Following the success of his hit debut novel, The Drifter, author Nick Petrie has brought back his war hero protagonist, Peter Ash, for his most explosive adventure yet.
June Cassidy, a California-based award-winning investigative journalist, is in trouble. She’s not entirely sure why a group of men is after her, but she guesses it has something to do with her mother. June’s mom was a brilliant software designer who recently passed away. But for now, that’s just a working theory, and one that won’t matter if she can’t somehow escape the kidnappers pursuing her.
With nowhere else to run, June flees to the northern California redwoods. There, she accidentally crosses paths with a man who has just the type of skill set she needs to survive.
Peter Ash, a decorated war veteran who did multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, had retreated to the redwoods in search of peace and quiet. Instead, he has trouble relaxing as mother nature throws him one curveball after another.
It didn’t take long for Ash’s severe claustrophobia, a condition he suffers from due to PTSD, to set in. Already unsettled, Ash soon finds himself face-to-face with a towering grizzly bear. And while he had thought the bear was the most dangerous thing he would encounter in the woods, running into June Cassidy–who has more problems than the two of them could carry together–proved his assumption incorrect.
The bullets start flying immediately, causing Ash to spring into action and help lead June to safety. When they finally have a chance to talk, June tells Ash that she believes her pursuers are with the federal government and that they’re after her for whatever her mother had gotten into or accidentally uncovered.
As the duo dodges bullets and fights to stay alive, they begin looking into June’s mother and what she was doing before her death. What they discover is something far more shocking than either had prepared for and leaves them unsure of who to trust or believe.
Nick Petrie, while understanding what fans are looking for in an action thriller, also puts a lot of emotion into the plot. Ash is, on one hand, your typical gung-ho hero who can take out bad guys with blazing speed and efficiency. But he also has serious flaws, and along with fighting their pursuers, also battles his demons as the story unfolds.
Along with adding in plenty of human elements and developing Ash’s character nicely over the course of two novels, Petrie also strikes a nice balance by teaming him up with June. The characters have instant chemistry on the page, and their personalities and quirks mix really well.
In the end, Petrie’s latest mixture of high-octane action and mind-boggling conspiracies makes for a thrilling, fast-paced read. Fans of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher will especially enjoy Peter Ash, who is fast becoming a fan-favorite character in a deep genre.
Book Details
Author: Nick Petrie
Series: Peter Ash #2
Pages: 432 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 0399174575
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Release Date: January 10, 2017 (Order Now!)