The sheer intensity and excitement of Marc Cameron’s Breakneck is best illustrated using a simple formula: US Marshall Arliss Cutter + the Alaskan wilderness + the Russian Bratva hellbent on revenge = an epic battle on a speeding train. The fervent action is unrelenting, the death toll extensive and the odds for survival slim. Strap in and hang on because it’s one hell of a ride.
Arliss and his partner Lola Teariki are assigned to the protection detail of Supreme Court Justice Charlotte Morehouse as she attends a judicial conference in Alaska. Guarding the justice and her daughter seems routine until an uninvited guest shows up at the conference and is shot dead by law enforcement. Eschewing advice to cut the trip short and return to DC, Morehouse and her daughter go through with plans to ride a sightseeing train into the Alaskan wilderness. But they are unaware there are members of the Russian mafia on board with plans to kill her – in retribution for the role she played in the death of the Russian boss’ wife – and livestream it to the world. Now it’s up to Arliss, Lola and the full protection team to repel the attack and keep the justice and her daughter alive. Even if it means putting themselves in the crosshairs.
Breakneck builds the tension from the beginning, continuing to ratchet up anxiety levels until it explodes in a monumental gun battle and fisticuffs in and on top of a train traversing the Alaskan back country. The Russian mobsters are incredibly brutal and unrepentant, singularly focused on their objective with no qualms about taking out anyone in their way. But Arliss and Lola are resolute and undaunted, mission success the only thing they will accept. Which makes for a classic engagement between good vs. evil. The unstoppable force vs. the immovable object. A fight to the death with neither side willing to entertain failure. It’s glorious.
However, there’s more to this book than the Russian revenge storyline and it’s all in the name of character and series development. First, Lola’s character gains more depth, emotion and respect through her actions and growing confidence…and the blossoming of her relationship with Joe Bill Bracket is sweet to witness. Next, the pursuit of the truth in the death of Ethan Cutter is ongoing, with Arliss and Mim chasing down leads and growing in their suspicions that his death was no accident. And maybe most intriguing is that Arliss and Mim finally start addressing their repressed but obvious feelings, making it possible they will act on their sexual tension despite Ethan’s ghost looming over them. Will they or won’t they? You’ll just have to keep reading to find out.
The Arliss Cutter series is now five books in and has no indications of slowing down anytime soon, which is excellent news for thriller fans. Breakneck is fantastic on its own, but also does a tremendous job of moving ongoing storylines forward, primes the pump for more adventures and provides opportunities for personal relationships to grow. Marc Cameron continues to impress, and he has endless possibilities with where to take the series next. So make sure you are on board the Arliss train. It’s going to continue to be an entertaining journey.
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