James Stejskal presents a marvelous blend of cerebral and kinetic espionage thriller set against the backdrop of a possible WW3 against Russia. The situations presented are deeply troubling and powerful to consider even before the added complexities of head-on conflict resolutions.
It's the Cold War all over but with even more dire consequences. Russia is eager to take over the Baltics after their incursion into Ukraine. When a source deep inside the Kremlin reaches out with word of an audacious plan by Russia to start and win a nuclear war, former Special Forces and CIA operator Joshua Devlin is brought out of retirement to aid a CIA officer behind enemy lines to run the source and promptly take the Russian plan out of commission. With multiple cogs working in tandem to unravel the dangerous plot while simultaneously preparing the US allies in the Baltics, Devlin father-son duo have their work cut out for them.
Packing immersive pacing with heart-thumping and gritty action, Stejskal takes readers on a cutthroat espionage mission across dangerous territory with realistic tradecraft that feels genuinely enthralling with the hint of danger at every turn, sometimes more than just a hint. Stejskal takes a new spin on the classic US vs. Russia conflict and bundles it in the modern flavor of asymmetrical warfare that makes you wonder if this story hasn’t already played out in real life.
Dead Hand is ultimately an uplifting tale of bravery and courage in the face of danger with the right ratio of action to spycraft to please both the action aficionados and the more cerebral-enthusiasts of espionage thrillers. Stejskal writes with an informed hand and an experienced mind.
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