Cape Rage: Danny Barrett

Danny Barrett #2

by Ron Corbett

Danny Barrett is caught between a family of criminals and the psychopath who is tracking them in the latest novel of the series the New York Times calls, "Dynamite."

The FBI has a hundred undercover agents who can work in the city, but Danny Barrett is the one they call when they need someone to investigate crimes in the wilderness. 

This case is a particularly difficult one. For more than a century the Danby family have ruled as kings in their corner of the Pacific Northwest. The Feds were mostly willing to look the other way while the family smuggled everything from liquor to cigarettes across the border, but lately things have taken a darker turn. 

A recent bank robbery in Seattle looks like it may have been committed by the Danbys, but there's no way the FBI can get any locals to turn against them. Only Danny Barrett has what it takes to get inside the organization and shut them down. 

But before Danny can do that he's going to have to contend with Henry Carter, a former in-law and current psychopath. The Danbys thought they left Henry for dead in the deepest part of the woods, but he's coming back. He'll go to hell to get his revenge, and he's willing to take the whole family with him.

Genres: Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Thriller, Audiobook, Fiction, Suspense

500 pages, Library Binding

First published March 19, 2024

Reviews

[PamG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ron Corbett’s second novel in the Danny Barrett series, Cape Rage , is filled with suspense, occasional bouts of violence, and a great sense of place. The Seattle FBI team has requested Danny’s help. He’s to go undercover working for the Danby crime family based out of Cape Rage, Washington and the nearby island with their home. A recent bank robbery in San Francisco seems to have been committed by the Danbys, but more evidence is needed. Add to this, someone is out to get revenge on the Danbys and they don’t care about collateral damage.

The characterization is great for everyone except the main character. We get some indicators along the way, but I wanted more depth for Danny. However, the world-building was fantastic. I felt like I was in the Pacific Northwest along with the characters.

The story is well-written and gradually builds momentum until it culminates in an action-filled conclusion with a surprise or two. It’s well-plotted, the writing flows well, and the storyline is gripping.

Overall, this is a tense and exciting story with action, a mystery, and plenty of family drama that grips the reader from the beginning and keeps them turning the pages. Those who enjoy crime thrillers may want to check out this series.

Berkley Publishing Group and Ron Corbett provided a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently expected to be March 19, 2024.

------------------------------------------
My 3.82 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.

[Chris C - A Midlife Wife · Rating 4 out of 5]

