💻 📡 💥 “Lights Out” (The SNAP Agency #1) (2021) 💥 📡 💻 – Book Review
MY REVIEW
Publisher: Revell (November 2, 2021)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0800739787
ISBN-13: 978-0800739782
⬅️ Click Photo for Purchase Information
“CIA analyst Brynn Taylor developed a new program to combat terrorism, and she invited members of foreign intelligence agencies to America to foster cooperation between countries. Now one of them, Egyptian spy Remon Riad, is missing.
Jack Hudson has been working for the Strategic Neutralization and Protection Agency (SNAP) for almost nine years and takes the lead in hunting down the missing spy. But he isn't at all pleased to find out Brynn is involved. It's hard to trust a woman who's already betrayed you.
Every lead they follow draws them dangerously deeper into an international plot. Kidnapping, murder, explosions, poisoning--the terrorists will do anything to accomplish their goal of causing a digital blackout that will blind a strategic US military communications center and throw the world into chaos.
Can Brynn surrender control to a man who doesn't trust her? And can Jack ever get over what she did to him? The fate of the world--and their hearts--hangs in the balance.”
Thank you in advance to the publisher, Revell (a division of Baker Books), for providing a complimentary review copy through not only the author’s launch team, but also Interviews & Reviews. A positive review was not required nor requested, and all words are my own.
I actually requested the one from Interviews & Reviews prior to being accepted for the launch team. This also happened with with Elizabeth Goddard’s Deadly Target. As review copies cannot be sold, something I wouldn’t do (and I don’t part with my paid books either), I passed the spare copy on to my mother.
Anyway …
Having read Natalie Walter’s HARBORED SECRETS SERIES, and knowing in advance what this series was going to be about, I JUMPED (figuratively) at the chance to read it. The eye-catching, intriguing cover also was a good draw.
Those who read Silent Shadows met Colton’s friend, Kekoa. I had a a feeling he would be back and I am SO glad he is. For fans of Jason Momoa, you might enjoy Kekoa’s character.
A note before I get to the heart of this review –
While most publishing companies do not publish the novellas of the author, that does not preclude the author and publishing company from reaching an agreement for the author to do it independently and distribute it as a freebie (usually an eBook), sell the eBook, or sell the paperback (usually through Amazon).
This has been done with other Revell authors such as Becky Wade (her Misty River romance series has a 2nd one out), Tari Faris (she has a 3rd one coming out for her Restoring Heritage series), among many.
The “freebie” eBook ones are what I call bonus or filler material, stuff I would think the author wanted to include in the book, but obviously couldn’t for whatever reason. Those usually range 25-50 pages. It’s not that they’re any less important, but not essential in my opinion.
In the case of Walters’ SNAP Agency novella, Initium, that is entirely different. I know this review is about Lights Out, but, is worth noting that Initium REALLY stands up as a starter book.
Which brings up the “do you NEED to read Initium prior to Lights Out” question.
YES!
In my opinion – Initium is an ABSOLUTE MUST READ prior to Lights Out. It gives the background and origins of the team members that are in this book:
Director Tom Walsh
Jack Hudson (2013)
Lyla Fox (2015)
Nicolás Garcia (2016)
Kekoa Young (2020)
Despite some of the encounters being extremely short, by reading Initium, the reader gets to know a little bit about Jack and Brynn’s backstory, along with how and where the other team members came from. It also helps the reader step right into Lights Out without too many questions.
I think it is pretty obvious that I did indeed read Initium. The eBook was a gift for pre-ordering Lights Out (launch team members did not get it). I waited for (and bought) the paperback version. So, right off, I knew the backstory of Brynn and Jack. Her name is not mentioned in Initium, but the incident is alluded to in it when Tom approaches Jack. There is a reference to the “potential romance” between Garcia and Lyla, and readers get to know where Kekoa comes from.
To be honest, every character is great and well rounded (no puns for Kekoa). I try not to have favorites, honestly, Kekoa is definitely a scene-stealer though not in the conceited “look at me” way. He is honest and genuine, definitely the heart of the whole agency. He was my favorite part of the book, in addition to the story.
Jack has his moments of seriousness and levity. I know some people didn’t like Brynn, but given her role at the CIA, it was understandable she is the way she is. Her motivation for her work stems from 9/11. There are DEEP references to 9/11 here. As a result, it took me a while to move through the book since I remember the day and have my own “connection”.
As a result, I definitely understood her drive all too well and it made me more sympathetic to her character.
Each character/team member has a significant role in this book and Walters expertly balances them all giving them a full appearance and not a blurb. There are some minor characters that, while short with their appearances, had an impact.
In addition to a STELLAR cast, Lights Out’s plot is exciting, fast-paced, and action-packed with a terror plot eerily similar to 9/11. I didn’t know what was going to happen next or where the story was going.
This, like the prequel novella, had serious J*A*G/NCIS vibes to it, especially with the mention of the U.S.S Carl Vinson (Kekoa’s old ship). Recycled footage of the ship is shown on the first two seasons of NCIS. The footage was originally featured on THE PRESIDIO (1988, also starring Mark Harmon).
What also helps the pacing – the short chapters, witty banter, the team’s family (Ohana) closeness, and the engaging story that drags readers right in and holds their interest right until the very end. There are a few cultural and pop references. Some of them I wasn’t too familiar with, others I dearly enjoyed. One? The Princess Bride. Be still my heart.
For the most part, the story is told through Jack and Brynn’s POV. However, Walters also has about 3-4 minor character POVs if only for a chapter here or there. I actually enjoyed knowing what some of the minor characters were thinking and how they wound up connected to the major plot.
The dedication at the beginning was interesting and a bit humorous:
That is how Walters starts us off …
The story begins in Egypt with the recruitment of a young man who needs money, especially for his soon-to-be-born special needs baby. Unlike the USA, Egypt has a different level of care. He wants his wife to come with him to the U.S for medical care. He’s refused and on his way.
Brynn is finished with a debriefing about HVE’s – homegrown violent extremists. She learns one of the spies visiting has gone missing – Remon Riad. And, she learns she’s going to be working with Director Tom Walsh and the SNAP agency. This is due mainly to the limited scope the CIA has when it comes to working in the U.S.
Unfortunately, that means working with Jack Hudson. The man she gave up for the C.I.A. (This is why I say to read the prequel first). The problem? She will be working under Jack. And, he is honest – she cannot be trusted.
It appears Jack has moved on, or has he? While he is friends with Amy, it is clear that is going nowhere. And, it is definitely clear that Jack and Brynn have some unfinished business. Tom knows this and hints for them to “play nice”.
[We don’t get near enough time with Tom and I do like his character]
Their past will have to wait as they begin the investigation into where Riad went.
The reason SNAP can investigate? They’re a private agency that can operate locally, nationally, and internationally without the red tape that the FBI, CIA, and NSA deal with.
Lyla and Brynn get off to a rough start. Apparently Lyla also knows Jack’s past. She even knows something Brynn doesn’t, and Brynn gets the wrong idea about the two team members.
Brynn and Jack end up tracking the wayward Riad, but lose him soon after.
Given her personal connection to 9/11, Brynn is desperate to find out what is going on. However, she is stunned that SNAP keeps “bankers’ hours”.
Brynn knows it was the CIA who made her choose between a career and Jack. Nothing is fair when it comes to fighting terrorism. A tough, but realistic lesson.
Brynn and Lyla end up at a farmhouse in Virginia (yup, sounding like NCIS or J*A*G here) and discover some men who are obviously not in the U.S for the reasons they thought. However, things get serious when the authorities are transporting the men.
Someone doesn’t want the guys to talk. Of course, trying to find the bad guys, also driving black SUVs, is going to be problematic. It is Kekoa with a wisecrack and pearl of wisdom (he isn’t wrong) – black SUVs are like cousins at a local barbecue, you never realize how many you got and they keep showing up.
However, when Brynn and the SNAP team do locate the men – it isn’t good.
Brynn and Jack are wounded in a bombing which results in an ER visit. The doctor, Dr. Payne, is an absolute riot in the face of something serious and sinister. [Note: I’d like to see more of him if only as the support character he is].
Watching the team show up to support Jack, and also Brynn, forces Brynn to confront the loneliness of the job. She has no visitors, no one to drive her home, no one to ask how her day went. No one to care for her. It is a sobering reality.
With little time to take stock in that, Brynn gets a lead (Ansari) and acts on it which results in an attempt on her life. Jack feels he is right – she cannot be trusted. Ansari is connected to the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) as an informant. While it is clear he cannot help her find Riad, the team is sent in a different direction. However, the man ends up dead before the team can get any more information out of him.
Figuring out where Ansari’s information about another man fits is another thing.
Brynn also finds out what Lyla meant about Jack’s treatment. Jack and Brynn realize they still care for each other. Of course, there is Amy to deal with. But, she isn’t a real threat.
The team gets more intel on the men, except the who and why. It is clear the missing Riad is connected.
Of course, there are the dreaded words – “body found in Rock Creek Park”. No, that wasn’t a line from NCIS. But, definitely feeling the vibes here.
As the team learns, this “threat” ties in with the opening of a base in Egypt. Who and when lies somewhere in Riad’s computer (not sure I liked where this was going).
Eventually the team is led back to the warehouse where uniforms and fake IDs are discovered. I loved Brynn and her Dateline reference when she and Jack entered the premises.
After someone nearly kills her and Jack tries to take her off the case, Brynn isn’t so certain what she wants anymore. It is clear – it has to involve Jack. Knowing what they know, Brynn and Jack rush to a base to stop the terrorists which ends up forcing Brynn to once again choose the mission over Jack in a dramatic ending.
I have a “hang-up” about rating a book “best-ever”, “standout”, or things like that. I feel like I am saying that the author’s previous works are not that great. When, let’s face it that’s not at all what it means.
However …
Lights Out is definitely a must-read, and must re-read for me. I do consider this one of Walters’ best works. This was a “don’t put it don’t until you have to” kind of read for me.
It wasn’t all drama, suspense, and terror though.
There were also several light-hearted moments throughout the story courtesy of the team members. One example? Lyla with her gun “Cupcake” and “pew-pews”. I was laughing way too hard at that. There was Kekoa and Jack’s mother’s cooking, Kekoa and his housing situation, and especially Kekoa calling Garcia “Captain Turkey Burger”.
The gift that Brynn gives Lyla? Hysterical and fitting – a pink gun holster.
The team defines Ohana (family), and we all know from the Disney movie (which gets a “slight” shout-out), Ohana means family and family means no one gets left behind.
Another fun line? One of the military officers refers to the main bad guy as being “a couple slices short of a loaf”.
There was an emotional moment where Brynn states that 9/11 won’t stop being her worst moment. That is true for me. Nine and a half (9½) years later I would enroll for a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice concentrating in Homeland Security and Forensic Psychology. I didn’t complete the program, because the reason for me doing it was remedied in May of 2001. I stayed in the program for another 18 months before other circumstances caused me to leave the school.
When driving to the base, it takes Brynn and Jack roughly 45 minutes. Jack is counting out what can happen in that time. He thinks of Flight 11 which hit the first Trade Center tower in 47 minutes; Flight 77 hit the Pentagon in 55; the Boston Bombing happened in 10 minutes with two brothers. That puts the seriousness of a potential attack into perspective.
The reference to American Airlines flight 77 was difficult to read. A woman by the name of Barbara Edwards from Las Vegas was on that flight. Most everyone knows my mother’s name is Barbara Edwards and we were living in Las Vegas at the time. This is why I understand Brynn’s motives.
There is a character by the name of Doug in this. And, for the brief time he is in it, he annoyed me. At one point, I wanted to stuff him in a shed. [Slight reference to FBI: Most Wanted].
With everything going on in this story, I might’ve missed a slight plot point (fertilizer in Guam) and will have to re-read it to make sure I didn’t miss something. I was wondering where that played into the story.
This was a fantastic read and really delivered on the anticipated promotion up to the release. This is why I HAD to get my hands on it.
As Revell is primarily a Christian/faith-themed publisher, there were references to God and prayer. It was a clean overall read with no bad language, but many “near-miss” kisses.
Fans of the author, Elizabeth Goddard, and Patricia Bradley shouldn’t hesitate to pick this up. And, don’t forget Initium either.
I definitely cannot wait for Fatal Code (book #2) to come out.
RATING:
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Goodreads
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – BookBub
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Personal Rating (see rating explanation in this blog: https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2020/01/rating-system-2020-changes.html)
Previous Book in Series:
Publisher: Independently Published (November 3, 2021)
Language: English
ISBN-13: 979-8758901823
⬅️ Click Photo for Purchase Information
“When an explosion rattled the cobblestone streets of Ireland in 1998, it left the CIA questioning one of their own, but Intel officer Tom Walsh refuses to believe his friend Sean is guilty. Tom is certain Sean wasn’t behind the misdirection of information that led to the deaths of dozens, but he’s missing and the CIA won’t go back to find him or the truth.
Unwilling to let Sean become a scapegoat for a botched mission, Tom quits the CIA and takes an unsanctioned contract job with the hopes of finding his friend and those responsible for the deadly attack. But when the new mission goes awry, Tom finds himself in a battle against an Irish dissident paramilitary group determined to strike again.
With only a hunch to go on and a red-headed bartender’s help, Tom puts himself in the path of danger and discovers his own passion for stepping in where the government can’t.
Get ready for Lights Out with this glimpse into the life of the man behind the SNAP Agency and what pushed him to find a better way to strategically protect and neutralize threats against America and her citizens. In this fast-paced novella you’ll meet Director Walsh as he assembles his team: Jack Hudson, Lyla Fox, Nicolás Garcia, and Kekoa Young.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Natalie Walters is the author of Carol Award finalist Living Lies, as well as Deadly Deceit and Silent Shadows. A military wife, she currently resides in Texas with her soldier husband and is the proud mom of three adult kiddos. Natalie comes from a long line of military and law enforcement veterans and is passionate about supporting them through volunteer work, races, and writing stories that affirm no one is defined by their past. Learn more at www.nataliewalterswriter.com.
You can find her on the following social media accounts:
Comments
Post a Comment