Showing posts with label Book Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Review. Show all posts

Thursday, August 27, 2026

Book Review: Rapp is on Tap in “Double Tap” by Don Bentley


By Jon Brooks

“REMEMBER. REMEMBER AND TAKE OUR REVENGE...”

The latest Mitch Rapp thriller “Double Tap” is here and I just finished my advance reader copy of the book (received as part of this year’s Mitch Rapp Ambassador program).  

When you think about the literary universe that the late Vince Flynn created in his novels, you think about all the great characters who have surrounded “tip of the spear” operator Rapp during his missions. 

I’ll talk more about the cast in a bit, but let’s talk about the setup for this novel. 

“Double Tap” is the 25th book in Flynn’s series. Flynn died in 2013. Kyle Mills took over after his death and wrote nine books in the series. Don Bentley took the reins in 2024 — “Double Tap” is the third Rapp novel he has penned. 

This time out fans are treated to another prequel story set a short time after the events in 2025’s “Denied Access” (read my review). 


Bentley’s debut novel in the Rapp series was 2024’s “Capture or Kill,” a novel that saw Rapp hunting down Osama bin Laden — a real-life event that hadn’t been tackled before in the series (read my review). 

Last year’s “Denied Access” concluded a Mitch Rapp-origin trilogy that began with the 2010 novel “American Assassin.” 

Prior to taking over of the Rapp series, Bentley published four novels in his Matt Drake series (read my review of “Without Sanction”) and four novels in the Jack Ryan, Jr. series for the Tom Clancy estate. 

In “Double Tap,” Bentley shines a spotlight on weapons of mass destruction and the decades-long conflict in the Middle East between Israel and its neighboring nations. The story takes place in the late 1990s, in the period between the first Gulf War and 9/11. 

It is certainly a timely geopolitical topic as the United States is set to observe the 25th anniversary of the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001. 

“BORDERS MIGHT COME AND GO JUST AS KINGS AND EMPIRES ROSE AND FELL...”

“Double Tap” finds Rapp, Stan Hurley, Scott Coleman (who is still in the military), Irene Kennedy, and Thomas Stansfield moving game pieces across the board in an intelligence game that largely centers around two concurrent field operations. 


Rapp is working undercover tracking down a Pakistani chemical weapons scientist in Verona, Italy. Hurley is conducting a training mission in Doha, Qatar. Incidents during both missions influence the meat of the narrative that follows in the novel. 

Another subplot involving a smuggler named Ibrahim who moves goods and cash between Iraq and Syria also weaves its way into the events in “Double Tap.” 

The threat of WMDs in the Middle East is certainly fertile territory to explore in “Double Tap.” 

Bentley spent a decade in the Army as an Apache helicopter pilot. He served as a Troop Commander in Afghanistan and had first-hand experience with the ill-fated Operation Red Wings (the operation was documented in Marcus Luttrell’s book “Lone Survivor”). 

Bentley understands the theater of conflict and knows the machinery involved. Whether he is describing how “unsexy” a Beretta 21 A Bobcat pistol is, or talking about an Israeli Air Force F-15 Baz fighter plane (known as an Eagle in the United States), the details ring true. 

“SOMETIMES, THEIR BRAVADO TOOK THEIR TEAMMATES WITH THEM...”

Earlier in this review I mentioned “the great characters” who have surrounded Mitch Rapp in Flynn’s novels. There are a number of characters I have come to look forward to in these stories, and I know other fans have similar sentiments. 

One character in particular is special operations veteran Stan Hurley. Hurley trained Rapp. The “old cuss” has formed a special bond with our hero. Since this novel takes place during Rapp’s “formative years” as an operator, Hurley plays a significant role “Double Tap.” 

The chain-smoking operative has been featured prominently in all three of Bentley’s Mitch Rapp novels. 

Honestly, I think giving Hurley his own novel might be worthwhile. He seems like he would be a fun character to write about. 

A hypothetical novel featuring the character could take readers back to the Cold War days when Hurley was a younger operator in the field. We saw glimpses of this side of Hurley in “Denied Access,” and it would be fun to see the character featured in depth. 

(I’m just spit-balling here, but maybe put him in Argentina during the Falklands War in 1982 — something unique like that.) 


I firmly believe that Michael Keaton’s portrayal of the character in the 2017 film adaptation of “American Assassin” (read my review) is part of the reason why the character continues to be popular with fans. Keaton was one of the film’s strongest assets, and his performance elevated the adaptation. He is a terrific actor and I’d like to see him play the character again.  

It was also nice read about Scott Coleman during his time as a special operator with SEAL Team Six in “Double Tap.” 

Later novels in the series feature the character working as an independent contractor. In those books he owns a private military company called SEAL Demolition and Salvage. 

Coleman — either in the past or in the present — would also be a worthwhile character to spin off into his own novel. We know he has the background and the skills to be more than Mitch Rapp’s combat-ready “side piece.” 

It might be fun to let an author explore some of these secondary characters on their own. Just sayin’… 

“THE COUNTDOWN TIMER REACHED ZERO...”  

I’ve had the opportunity to interact with Don Bentley during three of his book tour stops the past three years. He is a likable individual who has proven himself to be a solid writer. He has written a number of terrific books. I would encourage you to check them out. 


His upcoming tour stops for “Double Tap” include:
  • Monday, Sept. 21, 6:30 p.m. CT – Once Upon a Crime, 604 W. 26 St., Minneapolis, MN
  • Tuesday, Sept. 22, 7 p.m. MST – Poisoned Pen, 4014 N. Goldwater #101, Scottsdale, AZ
  • Wednesday, Sept. 23, 6:30 p.m. CT – Murder by the Book, 2342 Bissonnet St., Houston, TX
  • Thursday, Sept. 24, 7 p.m. CT – Half Price Books, 5803 E. Northwest Hwy., Dallas, TX
  • Saturday, Sept. 26, 6 p.m. ET – Half Price Books, 8211 Arbor Square D., Mason, OH

Bentley appeared a few months ago on the “Break It Down" podcast with Pete Turner. During their discussion, he talked about working on "Double Tap" for the Vince Flynn estate this past year. In addition, he also said he wrote two TV pilot scripts for his novel “Without Sanction,” has been writing a “standalone” novel, and has had the opportunity to work on a short story for Amazon (a result of his friendship with thriller writer Simon Gervais). 


(I apparently need to start a book podcast so I can ask Bentley about some of these projects!! 😉)

“Double Tap” continues Bentley’s line of high-caliber entries in the thriller genre and the Mitch Rapp series. 

I’m excited to see what’s on tap next for our hero… 

>> Order your copy of “Double Tap” here. 

To learn more about Don Bentley, visit his website at donbentleybooks.com, and to learn more about Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp novels, visit vinceflynn.com. 

>> If you enjoyed my review of “Double Tap,” consider following me on X/Twitter: @TheJonCrunch 

Related Posts on Vince Flynn, Don Bentley, Kyle Mills, and the Mitch Rapp Saga: 
















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Monday, August 17, 2026

Say Goodbye to a Popular Book Format


By Jon Brooks 

I had a hard time figuring out how to start this blog post. 

I wanted to start out with some clever turn-of-phrase that would yet again lament the “death” of something that has become one of life’s constants. 


I know what’s going to happen here… 

People are already saying, “What the heck is a mass market paperback, Jon?” 

I’m going to explain, and talk about why the discontinuation of the format (which happened at the end of 2025) is kind of a big deal for the publishing industry. 

The mass market paperback format (first introduced by Pocket Books in the late 1930s) became synonymous with “paperback books” for more than 80 years. 

According to Publisher’s Weekly, “mass market unit sales plunged from 131 million in 2004 to 21 million in 2024.”

The size of these books (typically measuring 4.25 inches x 6.8 inches) featured smaller print (similar to the font size found in newspapers) and a cheaper paper stock (than that found in hardcovers). 


They were also much less expensive than their hardcover counterparts. As such, mass market paperbacks became the top selling book format for decades. 

Mass market paperbacks have been credited with democratizing reading. In addition to the their reasonable price, you could also find these books in places like grocery stores, discount stores, and gas stations. 

I took a chance on a number of writers while browsing newsstands at grocery stores. 

One such author was western scribe Louis L’Amour. 

I picked up one of L’Amour’s novels when Bridget and I were shopping for Fourth of July snacks one summer back in the 1990s. He quickly became one of my favorite writers. 


From a construction standpoint, mass market paperbacks never held up particularly well.  

The binding would crease and crack. The cardstock cover and pages would become “dog-eared” pretty easily. The pages yellowed in no time flat. 

But those books were accessible. They were smaller in size (originally designed to fit in your pocket) which made them easier to tote around in a purse or a backpack. 

Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino is so enamored with the format (having been an avid reader in his youth) that he released the 2021 novelization of his movie “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” (read my review) as a mass market paperback. 


This is where some smarty pants says, “I was just at a bookstore last week and saw all kinds of paperbacks. Why are you even talking about this?” 

To be sure, the “trade paperback” format is alive and well (and has been steadily supplanting the mass market paperback format over the past 20 years). 

Trade paperbacks are bigger in size than mass market paperbacks (generally 6 inches x 9 inches). 

This photo will give you an idea of the size difference, relatively speaking. The book on the left is the mass market paperback. The book on the right is the trade paperback: 


(At this point, Bridget is wondering why I own both the mass market AND trade paperback editions of Brad Thor’s Blowback…)

Trade paperbacks often feature a better paper stock and a bigger print size (similar to the hardcover editions). 

They are also pricier. Trade paperbacks currently sell for ~$20 or more, compared to a ~$10 price tag for a mass market paperback.

Digital options the past two decades (such as Amazon’s Kindle format) have contributed to the erosion of both hardcover and paperback sales. 

But an overall decline in daily reading has also had a stifling effect on the entire industry. According to recent research, daily reading has declined 40 percent the past two decades. 

Author John Grishman was lamenting this fact in a recent BBC interview with journalist Katty Kay: 


Grisham suggests that the popularity of streaming TV shows is one contributing factor. He says we talk about popular TV shows more than books. 

“We don’t read as much as we used to,” admits Grisham, regarding his household’s reading habits. “If we have an hour or two at night, we’re probably going to watch a TV show that we’re hooked on.” 

“I sold twice as many books before the Internet,” he says. “People were reading more. There were many more bookstores — 3000 more bookstores — in the U.S. before the Internet.” 

We’re obviously not going to be putting the Internet in a bottle anytime soon. 

We’re all guilty of scrolling social media when we could be doing something more intellectually stimulating, like reading a book. 

I’ll admit, it has become harder for me to concentrate on long-form content (like a novel) the past few years. 

It brings into question how you get the next generation interested in books when what they interact with on their phones and tablets seems far more immediate and stimulating to their developing brains. 

Maybe there is a solution. Then again, maybe there isn’t. 

Some thought the solution would be digital books. 

I’ve purchased and read a handful of novels on my iPad over the years. I’ve just had a hard time getting into “e-books” in the same why I have “physical” books.  

One of the things I’ve found irritating about digital books is when a publisher “updates” one of the books I have in my iPad library. 

Sometimes the update brings new cover art (which sucks if I preferred the older cover art). Other times the changes are much less “apparent.” 

For me, seeing books updated like they are an “app” sort of sucks the joy out of the reading experience. 

It sort of goes something like this:  

Friend: “Hey Jon, have you ever read ‘Lord of the Flies?’” 

Me: “I have. As a matter of fact, I just downloaded version 3.7.1 of the book on my iPad last night.” 

The fundamental issue with e-books is the fact that it requires you have a digital device to read the books on. Some screens are more conducive to the experience than others. You’ll also need an Internet connection available to download books. 

You generally have to set up an account “somewhere” to get books — with either a paid or a free distribution service. 

There might be some troubleshooting involved in the process, depending on the device and the software used. 

While jumping through those hoops might seem ubiquitous in today’s society (“That’s just life in the 21st century, Jon!”), it takes away from the “analog experience” that makes reading a book such a pure endeavor. 

And let’s face it, there are a million things that seem far more interesting and immediate to do on a phone or a tablet than reading a book. 

In addition, the serendipitous experience of a book jacket catching your eye as you wander through a store (or browse the shelves at your local library branch) is essentially lost. 


The ability to pick up a book, flip through the pages, and see if it is something you’d enjoy is boiled down to an excerpt and a synopsis on a website. 

Maybe the algorithm will let you discover it; maybe it won’t. 

This doesn’t even begin to tackle the fact that the way I’ve discovered a number of new books and authors has been friends and family members loaning or gifting me copies of books they’ve enjoyed. 

All of this might seem like I’m howling at the moon, but something is obviously lost when the most accessible book formats of the past century is ushered away. Can the other print formats be far behind?

I want more people to read. 

The process of turning symbols on a page into a visual picture stimulates the mind, develops cognitive abilities, enhances critical thinking, and cultivates creativity.

The world needs more of that... 

>> If you enjoyed this blog post, consider following me on X/Twitter: @TheJonCrunch 

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Thursday, February 26, 2026

Book Review: "Without Sanction" By Don Bentley


By Jon Brooks  

This review is long overdue. 

I have been following Don Bentley since his debut novel “Without Sanction” was published in 2020. 

I have subsequently purchased all four novels in his Matt Drake thriller series, the four Jack Ryan, Jr. novels he wrote for the Tom Clancy estate, and the two Mitch Rapp novels he has written for the Vince Flynn estate (a third — titled “Double Tap” — is on the way later this year). 

I first read “Without Sanction” in 2023. In fact, I tweeted on March 27 of that year that I was gearing up to write my review. 


My plan had been to read and review all of Bentley’s novels leading up to the publication of his novel “Capture or Kill” (his first contribution to the Mitch Rapp franchise — read my review). 

So what happened? Why didn’t I stay on course?

I’m not exactly sure. A lot was going on at the time. 

We were still dealing with the aftermath of my dad’s death. It was also the last month of college hockey season (we run a fan site and do a podcast in support of the University of Nebraska at Omaha Maverick Hockey team). 

And — let’s face it — my mind darts from one thing to another like a cat tracking a laser pointer. 

As a result of all this, I didn’t get my review done, and have been in something of a holding pattern ever since. 

I’ve wanted to read and review the Matt Drake novels Bentley has penned, but the “completionist” in me couldn’t move forward until I reviewed his first contribution to the literary world. 


The particulars of “Without Sanction” had started to fade in my mind during the intervening years. 

I don’t often re-read novels, but a few weeks ago I said, “I think I’m going to read ‘Without Sanction’ again.” 

So I spent a week doing that very thing. 

I was immediately reminded what a terrific debut novel it is. (I was also reminded how many details I had forgotten.)

“Without Sanction” introduces readers to Defense Intelligence Agency case officer and former Army Ranger Matt Drake. 

As the novel begins, we find our protagonist sitting at a shoe-shine stand in Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, having hallucinations about a Syrian toddler he had met while he was working with her family in the field — a family that ultimately ended up getting murdered.  

As a result of his psychological trauma, our hero has abandoned both his job and his wife Laila.

It has become a Monday/Friday ritual for Drake to hang out at the stand as he attempts to reunite with his wife, who travels through the airport each week. 

Each time he sees her, she morphs into a vision of Abir’s dead mother — something he just can’t deal with. 

As he is sitting at the shoe-shine stand on this particular day, weighing whether or not to board the plane to D.C. with his wife, he is approached by a man with a gun and he receives a phone call from his former boss, DIA Branch Chief James Glass. 

A CIA paramilitary team’s covert mission to take down a chemical weapons lab in Syria went awry, resulting in the loss of operators and a Black Hawk helicopter. 

A new chemical weapon was discovered during the operation, but the team failed to get a usable sample. The facility itself wasn’t where the weapon was being developed. 

The Pakistani scientist who created it, code named Einstein, contacts the intelligence community. He is willing to turn over the weapon and reveal the location of the lab. 

But he will only do it on the condition that former handler Matt Drake is the individual who extracts him. 

Drake, having no desire to get pulled back into his former life, soon finds himself in the Middle East. 

As he maneuvers across Syria, he learns that things aren’t as they seem. The mission is anything but cut-and-dry. To make matters worse, there are forces beyond his control that would like to see the operation (and Drake) fail. 

