#politicalthriller – Page 2 – Avonna Loves Genres

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Inside Threat by Matthew Quirk

Book Description

Assume the worst. Code Black.

The day that every secret service agent trains for has arrived. The White House has been breached; the President forced to flee to a massive doomsday bunker outside DC to defend against whatever comes next. Only the most trusted agents and officials are allowed in with him—those dedicated to keeping the government intact at all costs.

Among these is Erik Hill, who has given his life to the Secret Service. They are his purpose and his family, and his impressive record has made him a hero among them. Despite his growing disillusionment from seeing Washington corruption up close, Erik can’t ignore years of instincts honed on the job. The government is under attack, and no one is better equipped to face down the threat than he is.

The evidence leads him to a conspiracy at the highest levels of power, with the attack orchestrated by some of the very individuals now locked in with him. As the killers strike inside the bunker, it will take everything Erik Hill has to save his people, himself, and his country.

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Elise’s Thoughts

Inside Threat by Matthew Quirk is a political thriller that will remind readers of Vince Flynn’s Transfer of Power and David Baldacci’s characters Sean King and Michelle Maxwell, retired Secret Service Agents. The plot has secrets, lies, and betrayals with the readers not knowing who the bad guys are and who are the good guys.

The book begins with an attack on the White House, obvious that it has been breached. The President, his wife, the most trusted officials, and the best Secret Service Agents move to a secure underground facility known as Raven Rock. Most impressive is how Quirk drew a simplified version of this complex. It is a facility 700 feet under a mountain near Camp David.

Secret Service Agents Eric Hill and Amber Cody, soon discover the threat is locked inside with them. Communications have been cut, exits sabotaged, and bodies piling up. Hill and Cody must use their skills and instincts to determine who can be trusted. Are the perpetrators the officials, or those in the Army, or the Secret Service? Both know they must do whatever it takes to protect the institution they have been sworn to serve and protect.

Given the current events, this concept of a threat to the government from within is very scary. Wondering who is a friend and who is a foe has readers taking the dangerous journey with Hill and Cody. The many twists will keep people reading, not wanting to put the book down. The Q&A below comes from notes from a conversation with Quirk that has been condensed.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea?

Matthew Quirk: I try to strike a balance between a conspiracy shadow behind certain powers, while adding hope, realism, and not feeding into the cynicism. The premise has what would happen if a President came under attack? I played with these questions for the readers to think about. What is the drive behind someone going against the office they are protecting? Are they protecting a larger value by taking matters into their own hands? Is going rogue part of the problem or solving the problem? Who can be trusted? This is my go at a Die Hard or Seven Days in May story with a bit of Agatha Christie thrown in.

EC: Was the President based on anyone?

MQ: This is an interesting time for politics, with such a high temperature. I try in writing a plot to be non-partisan. Some readers of my books have diametrically opposed views. They find corollaries of what is currently happening. For them, the story will often confirm their views of how they perceive Washington DC. For instance, if there is a crooked President in the book, each side thinks the President is part of the other side. For me, it is interesting that I can write these political thrillers in an incredibly polarized time and still have them appeal broadly.

EC: How would you describe President Kline?

MQ: Some think he is paranoid, elitist, aloof, but others think he is caring and protective. One of the mysteries of the book is, can the President be trusted to defend the Constitution?

EC: What is real in the book?

MQ: “Yankee White,” a special background investigation, basically a clearance, required of anyone who will hold the President’s life in their hands such as a chef, helicopter pilot, and a doctor. There is this distinct circle of people that would single handedly be able to kill the President.

The saying “shut up and color,” which is military slang for “do your job and follow orders.” This was one of the themes of the book because what if doing the right thing and following orders are at odds.

My friend had written an entire book on Raven Rock, the bunker 700 feet under a mountain near Camp David. I tried to find a bunch of imagery. In the beginning of the book, I drew a simplified layout of the architectural buildings and tunnels. I wanted the reader to follow along with the action I did take some liberties to streamline things, but everything in the book comes from real life.

The Presidential Emergency Action Documents, which are documents that can be invoked by the President. No one knows what is in them. The President could possibly create martial law, suspend Congress, nationalize industries, and ignore the Constitution.

EC: Do you think Secret Service Agents can be flies on the wall?

MQ: I have this book quote, they “can see everything and see nothing.” I did talk to Secret Service people for the book. Their job is to protect the person and yet they are seeing Washington politics up close. They still do their job, which is protecting the office. Even if it someone they do not respect they are still willing to protect them, even to the point of sacrificing their life. This is very honorable.

EC: How would you describe the Secret Service Agent Eric Hill?

MQ: Direct, a straight talker, protective, has a slight temper, loyal and suspicious. Because of his backstory he is disillusioned.

EC: How would you describe the rookie Secret Service Agent Amber Cody?

MQ: Tough, smart, stubborn, enthusiastic, disciplined, and feels she needs to prove herself to be brave.

EC: There is a book quote about the Secret Service that reminds me of those in the military. Please explain.

MQ: You are referring to this book quote, “The Service was in many ways closer than family. Agents spent more time with each other than they did with their wives and husbands and kids. They gave everything to the job, including their lives… They lived together, ate together, counted off endless hours driving through the sticks, standing in the rain, staked out in cars, and holed up in hotels.” Many of them are former military. Talking to the real-life Secret Service Agents gave me this impression. They are so dedicated. It is like a military brotherhood.

EC: A movie or TV show being made?

MQ: Yes, we just announced that Chernin Entertainment has optioned the book for a feature film. I’m really excited to be working with them. The Night Agent has been renewed for season two with the plan to be out in 2024.

EC: Your next book?

MQ: It’s early, so this could change, but the premise is that an actress who always plays tough characters and is well trained in weapons and martial arts has her friend gone missing. While looking for them, she is drawn into the world of espionage and diplomacy. To save her friend and survive she needs to become as tough as the characters she plays on TV.

THANK YOU!!

***

BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: The Night Agent by Matthew Quirk

Book Description

To find a Russian mole in the White House, an FBI agent must question everything. . . and trust no one

To save America from a catastrophic betrayal, an idealistic young FBI agent must stop a Russian mole in the White House in this exhilarating political thriller reminiscent of the early novels of John Grisham and David Baldacci.

No one was more surprised than FBI Agent Peter Sutherland when he’s tapped to work in the White House Situation Room. From his earliest days as a surveillance specialist, Peter has scrupulously done everything by the book, hoping his record will help him escape the taint of his past. When Peter was a boy, his father, a section chief in FBI counterintelligence, was suspected of selling secrets to the Russians—a catastrophic breach that had cost him his career, his reputation, and eventually his life.

Peter knows intimately how one broken rule can cost lives. Nowhere is he more vigilant than in this room, the sanctum of America’s secrets. Staffing the night action desk, his job is monitoring an emergency line for a call that has not—and might never—come.

Until tonight.

At 1:05 a.m. the phone rings. A terrified young woman named Rose tells Peter that her aunt and uncle have just been murdered and that the killer is still in the house with her. Before their deaths, they gave her this phone number with urgent instructions: “Tell them OSPREY was right. It’s happening. . . “

The call thrusts Peter into the heart of a conspiracy years in the making, involving a Russian mole at the highest levels of the government. Anyone in the White House could be the traitor. Anyone could be corrupted. To save the nation, Peter must take the rules into his own hands and do the right thing, no matter the cost. He plunges into a desperate hunt for the traitor—a treacherous odyssey that pits him and Rose against some of Russia’s most skilled and ruthless operatives and the full force of the FBI itself.

Peter knows that the wider a secret is broadcast, the more dangerous it gets for the people at the center. With the fate of the country on the line, he and Rose must evade seasoned assassins and maneuver past jolting betrayals to find the shocking truth—and stop the threat from inside before it’s too late.

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Elise’s Thoughts

The Night Agent by Matthew Quirk was published in 2021. It has been made into a Netflix TV series, http://www.netflix.com/thenightagent, and was released on March 23^rd. Both the show and book are riveting thrillers that delve into corruption at the highest levels of government.

The plot has FBI Agent Peter Sutherland tapped to work in the White House Situation Room. When Peter was a boy, his father was suspected of being a traitor, a breach that cost him his career, his reputation, and eventually his life. Now Peter’s job is monitoring an emergency telephone line from US diplomats or assets in trouble. The phone never rings until one night a terrified young woman named Rose tells Peter that her aunt and uncle are being threatened and the perpetrator is after her. Peter believes her and decides to help, thrusting him and Rose into danger as they try to find out if there is a traitor in the White House.

