by Ted Bell
Part of Alexander Hawke, book 8
First published 2014
British counterspy Lord Alexander Hawke faces his deadliest adversary yet. Five years after masked thugs kidnapped a Pentagon scientist and his family in Washington, D.C., a Cambridge professor turns up murdered using ancient Chinese torture methods. Hawke teams with Scotland Yard's Ambrose Congreve to investigate, but the killing signals something far worse. The American president shows disturbing signs of mental instability while tensions explode between the United States, China, and North Korea. A massive drone attacks mourners at Arlington Cemetery. North Korean sailors murder four Americans in the East China Sea. China deploys advanced fighter jets and submarines that surpass anything the West possesses. Behind the chaos stands Chyna Moon, a brilliant Chinese assassin orchestrating events toward global war. Hawke must infiltrate enemy territory and destroy their technological advantage before the world plunges into catastrophe. The fate of millions hangs on his most dangerous mission.
Genres: military-fiction, adventure, suspense, action, espionage, political-thriller
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, high-stakes, infiltration
Setting: Arlington Cemetery, Cambridge, China, East China Sea, North Korea, Pentagon, Scotland Yard, United States, Washington D.C.
Period: 5 Years Ago, Present Day
467 pages · Hardcover · William Morrow
Content warnings: violence