The disillusioned Drake will have to fight tooth and nail as he tries to stay alive and save the free world. 

”This operation was going to be one for the record books.”  

Bentley does a good job weaving various plot threads together throughout “Without Sanction.” 

He uses an alternating “first person/third person” structure for the novel’s narrative. 

Drake’s chapters are told in the first person point of view, employing the character’s voice in those passages. 

The other chapters — largely centered around White House Chief of Staff Peter Redman — are written in the third person point of view. 

You don’t often see alternating points of view in the same novel, but it is a technique that I have enjoyed in the past. 

The first time I read a novel structured in such a manner was Nelson DeMille’s 2000 thriller “The Lion’s Game.” It was DeMille’s second novel featuring protagonist John Corey, and it created a distinct contrast between the protagonist and the antagonist in the story. 

The technique works well in “Without Sanction.” Having read numerous novels in this genre, you’ll sometimes find that authors’ protagonists start to blur together. The first-person voice helps Matt Drake stand out among his literary peers. 

The supporting cast in “Without Sanction” is also pretty compelling. 

Drake’s friend, colleague, and former bodyguard Frederick Cates — call sign Frodo — is one such character. 

The former Delta Force sniper was “on loan” to the DIA when he sustained debilitating injuries during an operation with Drake. 

Frodo lost an arm and walks with the assistance of a cane, but the former operator still has Drake’s back (albeit, in a much different capacity). 

Protagonists in these sorts of novels often have a sidekick, and Frodo is one of the more uniquely drawn characters I’ve seen in this space. 

Another supporting character I enjoyed was Zain. Zain is one of Drake’s Syrian assets — a rough-and-tumble businessman who transports weapons to rebel groups across the country. 

I also enjoyed the chapters featuring the “political maneuverings” in “Without Sanction.” 

Watching Peter Redman (who is working to get President Jorge Gonzales re-elected) go toe-to-toe with CIA Director Beverly Castle (who has presidential aspirations of her own) reminded me of the kind of D.C. scheming we’ve seen in the best Vince Flynn and Brad Thor novels. 

“Men like us don’t quit. We stay until they carry us out in a wooden box.” 

Bentley also isn’t afraid to put his protagonist through the wringer. 

As I mentioned earlier, Matt Drake has to fight “tooth and nail” during his operation (and sacrifices a few teeth and nails along the way). Our hero has flaws and weaknesses, and Bentley wisely avoided making his protagonist invincible (which is all too tempting in this genre). 

It takes skill to do that using a first person point of view for the lead character, and Bentley did a masterful job creating doubt about Drake’s fate as he got tossed around Syria like a rag doll. 

Through my affiliation with the Mitch Rapp Ambassador program, I have been able to get to know Bentley a bit in recent years. It is fun to get to meet the authors behind the books I enjoy. 


Bentley’s publisher just released the cover art for his next Mitch Rapp thriller (for the Vince Flynn estate) titled “Double Tap.” I am looking forward to reading that book and am excited to see Bentley on tour later this year. 


In the meantime, you might want to dive into Bentley’s Matt Drake series. 

I really enjoyed “Without Sanction.” It is a solid debut that introduces a compelling protagonist in Matt Drake. The story is crisp, fast-paced, and is a great example of why I love this genre so much.

Highly recommended! 

To learn more about Don Bentley, visit his website at donbentleybooks.com. 

Click here to order “Without Sanction.” 

Click here to order his upcoming thriller “Double Tap.”

>> If you enjoyed my review of Don Bentley’s “Without Sanction,” be sure to follow me on Twitter/X: @TheJonCrunch 

Related Posts on Don Bentley: 



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Sunday, February 1, 2026

Book Review: “Cold Zero” By Brad Thor and Ward Larsen


By Jon Brooks 

Aviation-centered thrillers have certainly grabbed the public’s imagination recently. 

Whether we are talking about T.J. Newman’s thriller “Falling” (read my review) or the Netflix movie “Carry-On” (which ranks as one of the streamer’s most-watched movies), we’ve seen some terrific stories built around airplanes, airports, and the world of aviation. 

Brad Thor and fellow novelist Ward Larsen have entered the fray with “Cold Zero.” 

