When people say a book is a 'rollercoaster ride' there is the expectation of a series of highs and lows. That description would be inaccurate for Don Bentley's second book The Outside Man.
Sticking with the rollercoaster analogy, The Outside Man is closer to starting the ride with a big drop (opening scene), riding up a short hill (establishing the players involved), and then once you crest that hill... it's a heart in your throat, white knuckle plunge until the last page.
The book begins with the reader finding Matt Drake's past actions in the Middle East catching up with him in the least expected place, his hometown of Austin, TX. For those of us lucky enough to spend any time in the city that 'keeps it weird', it's easy to put yourself right in the situation and visualize how the events unfolded and the how the resulting ramifications put Drake on his path.
From there, Bentley takes us on a high octane ride full of speed, violence, and the perfect number of 80s movie references. In describing the various shootouts, he deftly touches on all five sense to immerse the reader in the moment. While the action scenes are as good as it gets in the thriller genre, Bentley does a masterful job of intertwining deeply emotional plotlines and a real sense of danger for every character.
If I hadn't already known, there is no chance I would have imagined this was Bentley's second novel. The thriller genre has another must read series on it's hands, from an author who is an proficient at his trade as his main character is at his chosen profession.
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