|
|
|
|
|
Every day, politicians and other government officials make deals and alliances and concessions that are meant to be kept secret from the rest of us. It’s a fact that’s become all too clear in recent years. And in The Russian by author Ben Coes, the President sets a plan in place that starts a secret war on US soil.
The story begins with the murders of two prominent politicians: one Republican, one Democrat—both of whom were well-known for their ruthless battle against the Russian Mafia. The two murders took place within minutes—obviously to send a message. To avenge the deaths, the President decides to take advantage of a special exception to the Constitution, and he tasks the CIA with creating a secret team to fight back. But when one of the two team leaders is found murdered before the mission can even begin, the other one, Rob Tacoma, sets out to find those responsible.
Having given up his military career years ago to work with his partner, Katie Foxx, to create an elite and highly lucrative contract company, Tacoma isn’t even sure that he wants to take on the mission—despite the fact that his father’s death was also attributed to the Russian Mafia, providing him with even more motivation. But then he discovers the body of the man who was supposed to be his partner, and he ends up battling the pair of hired guns who had been sent to kill him. And that sets off a wild adventure as Tacoma works with a team of politicians and hackers and other brilliant minds to follow one clue to the next clue to the next, leaving a trail of Presidentially-sanctioned bodies as he goes.
The story is a mix of action and intrigue, with Tacoma involved in both gunfights and close combat while he travels the country, trying to uncover the layers of Mafia hierarchy that were involved in ordering the killings. The action is definitely the strong point here—especially since readers are introduced to the key players before Tacoma is, so there aren’t a whole lot of surprises. But Tacoma’s quest to find answers—and to do so without dying—definitely makes for an edge-of-your-seat kind of read.
Fans of fast-paced action and political thrills are sure to find themselves caught up in Tacoma’s mission. Be warned, though, that with all of the action and danger, The Russian might not be the best book to help you unwind at the end of the night.
Listen to the review on Shelf Discovery:
|
|
|
|
