In Etzil’s exciting suspense series launch, one man’s quest for vengeance leads him to take on a secret mission for the CIA. Jack Lamburt, founder of a government agency that gathers surveillance data on U.S. citizens, is still reeling after the death of his wife in a terrorist attack that he survived. He agrees to help his ex-girlfriend, CIA assassin Frankie Shelley, kill Berengaria Gonzalez, a Cuban terrorist suspected of plotting an attack on par with 9/11. Jack kills a man in Berengaria’s home, but he and Frankie fail to extract Berengaria, and their flight out of Cuba is shot down into the ocean. After their rescue near Key West, Jack learns the man he killed was Fidel Castro. Gradually convinced that Castro’s death was the real purpose of their mission, Jack and Frankie are pursued by Russian assassins, leading them to believe there is a mole intent on tying up loose ends. Their new goal becomes to kill the man who set them up.

Etzil’s fast-paced narrative will grab the reader from the very first page. Suspense pervades Jack and Frankie’s perilous experiences of surviving a plane crash in the ocean and dodging assassins. Etzil’s explanations of the technical aspects of flying are on target, with just enough description to engage readers without miring them in overly scientific details. Though Jack and Frankie’s frequent narrow escapes can feel implausible, Etzil’s capable plotting adds credibility to their dangerous encounters.

Etzil develops his characters with brief backstories but doesn’t delve deeply into their innermost thoughts. His character development works well, with quick short chapters leading to cliff-hanger conclusions. The suspenseful pacing promises thrilling future series installments. Espionage thriller fans will enjoy suspending their disbelief for Jack and Frankie’s headlong adventures.

Takeaway: This twisty and bloody thriller will appeal to fans of espionage mysteries starring cutthroat operatives who work on the dark side of the law.

Great for fans of Mike Maden’s Tom Clancy: Firing Point, Lee Jackson’s Target: New York.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: -
Editing: B
Marketing copy: A