Dark Horse By Gregg Hurwitz

Get ready for Orphan X’s darkest mission yet as he finds himself in a situation that tests him and his humanity like never before. Gregg Hurwitz never shies away from exploring the moral complexities of Evan Smoak’s struggle to keep a grip on his sanity in a world of unfiltered violence, but Dark Horse ratchets up the darkness inside the formidable assassin when he has no choice but to go over to the dark side.

Reeling over from the explosive cliffhanger of Prodigal Son with bombshell revelations, Evan Smoak is sought out by an unorthodox businessman who dabbles in the illegal drug industry. A far point from Smoak’s moral compass, Evan reluctantly steps in to help because a teenage girl’s life hangs in balance. From the get-go, there is a strong feeling reverberating from the pages that nothing is what it seems and sure enough, the truth rocks Orphan X’s mission from difficult to darn-near impossible. Perfect odds to showcase Smoak’s ingenuity and action acumen.  

Orphan X thrillers pack some of the best action sequences in recent thrillers and Dark Horse keeps that tradition going with realistic hand-to-hand combat and kinetic shootouts. Gregg Hurwitz also puts Evan Smoak in the spotlight as he goes through serious emotional dilemmas that put him through the wringer, giving an insight into his vulnerability like never before. The culmination is a big milestone in Evan’s extraordinary character development, one that will surely change things going forward.

Dark Horse is an incredibly meaningful story of self-exploration and what it takes to be humane against all odds, packed in a barrage of uppercuts, knife jabs, and hot lead flying in all directions. In typical Gregg Hurwitz fashion, the tense cliffhanger makes it barely humanly possible to wait until the next book!

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Restitution By John A. Daly

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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The Moscow Protocol By Terrence McCauley

The Moscow Protocol is an excellent addition to the pulpy adrenaline-soaked techno-thriller espionage series that Terrance McCauley has created and enchanted with unparalleled freshness and ingenuity. 

Following the events of the previous book very closely, The University, a secret US-based spy organization, is geared up for a war against its evil twin, The Vanguard, that aims to spread fear and chaos through acts of terrorism of the direst consequences. James Hicks, Dean of The University, plans a full-frontal offensive with intricate attacks on those that murdered his love. Recovering from his previous ordeal, Hicks guides his agents in the most conniving of ways to settle the score once and for all.

More often than not, thrillers focus solely on the protagonist and the antagonist and leave the rest of the characters to wither out. Terrance McCauley sidesteps this landmine and maintains an engaging atmosphere and personality for each asset in the University, resulting in a diverse bunch of characters that beckon you to care and root for them in their missions. While James Hicks is very much the main character of this series, you can’t help but admire his underlings as they impress you their distinctively captivating personas, courtesy of McCauley’s brilliance with writing a palatial roster of guys and gals for whom you would love to read any and all spin-off stories.

With the hostile nature of the plot nature comes knuckle-busting action. Terrance McCauley’s action sequences are exquisite in their lightening-pace and unbridled bloodshed with technical and tactical authenticity without going overboard with any of the equipment. The focus is on the kinetic and fluid situation with a healthy dose of chaos and adrenaline. 

With a direct connection to the previous books in the series, I highly recommend that you read The Moscow Protocol after having read the previous 3 books for the perfect emotional action-packed payoff to a smart and wildly unpredictable story arc.

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Code Green By Andrew Warren

Code Green is one of the best crosses between classic neo-noir storytelling and modern fast-paced action-fest thrillers. From underwater cave-diving harpoon shootouts to cinematic vehicular chases with blazing guns all around, Andrew Warren writes an excellent global and exotic spy thriller that is every bit as poignant as it is enthralling. 

Thomas Caine is back with a vengeance as he continues to dismantle a dangerous syndicate run by disgruntled intelligence gurus with an agenda to blackmail the most powerful heads of states. When a mysterious asset reaches out with promising and time-sensitive information, Caine must go out in the field once again and confront his haunting past, a mission that concludes with an emotionally empowering and fiery finale. 

