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Air Force One is down. The president is dead. Maggie Trousdale has been vice president for only forty-eight hours before she’s thrust into the executive office. As smoke rises over Turkey from the wreckage of the former president’s plane, America demands answers. Nobody knows what brought the aircraft down, Turkey has restricted all access to the crash site, and the White House is in chaos. But as the nation unravels, President Trousdale discovers a cryptic message left by her recently deceased predecessor. The attack on Air Force One may not have been a matter of foreign aggression. It may have been an inside job, and if it was, Trousdale is the next target. With crosshairs on her back and no one to trust, Trousdale turns to the only man she knows can’t be disgraced Force Recon Marine and criminal fugitive Reed Montgomery. He’s a violent man with a twisted past, but if anybody can uncover the truth, it’s Montgomery. He’ll need to move quickly because global security is now in jeopardy and the nation stands on the brink of war. The president’s vigilante may be the only man who can bring the free world back from the edge. The hero readers call a mix of Mack Bolan, John Wick, and Mitch Rapp headlines this series of political thrillers ready to shake you to the core and keep you reading late into the night. Uncertain times call for decisive action. Reed Montgomery is up for the challenge.

286 pages, Paperback

Published April 2, 2022

4376 people are currently reading
645 people want to read

About the author

Logan Ryles

83 books186 followers
Logan Ryles is the author of more than two dozen thrillers, including the bestselling Mason Sharpe and Prosecution Force series. Known for stories that hit like a freight train, his novels deliver cinematic pacing, grit, and tightly woven plots that have earned him a global readership. With over 800,000 copies sold and translations reaching the German market, Ryles’s work resonates with fans of Lee Child, Vince Flynn, and David Baldacci.

His path to writing full-time was anything but ordinary: from running a sawmill to driving for Uber to working in finance, he eventually returned to his lifelong passion for storytelling—a dream he began pursuing at just fourteen years old.

A native of the South, Ryles lives in coastal Alabama with his wife, Annie, and their two dogs, where he continues to write high-octane adventures rooted in faith, grit, and a love of the genre.

Learn more about Logan and his books at Logan’s website: www.loganryles.com

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5 stars
3,694 (62%)
4 stars
1,759 (29%)
3 stars
411 (6%)
2 stars
61 (1%)
1 star
25 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
Profile Image for Henry.
865 reviews74 followers
April 17, 2023
Good start to this series. Gripping page turner.
15 reviews1 follower
December 16, 2024
Fun Book with a different premise. You knew all hell was going to break loose quick but not quite sure how it would end up. I would say that some of the tidying up of the plot at the end was pretty quick and underwhelming.
1,730 reviews13 followers
June 19, 2022
I received an ARC and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

In this story, Reed is in South America where he has been hired to lill a crime lord. Once he has finished this job, he has returned to where he currently living and hiding from the FBI. He decided that he would have to leave his current location and he was going to go to Asia to live with his wife, Blake. At this time Maggie, the Govenor of Louisiana had just become the Vice President and the President was going on a trip to the Middle East when his plane went down and all communication was lost. The crash site was between Turkey and Iran and Maggie the Acting President was getting no assistance from either country. At the same time Iran was causing waves in the Strait impacting shipping. Iran even went so far as to shoot down two F-18's. This cause the coutry to go to Defcon 3 as a precusor to war. Maggie had O'Dell get a hold of Reed to assist. She wanted to get Reed to locate and bring back the flight recorder.

Reed agreed and Maggie had also contacted Turk, Reed's buddy, to help as well. Once Reed and Turk had been briefed and had gone to Andrews AFB, Reed contacted Wolfgang to assist and watch his back. Unkown to Reed and Turk at that time, there were individuals who didn't want Reed to succeed. After Reed recovered the flighy recorder and was making his way out of Iran, Reed and Turk ran into a sniper who wanted to prevent them from getting the flight recorder back. After evading the sniper, Reed sent the data that was stored to Wolfgang and he then started a search.

