Hunter Long, a former professional boxer, has worked hard to make his own way at the CIA, despite constant comparisons between his own career and that of his late grandfather, an agency legend. Hunter receives a classified briefing one day and learns that a notorious Russian operative, Victor Chernov, is actually a double agent who’s been secretly working for the United States for many years. Upon discovering that Chernov is actually a relative of his, Hunter is presented with an opportunity to work alongside him, as long as he’s willing to switch departments and finally “work in the field rather than from a desk at HQ.” After accepting the new role, Hunter is immediately sent on a mission to Mexico where he begins an investigation into the Zacatecas cartel. Although seasoned readers of spy thrillers likely won’t be fazed by brutality or gore, the graphic details in this novel’s more violent scenes are worth noting; the book opens with a man’s gruesome death as he’s quartered by four horses, for example. Clark’s novel is sharp, adrenaline-filled, and wastes very little time lingering on sentimental moments. Its large cast, as well as the various players’ relationships to one another, though intriguing, can be rather challenging to keep track of. Overall, though, Clark has written a lively novel with a memorable, charismatic protagonist and a plot that’s both fast-paced and absorbing. The book’s cliffhanger ending, suggestive of a possible follow-up novel, will entice readers to stay tuned for updates about what the future may hold for Hunter.