Andrew Warren’s prose reads like beautiful poetry with vivid descriptions of the exotic locales and awe-inspiring action sequences that hold you in the hot seat. Globetrotting from Virginia to Singapore, all the way to Vietnam, Andrew Warren truly captures the unique and vibrant wavelengths of each setting as he catapults his protagonist into the line of fire with ingenious and unbarred shootouts, fisticuffs, and adrenaline-pumping pursuits that elicit a loud applause even at 3 in the morning. 

With a mostly Thomas Caine centric narrative, Andrew Warren makes full use of exploring the evolving psyche of his protagonist. Long time fans of this series are in for a treat as Caine’s characterization evolves in a meaningful realistic fashion, considering the harsh events he has been through in the previous books. Yet with all the emotional baggage, Caine still retains his spunky and somewhat dark charisma that will have readers following him wherever he goes. 

Code Green has enough smart twists and turns to keep you flipping through the pages long into the night with no intention of closing the book. By the time you figure out it’s already the next day, you’re so close to the resolution that you risk it all just to find out what happens next. Only a handful of authors can balance engrossing storytelling with high octane action, and Code Green is concrete proof that Andrew Warren is one of these authors.

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Road Of Bones By Christopher Golden

Road of Bones is truly a bone-chilling memorable horror tale set in the harsh and vastly unexplored setting of Siberia in a whole new atmosphere. It took me less than a day to finish it, despite my best intentions to take my time with it. Once the narrative picks up, it doesn’t let go of your attention until the haunting climax.

Felix Teigland, an American documentary producer, takes a road trip along with his friend and investor to a town in Siberia known to be the coldest place on Earth in the hopes of making a brand-new documentary capturing its spooky history and local folktales. The journey takes them on a lengthy highway connecting the desolate town to the rest of the civilization, a highway that serves as a burial ground for prisoners of the Russian Gulag. Once they reach the town, they observe no presence at all; Home-cooked meals left untouched, belongings left behind, and footsteps leading to the dark forest nearby. Only a little girl is left behind who remains in catatonic state. Quickly, the visitors are exposed to a horror unlike any they’ve experienced before, a horror borne of supernatural elements that will stop at nothing to get to them. 

Christopher Golden’s Road of Bones rivals the best of the horror genre. The powerfully vivid descriptions of the extremely cold terrain fill you with a deep-rooted sense of gratitude for the warmth radiating from a sunny forecast. There is an eerie awareness of impending doom from the very first sentence of the story. As the story progresses, the characters become more relatable, the situation more immersive, and the fear more palpable. Ordinarily, supernatural horror thrillers can feel disconnected from reality. However, the behavior of the characters in the tense situations make you question what would you do in such a predicament in a manner that pushes away the disbelief.

Road of Bones thrills and scares with no bounds. The fact that the highway known as Road of Bones actually exists with a horrible backstory lends credence to the storyline. You’ll be thinking about this haunted fable long after you’ve finished it. A surprising but undoubtedly stunning read from start to finish.

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Undermoney By Jay Newman

Undermoney marks the debut of Jay Newman with a unique perspective on political espionage thrillers.  Most of the modern ones deal with narratives about moles and large-scale attacks with a healthy amount of action sequences to progress the story. Jay Newman takes a page out of Jason Matthews’ Red Sparrow series of using natural conversations and seductive character interactions to drive the readers through the story. However, Undermoney differentiates itself by casting a bright spotlight on the role of giant finance machines operating behind the scenes of power plays on a global scale. 

The story focuses on a team of former US military members who plan the ultimate heist to steal untraceable money from a Middle Eastern warzone. The money is geared towards propelling one of their own into the White House to fundamentally restructure America’s domestic and foreign policies. The problem isn’t pulling off the heist, rather it is making that money clean enough to use in the electoral campaign. This predicament allows the readers to gain mind-blowing insights into the intricacies of cleaning black money and stock manipulation shown in vivid details and realistic timeline as part of the narrative.

The book is packed with fascinating economic tidbits that expose the reader to the vast and epic world of financial operations. As a result, the story feels less like a work of fiction and more like a top-secret account of real people in the current cutthroat socio-economic environment controlled by ruthless spies and unhinged business men. The twists and turns are wonderfully unpredictable and the ending is a dark culmination to a smartly unconventional story that rightfully demands your full attention to understand the nuances of the characters’ motivations and endgames. The narrative does slow down midway, but Jay Newman keeps the entertainment high throughout with informative nuggets of financial wisdom as well as an attractive aura of watching the team game economic sanctions in ingenious ways. 

Jay Newman has opened the doors for a potentially superb and creative series with Undermoney and I am eager to see how he continues the story. No doubt this will cause quite a stir as it hits stores early next year!

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Targeted By Stephen Hunter

Targeted is a highly entertaining action narrative with a retro 80’s vibe emanating from Stephen Hunter’s old school style while taking on a modern political theme.

Bob Lee Swagger is served a notice to attend a congressional hearing that aims to highlight the increased gun violence in America, using Swagger as a political scapegoat. What starts off as a courtroom drama quickly escalates into violence when a group of Chechen fighters invade the premises to gain hostages and strongarm the authorities into giving them transportation and money to safety. Swagger along with a mysterious delta operative on the outside must swiftly take out the threats before the bad guys can escape.

Stephen Hunter’s strong and attention-grabbing writing takes an unflinching stance on violence, creating a prolonged tense environment as Swagger is trapped with the hostages in close proximity to bloodthirsty villains. The weaponry details flow like descriptions of mythical tools, clear and imaginative to be understood by all readers regardless of their knowledge bases with the different types of ammunition and weapons. The action sequences develop smoothly with the cool precision of an expert marksman under the chaotic cloud of heavy fire. The shootouts and close quarter combat take Bob Lee’s age into consideration in order to present a realistic challenge for Swagger to overcome in practical fashion. 

The villains bring the 80’s flavor to the narrative, with bad English and half-cocked plans that are ripe for imploding in their faces. Perhaps an intentional choice on the author’s part, but the bad guys felt like a weak match for Bob Lee Swagger. 

Stephen Hunter’s prowess with historical fiction shines bright in Targeted with an insight into the 1700’s as Bob Lee Swagger’s heritage is traced back to an ancestor as part of a sub plotline that Swagger is imbued with a killer gene. The narrative jumps back and forth between the two timelines, subtly complimenting each other with similar situations that pave the way for a fulfilling resolution.

Targeted is a hard-boiled all-killer narrative that tackles multiple fronts of storytelling using a well-handled mesh of action, drama, and suspense. 

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The Runaway By Nick Petrie

Nick Petrie’s The Runaway is a slightly different approach to the Peter Ash series than expected. All the core elements that make the books so entertaining and engaging are in abundance, but this time the narrative is equally personal for Peter Ash as it is for the true star of this emotionally jarring story, Helene. 

Helene is a nineteen-year-old living in an awfully deserted town with an abusive caretaker. Desperate to escape a terrible fate, she hitches a ride with a charismatic drifter. What she doesn’t know is that the drifter is no better than the torturous fate she thought she had escaped.   Nick Petrie’s vividly immersive scenarios make you feel the gut-wrenching horror she faces at the prospect of being trapped in a vicious relationship against her will. 

When she crosses paths with Peter Ash, she tries to escape the clutches of her abusive partner. Ash’s good-natured tendency to fight bullies makes him her best hope to get to safety. Right off the bat, the situation seems dire for both Peter and Helene as their pursuers seem to be adept at combat tactics, pushing Ash to unleash his barely-contained inner wolf to match up to his unforgiving and brutal adversaries. 

There’s no shortage of crisp fast-paced action sequences from cool car chases to bloody shootouts as Peter goes full-Rambo on his enemies by making the most out of any and all resources at his disposal. The beautifully descriptive backdrops to the action sequences make for breathtaking cinematic moments. However, the story actually belongs to Helene more than Peter. Her transformative journey, as disturbing as it is empowering, is done justice as Nick Petrie does a fantastic job of keeping her away from the stereotypical damsel-in-distress trope.

The Runaway is a powerful action-packed story that portrays the unflinchingly true nature of evil while balancing an inspirational embodiment of heroism that is more necessary today than ever. A real treat for all thriller fans.