People can watch the Netflix episodes first and then read the book or vice versa. In both cases there is a riveting story that has some different aspects between the book and the series. Below is an interview with the stars of the show, Gabriel Basso (Peter Sutherland), Luciane Buchanan (Rose Larkin), the creator/showrunner/executive producer, Shawn Ryan, and the author, Matthew Quirk.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: After watching the Netflix episodes people could still go back and read the book because of the differences. Do you agree?

Matthew Quirk: People are not watching a rendition of the book. The show and the book are on their own terms. It is wild to see a scene I have written on screen, but there were also things that happened I did not write. I really loved the series. My wife and I were able to watch all ten episodes. I forgot it was my book. We were completely hooked. I am grateful to everyone involved in the production. The fun of it was seeing some of my scenes filmed and bringing in new stuff to give it a second life. It was fascinating to see how they did it and bring all the pieces together. Yet, both the book and the series have a man/woman on the run. They have the same spirit.

Shawn Ryan: I encourage people to read the book and watch the series. Matthew was great telling me to change what I wanted to change. For instance, the Metro bombing in the book is almost like a memory, whereas in the show I elevated it to a crucial event. There is a lot in the spine of the book that provides the spine of the show, a lot we filled in, and some things we felt we changed for the better. The book and the show are very much related, but they are also different artistic endeavors. I think you can enjoy both independently.

EC: What was your idea for the story?

Matthew: The world of the Night Agent does come from real life although I did take some liberties. It is something that is put on diplomatic cables to indicate the importance. Someone like Peter must wake-up an important official including the President. A relatively junior person on the Situation Room desk, if it happens in the middle of the night, that person could be briefing the President, the first point of contact of a global disaster.

Shawn: The story of a young man who wishes he knew more about his deceased father. I had an experience where my father died suddenly. As I cleaned up his house, I found some stuff that had me wanting to ask him questions about his past, but I knew I would not have that chance. I think I worked out my personal stuff through this story.

Matthew: I also wanted to have the accusations against Peter’s father as a cloud over him. His loyalty is being questioned for the sins of his father. I had friends whose stories are not dissimilar. The evil states try to entrap Americans and their tactics are very brutal. I tried to show how the Cold War was played out between the generations of Peter and his father.

EC: How did you come by the story?

Shawn: I read thrillers and have a couple of friends who are authors, Gregg Hurwitz, and Robert Crais. In this case I had a meeting with Jamie Vanderbilt, the writer and producer whose company optioned the book. He asked if I would be interested. After reading this book I fell in love with the characters and saw an opportunity for the Secret Service arc I had been working on. I did not feel there was enough in the book for ten episodes.

Matthew: I had a friend who worked for the FBI in DC and would disappear every night around ten pm. People would whisper what was his job. This idea stuck with me even though I did not know what his actual job was. After speaking with my agent and friends, we all thought this is a good premise for a book. I came up with the story including the phone that never rings. The whole story is based on my imagination of what my friend did. I wanted to write something like classic 70s thrillers, written by Robert Ludlum.

EC: What about the Secret Service arc that was not in the book?

Shawn: I had been working on a Secret Service story independently but did not have enough for one show. I did not want to do a Secret Service story about protecting the President considering we see that a lot. I thought what jobs would not be prestigious in the protection part of that organization. I always have been fascinated in children of Presidents going off to college. How would that work? I did speak to someone on Chelsea Clinton’s detail. I essentially said this is how I imagine it and he thought I was close to reality.

Matthew: This made it fun because now I am watching as a viewer, with all the surprises. Shawn and I did talk a little bit on where the story was going. But overall, my attitude was ‘go for it’ since ‘I love your stuff and trust you.’ I also was invited to the set to watch some of the filming. I did chat with the actors and actresses briefly on the set.

EC: What about this quote in the show, “The Secret Service’s job is to protect the institution.”

Shawn: Those in the Secret Service must be different political types. Someone is willing to give up their life for Barack Obama, then Donald Trump, and then Joe Biden. I have always been interested in the mentality of this. They believe they are standing up for the institution of the Presidency and Democracy. The above quote by the Secret Service character Eric Monks is what he believes, standing up for a set of values.

