Brad Taylor dials things up in a big way for his 18th Pike Logan novel, kicking off the new year with an exciting, ripped-from-the-headlines thriller that sets an impossibly high bar for the rest of the genre to try and match in 2024.
Set after the events of The Devil’s Ransom (2023), a group of Ukrainian partisans known as the Wolves are tasked with responding to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Their mission is to assassinate Putin, finally removing him from power once and for all, but doing so brings its own set of potential problems. For starters, Putin, who knows all too well of the target painted squarely on his back, including threats from within Russia, has taken steps to ensure he won’t go quietly into the night. Rather than fade from relevancy and let his death bring peace to surrounding nations, Putin—should the assassination plot prove successful—has made arrangements to cement his place in history and enter the afterlife by kicking off World War III.
Calling on Victor Petrov, commander of the Russian National Guard, Putin has put into place a plan called “Dead Man’s Hand,” which would start with Petrov launching a nuclear attack on the West should anything happen to him. Soon to follow would be a string of high-profile assassinations, all aimed at keeping Finland and Sweden from joining the NATO alliance.
Back in the States, Taskforce leader Pike Logan and his team are training in North Carolina when they’re called to their Blaisdell Consulting offices in Washington and read in on recent intelligence reports out of Sweden. There’s a lot they don’t know, but one thing is certain—Putin is up to something, and whatever is going on needs to be stopped. When it comes to expanding, from the American’s side of things, it’s generally agreed upon that Hungary will likely play ball for the greater good and “drop any reservations,” whereas Turkey is considered one of the “big sticks in the wheel” and a legitimate threat to torpedo the required unanimous vote needed to join NATO. That’s enough to get Pike and his crew wheels up, with the Taskforce en route to Sweden, where their job is to protect Finland and Sweden’s attempts to join NATO at all costs. To do so, they’ll first need to identify Victor Petrov’s target and then figure out their next steps from there. But as fans of Taylor’s books have come to expect, things are rarely that simple or straightforward.
Once in Sweden, where the chilled November air is frigid enough to cut through multiple layers, things heat up in a hurry once Pike realizes that there’s far more going on than anyone realizes, putting him up against a ticking clock that’ll send the Taskforce jetting around the globe in hopes of stopping Putin and a nuclear war that would forever change the world as we know it today.
Plenty of writers are smart enough to understand geopolitics on a deeper level than most humans. The real trick is simplifying and presenting things—which, of course, need to be wrapped around a unique and fresh story idea—in a way that both teaches and entertains readers simultaneously. Very few authors can do that. Of those who can, there are probably only two in the genre today who also have the background to bring the sort of high-powered action and been-there-done-that authenticity that’ll have readers ducking for cover once the bullets start flying, and Brad Taylor is one of them. In fact, he’s been doing it longer than anyone else while also flashing plenty of headline-beating ability throughout his career. To that end, I’m not sure Taylor has ever been more on the money than he is here, with Dead Man’s Hand featuring a chilling plot that is both sobering and more terrifying when you factor in just how plausible the whole thing actually is.
While the story itself works as a standalone plot, longtime readers will no doubt appreciate Taylor’s continued devotion to character development. For example, Pike Logan faces a lot of adversity here. His orders don’t always align with what’s necessary to see the job through, creating a moral conundrum that’ll test Pike in a plethora of ways the hard-charging operator might not appreciate. That deft touch makes Pike, Jennifer, and the rest of the gang (which includes the return of a major fan-favorite killing machine) feel real. Like you know them. That, in turn, raises the stakes because, as Taylor has already proven in past books, nobody is ever really untouchable, and the only way to know who makes it out alive is to race through the pages, following along as Taylor’s complex plot is masterfully revealed. Bottom line: Dead Man’s Hand is more than just a bang, bang-shoot-em-up book full of gun porn and graphic violence. There’s real heart, with a hero to root for, and a timely, sophisticated plot that bleeds realism on every page.
Brad Taylor takes a big swing with Dead Man’s Hand, his latest Pike Logan adventure, hitting that sweet spot between balls-to-the-wall action and a story that feels primed to mirror tomorrow’s headlines. Fans of Flynn and Clancy will want to move this one to the top of their reading lists.
Book Details
Author: Brad Taylor
Series: Pike Logan #18
Pages: 464 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 0063222051
Publisher: William Morrow
Release Date: January 23, 2024
Praised as “One of the hardest working, most thoughtful, and fairest reviewers out there” by 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, is also in bookstores, and his third book, OUT FOR BLOOD, comes out on June 4th. For more information, be sure to follow him on Twitter and Facebook. To interact with other readers and talk about your favorite books and authors, join The Real Book Spy’s Discord server.