Devil's Keep

I confess it was the cover model that made me pick up this book. After reading the back of it it sounded interesting. And then it sat in my TBR pile of 80+ books until today. Now Ray Favor is my new hero! A fantastically paced book which descriptively paints out each scene, this book had me hooked from beginning to end. I loved that parts of it took place so close to my hometown, great visual proximity ~ I knew just what being seen! A must read for anyone who enjoys twisting plots that are not easily figured out, black ops, suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat and a great cast of characters! I refuse to mention anything plot wise about this book....you will just have to read it for yourself. I bought it on a mere whim sight unseen and what a fantastic surprise I got! I can't wait for the next installment!

Bravo Cell One Nine was a covert team, a secret entity trained by American security and intelligence agencies, put together for the first time sixteen years previously. Raymond Favor, 28 years old; Arielle Bouchard, age twenty-two; Alex Mendonza, twenty-five; and Winston Stickney, thirty-one. Disparate personalities and backgrounds, each with his or her own area of expertise. The history behind the program? "Bravo sent teams . . . into foreign lands under deep cover to undertake the nation's riskiest and most sensitive tasks, the darkest of black ops: kidnapping, sabotage, assassination. Bravo agents were multilingual, highly intelligent, adaptable, and resourceful. They were also fully deniable." After five years of service, in a mutual decision, they all resigned. Now each financially independent, the team reassembles for what they believe is simply to "do a little good deed and then . . . just a vacation to . . . have some fun." But you know what they say about good deeds. The good deed in question entails finding an eighteen-year-old girl and her twin brother who disappeared within days of each other. She had not been seen since leaving her village in the Philippines and boarding a bus to Manila, 22 hours away, for a promised job. Her close-knit family is unable to trace her movements since that time, and her brother follows her path to Manila when no word is received from her. What does not initially seem a very complex task evolves into a grim mission which endangers all their lives. Favor is somewhat like Lee Child's Jack Reacher, down to the alarm clock in his head as well as his lethal capabilities, albeit with a difference. He has recently become introspective, and conflicted about the things he has done in the past. And he definitely is not a peripatetic loner who discards his clothing and purchases new apparel when the need arises. This is a fast-moving, exciting thriller truly deserving of the appellation. Billed as "A Bravo Cell One Nine Novel," this reader will definitely look forward to the next one. Highly recommended.

Suspense lovers! Check out "Devil's Keep" by Phillip Finch. It has international settings, mystery, gun play and all the rest. Where it excels is in the characters. In spite of the protagonists coming from a Black Ops background, they have moral questions that are examined deeply and realistically. The "killer with a conscience" may have been seen in other works, but Finch has a way of bringing these people to life, to show, not just tell, how they came to be,... well, them. You feel you know these people; For the debut of a group of protagonists, they are readily accessible, and definitively human. The pacing of the book is relentless. Even before you know for certain what is happening to the victims in the plot, you have a sense of foreboding, an unease that drives you forward, page after page. When the truth is confirmed, you understand the tangible evil of the bad guys, how depraved they really are. You wrestle with the moral and ethical struggles the heroes endure, and sweat out the tense times with them. When time comes to "settle the bill", "Devil's Keep" does so definitively, and leaves a very generous tip. First in a promised series featuring the core group, it has me eager to read more concerning these remarkable people.

This is a can't put down book. I picked it up on saturday and finished it on sunday. It leaves you waiting for the next installment. If you are a Lee Child or Vince Flynn fan you will be happy you found Phillip Finch. Pickup this one - you won't be sorry!!

For those who appreciate excellent writing and storytelling, put this new thriller on your Must Read List for 2010. Phillip Finch delivers the goods on all levels in this action-thriller. The story moves at a solid pace and does not slow down. Excellent characters and the setting feel so real. The author obviously has his hand on the pulse on the Philippines. Special Ops master Ray Favor here earns his seat at the same table with the likes of characters Jack Reacher and Jason Bourne. I think the best is yet to come with this new series and look forward to the next installment. Make some room on your bookshelf for Mr. Finch friends. The goods are delivered strong here, and more.