First published 2015
Jack Hatfield's journalism career lies in ruins after making controversial statements about Islamic extremists. The disgraced freelance reporter struggles to rebuild his reputation when his half-brother Sammy calls with urgent news. Sammy's neighbor Ana has overheard something dangerous, and now both their lives hang in the balance. Jack discovers Ana stumbled upon a terrorist conspiracy targeting Mecca itself. The plot traces back to a plane crash in the Caspian Sea. Flight bound for Amman, Jordan went down with no survivors except the Russian mercenary who hijacked it. From the wreckage, terrorists retrieved a cask containing an agent of extraordinary destructive power. The attack aims to trigger chaos that could drag America into another devastating war. Jack assembles a team of allies operating on the fringes of legality. Together they must identify the conspirators and stop the assault on Islam's holiest city. The stakes escalate beyond a single terrorist attack. Global war threatens to erupt if they fail. Jack races against time while enemies work to silence him permanently. In this world, apparent innocence masks guilt and loyalty proves unreliable even among those sworn to serve their country.
Genres: fiction, adventure, mystery, crime, contemporary, action, espionage, political-thriller
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Mecca, Caspian Sea, Amman, Jordan
Period: Contemporary
Audio CD · Macmillan Audio
Content warnings: violence