"Death and destruction in the desert..."

It's a volatile mix that William Johnstone knows how to bring to critical mass before it ignites into a towering ball of fire. The recipe for this high octane, action packed adventure begins with the government's decision to send, via train, a deadly shipment of nerve gas across the country to a safe "holding area" in Nevada.

Next, add a Vietnam-era aircraft that mysteriously goes missing in the Southwest. The official explanation is that the chopper went down in inaccessible terrain.

Then toss in Iranian agents slipping into the country from Mexico and season the blend with the Army's deep "black op" Dog Team. Now what do you have? A first class thriller that is guaranteed to make you forget the time as you race through it.

Johnstone's thrill a minute narrative builds towards an explosive conclusion that will leave the reader breathless. You'll be surprised how quickly you rip through this 312 page novel because it's all but impossible to set down.

Reviewed by Bob Walch
Posted August 14, 2009