Restitution offers hard-hitting action spearheaded by a badass protagonist who talks the talk and walks the walk in a brutal story of surviving an unforgiving territory.
Sean Coleman is on a bachelor party run to Vegas with his brother-in-law, and the groom-to-be buddy. A chance encounter reunites Coleman with an old flame. What starts off as an innocent night with emotions running high, turns sinister as Coleman and his old flame are taken captive by a crime syndicate who believe Coleman to have come into money recently that belonged to the crime boss he helped put away. Coleman has to fight his way out of the desolate Nevada desert when he finds out his captor is a vile man on the path for restitution with a personal agenda against Coleman and his brother-in-law. The narrative takes place over the course of one night as Coleman uses all his wits and prowess with weapons and hand to hand combat to get the upper hand on his enemies in the harsh environment of rocky and dangerously slippery terrain with no time for caution.
Even as I jumped in without prior knowledge of the previous books in the series, John A. Daly’s attention to familiarizing the readers with the characters through meaningful interactions and essential past-books-knowledge went a long way to get me hooked in quickly. As soon as the characters are established, the narrative cranks up the action to the maximum level throughout the remainder of the story with explosive and stellar shootouts that capture the frightening essence of realistic action sequences where the ammunition is numbered and each shot counts. Every kick, punch, and gunshot are written vividly and as clearly as an HD resolution for a truly impressive experience without getting in its own way.
Topping off the constant action is a beautifully simple and linear story that keeps you on your toes with its unpredictability without venturing out into improbability. Keeping the locale fixed and grounded in this story prompted an emphatic focus on well-developed and enjoyable characters you actually care about. John A. Daly brings a charmingly vulnerable protagonist to the thrillerverse table without letting him be overshadowed by any other identical character.
Written in the vein of old-school stories of revenge, familial bonds, and relentless action, Restitution is a definite must-read.
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Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen
