Call Jack Carr the mailman because he always delivers and this time he brings the heat with deadly games of deception, danger and death. In The Blood is a killer thriller that just won’t quit coming at you with non-stop action that will leave readers needing a cigarette upon completion.
James Reece is back and it seems everyone is out to kill him. After a commercial flight is blown out of the sky in Africa, Reece learns an old acquaintance was on that plane and he feels the urge to find those responsible and do to them what he does best. Namely send them to meet their maker. Additionally, he’s still on the hunt for the sniper that took out his friend Freddy Strain and fulfill a promise he made to Freddy’s widow. As he searches for answers and the people he wants to kill, wave after wave of would-be assassins come after Reece, requiring him to use his unique set of skills to survive and continue his own hunt while trying to figure out who’s trying to take him out. And it’ll take all the cunning, resilience and capabilities he possesses, in addition to some help from a few friends along the way, for Reece to emerge from the battlefield victorious once again.
In The Blood contains a multi-layered plot that propels the book forward with speed and purpose that seamlessly comes together in the end like a bullet from a sniper rifle tearing through the air towards its intended target. It has intrigue, copious amounts of action, and twists galore. In fact, there’s one scene that reminds me of the battle of wits from The Princess Bride, but with guns and co-conspirators instead of a mano a mano duel to the death using poisoned wine. It’s an impressive chess match with each person thinking multiple steps ahead until one outwits and outlasts the other.
Additionally, past, present and future collide with a bang in this novel. Representing the past is a connection from Reece’s time in Iraq as a SEAL and increased insight into Reece’s father’s activities before his death. The present is Reece’s deadly cat-and-mouse game with another sniper and surviving the onslaught of assassins sent by those who want to keep old secrets buried. And the future comes into play with innovative AI technology and the looming possibility of Reece settling down with Katie to build a life away from the danger he’s known for so long. Each one of these storylines could make a compelling book on its own, but they work incredibly well together to form an interwoven tale that doesn’t let up for a second.
Kudos to Jack Carr for crafting an outstanding thriller that attempts to simultaneously tie up unfinished business, move the ball forward on continuing storylines and set up numerous possibilities for future stories. It all comes together brilliantly in a novel that’s the best in the James Reece universe since The Terminal List. Given the high level of the other books in the series, that should tell you this one is exceptionally good. Don’t miss it.
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