Covert warriors

In Mexico, unknown assailants posing as Mexican authorities attack a U.S. embassy vehicle, killing all of the passengers except one, whom they take with them, holding him hostage until the American government arranges for a drug lord to be sprung from federal prison in the States. Charley Castillo, the retired U.S. army colonel and Secret Service agent attached to the president although his relationship with the new Oval Office occupant is decidedly more contentious than with the previous president learns about the kidnapping and immediately suspects that it could have been deliberately staged to get his attention. Could the abduction be part of a plot by Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin to capture and erase Charley once and for all? And, if it is, can Charley count on any of his former government colleagues to help him out? The father-and-son writing team of Griffin and Butterworth keeps the Castillo series interesting by throwing their hero into new situations, e.g., taking him from being a highly respected government agent to something approaching a full-on outlaw, operating in an environment in which key players in the government would like nothing more than to see him eliminated permanently. Another solid entry in an always-popular series.--Pitt, David Copyright 2010 Booklist

The leisurely seventh presidential agent thriller starring Lt. Col. Charley Castillo from Griffin and Butterworth (after 2010's The Outlaws) opens with a bang. Mexican federales stop two U.S. Special Forces officers and two DEA agents at a roadblock near Acapulco, order them out of their SUV despite their diplomatic license plates, and shoot three of them dead, taking Lt. Col. James Ferris prisoner. It appears the drug cartels have Ferris, but Charley figures out that his arch enemy, Vladimir Putin-yes, that Vladimir Putin-is behind the attack. Charley's other enemy, U.S. president Zeke Clendennen, decides to rescue Ferris in an operation that's sure to get the man killed. Charley must snatch Ferris before the president can screw everything up. As usual, the authors exhaustively outline what's happened in earlier books, then lay out a plan that's swiftly implemented at the very end. Even loyal series fans may be weary of this formula by now. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

In Mexico, unknown assailants posing as Mexican authorities attack a U.S. embassy vehicle, killing all of the passengers except one, whom they take with them, holding him hostage until the American government arranges for a drug lord to be sprung from federal prison in the States. Charley Castillo, the retired U.S. army colonel and Secret Service agent attached to the president—although his relationship with the new Oval Office occupant is decidedly more contentious than with the previous president—learns about the kidnapping and immediately suspects that it could have been deliberately staged to get his attention. Could the abduction be part of a plot by Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin to capture and erase Charley once and for all? And, if it is, can Charley count on any of his former government colleagues to help him out? The father-and-son writing team of Griffin and Butterworth keeps the Castillo series interesting by throwing their hero into new situations, e.g., taking him from being a highly respected government agent to something approaching a full-on outlaw, operating in an environment in which key players in the government would like nothing more than to see him eliminated permanently. Another solid entry in an always-popular series. Copyright 2012 Booklist Reviews.

The leisurely seventh presidential agent thriller starring Lt. Col. Charley Castillo from Griffin and Butterworth (after 2010's The Outlaws) opens with a bang. Mexican federales stop two U.S. Special Forces officers and two DEA agents at a roadblock near Acapulco, order them out of their SUV despite their diplomatic license plates, and shoot three of them dead, taking Lt. Col. James Ferris prisoner. It appears the drug cartels have Ferris, but Charley figures out that his arch enemy, Vladimir Putin—yes, that Vladimir Putin—is behind the attack. Charley's other enemy, U.S. president Zeke Clendennen, decides to rescue Ferris in an operation that's sure to get the man killed. Charley must snatch Ferris before the president can screw everything up. As usual, the authors exhaustively outline what's happened in earlier books, then lay out a plan that's swiftly implemented at the very end. Even loyal series fans may be weary of this formula by now. (Jan.)