State of Emergency

Jericho Quinn #3

by Marc Cameron

It’s countdown to Armageddon for an OSI agent in this thriller by theNew York Times-bestselling author of Stone Cross and Tom Clancy Code of Honor…   Two agents, Russian and American, are brutally murdered. College students, working as drug mules, die gruesome deaths from radiation poisoning. Powerful dirty bombs explode minutes apart in San Francisco and St. Petersburg, Russia—slaughtering citizens and spreading blind panic throughout the world. But this is only a warning. The next attack will be nuclear. Enter Air Force OSI agent Jericho Quinn and his crack team of specialists. Their track down the black-market arms dealer who masterminded the plot—with a Soviet-era suitcase-sized bomb—and dismantle them both. When the trail leads to South America, Quinn has to join the famous Dakar Rally, a 6,000-mile motorcycle run that's about to become the most dangerous race in history. It’s not the finish line they're racing for. It’s the fate of the world.   “One of the hottest new authors in the thriller genre.”—#1 New York Times-bestselling author Brad Thor “A compelling, never-give-an-inch hero who will appeal to Jack Reacher fans.”—Booklist

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Audiobook, Suspense, Action, Spy Thriller, Espionage

449 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 30, 2013

About the author

A native of Texas, Marc Cameron is a retired Chief Deputy US Marshal who spent nearly thirty years in law enforcement. His assignments have taken him from rural Alaska to Manhattan, from Canada to Mexico and points in between. A second degree black belt in jujitsu, he often teaches defensive tactics to other law enforcement agencies and civilian groups. Cameron lives in Alaska with his wife and BMW motorcycle.

Reviews

[L.A. Starks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoy reading Marc Cameron's thrillers.

The only detracting point, a la Lee Lofland and others: where oh where are Cameron's editors (and frankly, many other editors) on the use of "cordite" (page 218)? One can't know the smell of cordite unless one is approximately a hundred years old: it was last most widely used in the late 1800s up through WWI, and somewhat in WWII. It simply is not in use now. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordite

Everything else about this book is Cameron at his finest: the many action scenes, the engaging characters, technical details about an old bomb, Texas settings (Austin/Eagle Ford-San Antonio is done just right), and descriptions, such as La Paz as a city built upside down, "coming down for air," "protest del dia", and "dancer dust."

Highly recommended.

[Scott A. Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of the first three Quinn books, this was my least favorite. It was somewhat dull until the second half improved nicely. The first two were so good that they pushed this one down a bit.

Our three main characters were solid. I think the book missed Veronica a bit. Jacques wasn’t up to his standards either. The Quinn brothers were solid though. I guess Cameron just set the bar really high. The bad guys were really bad, they just didn’t make much difference. Then there was that cliffhanger...

[Jim A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read from Marc Cameron. Cameron's protagonist, Jericho Quinn, compares nicely to Mitch Rapp, John Wells, and others in the spy/terrorist hunter type action thriller.

On the down side, Cameron is leaning more and more toward the cliff hanger ending. Too bad, too. An author of an action series should let his work compel the reader on to the next novel, not a cliff hanger ending.

[Aaron Cochrill · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an interesting departure for the Jericho Quinn novels; for him to be in the desert and jungle settings of South America rather than the typical US/Middle East settings. I find myself drawn to the characters, wanting more of their stories and desiring them to move on with their lives. Cameron doesn't disappoint as we see more and more of the characters character emerge. A few of the situations that they got out of were a little predictable and convenient. However in typical fashion, I couldn't put down the book until I was finished.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nearly gave this three stars, but ended up with 4. His previous two books were about an independent operator stopping international terrorist incidents with a lot of motorcycle and knife use. This one seems to be more about motorcycles and knives with a side-plot about terrorists. Just felt like he lost his focus and was forcing the plot along.

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whatever terrifying scenarios can be imagined in a world of international terrorists, drug dealers, arms dealers, spies and just plain ruthless characters, Marc Cameron has brought them all together in State of Emergency, the third thriller featuring Special Agent Jericho Quinn.
After two college students who have been traveling in Finland die gruesome deaths from radiation poisoning, and a Russian and an American special agent are murdered, Quinn is put on the case, even as he trails the United States Speaker of the House, who is himself suspected of espionage. Quinn narrowly escapes death at the hands of a bosozoku group, a highly trained and violent Japanese gang, in a parking lot in Alexandria, Virginia before being called away to deal with the radiation threat. Quinn eventually follows the terrorist trail to South America, and finds himself joining the famous Dakar Rally, a 6,000-mile motorcycle run which is right up author Cameron's alley, as he is an avid motorcyclist.
This story takes the reader on a dizzying tour of the world as it moves from terrorist encampments in Africa to the high echelons of national security in Washington, DC. The extreme ruthlessness that can exist in humankind is concentrated in characters with no scruples and perhaps no sense of humanity as most of us understand it. Even more frightening, the target of these terrorists, who have somehow gotten their hands on a "dirty bomb" named Baba Yaga for a character in a Russian fairy tale, is a gathering of a diverse group of children from a number of ethnic and religious backgrounds for an interfaith conference in Texas. State of Emergency is an action-packed novel with a thrill on every page and enough plot twists to keep Marc Cameron fans turning pages far into the night. (As published in Suspense Magazine)