To learn what was on the recorder, who was responsible for bringing the plan down and how Maggie and Reed made Iran stand down, then you need to read this book. You won't be disappointed.
297 reviews1 follower
July 21, 2022
Edge-of-your-seat drama. The president's plane goes down in Turkey, close to the Iranian border and all are presumed dead. The new vice president is suddenly thrust into the role of Commander in Chief. She's surrounded by members of the Washington establishment who all try acting as senior advisers. Her first order of business is to obtain the plane's flight recorder to find out who's responsible. She's concerned some of her new advisers are itching to start a major war in the middle east. She needs proof positive, so she enlists the man she considers best for the job, Reed Montgomery. Reed is tasked with crossing into hostile lands where his life is constantly in danger. Great read. Easy read.
Profile Image for Angie Boyter.
2,321 reviews96 followers
Read
July 30, 2025
I cannot believe the high rating for this book!
The premise was very intriguing and I enjoyed Ryles' book Fallout in this series, but TOO MANY not very credible elements added up to my deciding to DNF it 25% through. Her election to governor despite her total lack of experience was the first, then the President asking her to become vice-president despite her very short time as governor and her age of barely 35, then the way she talked to the president of Turkey, etc. I was also not enamored of killer-for-hire Reed.
Profile Image for Laura Witham.
27 reviews1 follower
April 15, 2025
The set up of a book is the hardest part. You have to keep the reader's interest while setting the stage for the show, so to speak. This book was no different. It started a bit slow with the setup, and them WHAM, it kicked into high gear and never stopped! I read this book in record time (for me anyway) and I can't wait to start on the next. This is an action-packed thriller for sure. You won't be disappointed!
Profile Image for Ric Ulloa.
197 reviews3 followers
September 2, 2023
Excellent is too timid a word to describe the story. I know this is going to be a great series, by a great author.
19 reviews6 followers
May 3, 2022
new hero shines

Reed Montgomery is a disillusioned man, he making a way for his wife the best way he can.
Maggie trousan made her rise to governor of quick and decisive. But before she has served
Her term: she finds herself The first female Vice President then-president of of the United States . She finds herself with a crashed Air Force one standing on the brink of war. But who can she trust?
Wonderful page turner, full of surprises, and suspense. Cannot wait for the second installment.
Profile Image for J. Michael Smith.
296 reviews4 followers
August 20, 2023
Logan Rules writes books for two types of people: those who like weapons and those who just need a break from reality and want to have a quick win over the bad guys without having to do the work themselves. I am the second type of reader.

In this book, Air Force One has crashed, with all aboard dead. It seems at first that the Iranians are to blame, and people want quick revenge. That's when Reed Montgomery and his pal Turk are called in to find the black box and figure out what actually brought the plane down. They are airdropped near the crash site and left on their own to fight both the Turks and the Persians. And other unexpected enemies. This is the section where people who likes weapons, especially guns, get to enjoy the novel.

The book is fast-paced and highly suspenseful. The reader speeds it up hoping to get the protagonists out of the fixes they find themselves in.

The book probably should have gotten a 3 instead of a 4, due to its shallow characters, lack of believability, and predictable outcome. But I had fun reading it...so I gave it a 4, in the spirit of happy endings.
Profile Image for David Taylor.
1,538 reviews24 followers
July 15, 2023
Action-packed political thriller

Brink of War was my introduction to Logan Ryles storytelling and to his Reed Montgomery series. While the author was new to me, I’ve read a significant number of books published by Severn River Publishing and have enjoyed every one, so I figured based on that track record I’d give this series a shot. I’m sure glad I did because this is a series, I fully intend on reading from beginning to end. I love stories where the “hero” is so obviously damaged they shouldn’t be able to function, yet they have a deeply ingrained spirit of never quit.

If you enjoy books that are not just action-packed but full of political intrigue and backstabbing as well as characters who are either likeable or highly questionable Mr. Ryles Prosecution Force thrillers might be your cup of tea. In my case after reading Brink of War, I purchased books two and three in preparation for book four’s release in August. I guess that might qualify me as a fan of this series and Logan Ryles’ storytelling.
Profile Image for Matt Fryar.
155 reviews1 follower
June 2, 2024
Shortly after being approved as the new Vice President, Maggie Trousdale suddenly finds herself in the midst of an international crisis. Air Force One has crashed, the President is missing, and the nation is looking to her for answers. As tensions rise in the Middle East, Acting President Trousdale must quickly learn the truth behind these unprecedented circumstances… Will she lead her country to war?

This is my kind of book! A down-and-dirty political thriller with an exciting combination of earnest politician and renegade operative who are working together to save the day. There was nothing Earth shattering about the plot (which came to a tidy little conclusion just a bit too quickly) or the writing style, but I enjoyed it and breezed through it quickly. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series!
24 reviews
March 12, 2025
Fast fun read. Feels like a shorter, more action movie-esque version of Never by Ken Follett. I enjoyed this book a lot, and I read the last 200 pages in the last 12 hours.

There is a decent amount of time where suspension of disbelief was necessary which made this a 4 star rather than a 5 star. I love the realism parts of this book included with descriptions of troop movements and the constant posturing of international politics, but many issues were resolved to simply and lots of brash political speak that just doesn’t get people anywhere in the real world, and that knocked it down a star for me.

That being said, I did really love this book. It’s a fun read as a simple political thriller with lots of action. I would definitely recommend it as one of the better geopolitical thrillers out there, at least that I’ve read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Robert Enzenauer.
510 reviews10 followers
August 24, 2025
I was introduced to this author by my West Point classmate - Army aviator-turned author Mike Slavin. This is my first read by this author, but certainly won't be my last. With terrorist threats around the world, it really feels like this book could be next year's headlines. The heroine is a female VP who becomes POTUS only weeks after becoming a politician when the President dies under mysterious circumstances. She turns to the only person she feels she can trust - Reed Montgomery, a disgraced FORCE RECON marine veteran. The characters are very well developed, and the pacing of the book is excellent. Not TOO fast, but moves right along. Lots of action. Lots and lots of corrupt politicians. Once you start this book - it's hard to put down. I finished it over a weekend with no commitments. The ending was an incredible surprise.

Profile Image for Jeff Benham.
1,710 reviews11 followers
April 2, 2022
This is a fantastic addition to the series! Reed and Banks are stashed away in Honduras, since it seems the promise of a full pardon was bogus. Meanwhile, Governor Truesdale is summoned to Washington after the “forced” resignation of the VP. Meet VP Muddy Maggie. Not for Long. The President’s plane, Air Force One goes down right on the border of Turkey and Iran. Tensions are high and fingers being pointed, Acting President Trousdale, needs to see what is on the Black Box to know the truth. Someone, or someone’s, in her confidence, doesn’t want the truth to be known. Suddenly, Reed is very important to her. She needs him to retrieve that box. In hostile country, with no help from the Turks (well maybe one Turk), and the Iranian Army about. Maybe Reed will get that pardon. Maybe not.
Profile Image for Samuel murphy.
164 reviews
June 12, 2023
Good Thriller.

A good fast moving thriller that has Reed a wanted assassin tracked by the FBI and the CIA just about keeping ahead off capture by only staying in any location for short periods of time. After carrying out a contract killing for a Mafia drug lord to earn cash for himself and his pregnant wife’s healthcare Reed is contacted through a fellow agent by the President of America to carry out a clandestine operation which if successful would get him a pardon for alleged crimes. Resulting operation assisted by a fellow agent called Turk took all their skills and quite a bit of luck to achieve the goal against not just enemies but corrupt government officials.
Profile Image for Michael Slavin.
Author 8 books282 followers
July 30, 2025
Fast paced with a few surprises and WW III in the balance.

The story centers around a former military man, Reed Montgomery, super black ops, and a new female president, Maggie, who is new to Washington.

What I liked:
-I loved the Maggie...you will too. Thrust into a position way over her head, she struggles, tough decision after tough decision. I couldn't wait to get back to her storyline.
-The story addresses big issues.

What I didn't like:
-Reed is a little too much of a loose cannon.
-Some details were off, but things most people would likely never notice or care.

You will like this book, it is very much worth the read.
Profile Image for Tim Mullen.
189 reviews1 follower
February 19, 2023
An excellent series opener

A world on the brink of war, the US President apparently dead and replaced by his Vice President of just three weeks. Can former Marine now fugitive Reed Montgomery find out the truth? Excellent scenes in the White House, some Rambo-style action in Iran, and what did the former President’s cryptic note to his successor “Trust no one, the enemy’s within” actually mean? This is fast paced with likeable characters and a reasonably believable plot. Definitely a series I’ll be continuing.
912 reviews
March 9, 2023
I did not realize this features a character who appears in other Ryles books, but it is okay as a stand-alone action book. Maggie is tagged as a Vice President of the United States to replace the man who was involved in a scandal. Within days of becoming VP, Air Force One goes down and she is suddenly President with no experience and the US on the brink of war. She calls in someone she trusts who goes to retrieve the flight recorder on the border close to Iran. Most chapters take place in either the Situation Room or in fighting the bad guys. It is fine enough as a quick read.
256 reviews
June 11, 2023
A summer fun read