EC: What were your favorite scenes in the series versus the book?

Matthew: The Secret Service arcs. The actors, D. B. Woodside who played Erik Monks, and Fola Evans-Akingbola, who played Chelsea Arrington, absolutely did a great job with their portrayals. This was all Shawn Ryan’s part of the story.

EC: Is it a David versus Goliath story?

Matthew: I think the espionage stuff mingled with the mundane. They are spies where on the weekends they would go to their children’s soccer games. They have suburban lives. The international intrigue intruded on the normal, boring, suburban life. It was a David versus Goliath story with a lowly analyst up against many powerful state actors.

Shawn: Ultimately what I really liked that emulates from Matthew’s book is that it is an underdog story. Peter is the least important person in a very important place, until that phone rings. This is like an Alfred Hitchcock movie where a very ordinary person is put in a very extraordinary circumstance. He is not a Jason Bourne or John Wick who would take on ten people in a room and come out victorious. I liked that Peter gets bruised and battered and yet keeps going. This could be a lesson for us: we might be overwhelmed at times with circumstances bigger than we can imagine yet we plow forward to do the right thing.

Gabriel who plays Peter: A better analogy is Hercules versus the Hydra. One head is cut off and more heads grow. It never feels like it’s a singular enemy and you do not know who it is, always being betrayed. This is what I likened it too.

EC: How would you describe Peter?

Shawn: This is a case where the collaboration between Matthew and me is very important. There is something noble about Peter, not wanting a lot of attention. He must be super careful because of the backstory involving his father. I absolutely think he is a bit naïve, which he must overcome throughout these ten episodes. I took pieces from my own marriage without realizing it. I tend to be like Peter in my life, immediately trust people until proven otherwise. Where my wife tends to be like Rose, justifiably skeptical.

Matthew: A rule follower, calm, bright, ambitious, curious, meticulous, confident, and honest to a fault. What I wanted to do with Peter, is force him to face the most difficult challenges. He was on the Metro train that was bombed, which lit a fire under him. He felt there was a conspiracy that drew him into the high stakes plot. Readers will question if he changed in the book, or did he have things bottled up most of his life?

Gabriel: Relentless, not caring about his own personal risk. He goes for it. He has become a rule follower because it was told to him by his dad that it matters. When you uphold the system, you uphold the principles behind the system. It does not make sense to him how those who took an oath are lying and manipulative. He feels betrayed by the whole process.

EC: How would you describe Rose?

Matthew: A survivor, sharp, tough, fearless, determined, and adaptable. She is a foil to Peter, because she is resourceful and does what it takes to get things done.

Shawn: I was having trouble with her characterization. I contacted Matthew and asked him what he was thinking with Rose. He told me something that really unlocked her for me, ‘I always thought of Peter as a rule follower and Rose is a rule breaker. The two of them must become a little more like each other to survive together.’ She had to live by her wits from a young age with no father and an absentee mother.

Luciane who played Rose: Very driven and ambitious. She is at a very, very low point in her life. I think she is like Peter; both are loners.

EC: Why did you choose the role?

Gabriel: I talked to Shawn, and he told me Peter will be real, grounded, and his hits will be grimy, with Peter out of his depth. Peter will not have to be Superman. I liked that a lot. I think it is more layered and nuanced than ‘I am the protagonist, get out of my way.’ It is more fun and serious. I was able to invest in the story. I think what helped is that I have been hit in real life, so I know what it is like. The tattoos are real; the scars are real. I am real. I did all the fighting and most of the other stuff. Except where insurance thought it too risky so the stunt coordinator would do it.

EC: Will there be a season two with the same actors?

Shawn: We would love to make a season two. I hope there are enough people to watch season one and like it. It is important to me that each season tells its own story with a new location. Peter will probably be one of those characters.

Luciane: We do not make the decisions, but Gabriel and I hope there will be a season two.

Matthew: Right now, I have no plans to write a sequel to The Night Agent.

Thank you!!

***

Blog Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Luck by Chris Coppel

Book Description

Power is a dangerous thing in the wrong hands…

Luck is the story of Daniel – a man born with the gift of being able to influence others. He learns that he can both charm as well as destroy. As his ability grows, so does his craving for acceptance.