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jericho Quinn has his work cut out for him and his small group of counterterrorists…a nuclear bomb-an older Russian model and able to be carried is up for the highest bidder. The action, cities, ruthless and abusive leadership, motorcycles, mountains, lack of oxygen from high mountain elevations and some good twists and turns will keep the reader guessing. A great page turner. Enjoy

[Mike Eccles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tense, fast action

For me this was a welcome return to the dark world of Jericho Quinn, an American undercover enforcer with exceptionally authoritative backing. A little slow at times, the plot thickens chapter by chapter, rising to an explosive climax.

[SteVen Hendricks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook Review - Two secret agents, Russian and American, are brutally murdered. College students, working as drug mules, die gruesome deaths from radiation poisoning. Powerful dirty bombs explode minutes apart in San Francisco and St. Petersburg, Russia — slaughtering citizens and spreading blind panic throughout the world. But that was only a warning. The next attack will be nuclear. Enters Air Force special agent Jericho Quinn and his crack team of paramilitary specialists. Their mission: track down the black-market arms dealer who masterminded the plot — with a Soviet-era, suitcase-sized bomb — and dismantle them both. When the trail leads to South America, Quinn has to join the famous Dakar Rally, a 6,000-mile motorcycle run that’s about to become the most dangerous race in history. It’s not the finish line they’re racing for, it was the fate of the world…! “State of Emergency” is another awesome action thriller by Marc Cameron.

[George · Rating 2 out of 5]

The third thriller featuring Special Agent Jericho Quinn. The story covers the world, probably justifies the author's income tax deductions for travel. But, the story looses as it becomes looser. The bad guys are ruthless and the good guys get it done. In one thread, the bad guys invade Moscow, Idaho...home of the unmentioned University of Idaho. Author mentions a College of Philosophy, of which there is none. If that's not right, nothing is believable. Besides that, the book is a hard listen. Don't believe that I'll try Quinn #4.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 3rd novel in the Jericho Quinn series is a lite-read, action novel – an airplane read. My first impression was ‘oh boy’. I wasn’t even sure that it deserved to be finished. By the end of the book however (and to my surprise), I found that I enjoyed it and will probably read the next one. … I have to admit it’s tone is similar to a “bubblegum movie”, like a “Raiders of the Lost Ark” or something. It’s closer to Clive Cussler than Brad Thor.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of different players that sometimes it was hard to keep track of who was who and what affiliation they had. I don't believe that in the end our guy had to die. The chance was always there, but we could have tried to take out the prissy spanish guy instead.
I loved the South American settings though and it was interesting to learn a little about motorcycle racing.

[Savsandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Countdown to Armageddon

Our intrepid hero OSI agent Jericho Quinn is again tasked with saving the free world. Only this time it's from a nuclear dirty bomb meant to obliterate a children's choir and everything else far beyond a city-wide radius. Quinn is assisted by USMC Gunnery Sgt Thibodeaux and now OSI Agent-in-Training Veronica Garcia and his younger brother Boaz (aka Bo). Rounding out his entourage is Russian operative Aleksandra Kanatova. Quinn's assignment is to get close to the Venezuelan playboy wannabe who is the g1o-between for some Chechens and a middle easterner who are competing to get,the bomb onto U.S. soil. Convoluted enough for you? Yeah, me too.

It is a multi-tiered plot that encompasses a grueling week-long motocross race in South America which, with Quinn's bike skills and love for the sport, is right up his alley. But the arms race extends far beyond the course and takes Quinn and Aleksandra deep into the Amazon basin as they chase the Venezuelan arms dealer Valentine Zamora, believing he either has the dirty nuke or can lead them to it. The clock is ticking and Quinn must get to it before the alarm goes off.

"State of Emergency" is Marc Cameron's third book in his Jericho Quinn series and while it has some good action I didn't find it as compelling as the first two books. Cameron's portrayal of the bad guy Valentine Zamora is almost cartoonish, from his pencil-thin moustache and silly giggle to his womanizing manner that doesn't conceal a mile-wide cruel streak. If that moustache had been a curled one he could've been twirling the ends to complete the image that my mind conjured as I read about his exploits. As always, Quinn gets himself into some seemingly impossible situations but manages to come out virtually unscathed. And that's okay because we don't want to see him mortally wounded, do we? Three and a half stars.

[Boomer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recently discovered this series and quickly became a fan. Jericho Quinn is an awesome character in the Jack Reacher mold, a no-nonsense guy who makes it his life's mission to hunt down the bad guys and save the day no matter what lengths he has to go to.

So while this has all the traits I've come to really enjoy in the series like lots of gunfights, chase scenes, tense moments and no real profanity, it's not at the same level of the previous novels for a couple of reasons. First, what should be a pretty straightforward plot involving a sadistic Venezuelan arms dealer stealing a nuclear device is anything but simple. It quickly becomes a convoluted hodgepodge of international characters. We've got Chechen terrorists, Japanese Yakuza, Middle Eastern terrorists, Mexican drug cartels, British assassins, a beautiful Russian spy, a kidnapped American professor, and the aforementioned Venezuelan bad guys all thrown together in an overly complicated story. It's confusing and drawn out for no real reason. Half the characters could have been omitted and it would have been much better.

The other BIG issue here is the ending. No spoilers here, but it brings absolutely zero closure and feels like it was tacked on. I felt invested in the fate of Pollard and his family which was a major subplot throughout the book, but that's all brushed aside like it never happened. Same thing for Aleksandra. The worst sin by far is the horrible cliffhanger the author closes with. I'll never be a fan of authors throwing in cheap cliffhangers to plug the next book in the series, which takes me from wanting to buy the sequel to being forced to. After almost 450 pages the reader deserves a real ending and it's a lousy feeling to not have one here. I'll continue on with the series, but I hope this is not a sign of things to come.

[Donna Siebold · Rating 3 out of 5]

Early in the story we see an American and a Russian agent killed. The American is able to shoot off a partial text so his death is immediately suspicious. He was a member of the same organization that Jericho works for, though they did not really know each other.

Then drug mules begin dying a horrible death. Their deaths aren't from the drugs they thought they were transporting, but rather from radiation poisoning. A PhD is kidnapped and his wife and son are held hostage. He is a brilliant nuclear physicist.

Jericho has to bring all the pieces of this puzzle together to solve this case. An old Soviet nuclear bomb has been discovered and someone wants to arm it and sell it - not necessarily in that order! Jericho quickly identifies the likely seller/thief and plans are made to stop him.

Jericho calls in his brother to help because to stop this maniac they are going to need to enter a famous South American motorcycle race. Along the way we also meet a Russian agent who wants revenge for the death of the Russian agent killed at the beginning of the story.

Sometimes the jumping from one place to another is the story seems a little crazy, how could anyone get from Point A to Point B in the timeframes we are given. But, I know little of international travel, and certainly nothing of traveling with dedicated supersonic aircraft at my disposal. So, I just strap in and enjoy the rollicking adventure Jericho and his team provide.

[Alex Ander · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this exciting third book in the Jericho Quinn series, Jericho and Jacques Thibodaux race to stop a madman from detonating a decades-old Russian nuke.

State of Emergency takes the reader on a globe-spanning journey. Just when I thought the ending was coming...nope. Everything changed, and the adventure moved to another part of the world.

In addition to Jericho's brother making an appearance, a new character arrives on the scene, and together, she and Quinn team up and press on together toward the goal.

I love reading books with a male/female dynamic going on. The two sexes play off each other (one compensating for the weaknesses of the other, etc.), and the overall story is so much more interesting.

As usual, Marc Cameron keeps the infrequent foul language to mild cuss words. If my recollection is correct, not one F-bomb was dropped. Awesome. And awesome writing, too, proving one does not have to use profanity to tell a great story.

You could read this book without having read any others in the series, but I'd recommend starting with the first novel, so you have the backstory on how Jericho and Jacques become friends. The author does a good job of not leaving you in the dark on things, but starting with book #1 is still the best way to go.

This author give State of Emergency 5 stars and two 👍👍 up!

