Blown Back
Authors: James patterson & Brendan DuBois
Publisher: Century
ISBN: 9781529125429
Six months into his first term, President Keegan Barrett, a former CIA director, tells Special Agents Liam Grey and Noa Himel that he’s tired of America being the world’s punching bag and wants to correct that insult, in this fast-moving thriller from James Patterson and Brendan DuBois. He’s setting up two CIA teams to be headed by them, one domestic and one foreign, with presidential authorisation to get rid of the bad guys and enemies of the state.
Despite it being illegal for the CIA to operate on American soil, Liam and Noa both agreed to carry out a series of missions on Keegan’s behalf. Eventually, the two begin to have doubts about what they’re doing, and it becomes clear that Keegan - who has expanded his personal kill list - is sounding more than a little delusional. The president is soon acting totally paranoid, and as good people start to die, the prospect of war with China looms.
After several missions, Liam and Noa decide to question their action and that of their president. When they tell the president that they are not comfortable carrying out his orders, especially for Noa handling the domestic side, without the approval of the Congress, Keegan begins to doubt their loyalty. He then orders his special assistant and hatcher man, Carlton Pope, to get rid of them.
Sensing the threat coming directly from the Oval Office, that’s where the blowback begins.
After escaping attempts on their lives, Liam and Noa go into hiding. They also get in touch with newly appointed CIA Director, Hannah Abrams, to reveal what they know. After learning about the crimes committed by Keegan, Hannah takes steps to protect both Liam and Noa.
The thriller has a subplot about another undercover CIA agent, Benjamin Lucas who is assigned to exfil a Chinese dissident in Johannesburg, Africa. Unfortunately, the mission goes bad and Lucas is held captive by the Chinese agents. The dissident, Chin Lin, is Lucas’ girlfriend and decides to rescue him with Liam’s help. Apparently, unknown to Lucas, he is the bastard child of Keegan and the Chinese agents who know this, hope to use him as a bargaining chip with the president.
Meanwhile, Keegan is busy planning to punish China for perceived insults and cyber attacks by initiating a cyberwar against the country under the cyber-offense plan called Case Shanghai. He ropes in General Henry Peterson, head of the United States Cybercommand and his deputy to help him carry it out after misleading them that he has obtained all the green lights from the relevant authorities. At the same time, China has also started a massive mobilisation of all its navy, airforce and army all over the country, gearing up for war with the US.
Running out of time, Hannah managed to compile the evidence of Keegan’s misdeeds and rush to the White House to confront him to stop the cyberwar with China. Accompanying her is Noa with her taped recording of the threat to kill her issued by Keegan during their recent confrontation.
At one stage, the story appears to be running off the rails as President Keegan seems to be operating like a madman on the loose, killing off his enemies using covert assets.
The authors may not have offered anything new, but they do throw in some historical anecdotes of interest, deliver tense action scenes, and tie up all the loose ends. Those who haven’t already encountered the insane president plot will have fun reading this book.
