Into the Fire

In J. B. Turner's Book 3 Hard Wired in the Jon Reznick Thriller Series, Jon gets a phone call from his friend Tiny who's just been in what will turn out to be a fatal car crash. Tiny's dying words warn Jon that "They're going to kill us all." Jon is left dazed by the cryptic message and without a clue who "they" might be and who "us" includes. 

As it turns out, the information circulated about Tiny's crash is terribly wrong and sends Jon on the hunt for who murdered his Delta brother and his family. What he learns is it involves an operation where he and several of his Delta brothers were assigned, and there is now an ongoing execution planned on America soil of him and those specific men assigned to that detail. He wasn't in time to help Tiny, unaware of the plan by a foreign cell, but he's determined to help the others in spite of having not seen them for years. Tiny's death hit him hard because Tiny had just assisted him in protecting a scientist dark forces planned to execute, and he was unable to protect Tiny when he needed it most. 

Martha Meyerstein, FBI Assistant Director, eventually assists, but cautions Jon all along the way because Jon never plays by the rules – which in private moments she knows is the only way some things get done – but her hands are often tied to do them. Mostly, she warns Jon that he's on his own if he gets caught. 

As Martha learns (along with the reader), there's no stopping Jon Reznick if he's determined to do something. She does help where she can because she respects his history and courage, and she maybe likes him a little more than she wants to admit to herself. 

The search for the killers is convoluted and not without more deaths, but Jon's perseverance discovers more than expected.  

I find this series entertaining and generally action-packed. (I noticed the one star reviews on Amazon mostly deal with weapons and their uses mistakes which are a fatal flaw for some who've served in the military and law enforcement. For them, it shows a lack of knowledge/research and renders an impossible/implausible circumstance which ultimately diminishes the character and reading experience.)

In Hard Way FBI Assistant Director Martha Meyerstein is kidnapped on her way home from work by an elite bunch who pull off a perfect ruse to get her. The FBI and their seeming inability to advance the search quickly sends Jon into seek and destroy mode. He pressures the Director to allow him to help and expresses some questions as to how this could've happened. Many things aren't adding up, and when there's the suggestion of CIA and the Russian mob involvement, Jon knows "the rules" won't work in the extraction of Meyerstein. 

As with all of this series, we learn more about Jon. He's a Dexedrine-popping private operator who has helped the FBI precisely because of what Martha Meyerstein did for him in their first encounter. He's loyal to a fault as the saying goes but will sacrifice himself to help anyone who has helped him. Stubbornly addicted to rescuing her, he extracts information however he can and proceeds from there. Failure is not an option.

There's a dynamic between Martha and Jon neither of them will pursue or admit to themselves. Martha's a pure professional, loves her job except when her subordinates and boss and other agencies give her grief, and she stands up for Jon – except when she can't – because in her heart she knows he wants to solve their difficult dilemmas. He goes against the grain, pushes all the buttons to agitate, but ultimately won't settle for the wrong thing. 

Can't help enjoying this series. Something about those tough former military guys . . .  

Increasing profanity – sadly – present. 

Father, only you know the hearts of us all. You judge the heart. You save souls. Please let those writers know who has given them their talent. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.