Happy reading.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read most of the books in Marc Cameron’s Jericho Quinn series, but I missed this one. So I read it to catch up.
I had somehow missed the installment between books number two and four and to be completely honest, if Sate of Emergency was the first Quinn book I read , I might never have read another. All the other are very good, four or five star books, but this was barely a three star , really a 2.5 star rating.
There were so many characters that I had trouble differentiating them: Russians, Chechens; a couple,of different Islamic terrorists groups; and plain nacho thugs. Locations? The books was a veritable travelogue with stops in Belize , Guinea Bassau, Idaho and Texas. The plot meandered and if one had not read previous novels, a reader would have little insight into Jericho Quinn or his Marine o partner Jacques Thibodeau. The action scenes , which are the main reason most of us read Cameron’s books, were a bit tame.
“State of Emergency” was a bit of a placeholder, awaiting the much better book number four, but do read the rest of Marc Cameron’s other books - they are real thing.

[Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve really been enjoying the Jericho Quinn series but this was not my favorite. Maybe I was not paying close attention but it seemed every quarter of the way through the book there was a new character which had not been properly introduced or well developed. It was like having reading whiplash to figure out how this person played into the story and if I just missed noticing or understanding the characters arrival.

The end sets up the story well for the next book, so hopefully book #3 was the outlier.

[wally · Rating 3 out of 5]

finished 22nd april 2025 good read three stars i liked it no more no less kindle library loaner jericho quinn #3 have read other jericho quinn stories not in any order each one entertaining fast-paced for the most there is violence and harm as one expects in this kind of story. much of the action takes place in south america with scenes elsewhere around the world. only 138 reviews for this one...and this take makes it 139...not much for a story from...2013 was it? i suppose the fashionable ideology bandwagon doesn't have cameron in bright lights on its canvas.

[Jaume Ayala · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could have never imagined placing the action for an operator (call it Jack Ryan, Mitch Rapp, John Reznick, Jericho Quinn,..) in a bike's race like Dakar... but Marc Cameron has done that in this book, and I liked it!!!!!
This race is only one of the scenarios for Jericho to deal with the situation involving a nuclear device but we are once again introduced a new character in this book who will team with Jericho.

[Richard Guerrero · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book but I feel it was a letdown in comparison to the first two of the series. I do listen to these books and throughout the years I could see how the narrator alter what the book was trying to achieve. And this case, even though the reader has a good clear voice, he was a little too animated with a lot of the characters in situations in which it made this book almost Seem cartoonish at times. Hope the next book has a different reader and gets better.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fresh new story and crisis for Quinn & Company. Loved the main Villain, especially when I spent a few chapters listening to Audible chapters. I prefer reading but the narrator made me laugh with his version and accent of the Villain. Even heard it in my head when I switched back to reading. Now the struggle between Arliss and Jericho and which I prefer becomes more difficult the deeper I get into this series! Awesome!

[Leek · Rating 2 out of 5]

So far I haven’t finished it...just too much meanness...bad guys are too bad. Sort of sickening. Maybe it’s too much right now with the Covid-19 pandemic and black/police protesting. It lacks the hot, tough-bad-guy-but-not-really aspect of Arliss Cutter in his Alaska series. Jericho Quinn is all that but it seems to be more about the bad guys than him.

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

Noooo

Admittedly I’m a new Quinn fan but my-lanta that’s a cliffhanger and a half. Jeez Louise. I was already planning on getting the next one after page 5 but man-a-live, that’s just crazy. If I would have been reading in real-time, I might have gone crazy but thankfully the next book is available. Kudos to the earlier fans.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This "chapter" of the series ramps up the development of the characters and became more and more gripping as I read. By the time I finished the first half of the book, I was "completely hooked" into this "episode." At the conclusion, I just couldn't wait to jump into the fourth book in the series which ... pretty much picks up right where this book leaves you hanging. Well done Mr. Cameron!

[L. Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really, really, well written action thriller. Marc Cameron knows his stuff. Authentic, knowledgeable about what he writes, and beautifully written who those who really care about crafting the English language well whatever the genre. Whether its law enforcement, special ops, setting, or characters Cameron makes it all ring true. And the plot keeps the reader riveted.

[Ralph Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful read,

Cameron does it again. The spectre of what people of bad intent want to do to the rest of us evolves and those that rise up to stand against them deserve our admiration and support.

[Richard Naimy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the Jericho Quinn series's!

Love the Jericho Quinn series's! This genre is one of my favorites. Great fast read filled with action adventure. Love the new Russian character. Can't wait to read the next book. I recommended series

[Sherrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An obsolete, but functional, Russian “suitcase nuke” is loose. Everyone from narcoterrorists to jihadists want it. The CIA must find it before somebody uses it. There are a lot of players involved. Some of them are entertaining.

[Jon C. Hooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, lots of action with despicable villains. Kind of a James Bond type movie except the main character is less smooth. Personally I think it’s a bit overkill on the action. Definitely worth moving on to the next book.