Jon Crunch: Book Review: “True Believer” By Jack Carr

“Take a breath, look around, make a call.”

One of my favorite books of 2018 was former Navy SEAL sniper Jack Carr’s debut novel “The Terminal List.” In my review, I referred to the book as “a story that stings the throat and clears the sinuses — bold, brutal, and unwavering.”

I had the distinct honor of being able to read an Advance Reader's Edition of his latest thriller “True Believer” (on sale July 30, 2019).

Carr continues his hero’s journey in “True Believer.”

Former Navy SEAL James Reece is back in action.

“True Believer” begins with our protagonist in the aftermath of the events in “The Terminal List.” Having satiated his need for revenge, Lieutenant Commander Reece is sailing across the Atlantic Ocean on a 48-foot yacht called Bitter Harvest (which he procured in the first novel).

Reece is still haunted by the tragic events that befell his wife Lauren and daughter Lucy in the first book. He lives a rudderless existence — waiting to succumb to a brain tumor discovered in “The Terminal List.”

He is also a wanted man.

But sometimes fate has a way of changing course.

Reece sails to the coast of Mozambique. Richard Hastings — the uncle of Reece’s SEAL brother and former college classmate Raife Hastings — runs a safari operation called RH Safaris in the Niassa Game Reserve.

Reece ends up helping out the operation, putting his military skills to use tracking down poachers. The work gives our hero a sense of purpose.

During these sequences the author serves up interesting factoids about the Rhodesian Bush War as well as modern-day geopolitics influencing east Africa.

(I also enjoyed Carr's references to Toyota Land Cruisers — vehicles the author and his protagonist both love.)

While Reece is living under the radar, a series of terror attacks put the intelligence community on high alert.

Carr’s attention to detail in the novel is excellent, and his life as a former special operator lends authenticity to the story.

James Reece isn’t able to stay incognito forever, and is eventually rousted from Mozambique.

He soon finds himself in the employ of the U.S. government. His past connection with intelligence asset Mo Farooq — who is suspected of being behind the attacks — puts our hero back in the game.

As you can imagine, things aren’t quite what they seem. A whole host of players — including an ambitious Russian named Vasili Andrenov — are moved deftly around the chessboard by Carr.

Carr’s globetrotting adventure has a flavor similar to thriller masters like Brad Thor and Vince Flynn.

For those who enjoyed the author’s intricate descriptions of weaponry in “The Terminal List,” ample attention is paid to the “tools of the trade” in “True Believer.”

The story is also well researched.

Once again, Carr includes “redacted” passages (blacked out words) in “True Believer” that the DOD Office of Prepublication and Security Review flagged (due to the security clearances the author held when he was a Navy SEAL). It is something unique to Carr’s fiction thrillers, and adds to the authenticity.

The early parts of “True Believer” are reminiscent of Tom Clancy novels of yore — with multiple story threads twisting between time and place from England, Mozambique, Belgium, Switzerland, Nicaragua, and Washington D.C.

Carr talks about his writing process (and how he got published) in a recent episode of the “Jocko Podcast”:

The podcast — which clocks in at nearly two-and-a-half hours — features a wide-range of topics with the author.

Carr talks about how he had seven different novel synopses before he picked one and wrote “The Terminal List.”

He says the other synopses are “turning into these next novels, even though I might have different characters or whatever, I can morph those ones. So I have about seven different novels in the pipe, ready to go.”

As I listened to the podcast, I realized just how many of Carr’s real life experiences (personal and professional) are woven into “True Believer.” Give it a listen — it’s well worth your time.

“True Believer” is more cerebral than “The Terminal List,” and Carr pours a fine foundation for more James Reece thrillers in the future.

Reece comes to terms with his past and evolves into a more nuanced hero. He is a well-oiled operator — locked, loaded and ready for action.

The little moments are some of the best in the novel. For example, there is a sequence at the beginning of Chapter 37 that reminded me of Thomas Magnum recalling childhood memories with his father in the 1983 “Magnum, P.I.” episode “Home From Sea.”

“True Believer” helps establish Jack Carr as one of this generation’s preeminent thriller writers.

Highly recommended.

Order your copy of "True Believer" here.

P.S. — Be sure to read the “Glossary” section at the end of Carr’s novels. In addition to providing interesting bits of trivia, he throws in some humorous remarks.