The story line, if not the most, is a very daredevil creation, crashing air force one, killing US president, Iranian grabbing the suez canal, and private security firm making money running the war machine. All of those are caused by enemy within. The drones, the satellites, missiles, navy ships, and army platoons, the war game is in full display. All are resolved by a disgraced special op soldier, who did what generals couldn’t do and saw what politicians couldn’t see. It is a fast and fun read if and only if the real world is this simple.
91 reviews
November 15, 2023
Looking forward to book 2

The book had three well developed characters, TBE rest was filer and distraction but that isn't unusual. There were missed opportunities to expand the plot but that wasn't the intent of the writers good quick story was still told and it was memorable enough for me too take a week long break and come back without having to backtrack and catch back up. Worthy of 4.5 stars a s I'll round up this time. Been reading a lot of Ward Laden's writing g and this is just slightly beneath his efforts but in the same rating space.
Profile Image for Jacob Peled.
521 reviews11 followers
March 20, 2024
If you're a fan of action-packed novels, you're bound to enjoy this one. It marks my first dive into Logan Ryles' work, and I must say, it left quite an impression on me. Suffice it to say, I'll be eagerly delving into more of his books in the future.

However, there was one aspect that didn't quite sit right with me—the overly close relationship between the main character and the President of the USA. While I can appreciate the protagonist's exceptional skills as a warrior, the intimacy between them felt somewhat forced and artificial.
907 reviews9 followers
February 16, 2025
4.5 stars

Reed Montgomery is on the run from the FBI (kinda sorta) in Honduras when he suddenly gets a chance to gain a presidential pardon. What he has to do is the subject of this book.

The vice president has to suddenly take over after the president dies in a plane crash. She needs Reed Montgomery, but he doesn’t trust her and she doesn’t trust him.
Can they end up working together?

The plot is wildly implausible, but the action is good and the book moves at a fast pace so I enjoyed it very much.
293 reviews2 followers
February 18, 2025
3.75 stars actually...

A fast action read, Brink of War - the first in the Prosecution Force series, is a good easy beach read for those who like covert, off the books operatives who save the country almost single-handedly.

A tip to think about: To more thoroughly enjoy this series, you may want to read the "Reed Montgomery" series first. There seemed to be a lot of references to events that may have happened in that particular series in the Brink of War. I have not read the "Reed Montgomery" series myself and still found that I enjoyed this book.
323 reviews1 follower
April 10, 2022
An enjoyable read, the plot , the usual world on brink of war, unexpected new president out of their depth, insiders conspiracy, and a disavowed hero.I enjoyed the book, not original, and I found the denouncement and reveal utterly unbelievable, and somewhat hurried, with more holes than a Swiss cheese.
The writing is perfunctory, but you could read this quite happily on holiday, if you like political thrillers and read Clancy,Flynn etc then don't bother with this clone.
10 reviews1 follower
February 13, 2024
This is a new series for me and I enjoyed it very much. Interesting characters, plot and settings. There are some twists and that makes it more interesting. When I finished this book, I immediately wanted to continue the story line, characters and plot in the next book. That in itself is a good recommendation for this author and series. I read a lot of books and I cannot always say that about them! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
18 reviews
June 26, 2024
Absolutely Awesome

I saw this book advertised on my Kindle Unlimited store and thought I would take a chance on it, since I needed something new to read.
I AM SO GLAD I DID!!! I literally could not put this down. From start to finish, the thrills kept coming. I went ahead and got the whole series and cannot wait to read the rest of them. If you are looking for a thriller with political intrigue, this is a great book.
Profile Image for Anna Elizaveta.
41 reviews4 followers
January 25, 2025
5/5⭐️ This book was GOOD. I was looking for a thriller and KU recommended it to me- it was right up my alley. Think black ops and political drama. I studied politics in college and come from a military family, so this book really hit personal interests/experiences. I was hooked from page one and could not put it down. So happy I stumbled upon this series and can’t wait to dive into the next book!
Profile Image for Roy Rumaner.
5 reviews1 follower
April 15, 2022
A nice page turner

Interesting and a quick read. A little obvious as to the ending but after reading hundreds of other action books you look into what you are reading before the words confirm your thoughts were on track. I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one. Hopefully it is as much fun as this one.
25 reviews1 follower
June 6, 2022
Brink of War

I have never read Logan Rules but after reading Brink of War I will definitely read his other books. This was so darn good I had a terrible time putting it down. Reed kept me holding my breath in fear of what was coming. I am so anxious for the next book. Great story Logan.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews

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