Once his ability is unleashed on the American political stage, Daniel finds that he no longer has to settle with charming the few. Now he can control the minds of the masses, as his own sanity descends into a tormented oblivion.

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Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

LUCK by Chris Coppel is an engrossing political thriller/horror/sci-fi mash-up that continually left me guessing what twist was coming next. I have always believed the truth of the quote “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts completely.” and with Daniel’s gift, I could not wait to see where this story led.

Daniel was born with a gift. From his birth, he is able to see auras around people and influence them accordingly. He learns as he grows how to charm them, use them, or destroy them. He successfully ascends to the heights of a business career and now he has his sights set on a political career. Daniel can not only control the masses in live audiences, but also through the television cameras. The more he uses his special power to advance the more reckless and dangerous he becomes.

Daniel plans on taking the highest office in the land, but someone from his past is making their own plans to stop him.

This story has a bit of everything. I was sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see what Daniel would do next or who he would hurt and the author would throw in a bit of humor or political satire. This is a fast-paced story that is at times horrifying, shocking, and captivating. I think almost everyone wants people to like them and agree with them, but this story takes that desire to the extreme in a twisted and interesting way.

This is the second book I have read by this author and I can truly state that he always leaves me thinking about the characters and story I have just read, and he also always leaves me with a surprise twist at the end.

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About the Author

Chris believes that stories should be able to transport the reader to different places, where they can experience events and dimensions that have never been considered. Chris is able to write gentle fable-like adventures (Far From Burden Dell) as well as opening the pages into dark and terrifying stories where dimensions co-exist with indescribable evil. (Legacy).

Chris Coppel was born in California and has since split his time between the USA and Europe, living in California, Spain, France, Switzerland and England.

Chris has held senior operations positions for both Warner Bros. and Universal Studios. Chris also held the position of Director of Operations for UCLA’s Film School where he also taught advanced screen writing. Chris and his wife Clare spent many years helping animal rescue with Best Friends Animal Society in Utah. Before joining Best Friends, Chris was President and Managing Director of the Home Entertainment Division of Testronics in Los Angeles.

Following in his father’s footsteps (Alec Coppel wrote Vertigo among many other successful movies) Chris has written numerous screenplays as well as the novels Far From Burden Dell, Luck, The Lodge, Legacy and Lakebed.

Chris is also an accomplished drummer and guitarist. He and his wife currently live in the UK.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.chriscoppel.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Coppel.Author/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/chriscoppel?lang=en

Purchase Link

Universal link for the book on Amazon

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Burner by Mark Greaney

Book Description

Court Gentry is caught between the Russian mafia and the CIA in this latest electrifying thriller in the #1 New York Times bestselling Gray Man series.

When you kick over a rock, you never know what’s going to crawl out.

Alex Velesky is about to discover that the hard way. He’s stolen records from the Swiss bank that employs him, thinking that he’ll uncover a criminal conspiracy. But he soon finds that he’s tapped into the mother lode of corruption. Before he knows it, he’s being hunted by everyone from the Russian mafia to the CIA.

Court Gentry and his erstwhile lover, Zoya Zakharova, find themselves on opposites poles when it comes to Velesky. They both want him but for different reasons.

That’s a problem for tomorrow. Today they need to keep him and themselves alive. Right now, it’s not looking good.

***

Elise’s Thoughts

Burner by Mark Greaney torches the thriller competition. Not since Vince Flynn and Nelson DeMille has there been a string of outstanding stories, twelve to be exact. He writes his characters with wit, sarcasm, and allows readers to get into the characters’ heads. This novel focuses on honor, duty, love, forgiveness, and addiction.

The first half of the story sets up the second half and focuses more on Court’s former partner and love interest Zoya Zakharova, code-named “Anthem. The plot goes from geo-political to a cat and mouse chase. Both Court Gentry, the Gray Man, and Zoya, are former rogue CIA operatives who worked in the shadows when plausible deniability was necessary.

Gentry and Zoya are hired independently of each other to retrieve a certain phone. They are after Alex Velesky, who has stolen information, on his burner phone, from the Swiss bank he works for with the goal to uncover a conspiracy where Western traitors are working hand in hand with the Russians. Zoya gets to him first and promises to take him to New York where Alex will expose the traitors. But she is not at her best, feeling adrift, missing her lover Court, and has as her only companion’s vodka and cocaine. Whether Court or Zoya, Greaney has allowed readers to get to know these characters better realizing they have emotional and psychological trauma.

