Tuesday, July 23, 2024

Literally the Best Reviews: Shadow State

Shadow State - Frank Sennett
Crooked Lane Books
288 Pages


Thrillers that are written after grabbing attention from the headlines are always a lot of fun. When I first started reading thrillers, the United States was in a life or death struggle with the evil Soviet Union. Authors like Tom Clancy played on those fears and headlines to become a very successful writer. These days, the Soviet Union is only a memory, unless your name is Vladimir Putin. Instead, the thrillers ripped from the headlines are based on our own paranoia. Such is the case with Shadow State by Frank Sennett. Supposedly, this is the start of a new series. I sincerely hope it is.


Rafe Hendrix is a former sniper. After his military career, he worked for the Secret Service as a guard for President Wyetta Johnson. Hendrix and Johnson go way back, to their shared time in the Rangers together. Hendrix is dedicated to Johnson and saves her life in an attack on the Presidency. Disobeying a direct order, Hendrix saves the life of the president, but in the course of that event, an unspeakable tragedy unfolds. Never one to shy away from placing blame elsewhere, the government makes Hendrix pay for the tragedy and relieves him of duty.


Hendrix imposes an exile upon himself, retreating away from public life after the debacle. A murder draws him out of hiding and thrusts him into a game of political intrigue. While struggling to save lives around him, he has to protect himself and discover who is targeting him. Someone in the world blames him for something and will stop at nothing to make him pay. Hendrix must survive not only character assassination, but also his own possible assassination. He is a pariah among his former friends and colleagues, but he must turn to someone for help. Where do loyalties lie when there’s power and influence on the line?


Frank Sennett writes an intriguing plot of mystery and thrill. The twists and turns keep the reader engaged until, suddenly, in a whirlwind, you’ve reached the end of the book. Cliffhangers and plot twists come fast and furious. As the action heats up, the reading gets better. It is just that good of a book.


Shadow State by Frank Sennett isn’t an overly long book, but it packs a lot of punch in its pages. I read this in one evening, mostly because it was that much fun to read. The excitement and danger was palpable. If you’re looking for a weekend book to entertain you, this will be perfect. You won’t regret it.


Craig Bacon is sometimes a high-octane mercenary in his vivid imagination. In reality, he’s nearly there -- without the high-octane, danger, and mercenary skills. But it’s close.