Embedded

Dakota Judd Thriller, #1

by

John Lansing

Exciting life-or-death thriller!

Embedded is the first book in author John Lansing’s riveting new series of thrillers featuring former U.S. Army Ranger Dakota Judd, and it completely earns its place among the best of the genre; I couldn’t put the book down. Former Ranger Dakota Judd had made a mistake in Afghanistan when he’d tried to stop his company commander from torturing a young Afghan teen for information by shattering his arm; he should have killed him. Now, years later, he’s serving the prison sentence that had been unfairly handed down and trying to stay ahead of the incarcerated would-be assassins after the bounty on his head. So, when Special Agent Jean Steele offers him a deal that would not only get him out early but expunge his record after his successful completion of an undercover operation within a dangerous White Supremacy-linked militia, he’s all in. Now it’s up to Judd and his handler to infiltrate and get the evidence needed to shut these guys down for good. 

Dakota Judd is an interesting man of contrasts, always prepared and ready to prevail in a fight, yet retaining his need to protect those he loves and defend his principles no matter what. Plus, he likes cats. Blackfox, the organization he’s trying to get information from, is secretly the antithesis of everything he stands for. Some of his brothers-in-arms have found employment with Blackfox after their military service on the legitimate protection side, with no idea of the company’s real agenda. Judd’s is the Oscar-worthy acting job of the century, and his life depends on maintaining his masquerade. I loved that he is supported in his efforts by his canny and capable Aunt Billie, a retired Orange County detective. 

The plot is high-octane from the start, fraught with tension, and gritty as they come, especially with the mayhem dealt by the low-level biker gang frontmen, the OC Wolf Pack, as they try to incite unrest and violence among the ethnic gangs of Los Angeles. The randomness of how they perpetrate their plan is gasp-inducing, and these are the people Judd must impress to get his foot in the door with Blackfox eventually. Jean Steele proves to be a cool head, controlled and calculating in planning and executing her plan. There is also a connection with Judd that teases with its forbidden potential throughout the book. 

I recommend EMBEDDED to thriller readers, especially those who enjoy a suspenseful undercover operation that teeters on the edge of life or death and stories featuring former military protagonists. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.