Shadow Target is cleared hot right from the start, jammed packed with violence and explosive action from the first sentence to the last.
In this fourth installment of the series, David Ricciardi delivers another strong, well-written, fast-paced story about intelligence analyst turned CIA operative Jake Keller attempting to figure out who’s trying to kill him. Along the way, Jake gets entangled in a plot to kill a world leader, a mole hunt, and maybe the most dangerous mission of all…reconciling with a scorned ex-lover.
While the action is unrelenting and highly entertaining, maybe the best part of Shadow Target is the character development. Ricciardi does a marvelous job of adding depth and clarity to Jake’s personality and motivations. He nails the Russian oligarch’s disposition and behavior. He also brilliantly crafts the state of mind of a French woman who simultaneously carries a grudge and a torch for Jake. But what I really loved was the inclusion of two distinguished senior Brits, Lady Celia Parker and Sir James Houghton. They add wisdom and intrigue inside the unexpected package of grandparent-like figures. Put it all together and this is a character-driven story that engages the reader throughout.
That’s not to say the book is all about the characters. The plot is well-crafted, taking the reader from a French ski enclave to the streets of Paris and London and the Washington DC Metro area. The spy craft is excellent. The action sequences are fierce. And the operational details are spot on. In other words, this book is a well-executed thriller sure to be a hit with fans of the genre.
Once again, David Ricciardi proves he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the big thriller authors. Fans of Mark Greaney, Brad Thor and Ward Larsen will find this book and the entire series to be an enjoyable and satisfying reading experience.
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Barrington Books
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Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen