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End of Days By Brad Taylor

End of Days is a rock-and-roll entertainer with the ever-witty Pike Logan and his formidable team pitted against a group of religious fanatics led by a serial killer, who belongs in the most-deranged category of killers. 

When a former Mossad spymaster is assassinated, all signs point to Iran as the culprit. Digging deeper into the assassination unearths a darker conspiracy, one perpetrated by members of The Knights of Malta to fulfill the prophecy of bringing about the end of days through an all-out war. Aaron and Shoshana enlist the help of Taskforce just days before Pike and Jennifer’s wedding day to stop a global catastrophe. All in a day’s work for our favorite characters.

End of Days reminds readers in no uncertain terms why Brad Taylor is one of the most talked about authors today. His focus to detail when it comes to describing spycraft techniques with in-depth execution is second to none. This is one of the few books where I enjoyed the tactical planning and slow-burn style of missions as much as the resulting crisp and swift action sequences.

Another critical component of this narrative is the evolution of all the beloved characters in the Taskforce series. Reflecting back on the earlier books, Pike Logan has become more of a tactician and spymaster than a door-kicker. The sustained and evolving maturity in his thought-process and actions paves the way for a smarter reading experience as the narrative inspires readers to think along with Pike and his team in concocting the right tactical plan for a given situation. That being said, Pike Logan is still the fearsome operator we’ve come to love, keeping his darkness in check with sarcastic quips and a strong bond with his new bride, Jennifer.

End of Days is one of the darker stories by Brad Taylor, but it’s aptly balanced by tension-cutting humor between Pike and Shoshana as they butt heads on how to approach the missions. While Shoshana is motivated by a bloodlust, Pike’s preferences are more subtle. This conflict leads to a lot of hilarious banters between the two and periodically cools down the otherwise constantly heated storyline. 

Brad Taylor’s work is tinged with eerie prophecies and End of Days feels like a scary foretelling of events to follow soon enough. There is no excuse to miss out on this!

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Bye Bye Baby By Ace Atkins

Bye Bye Baby is the most fun I’ve had in a while with a smart and witty thriller. Ace Atkins writes a charming protagonist in Spenser with hilarious comebacks and badass lines that made me fall in love with him instantly. With this being my first Spenser story, I wasn’t sure what to expect going into the book but it’s safe to say my expectations were blown sky-high.

The latest Spenser adventure finds the renowned Boston PI working a timely political case where a young congresswoman advocating for immigrant rights is targeted by a white supremacist group. Not one for sharp political leanings, Spenser’s only concern with the case is the well-being of the congresswoman matched in intensity only by his dislike for bullies. With double crosses and shaky alliances in store for Spenser, he depends on his sparkling personality, ingenious sleuthing skills, and his dependable partner, Hawk, to put an end to the Neo-Nazis plaguing his town.

Right off the bat, there’s a distinctive aura reverberating from the easy-going narrative style that feels natural to read and get immersed in. The characters and settings convey a blissful union of the old school detective tales and the fast-paced modern-day setting. The calm familiarity exuding from Ace Atkins’s writing style create an impression of a colorful universe with a rich history that made me want to pick up the previous books in the series as soon as I finished this one. 

Spenser walks in the perfect middle ground between being awkwardly glee and depressingly glum. I caught myself laughing out loud countless times as Spenser took care of business with a light demeanor and a mean right cross. At the same time, his uncompromising moral compass is subtly displayed through meaningful peeks underneath his friendly persona when he shares his displeasure at dealing with racists, not only verbally but also physically, building up to intense standoffs and fisticuffs.

The pacing and turn of events in the story feel skillfully grounded with a tinge of dark comedy. Spenser is not shown to be a one-man army, which makes the realistic scale of the narrative all the more exciting and intriguing as the plot unravels at a breakneck pace without rushing the magic of its character-driven storytelling. One thing is for certain, Bye Bye Baby is undoubtedly going to be one of the most memorable thrillers of the upcoming year.

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Box 88 By Charles Cumming

Box 88 is a fantastic love letter to old-school John le Carré styled espionage thrillers that shine with a slow-burn narrative involving two different timelines that intersect beautifully for bombshell revelations. 

Charles Cumming introduces the world to Lachlan Kite, an operative for a super clandestine organization born of an alliance between American and British intelligence agencies. When Kite is abducted by Iranian mercenaries who believe him to hold a vault full of secrets pertaining to the Lockerbie incident, he must walk the delicate line of giving out misinformation without getting caught in the lies, for he and his pregnant wife face imminent danger. The answers lie in the past, where readers get to experience the origins of Kite as a young man in the early 90’s plucked from a strict boarding school for his first ever intelligence mission to infiltrate a family with ties to terrorist financiers. It’s a race against time for Kite to figure out a way to escape his predicament before he has to divulge the secret his captors are looking for.

The narrative constantly jumps back and forth between present and past to propel the story in harmony, giving keen insights into what made Lachlan Kite the man he is today. However, the back-and-forth does not detract from the fulfilling experience of reading a fleshed-out story that’s as riveting as it is emotional in establishing the events and characters as thoroughly believable. Box 88 peeks behind the curtains to emphasize the personal consequences of secretive lives and constant deception. 

Along with a strong emotional epicenter, Box 88 is filled with realistic tradecraft for espionage operatives utilizing creative intelligence-gathering apparatuses to further their investigations, placing a premium on subtlety and discretion, perfect for fans of nitty gritty espionage thrillers. 

Box 88’s strength lies in the development of a brand-new spy icon with the cerebral charm of the golden-era spies, dramatic flair for rich expressions, and strong stomach for inflicting violence in a world where cutthroat politics has given birth to extreme measures. You will feel compelled to get your hands on the sequel.

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Insurrection Day By Chris Hauty

Insurrection Day is a prime example of Chris Hauty’s swift and easy-going prose which grabs you by the shoulders and immediately immerses you fully in the pages.

This is an interesting retelling of the infamous January 6 incursion at The Capitol, this time with Hayley Chill smack dab in the middle of crisis, trying to get away from the hordes of white supremacists when she stumbles upon Russian operatives using the chaos to steal some vital information from the secrets-filled offices. With limited resources and time, Hayley must improvise and stop the enemies of America from getting their hands on damning information.

Paying respect to the time-sensitive and political nature of the real-life event, Hauty skillfully captures the horror and desperation of the overwhelming situation. As tough as Hayley Chill is, she is believably shaken up by the unpredictable turn of events; her feelings of frightening turmoil reverberate through the pages as she tries to escape the zombie-like apocalypse.

The Russian angle brings a cool twist to the narrative, changing the dynamic of the story from prey to hunter for Chill as she chases after the Russian operatives with a boiling desire for retribution, paving the way for Chill’s ingenious takedowns with unsuspecting lanyards and suppressed pistols. 

Despite being a short story, Insurrection Day drastically impacts Hayley Chill in ways that will surely prove to be bigger triggers down the line. It’s a winning combination of action and emotions. Chris Hauty has done a superb job setting up a highly entertaining and thought-provoking bridge between Savage Road and Storm Rising and I cannot wait to see what he has in store next.   

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Covert Kill By Jason Kasper

Covert Kill is a fantastic continuation of the Shadow Strike series, taking the action to Nigeria where the special-ops team is sent to assassinate a terrorist linked to the devastating attack on US soil during the events of the first Shadow Strike book. Jason Kasper dives into the nitty gritty psychological toll of the morally ambiguous rules of war where most of the enemy combatants are barely past their teenage years.

Keeping in line with the spirit of streamlined and grounded narrative, the story takes place prominently in the same geophysical region in a timespan of mere days, evoking a pressing and time-sensitive essence of the events in the story as the team juggles between their primary mission and the morally-just detours to protect innocent souls. The conflicts not only present extraordinarily crafted action sequences that put you in the front row seat for the cinematic-violent exuberance but also highlight the psyches of the leading characters to present them as more complex and intriguing than simple gunslingers in the modern-day Wild West. As aptly worded in the narrative, “a fight not between good and evil but between combatants with various shades of brutality”. The detailed research into field tradecraft as well as the local ambiance of Nigeria create an immersive effect of dialing out everything else except the narrative while you’re reading. 

Jason Kasper keeps readers and the characters alike on their toes by shaking things up with Covert Kill. While the Shadow Strike team has proven its efficiency in taking out the enemy with brutal and swift measures time and time again, this time they’re required to step out of their comfort zones with more intelligence-gathering-centric tasks, creating fun opportunities to see the team adapt to the changing circumstances with some smooth and some not-so-smooth outcomes. The unpredictability keeps the narrative exciting and the pages flipping. 

Kickass dialogue, spectacular action, and a gripping plot that keeps turning and twisting just when you seem to have it all figured out; these elements make up the core of Covert Kill, creating a fantastic read for thriller fans looking for their next dose of high-octane storytelling.

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Rogue Asset By Brian Andrews and Jeffery Wilson

Rogue Asset kicks off a new era of the Presidential Agent with beautifully crafted action sequences spearheaded by a brand-new protagonist who would easily stack up against John Rambo in terms of badassery and kill count.

When the US secretary of defense is abducted during a brazen kidnapping, the president decides to meet the challenge head-on by resurrecting the Presidential Agent program, bringing back the OG operative, Charley Castillo, with a slight twist; he has to train the next Presidential Agent to take over the reins. This ties into the introduction of US Marine Corps Captain P.K McCoy Jr., who is shortlisted as the most ideal candidate without his knowledge. An uneasy bond forms between mentor and mentee, one that develops gradually and naturally into a more nurturing relationship as the narrative progresses, speaking volumes for the incredible writing duo of Brain Andrews and Jeffery Wilson. The witty and ultimately warm banter between the two leads is one of the best aspects of the story.

As McCoy and Charley get on the hunt for the bad guys, stretching from Egypt to North Africa, the action is dialed up to the maximum setting, with McCoy demonstrating his Ranger training in tactically and aesthetically pleasing shootouts. The violence is not only present for delightful gratuity, but also to subtly demonstrate the asymmetrical change in spycraft and warfare where situations are more likely to go kinetic and as such require a balanced blend of an operator with both the mental acumen and the gunslinger skills to match the modern threats. The POV focuses more on building up McCoy’s character but does not overshadow Charley’s formidable and charming presence as the original Presidential Agent. His immeasurable experience with espionage tradecraft goes a long way in mentoring McCoy to sharpen his spy senses.

Andrews and Wilson bring back a beloved world of espionage characters and stories, all fueled up with enthralling twists, charismatic characters, and balls-to-the-wall action for the foreseeable future. Rogue Asset is one of the best action thrillers to finish the year with, and a must-read for fans of W.E.B Griffin’s work as well as general action thriller aficionados.

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48 Hours To Kill By Andrew Bourelle

48 Hours to Kill is by far the most intense crime thriller of the year, with viciously violent action, powerful dialogue and highly-enjoyable characters that leave a lasting impression on the readers.

Ethan Lockhart is serving a prison sentence when he hears the tragic news that his sister was murdered. Given a furlough release unexpectedly without any guards or tracking devices, Ethan has 48 hours to pay his respects at the funeral. What irks Ethan is that her sister’s body hasn’t been found, with the authorities stating there was enough evidence to support the idea that his sister was killed. The narrative builds up slightly slow at first in order to develop Ethan’s character properly as he struggles with the guilt of not being there for his sister who he loved more than anyone and anything. When he finds out there is more to his sister’s alleged murder, he vows to put his violent skills to use one last time. From that moment, the pace is anything but slow as the action ramps up with a simmering mystery that becomes clearer and clearer but never completely solved until a brilliantly unexpected twist in the final act which was hiding in plain sight all along. In the course of his investigation, Ethan teams up with his sister’s childhood best friend who always had a crush on Ethan. Their chemistry is electrifying and one of the best aspects of the story.

48 Hours to Kill is a love letter to readers who like their gripping mysteries with a balanced diet of both ingenuity for strong storytelling and brutal action that is not always as skillfully incorporated in crime thrillers/dramas. Andrew Bourelle rewards readers who pay close attention to details as the clues Ethan discovers are not spoon fed to readers but rather hidden in his encounters with other characters, resulting in an extremely immersive read that requires sharp thinking to keep up with Ethan’s deductions. For the icing on the cake, Ethan butts heads with gangsters and thugs who obstruct his quest for vengeance and truth, setting the stage for numerous bloody fisticuffs and shootouts that are some of the most realistically horrifying sequences involving burnt eyeballs and flipping thumbs hanging off wrists.

