The Devil’s Hand is an unflinching thriller masterpiece that I applaud for not shying away from the reality we now live in. It’s on a much grander scale than the previous Jack Carr thrillers but entails the same ferocious James Reece who takes his combatants down in ways that will thrill even the most hardcore action fans of the genre.
The Devil’s Hand is one of the first books to acknowledge the profound effects of the changes in the world brought on by the onset of COVID-19, adding a deeper level of connection to the story that comes with reading thrillers inspired by real events and situations. The President of the United States offers James Reece a secret mission of assassinating all those who had a role in perpetrating the horrible tragedy of 9/11. At the same time, an engineered biological virus is planned to be spread by members of the same terrorist cell in the hopes of pushing the president to enact a contingency that involves burning down US cities to contain a pathogen. When Reece stumbles unexpectedly upon this dangerous plot, he has to act quickly before innocent lives are lost to both the deadly virus and the explosive contingency of the US government. If the terrorist cell was not enough, Reece also has to outwit an ambitious senator who wishes to take control of the country at the expense of innocent lives.
While the build-up to action does take a while, it’s worth it. The action sequences are a huge step up from the past James Reece thrillers. When Reece is targeted and his girlfriend is caught in the crossfire, Reece unleashes his feral side in a display of beautifully violent combat. In one particular shootout, Reece makes a brilliant dual wield combo of his Sig P365 compact pistol and a Tomahawk while taking on multiple opponents at a time. The action is not a flurry of movements, but detailed in the art of combat.
The book does incorporate heavy political views at times that may not resonate with all the readers; I had some reservations as well. However, if one can put aside the political reservations, The Devil’s Hand is a highly rewarding and thrilling experience.
It is a relatively longer thriller than most, but it’s not a drag. The length is due to the world-building information that Jack Carr aptly presents in order to establish the foundations for scenarios and characters, giving the impression that the events in the book are not as far-fetched as one might think. It’s an aspect that will strike a chord with connoisseurs of classic action thrillers which detailed the world of the story to resonate with the readers.
With awe-striking action sequences, riveting plots that merge together brilliantly, and a kickass protagonist, Jack Carr delivers another banger that ends with the promise of a showdown that needs to be done justice in the next thriller!
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