Former Army Ranger and thief Van Shaw is thrust into danger as lethal and unpredictable as the war he left behind in this emotionally powerful and gritty follow up to the acclaimed Past Crimes.When an old crony of Van Shaw’s late grandfather calls in a favor, the recently-discharged Ranger embarks on a dangerous journey to the Olympic Mountains, in search of a missing girl tied to Van’s own … to Van’s own criminal past. What he finds instead is a brutal murder scene, including a victim from one of Seattle’s most influential families.
But the dead bodies are only the start of Van’s troubles. A fellow Ranger from Afghanistan turns up at Van’s doorstep, seeking support from his former sergeant even as Van wrestles with his own reemerging symptoms of PTSD. The murder investigation leads to heavy pressure, with a billionaire businessman on one side and vicious gangsters on the other, each willing to play dirty to get what they want.
The price of his survival may be too high, demanding moral compromises that could destroy Van’s relationship with his iron-willed girlfriend, Luce. And when a trusted friend’s betrayal pushes him to the edge, Van has to enlist help from some unexpected places—including someone he believed was lost forever.
The Ranger will need every ally he can get. A powerful, unseen player is about to unleash a firestorm on Seattle that will burn Van and his people to ashes—and it will take a miracle to stop it.
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Van Shaw has just returned to Seattle from his time in the Army Rangers when Willard, one of his grandfather’s friends, asks for a favor. Willard is concerned about his niece, who went to her boyfriend’s cabin and hasn’t been heard from since. Van goes out there and discovers a grisly scene. It looks like a murder suicide, but Van begins to investigate anyway. He soon finds himself facing more danger than he bargained for. Will his Ranger training keep him alive? Or are the forces at work too great for him?
After enjoying the first book in the series, I was anxious to revisit Van. He was just as great a character this time around, and I enjoyed watching him grow a bit and interact with the characters, both old and new. The plot just continues to build until we reach the satisfying and explosive climax. The series is darker than I normally enjoy, and that did bother me a little, but that is completely on me. I do appreciate how Van’s past, both before the Army and as a Ranger, is worked into the story, and the light it shines on the struggles vets face when they return to civilian life. I will be picking up the third book soon.
It’s a special pleasure when an author’s sophomore effort lives up to the promise of the first book. We met Van Shaw in Past Crimes when he was an Army Ranger walking a fine line between being AWOL and helping his grandfather, and now Van’s back, out of the Army but still at loose ends. He’s the kind of character who appeals to Jack Reacher fans and others who like a solid mystery with a stand-up hero, or in Van’s case, edging toward skirting-the-law anti-hero. Ex-Sgt. Shaw is the kind of guy who you’d want at your back in a fight, and he doesn’t let his friends down.
I’m enjoying these action packed novels and look forward to more of Van Shaw’s adventures in the Pacific NW. He clearly has enough sketchy people in his troubled past to provide plenty of suspense and excitement, the escape we all need right now.
Very enjoyable read. Good twists and t
Didn’t see the end coming.
You won’t be bored
I didn’t read the first book about Van Shaw. This one is a stand alone, but the background would be helpful.
An old friend of Van’s dead grandfather asks Van for a favor. All he needs to do is go check on the man’s niece, Elana (who Van knew when they were teens), who is at a cabin with her boyfriend, Kend. Elana took the fall for Van and his grandfather years earlier and Van owes her. Kend is the son of the wealthiest developer in Seattle.
When Van gets there, he finds two bodies, male and female. The male is being consumed by a bear. He reports the deaths and decides on his own to find out what happened.
The more Van digs the more confusing it becomes. Meanwhile, a former Ranger buddy, Leo, shows up on his doorstep with PTSD. His girlfriend, Luce, is running out of patience with Van and his antics.
The book jumps back and forth between the present and when Van was growing up. I guess it is to explain why Van is getting involved, but confusing.
Not sure I really like Van all that much. I like the story and several of the other characters. Maybe if I had read the first book, I would like Van more. As is, there are too many things about him I don’t understand.
Still, a good read. Worth the time.