Both writers have had fruitful careers in the thriller genre — Thor with his venerable Scot Harvath series and Larsen with his David Slaton thrillers. (Larsen has also published a number of standalone novels.) 

I have read and reviewed books by both authors on this blog and was thrilled to receive an advance reader copy of “Cold Zero” from the publisher.  

The narrative in “Cold Zero” centers around Hemisphere Airlines Flight 777, an ultra first-class carrier geared toward high-end clients. 

In the opening pages of the novel, the CIA manages to extract Dr. Chen Li (a computer scientist) from China and puts him on the Hemisphere flight— a flight that is bound for New York City. 

Along for the ride is a technology he invented called Sky Fire — a suite of software that has the ability to give geopolitical superiority to those who control it. 

Dr. Li is under the watch of a CIA officer named Kasey Sheridan. 

When the airliner crashes in the Arctic Circle under mysterious circumstances, Li and Sheridan find themselves in a fight to survive and a fight to keep Sky Fire from falling into the wrong hands. 

Forces from the United States, Russia, and China are soon in the game as the fate of the world hangs in the balance. 

“Cold Zero” is a survival story with touches of Tom Clancy’s “The Hunt for Red October” and Alistair MacLean’s “Ice Station Zebra.” 

Despite the novel’s frigid setting, “Cold Zero” is a cool “beach read.” The chapters are short and snappy and the overall story chugs along at top speed. 

Larsen’s experience as a pilot is on display in the novel. He flew more than 20 missions while serving in the U.S. Air Force during Operation Desert Storm. He has also been an airline pilot and is a trained aircraft accident investigator. 

Aviation-related sequences have been solid in his previous novels and they are strong again in “Cold Zero.”  

Thor recently announced on NBC’s “Today” that “Cold Zero” is set to be made into a movie by Netflix. 

According to Deadline, “True Detective” creator Nic Pizzolatto will adapt the screenplay and Peter Berg (who directed “Lone Survivor” and the underrated thriller “The Kingdom”) is set to produce under his Film 44 banner (which has a first-look deal with Netflix). 

Overall, the Thor/Larsen “team up” for “Cold Zero” has resulted in an action-packed novel that serves as a terrific introduction to two of today’s best thriller writers. 

Highly recommended. 

Click here to order your copy of “Cold Zero” 

To learn more about Brad Thor, visit bradthor.com. 

To learn more about Ward Larsen, visit wardlarsen.com. 

>> If you enjoyed my review of “Cold Zero,” please follow me on Twitter/X - @TheJonCrunch 

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Friday, January 23, 2026

Book Review: "Cry Havoc" By Jack Carr


By Jon Brooks 

If there’s one thing Jack Carr understands, it is the pop cultural zeitgeist that defined a generation of boys born in the late 1960s and early 70s. 

When I was in my preteen years, movies like Sylvester Stallone’s “Rambo: First Blood Part II,” Chuck Norris’ “Missing In Action,” and the Gene Hackman vehicle “Uncommon Valor” epitomized the type of macho, blood-and-guts cinema that stirred imaginations.  

As I was reading the pages of Jack Carr’s latest novel “Cry Havoc,” I couldn’t help but see those influences at play. 

Carr has become something of a phenomenon in the world of thriller novels. He has crafted eight bestselling novels (seven featuring his venerable protagonist James Reece). 

But what sets Carr apart is the fact that his stories pay homage to the literary and cinematic heroes so many of us enjoyed in the 1970s and 80s. 

Carr has made it no secret during his writing career that the TV show “Magnum, P.I.” is deeply influential to him. 

I grew up watching “Magnum, P.I.” with my parents on Thursday nights. I own the series on DVD. And I purchased the digital version of the series in HD as I was reading Carr’s latest novel. 

“Cry Havoc” takes place in 1968. Our protagonist is Gunner’s Mate First Class Tom Reece, a Navy SEAL who is working with the highly-classified MACV-SOG in Vietnam.

Tom Reece is the father of James Reece (the protagonist Carr introduced in his 2018 novel “The Terminal List” — read my review). 

His full-name is Thomas Sullivan Reece (an obvious nod to Thomas Sullivan Magnum in “Magnum, P.I.”).

