen
