Excellent thriller. The novel opens with a barista freaking a sharp knife, chasing a guy into the street, stabbing him to death claiming he had kidnapped and asked him a dozen years ago. However, there is no record of the event because Scorpion and Boxers rescued him. Meanwhile, our two heroes are rescuing the daughter of a Congressman engineered by foreign forces trying to make Americans unsafe, as they did when the Washington sniper terrorized America post 9/11. The street is fast paced, well done, and kind of scary in our current world. ( )

I have not read any of John Gilstrap's previous novels, but Friendly Fire will not be my last. I have not read a thriller/mercenary/terrorist book in a while and when I was invited to read this one, I though I would give it a go. I was not disappointed. Scorpion (Jonathan "Digger" Graves) and Big Guy (Boxers) are very engaging characters. They are intense yet have a sense of humor. This book kept me interested and I wanted to find out how all the various storylines fit together at the end.

Having said all that, I do not want to rehash the synopsis of the book given by the publisher. I will say that there are various plotlines going on in the story. Ethan Falk, a 22 year old barista, murders the man that kidnapped him and violated him 11 years earlier. He had been rescued by Scorpion and Big Guy. When he tries to tell people why he murdered the man, no one will believe him as there is no record of this ever happening. Meanwhile the second storyline is about the mercenary team and their rescues. In the story they make a rescue of a young girl and do not hesitate to kill the kidnappers. The FBI is involved in their lives and knows who they are and what they do. The third plotline is the local homegrown terrorist cell "Al Amin" and what they are doing and planning. Believe it or not, all this comes together in an explosive ending that keeps you on the edge of your seat. All in all, a good read that I was happy with. I highly recommend this book to readers of thrillers, political thrillers, and mercenaries.

Thank you to Kensington and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It did not affect my review or rating. ( )

I have not read any of John Gilstrap's previous novels, but Friendly Fire will not be my last. I have not read a thriller/mercenary/terrorist book in a while and when I was invited to read this one, I though I would give it a go. I was not disappointed. Scorpion (Jonathan "Digger" Graves) and Big Guy (Boxers) are very engaging characters. They are intense yet have a sense of humor. This book kept me interested and I wanted to find out how all the various storylines fit together at the end.

Having said all that, I do not want to rehash the synopsis of the book given by the publisher. I will say that there are various plotlines going on in the story. Ethan Falk, a 22 year old barista, murders the man that kidnapped him and violated him 11 years earlier. He had been rescued by Scorpion and Big Guy. When he tries to tell people why he murdered the man, no one will believe him as there is no record of this ever happening. Meanwhile the second storyline is about the mercenary team and their rescues. In the story they make a rescue of a young girl and do not hesitate to kill the kidnappers. The FBI is involved in their lives and knows who they are and what they do. The third plotline is the local homegrown terrorist cell "Al Amin" and what they are doing and planning. Believe it or not, all this comes together in an explosive ending that keeps you on the edge of your seat. All in all, a good read that I was happy with. I highly recommend this book to readers of thrillers, political thrillers, and mercenaries.

Thank you to Kensington and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It did not affect my review or rating. ( )

I came across John Gilstrap's work earlier this year when I devoured his Nick of Time series. When I was offered to read his latest release, I didn't hesitate.
This is the eighth book in the Jonathan Grave series. I haven't read any of the previous ones, but it didn't matter as there was sufficient background provided and it worked fine as a standalone.
Jonathan aka Scorpion and his team are security specialists carrying out rescue missions that are not exactly within the realms of legality. 11 years ago, they saved a little boy from a pedophile ring. While at work in a coffee shop, this boy, Ethan, recognizes one of his abductors, snaps and kills him. When Jonathan finds out about Ethan's arrest, he knows he has to do something to help the boy. But coming forward and confirming Ethan's kidnap story isn't an option. When Jonathan's team look into the identity of the dead kidnapper, they discover connections to a terrorist cell threatening the heart of America.
John Gilstrap does a fantastic job intertwining several story lines, providing several perspectives and bringing them all together in an exhilarating finale. I raced through the gripping last 30% unable to put this down. I loved the interactions between Jonathan, his larger-than-life sidekick, Boxers, and their IT guru, Venice. I'm repeating myself, as I said this in my reviews of Nick of Time, but I love Gilstrap's style of writing.
Highly recommended if you enjoy fast-paced, action-packed heroic stories.
Many thanks to Kensington Book for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )