Lots of authors would love to come up with the next Jack Reacher but for many it’s a bit of a long shot. However, there is plenty of room for more blistering action series that deliver the dopamine hits we thriller fans crave. Behind the 14th novel in Kerry J Donovan’s Ryan Kaine there is a solid track record, so how does the latest adventure stand up?
It all began with On the Run, which introduced Ryan Kaine and laid the groundwork for what would follow. Kaine is a former member of the Special Boat Service comprised of elite combatants – the Royal Navy equivalent of the SAS. Having left the service to freelance, he was hired for an anti-terror mission but was double-crossed by his client and duped into shooting down a passenger aircraft, killing 83 innocent people. If he survived the manhunt set upon him, Kaine vowed to protect the families of the victims – they are The 83, a motif in the series and his opportunity for redemption.
Kaine has friends in high places who understand his plight and want to help. They include significant opposition politicians and the head of the National Counter Terror Agency, Sir Ernest Hartington. With an election coming he is hopeful for an exoneration from NCTA for his unwitting involvement in the tragedy of The 83.
In On the Trail, Toby and Melissa are lovely, thoughtful grandparents. They are taking their grandchildren out for a meal in Staffordshire. The day turns bad when a loud-mouthed yob called Dylan spoils things, swearing and showing off. When Toby confronts him, Dylan gets aggressive and it doesn’t look good for the older man until a stranger steps in to help out. The situation appears to defuse.
Thinking it’s over, the family drive home but a car runs them off the road. Melissa is killed in the crash, Toby seriously hurt. The children, thankfully, fare better. Toby tells the police about the car that caused the accident, but the police appear to think it’s a figment of his imagination, and blame shifts to Toby himself. Naturally the children aren’t clear on what happened.
But things don’t end there. Kaine, living on a farm in Northamptonshire, reads about the accident involving the parents of one of The 83 and that the police want to charge Toby. So he pretends to be a welfare officer from The 83 Trust to interview him to understand what happened.
The road rage incident was a stupid act with tragic consequences but when Dylan’s father finds out the family closes ranks. This is no ordinary family, they’re involved in organised crime and Dylan’s dad is a nasty piece of work. It’s not long before everyone connected to the incident is in danger – witnesses and friends who know too much. When Kaine realises what’s happened to Toby and the family he steps up and puts himself in the firing line, even he doesn’t realise how dangerous things will get.
The thing is he’s an honourable man and he won’t walk away. A showdown looms, and the crime family are about to discover what they’re dealing with.
There is plenty happening for lovers of the fast-paced thriller here. Donovan knows how to make action scenes sizzle on the page. This is a longish novel at over 500 pages and there are slower sections that might have been leaner. That said, there is subtlety to this tale, too. We get a sense of the backstory of members of The 83 and Kaine’s campaign to clear his name. With a steady building of tension, sense of suspense and the development of credible interesting characters, both good and bad. Kaine isn’t just a killing machine and we can feel sorry for Toby and Melissa, despise Dylan and worry about his dad.
The result is that unlike a lot of two dimensional thrillers you do care about the plight of the characters up against a petty minded brutal thug. Hits the spot if you want a book to relax with and forget the world around you, and who doesn’t.
Vinci Books
Print
£4.99
CFL Rating: 4 Stars