From start to finish, 48 Hours to Kill is an absolute page turner that irrevocably puts Andrew Bourelle on the list of upcoming thriller authors for fans to keep an eye out for. I would not be surprised if this is adapted to the big screen soon; it has a cinematic spark that would work well with a lead like Ryan Gosling.

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Sea Hawke By Ted Bell

Sea Hawke is a wonderful throwback to the classic adventure thrillers in the vein of Clive Cussler’s works with long monologues and souped-up toys for boys that make for cool sequences at sea.

Lord Alexander Hawke plans to take a sea voyage with his son for father-son bonding. At the same time, he decides to undertake a dangerous mission to explore the recent nefarious actions of a communist alliance to threaten the western democracy. Along the journey, Hawke has to contend with blood lusting sharks, double crosses, and naval combatants. Luckily, Hawke’s own warship, retrofitted with all sorts of advanced weapons systems, evens the odds for a fun showdown against Chinese submarines.

The narrative’s style is a fun cross between the Kingsman movies and Archer tv series, taking itself lightly in the utmost formal monologues that are often interrupted in keeping with a more realistically lesser attention span for the new generation. The tense story builds up slowly but boils over with fun action sequences, including a particular favorite where Hawke stabs two sharks and drives them away. The story also shines a strong emotional focus on the relationship between Hawke and his son, presenting readers with some heartfelt moments. 

Sea Hawke definitely requires some time to warm up to with a slow burn and an unorthodox style of narration best suited for the 80’s writing style. All in all, it packs grand settings in a light story that is fitting for a fun reading mood.

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Sympathy For The Devil By Terrence McCauley

Sympathy for the Devil is a taut, brilliant, and edgy action thriller that stands tall and mighty with the biggest thrillerverse names in terms of stellar writing and distinctive characters and settings.

Terrence McCauley presents a new espionage organization dating back to World War 2, called The University which is appropriately staffed by enigmatic field personnel and analysts under the monikers of educational staff. It’s a crafty technique to operate under the radar in US while protecting its domestic as well as global interests. James Hicks is a spook and handler, aka professor, in The University whose field asset goes rogue after an undercover stint with Somali cab drivers in New York suspected of terrorist ties. With no clear explanation for the betrayal, Hicks must work his espionage tradecraft into finding answers using his bear-stopping .454 Ruger and cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence integrated into field operations to track targets and provide critical insights. However, the human-nature of unpredictability and deception calls for Hicks to utilize his training and instincts rather than simply relying on technology. The balanced blend of human psyche and modern reliance on AI makes for a clever narrative for brainy readers to appreciate and follow. 

An important aspect of writing a realistic rendition of Artificial Intelligence in modern thrillers is the AI’s capabilities. McCauley’s extensive research into the modern and near-future mechanics of AI make for a classy read that enhances your creativity without insulting your intelligence.

Kicking off strong, James Hicks is a fantastic protagonist with solid character development while preserving a healthy amount of intrigue about his real identity. With no qualms about employing lethal measures against his enemies, Hicks racks up a good amount of kill count with his Ruger, manner-of-fact demeanor, and superb dialogues that elicit an audible COOL. Rarely have I felt so strongly charmed by a protagonist so easily. 

Solid story, cool technology, secretive spy organization, and gritty action, Sympathy for the Devil is an incredible starting point into The University series and you’re compelled to start reading the second book the moment you finish this one.

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A Time To Kill By Kronos Ananthsimha

Looking for a wild and quick action-fest read to quench your adrenaline thirst? Kronos Ananthsimha’s back with his second Slade Heller story, A Time to Kill.

The grim-but-hilarious assassin Slade Heller’s latest mission has him chasing a dangerous terrorist and a forger in London. The short length of the novella condenses the plot to leave no room for any sort of slow burn. Yet, Kronos Ananthsimha wonderfully avoids the pitfalls of all action and no character as he fleshes out his crazed protagonist’s roots to further develop him as a likable and enjoyable anti-hero with an enigmatic background. Factoring in the hilarious banter between Heller and his handler and the comedic timing of Heller’s punchlines during stressful moments, you focus on nothing but the narrative as you read through the novella.

