In this, the sixth outing in the James Reece saga, Only the Dead picks up where In the Blood left off. Reece has been arrested for the assassination of the American President. When James wakes up, naked, he finds that he has been ensconced in a 7-foot by 12-foot cell. With no lights, and no human contact, Reece has a lot of time alone with his thoughts. We see him re-living the events of the previous books. And having an inner dialogue with himself about being able to protect and defend those he loves. There are also scenes Reece remembers with his Father that reminds me of one of my favorite television shows growing up; Magnum PI. Which I know that Jack Carr was fond of as well.
When Reece is finally released from his cell by Victor Rodriguez, his boss at the CIA, he learns that he hasn’t been arrested, but hidden away until they could prove he had nothing to do with the death of the President. He and Vic surmise that whomever was involved in the assassination is connected to the letter that James’s Father left him; along with the mysterious safety deposit box key.
James soon learns that his Father was chasing a multinational organization, that was formed after WWII, that goes by the name of the Collective. This same organization is probably responsible for the death of his Father. The Collective was formed to control the outcome of world events and stop the possibility of a nuclear war. They are now about to unleash an event that will change the balance of power on the world stage, and James Reece is the only one who can stop it. James does all he can to stop this from happening, and we get to see him do what he does best.
Jack Carr has drawn a much darker James Reece in this latest outing. Those who follow the series have seen some of the interrogation techniques that Reece has used in the past. In this endeavor, he has upped the ante. There is a scene where I don’t know if it is James Reece of John Wick who is the main character in this book. All I know is that if there is a list, and if your name is on it, you better watch out, because death and mayhem are sure to follow.
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Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen
