Edge of Danger

November 2, 2015
Compared to Reus's previous Deadly Ops novels, the fourth (after Shattered Duty) is less gripping, but there's still plenty of groping. When DEA Deputy Director and Deadly Ops Team boss Max Southers is murdered, Tucker Pankov fears his fellow Deadly Ops team members are in danger. His suspicions are confirmed when hit men simultaneously attempt to assassinate them all. Next somebody hacks into DEA personnel files, links the team to a terrorist group, and revokes their top security clearance. It's obvious this is an inside job, so they're forced to "go rogue" to ID the mastermind, avenge Southers's death, and clear their names. The action is pretty tame and doesn't improve when it takes all four Deadly Ops fighters to kidnap NSA analyst Karen Stafford. She's a necessary link to Wesley Burkhart, the only man they're certain is incorruptible. Of course circumstances force Tucker and Karen to spend enough quality time alone together to develop feelings for one another. Maybe cybercrimes take some of the action out of action thrillers, or maybe Reus just felt like coasting through this one. Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.