The action is bonkers this time around as Slade Heller fights gangsters and terrorists in grizzly fashion. With smooth and realistic combat moves, Heller dispatches his targets with clinical detachment using his bare hands and a 9mm MP7 submachine gun with which he presents his own rendition of a Jackson Pollock painting.

Highly entertaining and utterly enjoyable, A Time to Kill is one of the easiest choices you’ll make when it comes to picking your next adrenaline rush ride.

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Twentymile By C. Matthew Smith

Twentymile is a striking debut set in the awesome wilderness of Great Smoky Mountains where a tenacious Special Agent with the National Park Service's Investigative Services Branch is hunting down murderers on treacherous ground with tall mountains to climb and freezing streams to cross.

Tsula Walker makes her entry as a bold and formidable protagonist who serves as an incredible inspiration to readers with her bravery and her determination to seek justice without letting raging snowstorms and hails of bullets dissuade her. The dilemmas she faces with her mother and her job create common grounds with the readers to build a rapport with her. Following a strong foundation, the rest of the journey becomes a breeze as Tsula investigates the death of a wildlife biologist in the national park. What starts off seeming like a suicide starts becoming clearer as a covered-up homicide for Tsula to solve. 

C. Matthew Smith doesn’t waste a single moment in the pacing as the mystery unravels slowly but surely, switching the POV between a few characters to not only explain the events vividly from different perspectives but also create an attachment to characters of all shades for a multilayered reading experience.

As the main setting is a national park, it would be a travesty if the most important character, Mother Nature, was not given its due diligence. Luckily, that is not the case here as C. Smith writes picturesque descriptions of the park and its furry habitants along with fascinating tidbits that smartly serve the events in the story. The beauty of the setting is its duplicity: a beautiful day in the secluded park in one chapter versus a grim fight to survive in the snow-capped mountains and hills as Tsula is chased by coyotes and hardened killers. 

Twentymile is a highly enjoyable read suited best to those who like their thrillers to simmer for awhile before erupting in a blizzard of action and unpredictability with a future promise of grander adventures.

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Kill For Me By Tom Wood

Kill For Me is the book I finished 2022 with and I couldn’t have picked a classier action thriller with fascinating insights into the human psyche from the point of view of a peculiar and pragmatic assassin who can’t be considered a hero in any form, and that’s where Tom Wood excels.

Victor is hired by a woman embroiled in a tug of war with her sister for control of their father’s cartel. With no end to the war in sight, one sister decides to think outside the box and hire Victor to take out her competition. Can Victor trust the sister to honor their contract?

Kill for Me continues the trend of unique thrillers penned by Tom Wood in an exotic and creative storytelling style with sharp dialogue and witty report that doesn’t just help drive the story forward but also shines a limelight on the dangerous apathetic world of killers without glorifying it. The sophisticated twists and turns elevate the excellence of the reading experience. As for Victor, he continues to be an eloquent assassin with a formidable calm that unnerves his opposition enough to give him the opening to employ his lethal craft.

Speaking of lethality, the action sequences are phenomenal. Victor’s tactical movements are precise without flair. His ability to use any and all situations to his advantage would make all action aficionados salivate. Instead of going for dragged-out conflicts, Victor dispatches his adversaries with dirty and aggressive punches, kicks, grapples, and utilizes a variety of firearms that accentuate the coolness of tactical combat written by someone scarily well-versed in the art of killing.

If there’s one thing that a reader can bet on, it’s that Tom Wood doesn’t go for clichés. His out-of-the-box thought-out stories, such as the one in Kill for Me, break the mold of conventional villains, outdated narratives and stereotypes, which is why they are perfect in cleansing your palate and reminding you while action thrillers are so awesome to begin with. Kill for Me is a beautifully grim and violent thriller that will blow your minds. I wish we would get a cinematic interpretation, but it would be quite difficult to capture the brilliance of Tom Wood’s style unless he were at the helm of the project.

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