I just read a great thriller/suspense novel called Newman’s Rubicon with lots of action. The main character, Hank, is an Every man. He is easy to relate to because we could all be Hank. Bad marriage, war veteran, hard drinker, self-loathing. The underdog; the father, the reluctant hero. Richly descriptive espionage adventure that appeals to all - not of the fantastic or frenetic Bond-like genre; more of the Walter Mitty meets George Smiley meets an army officer. Mel Gibson comes to mind as Hank Newman, a retired Marine Corps officer who, weary of the daily domestic struggles of life stateside versus the tropical paradise of a land he learned to love while on active duty, happens upon spontaneous espionage and adventure due to his credentials as a dissolute expat.
Rather than suspending disbelief, the author lowers Hank to the reader's level, rendering the protagonist easy to understand and forgive his character flaws. The author describes the exotic sensuality of Thailand for the novice reader much like a modern Ian Fleming - the bars, hotels and dives are described in seductive, exotic detail, drawing the reader in to the hectic and fast-paced vibe of downtown Bangkok and the far reaches of the islands of the Gulf of Thailand.
Easy to read but firm and resolute, the writing is first-class and knowledgeable from a military point of view - the flashbacks Hank describes are clearly authentic and carry the narrative along seamlessly.
I can't wait to read and follow the future adventures of Hank Newman - compelling, modern, and gritty.