A sleek, high-octane espionage drama…
Jacuzzi returns to his Dalton Drake series with a brisk, razor-sharp spy thriller crackling with paranoia, precision, and geopolitical consequence. Dalton Drake, a former CSIS agent now running a private intelligence firm with ties to the CIA, is trying to enjoy a brief vacation in San Francisco with his wife Abby and their adult son Ethan, whom he’s only recently come to know. But when the U.S. Vice President invites them to dinner (off the books), it becomes clear that rest isn’t in the cards. Something has gone terribly wrong within the elite Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance, and Drake is being pulled back into the field.
Jacuzzi wastes no time plunging readers into a world where secrets are currency, alliances are fragile, and the line between friend and foe shifts with alarming speed. Drake anchors the story with a steady hand and just enough world-weariness to make his insights sting. Abby is no background character; she’s a decorated RAF pilot who holds her own in combat and conversation. Ethan brings youthful energy and occasional recklessness to their operation. Together, they form a field team with real chemistry, both combustible and cohesive.
The narrative spans San Francisco, Canberra, Belgrade, and Beijing, capturing the vast and volatile terrain of modern intelligence work. The political backdrop is not just window dressing: AUKUS submarine contracts, cyber-sabotage, and intelligence leaks within the Five Eyes alliance are rendered with unnerving realism. When the action comes, it’s sharp and cinematic. The submarine duel is a standout, complete with sonar feints and electromagnetic stealth tech, while the San Francisco assassination attempt unfolds as a chaotic ballet of fire, metal, and controlled panic.
The story’s scope is vast. Assassinations in Sydney, double agents in Belgrade, political fallout in Beijing, and a cabal working behind the scenes all tie into one central question: Who is feeding classified information to enemy actors across the globe? Jacuzzi juggles these threads with surprising clarity. The pacing is brisk but controlled, and while the plot is intricate, it never becomes convoluted.
What makes the novel stand out is how it combines the clean logic of a procedural with the tension of a techno-thriller and the deep unease of a betrayal story. Jacuzzi doesn’t just toss drones and data at the reader. He builds dread from what those tools can’t uncover. The result is a thriller that feels one step ahead of the headlines.
Fans of Brad Thor, Daniel Silva, and Tom Clancy will feel right at home in Dalton Drake’s world.
Coming soon