The Court and Zoya plots run parallel until their missions intersect and the two lovers are reunited, facing almost impossible odds. She and Court are on a collision course as they try to combat Russians, powerful politicians, and those administrators in the CIA.

Per usual in each of his books Greaney has the most awesome action scenes. As the story opens readers find Court hired to blow up Russian Oligarchs’ yachts but getting interference as he fights off Russian divers. As good as this scene is it does not compare to the captivating train scene later in the book.

The cast of characters will have readers loving some and hating others. The plot is relentless with an abundance of action. It is also very timely since the events involve the Russian-Ukrainian War.

***

Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Idea for the story?

Mark Greaney: Even before the Russian invasion I wanted to write how Russian foreign intelligence buys influences of people in the West. I already started the book when the invasion of Ukraine began. One of my characters is Alex Veleskey, an American of Ukrainian descent, now working in a Swiss bank. He seeks revenge after the Russians killed his family in the war, the springboard for the plot. I tried to figure out where this war will be, knowing how a small portion of Ukrainians are supporting Russia, which I have in the book as well. An important part of the story is how relationships of convenience are created for the greater good even though many of the characters have been each other’s nemesis for years.

EC: The structure of the book changes about mid-way?

MG: I structured the story where the first part is geo-political, making sure readers understand what is happening, and the last part is a cat and mouse chase. Regarding Zoya and Court, the story has them about 50-50. My earlier book, Mission Critical, was more about Zoya. But, I do agree, the first half of the book feels like it has a lot more Zoya.

EC: Zoya changed in this book?

MG: Yes. She was really in a dark place. I have done this to Court in earlier books. Zoya is depressed and down. She is drinking with a cocaine habit. Because of where she is in her life, she appears fragile with a lot of vulnerabilities, isolated, and withdrawn. The more of these books I write, the more I want to delve into the characters.

EC: You describe the symptoms of someone taking cocaine?

MG: Yes, people have flushed cheeks, eyes bloodshot, twitchy, sweating, fast heart rate, more erratic, and eventually drained with anxiety. I have never done coke, so I did research by talking with two people who did and looked it up as well.

EC: How would you describe the Gray Man, Court Gentry’s resume?

MG: Professional saboteur, a private assassin, and an international fugitive.

EC: Is it true how Russia was buying influential people in the West?

MG: Yes. They have been involved with spying for the Russians or doing counter-terrorism measures on the Russians behalf. I wrote about this true to life issue. Just about two weeks ago, the chief of counterintelligence in the FBI New York Office, Charles McGonigal, was arrested for taking money from a Russian Oligarch, one of Putin’s cronies, Oleg Deripaska. McGonigal was charged with money laundering and violating US Treasury sanctions.

EC: The relationship between Court and Zoya?

MG: I wanted to mess with people’s expectations. They will either have their heart strings pulled, make them scared, or make them happy. Zoya really misses Court. Both did not know how to connect with one another. There is a physical distance between them but also an emotional distance between them including trust issues since Court ran out on her. They are two headstrong characters that are very similar. They both are lonely, missed each other, and saw the other person as the only one who understands them.

EC: How would you describe the new character, Angela Lacy?

MG: Her personality is different from Brewer and Zoya, yet she is strong and confident. In a sense she is Brewer’s foil. Because she is looking to improve her position in the CIA, Court is wary of her while Zoya does not trust her at all. Lacy is more good than bad. Right now, she can be trustful, direct, honorable, and honest. She will be one of Court’s CIA contacts in future books.

EC: You always have the best action scenes.

MG: The beginning of the book where Court is trying to blow up a Russian Oligarch’s yacht was based on my experience with diving. I did some diving in Saint Lucia. Later in the story, the train scene when I originally wrote it was 80 pages long, about 15% of the book. As I was finishing that scene, I was not happy with it. So I went to Europe, traveling on the train from Milan to Geneva, taking pictures and videos, getting the angles figured. I am trying to sell what happens to the characters to the readers.

EC: Can you talk about your feelings regarding the “Gray Man” TV movie on Netflix?

