Into the Fire

Hard Vengeance, Book 9 in the Jon Reznick Thriller Series, by J. B. Turner starts with a phone call by a distraught father and continues on to the island of Mallorca/Majorca, Spain. 

Jon receives the news from Assistant Director of the FBI Martha Meyerstein's high-powered attorney father who can barely convey the message he's just received from a representative of the State Department. The shocking news rocks Jon's world as he travels to the island of Majorca to view and do his own investigation into the so-called accidental explosion on the yacht where Martha and her friend were vacationing. 

He's immediately convinced this was no accident. A former SAS Scotsman "Mac", who runs his own scuba diving business now that he's retired in Majorca, confirms Jon's assessment. But before Mac can share more information he's taken by the local Civil Guard police and quickly disappears. Mac's sister was scheduled to arrive the following day and gets in touch with Jon, knowing something is wrong. 

When Jon discovers from his own surveillance, someone intends to kill him, he sends vague photographs to the FBI Director hoping for identification even though the FBI has disowned him. He's warned off his personal investigation on Majorca and told to go home immediately by an onsite representative from the State Department, but Jon refuses to bow to the threats. Realizing this was an assassination of the only woman he's come to deeply care for since the death of his wife on 9/11, he will not comply with any alternatives to eliminating whoever is responsible for this. 

When his daughter Lauren (now with the FBI) shows up after he purposely didn't inform her of what had happened and where he was, he's not happy with her decision. However, she's as stubborn as he is and intends to help him with the investigation in spite of him. There is more tragedy and amped up fear as Jon's adversary's intention is made perfectly clear to them. 

The majority of this story consists of Jon trying to identify the assassin. Turner gives the reader glimpses of the killer's manic brain who fills himself with his own superiority, his physical regimen, his psychopathic methodology, his use of cocaine and classical music, and his utter belief that he will be the victor in accomplishing his hard vengeance. 

Some readers might expect more of the slap-down violence in the story, but this violence is more "off-screen" and calculated – though no less deadly. The evil is real, the challenge both psychological and murderous, and Jon doesn't take well to being the victim especially with his daughter alongside him. The sharp pursuit and game-ending fast-paced violence comes at the end when it's do or die. Getting to the truth is an ongoing and difficult discovery but well worth the investigation. Getting Lauren incorporated into what it takes to do the truly ugly stuff is not an easy task for Jon, but having established her adulthood, he really has no choice. 

Turner does some good writing depicting Jon descending into the dark place he occupied after his wife's death, but his determination to fight through it is admirable. A good read.  

(Profanity profuse toward the end.) 

Father, as always I thank you for your writers/authors. Such talent you give. Please continue to bless J. B.'s life and work and may He know the One who's blessed him with his talent. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.