Dead Exit

 Dead Exit is the third book in the Marty and Bo Thriller Series. It was 14 months ago when I first ran across the author, Michael Balter. I wrote a review of the second book, The Vatican Deal which I highly praised, rating Balter up there with Daniel Silva, Dan Brown and Don Winslow. Dead Exit continued the trouble between the protagonists, Marty and Bo, and their antagonists, Natalya and the Russian oligarch Dmitry. Despite them being a couple, and despite being a married man with two children, Marty allowed himself to get sexually involved with Natalya. In the third book, Marty is continuing to struggle with his intense attachment to Natalya and although he has reconciled his marriage. Additionally, although it was Natalya who fronted the money they needed to create their own business empire, it was Dmitry’s limitless funds which they borrowed in order to buy more businesses.

Just like in the first book, they learned that one of their companies, 120 convenience stores were at the center of a Chinese and North Korean enterprise to smuggle counterfeit cigarettes throughout the United States. This was a billion-dollar enterprise, one which the Chinese and North Korean operators were not willing to let go. Meanwhile, they discovered that the FBI was in a deep investigation into this illegal activity. Although Bo and Marty were willing to help the FBI, their enemies threatened their lives and those of their families. Bo was at risk for having his prior affair with Natalya made public and he knew it would blow his marriage apart.

This was a fast-paced book with lots of intrigue between the Russians, the Chinese, the North Koreans, and of course, the Americans. These are great and believable characters, and the plot kept me glued to the novel. The ending was not what I expected. Now, having fallen in love with Balter’s writing, I need to acquire the first book, Chasing Money, while waiting for his fourth novel.