MG: They will be making another one, but they have not started filming yet. It will be based on one of my books. I really liked it but since I read the screenplay before the movie came out, I knew it was not going to be as gritty and edgy as the book. They did make changes with the book plot. I went in with the right attitude since I had no control. I felt it was 60% of the book and 40% different with new stuff. There were places in the movie that I really liked the changes and wished I had written it yet there were places where I thought my little twist was more effective.

EC: What about the actors who portrayed some of the characters?

MG: Ryan Gosling nailed down the character as I wrote him. There are villains in the Gray Man book that were not in the movie so hopefully someone who did not read the book will pick it up to learn more. Ana De Armas, the female lead, was cool, but she rescued Court too much. In the books I do have people pulling the Gray Man out of the fire, but she was a little bit of a ‘too good to be true’ character. I like the women, to be more like Zoya, a little rougher, harder edge, more morally ambiguous, and less of coming in to save the day.

EC: Next book?

MG: I have not started writing it. It will take place in Cuba and Singapore. The plot will have Zach, Hanley, Zoya, and obviously Court. The villain is a private individual. There will be a connection to the CIA but not involved with a mission.

THANK YOU!!

***

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Oath of Loyalty by Kyle Mills

Book Description

Mitch Rapp confronts a very different kind of killer in the explosive new thriller in Vince Flynn’s number one New York Times best-selling series, written by Kyle Mills.

With President Anthony Cook convinced that Mitch Rapp poses a mortal threat to him, CIA Director Irene Kennedy is forced to construct a truce between the two men. The terms are simple: Rapp agrees to leave the country and stay in plain sight for as long as Cook controls the White House. In exchange, the administration agrees not to make any moves against him.

This fragile détente holds until Cook’s power-hungry security adviser convinces him that Rapp has no intention of honoring their agreement. In an effort to put him on the defensive, they leak the true identity of his partner, Claudia Gould. As Rapp races to neutralize the enemies organizing against her, he discovers that a new generation of assassins is on her trail. A killer known to intelligence agencies only as Legion.

The shadowy group has created a business model based on double-blind secrecy. Neither the killer nor the client knows the other’s identity. Because of this, Legion can’t be called off nor can they afford to fail. No matter how long it takes – weeks, months, years – they won’t stand down until their target is dead. Faced with the seemingly impossible task of finding and stopping Legion, Rapp and his people must close ranks against a world that has turned on them.

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Elise’s Thoughts

Vince Flynn’s Oath of Loyalty by Kyle Mills explores the political world of today. Unlike books in the past with Mitch Rapp and Irene Kennedy, this book highlights a President that is at odds with Rapp and Kennedy and strives to eliminate them.

This plot has the whole team working together to save American democracy as well as each other. President Cook has forced Irene to resign, and the new CIA Director has convinced him that Mitch Rapp is a lethal threat. To get to Mitch they are seeking someone who will assassinate Claudia Gould, the person with whom Mitch has settled down. He along with Irene and Scott Coleman must neutralize this enemy. But Irene also must navigate a fine line, trying to convince Mitch not to go after an elected President and work somewhat within the system.

Between the riveting plotline and the team working together, fans of the series will be exuberant. They will not want to put the book down because this is a page-turner.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Is the arc finished with this book?

Kyle Mills: I wrapped up this plot line and will move to something else. The timing of it did not work out. It is based on the fall of American democracy, which can come from either side. I wish the American people would take their job seriously. If there are bad politicians, we voted for them so are they a reflection of who we are? These politicians make rules that they never intend to follow. The point of the book is that the American people need to pay more attention to what is happening instead of being increasingly apathetic. Probably because they are so comfortable.

EC: It was great to have the team in the plot?

KM: It is always fun to have the whole team involved and working together. It is tough going up against the President of the US. Certainly, Mitch could not go it alone with a frontal assault. Everyone used their skill set to resolve the issue.

EC: Is President Cook based on anyone such as Trump, Biden, or Gavin Newsom?

KM: Not Newsom because I do not follow California politics at all. I never gave him a second thought. I honestly had to look something up about him because a lot of people asked me. I did not know what his politics are. After all, I live in Wyoming. I never want to write a character that resembles a real person and am not interested in partisan politics. I try not to mention Republican versus Democrat. The character I wrote might have Trump supporters thinking I am beating up on Biden, and Biden supporters think I am beating up on Trump. He is not intended to be either person.

EC: How would you describe President Cook?

KM: Arrogant, paranoid, charismatic, autocratic, ruthless, exploits weakness, and thrives on division. This is a guy who seeks power. He will do anything for power. I put this book quote in by Irene, “They (the Cooks) are not concerned with outside powers, because they aren’t a threat to them. They’re much more concerned with internal enemies-political opponents, critics, and eventually the American people.”

EC: Irene was against this President?

KM: She told him to his face with this book quote, “You’ve never done anything to earn my admiration or loyalty, while Mitch has done nothing but. I violently oppose where you and your constituents want to take this country.” The Cooks after she resigned, did underestimate her. She is in a very difficult position. It was interesting to write because she was torn in what to do. She knew that there is always a push and pull because he was elected as the President. Irene and Mitch are patriots who believe in the American ideal.

EC: How would you describe the First Lady?

KM: Analytical, calculating, sometimes dispassionate, married for convenience, and enjoyed power. She is not Hillary Clinton. She keeps the President grounded. She is Irene’s equal. Irene recognizes her as being extremely formidable. I liked writing the interplay between those two. They understand each other because both have goals where they take logical paths to achieve them.

EC: How would you describe the new CIA Director Darren Hargrave?

KM: Arrogant, manipulative, and enjoys destroying people. He is sucked into the cult of Cook and that is all he cares about.

EC: Does Claudia represent the unsavory part of the intelligence work?

KM: She, Mitch, and Irene have two personalities. The normal person and the killer. Mitch and Irene have had to make horrible decisions throughout the series to protect Americans. But there are also friendships and family. Some actual friends of my family, operators, were warm and wonderful people. But their profession was to kill people. When undercover they must fit in. I try to keep the story realistic.

EC: The next book?

KM: I want to go back in the new book to where the characters do not fundamentally change. There will not be a big heavy arc. It will be more action oriented. Ward, the trillionaire, is not a big player in the next book. Mitch is the problem solver with the gun. Regarding Irene and Mitch, readers will have to wait and see where they go from here. In the first half, the book will be more about Mitch and then the last half he will be joined by the team.

THANK YOU!!

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Book Review: Oath of Loyalty by Kyle Mills

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

OATH OF LOYALTY (A Mitch Rapp Novel Book #21) by Kyle Mills is another edge-of-your-seat thriller featuring Mitch Rapp. This series never disappoints, and I wait anxiously every year for a new story where democracy is on the line and Mitch and his team come to the country’s defense, but this time his family is on the line too.

When the current President of the United States is scared and backed into a corner, it leads to paranoia that a power-hungry CIA director is more than happy to exploit.

Mitch Rapp and Irene Kennedy has brokered a deal with the President which allows Mitch to live out his life as long as he remains out of the country and in plain view of surveillance. The new CIA director can use the truce as a means to get closer to the President and to increase his control he convinces him that Rapp has no intention of honoring their truce. They release the true identity of Mitch’s wife, Claudia, to her enemies from her past to keep him too busy protecting her to attack the President.

A shadow assassin known as Legion accepts the contract. No one knows who Legion is and no one can call Legion off. Mitch, his team and some old contacts and friends from his past must work together to stop Legion, protect Claudia, and take care of the threat the present administration poses to his family and friends.

Once again, Kyle Mills hit it out of the park! Mitch is feeling his age and wants to find some peace with his family and friends and leave the saving of the world to others, but it is not to be. The story takes readers all over the world and the tension level is high. I love how Mr. Mills not only writes an action thriller that always delivers but is able to also intertwine current affairs and even extrapolate on the current affairs to introduce nightmare scenarios that are believable as well as terrifying. I am looking forward to Mitch’s next adventure.

I highly recommend this political thriller and all the books in the Mitch Rapp series!

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About the Author

Kyle Mills is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty books, including the latest in Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp series, Total Power.

Growing up in Oregon, Washington, DC, and London as a the son of an FBI agent, Kyle absorbed an enormous amount about the intelligence community, giving his novels their unique authenticity. He and his wife live in Wyoming where they spend their off hours mountain biking and backcountry skiing.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.kylemills.com/

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/76671.Kyle_Mills