I was so excited to get my hands on this book for many reasons, but one of them being that Taylor Moore was a part of my sister’s writing critique group in Amarillo, Texas. This is his debut novel.
Garrett Kohl is as rough and rugged as the land he grew up on in the Texas Panhandle. He’s as comfortable on the back of a horse as he is behind the wheel of a vehicle. He served in the military special forces and now works closely with the CIA as a DEA undercover agent. The story begins with immediate action and tension as Garrett is on a surveillance mission in Afghanistan. He knows he’s past the allowed U.S. perimeter but when he witnesses marauders massacre an entire village, except for one small boy, he cannot idly sit by. He doesn’t stop until they all pay for murdering the innocent people. With the boy in tow, he returns to headquarters to take his punishment for interfering.
Only the punishment he receives is nothing like what he imagined. He is ordered to take the boy with him and return to Texas, to keep him safe for future testimony against the terrorists.
Here’s where the story shifts and Garrett’s family dynamics come into play. His mother is deceased. His father is a grizzled old rancher with more grit than John Wayne. He has one brother, Bridger, a prominent attorney in the small town of Canadian. Bridger is married and has two twin daughters. I was prepared to dislike Garrett’s father for his rough ways and spiteful comments, but this author made me love him. The old man takes the young Afghan boy under his wing and teaches him the ways of the ranch. The story’s pace cools down to a slow burn while building toward the climax.
While Garrett thinks he’s escaped the tense and deadly world of high-stakes drug dealing, instead he’s walked right into the most deadly fight of all and it involves his entire family. The Garza drug cartel is deeply embedded in the panhandle working through a local oil company to move the products.
When Garrett’s brother, Bridger is forced to represent Mescalero Oil, drawing up bogus contracts and representing two of the oil company’s goons who get caught with drugs, he plays a game of Russian roulette with his family as the bargaining chips. The brothers join forces, letting their bygone differences be bygones. They won’t rest until the family is safe again as well as the Afghan boy, Asadi.
The non-stop action, the authenticity of the setting, the weapons, the military tactics, and the characters are compelling and unforgettable. This author managed to combine high-tension thriller drama with family dynamics in such a way that I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. All of the tertiary characters are multi-dimensional and each with their own story. If I had to offer any critique of the story, it would be that Garrett thought about and talked about how much he loved and missed his nieces and sister-in-law, and yet he never made an effort to go see them until they were under the cartel’s thumb, so I think a thread got dropped.
This is a story we will be seeing on the big screen. It’s that good! I highly recommend it.
I received this book via NetGalley and the publisher, William Morrow, in exchange for a fair and honest review.
About the Author
I’m often asked how I ended up at the CIA, a question to which there are more than a few answers. But what I think people really want to know is what edged a regular guy like me out of the light and into the shadows of the intelligence world: a what makes you tick kind of thing.
It’s a question I can answer in one single phrase—passion for adventure.
This is the same passion that drew me to childhood heroes like Indiana Jones, James Bond, and Jack Ryan. This quest for adventure propelled me on a solo journey at the age of twenty-four through the jungles of Bolivia, over the Andes, and across the raging Drake Passage on a Russian icebreaker to Antarctica.
And it’s the same passion I have now that spurs me to write thriller novels and action-adventure stories.
We may grow up, but we don’t have to give in. No matter our age or what we do, a good passion for adventure never dies. And if you’re like me and you’re searching for the next one, then look no further. You’ve arrived.
– Taylor Moore
My friend’s son works for the CIA. He doesn’t look like a guy who would work for the CIA. It must be a fascinating job for Taylor. Congratulations to him on his new release. Your review is great, Jan. I’ll check out Jacqui’s library. We live not far from each other.
Thank you for your comment, Miriam. Taylor is now ex-CIA and a full-time author! I appreciate your comment and how cool that you and Jacqui live close to each other!
Jacqui lives about 30 miles away. We track each other’s exercise.
Hi Jan. Thanks for this amazing intro to Taylor. Have a great new week. Hugs on the wing.
Thank you, Teagan!
Great review, Jan. Wishing Taylor the best of luck with his new release. I’m intrigued, but like some others said, it’s a bit pricy for me. I checked our library, they don’t have it yet, but I suggested it as an eBook purchase.
Oh good idea, Joan. I hope they will get it. I don’t know where Jacqui lives and whether it’s a big town or small town. I agree about the price, which is why I requested it through NetGalley. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Much luck to Tyler with his debut novel. Sounds like he has probably experienced a whole lot of things most of us will never know,
Very true, Pete. Thank you for stopping by!
Great review, Jan! It definitely has my attention, but a bit pricey. I may check our library too see if I get lucky finding it.
Yes! Jacqui said she found it at her library, and maybe you will too. It’s well worth the effort! Thank you for stopping by, Denise!
This sounds like an exciting book and an incredible achievement for a first release. Thank you for sharing your review, Jan. Best wishes to Taylor.
My pleasure, Gwen! It is a super great book! Thank you for stopping by and for sharing!
Jan, I love your review and agree with all of it. As I told you last night, some parts of the book of Garrett with his twin nieces got cut which created a bit of a hole. Not sure why his editor did that because those parts showing him with the family at their home were needed to solidify the feelings he had for them. Taylor is going to have to get more sure of himself in the writing world and fight for things he wants to keep. He has some of the best instincts in the business than I’ve ever seen in a beginning writer. Love you, sister.
You are so right, sister. He will have to gain confidence, and it will come. He’s super talented and I enjoyed this story immensely! What a great debut novel to come out of the gate with! Thank you for leaving a comment. Love you!
This sounds very exciting, Jan. Congratulations to the author.
It is a super great read! Thanks for stopping by, Robbie!
Sounds like an AWESOME debut! How cool that Moore and your sister were in the same writing group!
It is an amazing debut novel, Priscilla. I agree. It is so cool that Moore and my sister participated in the same writing group. Thank you for stopping by!
I’m off to find it. Good grief that sounds excellent. Just found it at my local library!
Oh how wonderful, Jacqui! Taylor will be thrilled to know it is at your local library!
Yep, and I ordered it!
Wow! Thanks for sharing, Jan! 🙂 I’ve definitely added this book to my reading list and sharing with my hubby.
My pleasure, Mary. I know you and your hubby will enjoy this intense tale! Thank you!
Sounds like a great read! I’m sharing this with my father…he’d love it. Thanks for the terrific review, Jan! Wishing Taylor all the best on his first release…so exciting!
Thank you, Jill! I know your father will enjoy this book!
I love that answer about what drew him to the CIA! Wishing Taylor all the best with his novel. Thanks, Jan.
I did too, Staci, and his background shows in writing this book. He knows his stuff! Thanks for leaving a comment and sharing!
Wonderful review. All the best to Taylor.
Thank you, Craig!
Looks like a great read, but definitely too pricey for me at double figures for an eBook. Thanks for sharing, Jan 🙂
I totally agree, Harmony. That is why I love NetGalley! Thanks for stopping by!
Me too! 😁