The MACV-SOG (which stands for “Military Assistance Command, Vietnam — Studies and Observations Group) conducted a number of “audacious operations” (as Carr puts it) during the Vietnam War (every MACV-SOG operator was wounded in 1968, and close to 50 percent were killed that year). 

Reece’s work with this group provides the narrative’s focal point in “Cry Havoc.” In addition to our hero’s journey, there are a number of interesting subplots and characters that add global intrigue to the novel.  

“Cry Havoc” is structured as a frame story, introducing our protagonist during a particularly thorny mission in Laos. We are left uncertain about the fate of Reece as the prologue concludes. 

The narrative then shifts back in time to four months earlier. The real-life capture of the spy ship USS Pueblo by Communist forces off the coast of North Korea informs the core of the story, setting off a cloak-and-dagger game between Cold War powers.

Carr interweaves various plot threads to build tension and suspense as he lays out the events that put our hero in the Laotian “predicament” presented at the beginning of the novel — threads that lend depth to the Cold War-era intrigue that “Cry Havoc” is built on. 

Overall, the structure works. 

Tom Reece finds himself at the center of things, trying to stay alive as he navigates various interests jockeying for control and influence as the war between North and South Vietnam rages. 

There are a number of interesting supporting characters introduced along the way. 

One in particular character I want to highlight is Ella DuBois, the daughter of a wealthy rubber plantation owner named Gaston DuBois. The CIA tasks Reece with figuring out where the loyalties of father/daughter lie as it regards Vietnam — past, present, and future. 

I wondered if Ella was partly inspired by the character Michelle Hue on “Magnum, P.I.” — Magnum’s former wife (and mother of his daughter Lily) who he wed during the Vietnam War. Michelle was played by actress Marta DuBois in various episodes during the show’s eight season run. If nothing else, I thought the name “Ella DuBois” might be a nod to the actress who played the character. 

Regardless, Ella serves as a love interest for our protagonist. She is also a vessel representing the mixed loyalties in Indochina during the war. It is a relationship that seems right at first, but causes Reece to question the ethical boundaries of his personal and professional life. 

Readers will find themselves treated to all sorts of little details that take you back to that era (and pop culture influences of the time). 

For example, Carr describes a Fulton Recovery System during the course of events (a person with a harness is connected to a miniature blimp that is then grabbed by an airplane passing overhead for extraction). 

It immediately took me back to the 1965 film “Thunderball” (the fourth entry in EON Productions James Bond series). The final scene in “Thunderball” employed a Fulton Recovery System. I know Carr is a connoisseur of the 007 movies, and I wonder if that might have been why the Fulton Recovery System got a nod in “Cry Havoc.” 


Carr has discussed the extensive research he did for “Cry Havoc,” which delayed the book’s release date to the fall of 2025. He wanted to try and write a novel that felt authentic for the time — not a revisionist tale crafted with the benefit of hindsight. His efforts are fully on display as you turn the pages, giving readers what might be Carr’s most detailed thriller to date. 

I’ve always had a soft spot for espionage novels centered around the Vietnam War. Tom Clancy’s 1993 novel “Without Remorse” is a personal favorite (I might need to revisit that novel again). I also loved Nelson DeMille’s 2002 novel “Up Country” (a novel that I have recommended to numerous readers over the years). 

Likewise, “Cry Havoc” will hold a special place in this reader’s heart. I had been looking forward to its release, and pre-ordered one of Carr’s special “Shot Through” Edition autographed versions (for this one, he used a Colt clone of a Vietnam-era CAR-15 rifle — like the one Tom Reece carries in the novel). 


Carr’s fascination with the Vietnam War and the cultural underpinnings of 1960s-era society is evident in “Cry Havoc.” His enthusiasm for the material helps set this novel apart from his previous thrillers. 

I hope this isn’t the last time we see Tom Reece at the center of a Carr-penned novel. I’d love to see him in action again. 

Highly recommended. 


To learn more about Jack Carr, visit https://www.officialjackcarr.com  


>> If you enjoyed my review of Jack Carr’s “Cry Havoc,” be sure and follow me on Twitter/X — @TheJonCrunch 

Related posts on author Jack Carr: 






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