In Storm Rising we find Hayley Chill on the hunt and heading West. Like a tornado blowing across the Texas plains, she will leave a path of destruction through anything or anyone that gets in her way. With Chris Hauty’s rapid pacing, high intensity sequences, and plot twists that will break your brain, this is one hell of a read.
With her time as a former White House intern having come to an end and her deeper state superiors sidelining her, Hayley has retreated back to her old stomping grounds in West Virginia. Turning to MMA training to help get her back to the level of physical conditioning she had during her Army days, Hayley can feel something is different. When not sharpening her fighting skills, Hayley is left to ponder the events surrounding her father’s death at the end of Savage Road.
Convinced she’s missed something last time, she decides to head back to his old residence. After finding a document with a mysterious cipher, she pieces together other clues and finally Hayley has a starting point.
With the blessing and cover from her ‘Deeper State’ handler, she begins an investigation into the subculture of white supremacy within the United States military. As things heat up and the body count rises, she uncovers an expansive conspiracy with the aim of forcing the secession of several states and forming a new country. It’s up to Hayley to stop a second Civil War before it starts, while also confronting the ultimate truth about her own father’s role in this harrowing chapter of American history.
To me, Storm Rising also marks a decided shift in the series. The cold, detached operative of the first two books has now begun to show glimpses of thaw in her core. While I never expect Hayley’s innate drive to ensure the completion of the mission and protect the US, I do expect to see her struggle more against the toll her professional life will have on the beginnings of the personal life she is trying to build. There is a lot of room to work in going forward and I can’t wait to see what Chris does.
Hauty’s distinct and unique writing style is evident in all it’s glory in this book. I would describe his style as a wonderful blend of his screenwriting past with the traditional literary omniscient narrator. It’s engaging, entertaining, and enlightening. I’ve mentioned this before in previous reviews of Hauty’s work, but his unique method of expounding on the future of seemingly minor characters is something I will always look forward to in his books.
And let’s not forget what Chris Hauty has quickly become known for… his plot twists. The twists this time around hit me so hard that I had to immediately reach out to another reviewer to console me. It still hurts to think about. There was an earlier twist that hit me in the feels, but the one at the end absolutely crushed me. Eliciting that type of emotion can only come from creating a deep and lasting bond between the reader and a character. This is a skill that Hauty has mastered.
Follow Todd on Twitter or contact him via the site.
Purchase Storm Rising
BUY A SIGNED FIRST EDITION FROM VJ BOOKS
Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)
