Desertion is serious. When the deserter is a member of Delta
Force, it’s even more serious. When the deserter is a decorated Captain in the
Delta Force, that’s even worse. Then, this Captain shows up as a prisoner in a
Taliban video. Next, he is rumored to have escaped and disappears into thin air.
Another classified video shows Mercer beheading five Taliban before looking directly into
the camera and ‘resigning his commission.’ Lots of people want to find Capt Kyle
Mercer and bring him to justice.
Any clues about a deserter are to be brought to the Army. A
few years after the reported escape, a former bootcamper of Mercer’s was in a Caracas
bordello, saw a man he thought was Mercer and approaches him. The guy just up and
leaves. The report of a Mercer sighting is relayed up the chain of command. The
head of the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division assigns Scott Brodie and Maggie
Taylor, an investigative team known to aggressively carry out the CID’s motto: “Do
What Has to be Done” to find, arrest, and bring Mercer back to the US. But
under no circumstances, was Mercer to be interrogated.
Brodie and Taylor arrive in Caracas and meet their local
contact, a Colonel Worley who is of questionable loyalties (Army or CIA? Hard to tell) and agendas. He helps Brodie and Taylor navigate the many conflicting
issues currently at play in Venezuela. But so does Brodie's driver, Luis.
It’s a complex chase through various gangs, cops, secret police,
barrios, and hookers, but Brodie eventually finds Mercer’s favorite girl at the bordello (that
specializes in underage girls). Her information sends Brodie and Taylor deep
into the jungle where they find Mercer leading a bunch of local mercs that do
the bidding of Venezuelan General Medoza.
Brodie and Taylor are captured, but then they escape
and take Mercer into custody. Now loyalties are seriously tested, and trust
becomes a casualty.
Full disclosure here: I’m a Demille fan and have most all of his books,
many before we started this blog. Three books of his are reviewed here. The
first book of his I read, The Charm School, is still probably the best spy
novel I’ve ever read. His book, The General’s Daughter, made the big screen.
Alex is his son who works in various capacities in Hollywood. Demille is a decorated
Vietnam vet and proudly cites his Mensa membership. Why The Charm School hasn’t
been made into a movie or one of those 6-10 episode features is baffling. He
also does something interesting. People who donate money to his favorite
charities get their names used as characters in his books. Two such characters appear.
While reading this book, I saw multiple parallels with Apocalypse
Now. Brodie and Taylor = Captain Willard; Mercer = Kurtz; the jungle setting far up a forgotten river;
the lawless band of loyal followers; and more. Make no mistake about taking
up this book. It’s a beast. Nearly 600 pages. But that’s what Demille writes.
Big books. But it’s all tightly sewn together with the smartass Brodie, the
deeply bruised Taylor, the deserter Mercer, the settings and the people who struggle
day to day to survive in what was once a vibrant country.
If you like our selection of books that we post on this
blog, this is one not to be missed.
Available TODAY! 22 OCT 2019
East Coach Don
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