DEA Special Agent Garrett Kohl is back for more action in Ricochet, the latest thriller from author Taylor Moore, now available in bookstores everywhere.
Kohl, who was first introduced in Moore’s acclaimed debut, Down Range (2021)—which #1 New York Times bestselling author Mark Greaney called “an intense, authentic, and spellbinding powerhouse that pulls no punches” when it first came out—also starred in the 2022 novel, Firestorm. A perfect fit for fans of C.J. Box and James Lee Burke, Moore’s Texas-based series has earned rave reviews from readers and critics alike, and for good reason. Not only is Moore a terrific author, but very few writers have a background that matches his (more on that below), and even fewer are writing the kind of hard-hitting action mixed with a modern-day Western that he’s become known for during his short career.
Bottom line—this guy has the goods, so if you aren’t already reading his stuff, jump on the bandwagon now because Taylor Moore is going to be around for a long, long time.
So is Garrett Kohl. Well, assuming he can make it out of Ricochet, a page-turning thriller that proves yet again that everything really is a little bigger down in Texas.
Just ahead of Ricochet hitting bookstores, I caught up with Taylor Moore, a super nice and humble guy, who agreed to go on the record for our Five Questions segment. This time around, I asked Taylor about everything from when he knew he wanted to be an author to what’s next for him after this book, and he didn’t hold back whatsoever. See the full Q&A below, then make sure to grab your copy of Ricochet today.
TRBS: Taylor, congrats on the publication of your third Garrett Kohl novel. Ricochet is probably my favorite of your books so far, and I cannot wait to hear what readers think of this one! To start things out here, how did you come up with the story idea for this book?
Moore: Thank you, Ryan. I’m really glad you enjoyed Ricochet. So far, I’m getting a great response from readers. The concept of using the nuclear weapons facility, which is actually located near Garrett’s ranch, was a no-brainer for me. I always try to use a few elements from the Old West in each of my novels. So, the idea of bringing back the armored White Train, which transported WMD across the country from the 1950s-1980s was impossible to resist. I think fans of Butch Cassidy and Sundance will love all the action scenes, and really take to this wild adventure on the Texas High Plains.
TRBS With such an interesting background, you’ve done and seen a lot, I’m sure. At what point did you decide you wanted to be an author, and what made you finally take the plunge and start writing?
Moore: Like a lot of authors, I initially took up writing novels as a hobby. I wrote my first book over two decades ago, really as more of a bucket list kind of thing, having no idea it would become an actual career. It wasn’t until my wife encouraged me to really give it a shot that I started writing on a professional level. It took a while to get established, but once I did, I never looked back.
TRBS: What is your writing process like, and has it changed at all since you first sat down to write your debut novel, Down Range, several years back?
Moore: My writing process is constantly evolving, and I think it always will. There’s a lot of trial and error in finding what works when you first get started, but I’ve learned to trust my instincts over time. In terms of the day-to-day process, I’ve found myself changing a few things from book to book. Recently, I’ve been sticking with the same storyline as I write, whereas I previously wrote chapter by chapter in sequence, just as it is in the finished novel. My guess is that in my next book, I’ll be trying something entirely new.
TRBS: Who are some of your favorite authors, and what are some books you’ve read recently that people should check out?
Moore: There are a lot of great new authors coming up on the scene, but I still go back to the legends that I grew up reading. Guys like Tom Clancy and Nelson DeMille are still among my favorite thriller and suspense writers. And Larry McMurtry and Cormac McCarthy are huge influences when it comes to Westerns. I recently had the honor of getting a quote from DeMille for Ricochet. There’s really no greater joy than to have an author hero read and endorse your book.
TRBS: Lastly, now that Ricochet is out, what’s next for you and when can readers expect more Garrett Kohl?
Moore: There is a lot more to come on the dusty Texas horizon for Garrett Kohl. I recently finished the fourth book in the series, and now I’m outlining his next adventures for books five and six. So, it looks like there will be no rest for either of us anytime soon.
Taylor Moore is the author of Firestorm and Down Range, which was nominated for the Barry Award for Best First Novel, named a Strand Magazine Best Mystery of the year, and selected for the Texas Library Association’s Lariat Reading List. He is a sixth-generation Texan who grew up on a farm and ranch northwest of Houston and is a former CIA Intelligence Officer who worked in both analysis and operations and later consulted for the Department of Defense in Theater Security Cooperation, Force Protection, and Counternarcotics. He now lives in the Texas Panhandle with his wife and two children, where he is a full-time author, screenwriter, and speaker. Ricochet is Moore’s third novel featuring Garrett Kohl.
Praised as “One of the hardest working, most thoughtful, and fairest reviewers out there” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, Ryan Steck has “quickly established himself as the authority on mysteries and thrillers” (Author A.J. Tata). Steck also works full-time as a freelance editor and is building a growing community on Twitch. His debut thriller, FIELDS OF FIRE, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr says “will leave you speechless and begging for more,” is now available. His second novel, LETHAL RANGE, comes out on August 8th. For more information, be sure to follow him on Twitter and Facebook. And to take part in free, exclusive BOOK CLUBS each month, join The Real Book Spy on Discord.