Undercover agent in 1st person tells a vivid crime spree tale loaded with twists.
~~~~~~~~~~~
This is the first time reading this author so I merely went by the synopsis and it sucked me in. It was a great choice in the cop thrillers genre.

Told in the first person, the story gives us a vivid tale of a crime spree by a family with a long history of theft, murder, and robbery.

They even have their own island, making penetrating the inner sanctum extremely difficult. But that’s what this undercover agent was charged with and it gives us a heart-pounding rush here and there.

Loaded with twists and suspense, Cape Rage is aptly named with the crime family characters losing control the deeper we get into the story.

The author gives us great pacing, the subtlety between the lines, and twists, along with his great storytelling ability really ramps up the anticipation and suspense.

This is my first book by Corbett, but I will check out further stories of his. This is a great read well worth the time investment if you are looking for chills and thrills in the cop fiction genre.

* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/cape-rage-by...

[Jeremy Peers · Rating 5 out of 5]

The FBI needs a schmuck to go undercover into a notorious local crime family. Special Agent Danny Barrett – an undercover specialist, if you will – is that schmuck. A multigenerational clan of miscreants have run the ‘premier’ underground smuggling operation in the northwest for the last century. They are the law of the land in and around Cape Rage and outsiders aren’t taken kindly to. A real gem of a family who has no qualms with disappearing anyone at the hint of betrayal. Barrett thinks he has a good handle on the situation he is trying to insert himself into. He’s cognizant of the danger and the many ways it could all go south. Barrett has no idea…

Part crime thriller, part family drama, Cape Rage hits all the right notes. Corbett is able to keep the tension up through the end. The decisions he made were well-thought out and smart. The twists sprinkled throughout are set-up beautifully and are effective at throwing off the reader and ratcheting up the tension.

Cape Rage exceeded every expectation and has my highest recommendation! Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Cape Rage!

[Julie]

Not sure how this ended up on my TBR list, but when our hero shatters a few bones of the shady locals with his mad Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skillz, it's time for me to tap out before I shatter any more brain cells.

[Shelby (catching up on 2025 reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you #partners Berkley Pub and PRHAudio for my gifted copies

This FBI crime thriller is the second in a series, but reads fine as a standalone. Here we meet Danny Barrett, an undercover FBI agent with a unique set of wilderness/survival skills, sent to bust up an underground crime ring. Set in the PNW (home sweet home), I was immediately drawn into the atmospheric setting of Cape Rage. The story is action-packed, fast paced, high stakes, and I was thoroughly entertained from start to finish!

About the audiobook...
While I have no complaints about the narrator himself (he's really quite good), I don't think he was the right fit for this one. I had already been reading this book with my eyes, and with the way the author describes Danny, I imagined him a little more rough around the edges. Gruff, bad ass, a little surly. The narrator sounds.... straight-laced. Corporate. Someone who works in an office. 🤷🏼‍♀️ So unfortunately his Danny voice didn't match the Danny voice I had in my head. Maybe that's a me problem? Maybe I did myself a disservice by starting it in print and switching to audio halfway?

I dunno, but I'd definitely still recommend this one!

[Kim Reads (Read Your Writes Book Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

Reviewed by Gemini

Cape Rage is the second book in Ron Corbett’s Danny Barrett series. Danny Barrett is the person the FBI sends when an investigation needs to be done in the wilderness. While I have not read the first book in the series, The Sweet Goodbye, I didn’t feel that prevented me from enjoying this one. However, I do intend to read the book with the hopes that I will learn a little more about Danny’s background.

Cape Rage was an exhilarating thrill ride that kept me on edge from start to finish. Danny has been dispatched to find evidence that the Danby crime family in the Pacific Northwest is behind a bank robbery that resulted in the theft of some mysterious items. In addition, a psychopath with ties to the family named Henry Carter is also on the way to seek revenge because someone tried to kill him. Consequently, the entire book is told in first person from Danny’s perspective and third person related to Henry’s collision course towards the Danbys. Those two points of view really added an interesting element to this story that was rather clever. There was an intriguing supporting cast that really enriched the storyline and dove deep into the psychology of the crime family and their vast history.

Cape Rage was one of those books that could have easily been a movie. It had all of the visual components to really draw you in and keep you invested. There were plenty of action sequences. I am definitely looking forward to learning more about Danny. Apparently, he has some unresolved family issues that could likely fill another book.

**Received a copy from the publisher and voluntarily reviewed it.**

[Amy Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really admire a writer that can make you fall in love with the bad guy, which Ron Corbett did with Henry Carter. The lead character is Danny Barrett, whose services are requested by the FBI to infiltrate the island of a West Coast family crime syndicate, the Danbys. Danny has been around the block once or twice and knows there's more his superiors aren't telling him. Henry Carter is the son in law shot and left for dead after a bank robbery, only he's not dead..and he's coming for the Danbys. Fast-paced thriller that kept me up until I finished it..would recommend.

[Fay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you #partner Berkley Pub for my free copy of Cape Rage! #berkleypub #berkley #berkleypartner #BerkleyBookstagram

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐑𝐚𝐠𝐞
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐑𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟏𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

Cape Rage is the second book in the Danny Barrett series by author Ron Corbett. I found this book to be action filled and fast paced. There is so much tension and I feel like it kept me hooked from the start! Cape Rage is a crime thriller with family drama mixed in and I loved the combination of the two. I don’t often read procedural novels like this and I have to say I really enjoyed this one! I found the alternating POV between Barrett and Carter to work really well and really helped build up suspense throughout the novel. If you are looking for a book with some great twists, this is definitely one you will want to check out!

While this is the second book in the series, I actually read it as a standalone. I was able to follow along well and think it worked nicely as a standalone if you have not read the first book in the series, The Sweet Goodbye.

[Michael crage · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main character is Danny Barrett. He is an independent agent that the FBI calls on when there is a particularly hard case. In the is one there was a bank robbery in Seattle that seems to trace back to the Danby family. This family basically ruled the Pacific Northwest and the feds looked the other way when they smuggled stuff into the USA. Cape Rage was the name of the small town that the Danby family worked out of. The leader of the Danby also owned an island they called Danby island that was about twenty miles from Cage Rage and it was basically a fortress with only one place to land. Barrett managed to get taken into the Danby gang and go out to the island, the first person associated with the police and live. His job was to try to find evidence that could be used to convict the Danby in the robbery.

[dianas_books_cars_coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book in the author's Danny Barrett series, but it can be read as a standalone.  I really enjoyed it and definitely plan on going back to read the 1st book.

Danny Barrett is the one the FBI calls when they need someone to go undercover in the wilderness, and this time, they need him in Cape Rage, WA.   Home of the notorious Danby family who have been ruling the Pacific Northwest for over a century.  There's been a bank robbery in San Francisco that smells like the Danbys, and they need Danny to infiltrate the family to get solid evidence.  They want to take the family down once and for all.  Meanwhile, former in-law Henry Carter has been left for dead by the Danby's after the robbery.  He somehow survives and wants his revenge.

This well written crime thriller was a total page turner.  Told in the dual POV of Danny and Henry, it was fast-paced and action-packed.  There was lots of family drama and a whole lot of suspense.  I really liked both characters, and I thought the author did a great job with the setting. I thought the book was really good and would definitely recommend it.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read. A bit of a twist made it even better.

[David Mc · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second Danny Barrett novel, and it is just as powerful as the first of the series. This time, Corbett gives a little more information about the background of his very capable protagonist, which helps the reader better understand why Barrett is willing to drop into an island community packed with criminals and psychopaths. For that matter, the characters in the novel were very believable three-dimensional figures; all, of whom, seemed to have their own unseen agendas. The unexpected twists and turns throughout the book made the story all the more tense and gripping to read. I am already looking forward to read the next installment of this wonderful series.

[A.M. Potter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cape Rage, the second novel in the Danny Barrett crime/thriller series, has it all: a shadowy heist, a fast-paced plot, compelling characters. The novel also delivers a first-class mystery, but not a cozy one (some mystery readers might find the body count high). I won’t recount the plot; I rarely do. As in other Ron Corbett novels, murder isn’t gratuitous. It’s simply part of the plot, part of a milieu few of us enter. Corbett is the perfect guide, steering the story with deft juxtapositions of blood and honour, greed and chivalry.

In book reviews, I rarely compare an author to an array of other authors. However, in this case, it's a useful way to illustrate Corbett’s milieu. If you’re a fan, for example, of Elmore Leonard, Ian Rankin, Jo Nesbo, Lee Child, or James Lee Burke, you’ll want to check out Corbett, a relatively new crime/thriller author, one rising quickly. If you haven’t read Corbett yet, get to it. You're in for a treat.

[Gerri · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me personally this is one of the best reads of the year! Once again Corbett has written a fantastic novel. Loved the first book in this series but this one has exceeded my expectations. Barrett is an interesting and fantastic character; so well developed. Once again the story line is filled with many great characters, lots of suspense, twists and turns and full of action. The ending was one of the best I’ve read in quite some time. Highly recommend.

[Jordan | jord_reads_books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family drama meets cop crime fiction in the second installment of Ron Corbett’s Danny Barrett series. Set in the Pacific Northwest, “Cape Rage” follows Danny, a freelance FBI agent specializing in illegal transgressions that have occurred outside city limits. For generations, Puget Sound’s Cape Rage island residents, the Danbys, have committed crimes up and down the coast with little to no intervention from the police.

After a bank robbery with ties to the Danbys results in death, the FBI decides enough is enough, and sends Danny in to infiltrate the notorious crime family. This puts Danny right in the path of Tess Danby’s husband, Henry Carter, who was shot and left for dead in the bank heist. But Carter survived — and he has revenge on the brain. With dynamic twists and turns and its atmospheric Washington setting, Corbett creates a chilling, taut-with-tension, fast-paced adventure that’s an ideal choice for cop fiction newbies and veterans alike.

[Peejay(Pamela) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent, exciting, and complex tale featuring undercover cop Danny Barrett.

[Deanna Rodriguez (Cook) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve done it again, picked up a book that’s part of a series and it’s not the first in it. But, it read as a standalone just fine. This story was a procedural adventure. It was actually a really easy book to binge the writing style was easy and flowed really well. The pacing was perfect, not a lot of stalls in the plot and I had a really good time reading it! The small twist at the end was also a great turn of events! I will probably pick up the first in the series because the main character was very interesting and definitely likable. I would definitely recommend this book!

[Joseph Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good second book for the danny barrett series. great pacing with a great story twists

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cape Rage by Ron Corbett, book two in his Danny Barrett series, tells a vivid crime spree tale loaded with twists and suspense; giving a vivid tale of a crime spree by a family with a long history of theft, murder, and robbery. Cape Rage is perfectly named as the members of the crime family lose control the deeper we get into the story. They even have their own island, making penetrating the inner sanctum extremely difficult. But that’s what this undercover agent was charged with and it gives us a heart-pounding rush here and there.

Danny Barrett is an undercover cop who is called in after a bank robbery. His assignment brings him to an island in the Pacific Northwest, where he’s to get inside a crime family, the Danby family, which has been operating for years. Danny’s job is to solve a bank safe deposit box robbery most likely accomplished by this family.

The Danby’s daughter married Henry Carter, who was shot and left for dead after the robbery; except he’s not dead and he’s coming for revenge. The story is presented from both perspectives, which helps build suspense with the twists and turns of dealing with criminals who clearly have bad intention. There are additional characters that may or may not be good folks, as their motivations aren’t clear. The story and rushes along completely holding my interest.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Patrick Lord · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was interested in Cape Rage after reading a review in the Seattle Times. My primary interest was this book’s plot is set in my backyard, the Pacific Northwest and San Juan Islands. However, after purchasing I realized that this was the second book in the Danny Barrett series,so I went back and read the first, The Sweet Goodbye; my mistake.

The only redeeming quality of the Sweet Goodbye was that it introduced me to what I thought was an accurate picture of northern Maine, a state I’ve always been interested in but have yet to visit.

After reading Cape Rage I am guessing the author, Ron Corbett, never visited Maine, as based on his descriptions of the PNW in Cape Rage he certainly has never been to this area or even looked at a map. Corbett describes the local towns, and the surrounding islands as being on the Pacific Ocean, when they are actually located in what is known as the Salish Sea. The Pacific Ocean is miles west.

He continues with adding wildlife and tree species that are nowhere near to be found. A reference here or there could be overlooked however, Corbett makes them an integral part of the story and it becomes maddening when I can look out my window and see contrary evidence. With all of the research resources available today there is no excuse for this willful misrepresentation. These errors irreparably distract from the plot.

To the actual plot. As with The Sweet Goodbye, the character of Danny Barrett in Cape Rage is the least interesting. Leave him out and the story is the same, probably better. Needless to say I won’t bother with the next in the series.

[Jan Hayden · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, Thank you, Berkley Marketing and Penguin Random House for sending me a free copy of “Cape Rage.”
Danny Barnett is an FBI agent who is sent on a mission to infiltrate a crime family whose history is peppered with robberies, bootlegging and more. He is tasked to find a way of getting on their private island and help to nab the family, especially the Head-Ambrose Danby. He manages to do so by showing off his martial arts talents, taking down a bodyguard, and is offered a job.
Upon arriving to the island, he is stripped of his cell and weapons but manages to hold on to a watch that acts as a phone-think Dick Tracy-so that he can communicate with his boss at the FBI.
He develops a friendship with Tess Danby, whose husband, Henry Carter was recently killed shot by members of her family right in front of her. What the family doesn’t know is that Henry didn’t die. He was found by a young woman, taken to her cabin and nursed back to health.
There is some violence, no sex, mysteries to ponder and twists that I didn’t see coming.
The story line is good. I wish that the characterization of Danny was more developed, but it is the 2nd of the series and to be fair, I haven’t read the 1st one but will be doing so.
The stage setting was great. His descriptions of the area were spot on and made you really be able to see the landscape.

[Luanne Ollivier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cape Rage is Ron Corbett's just released, second book that features Danny Barrett.

Barrett is an undercover FBI agent that's been called on to infiltrate a crime family. They make their home on a treacherous island with only one way off...

Danny is a great lead character. I expected he would prove to be canny and whip smart - and he was. As readers we are privy to his inner dialogue. I can't even imagine the inner tension of pretending to being someone else. Especially when the head of the crime family is trigger happy. The chapters where I thought he was going to be outed as a cop had me sitting on the edge of my chair. The crime family is a ruthless bunch. I'll let you meet them for yourself. There's another man on his way back to Cape Rage - along with a girl with no name.

Now, there's danger and lot of suspense in this tale. But...there are also some great descriptions of the land and the setting. The relationship between the man and the girl was unusual and I read over their bits more than once.

The plot is inventive and ended with some unexpected twists that I didn't see coming. I have to admit to feeling a bit of rage myself with one of those twists. But it fits.

This is my first read of Corbett's - and it won't be the last.

[Mari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ron Corbett's Cape Rage is an electrifying FBI crime thriller that can be enjoyed independently, even as the second book in its series. We meet Danny Barrett, a resourceful undercover FBI agent with impressive wilderness and survival expertise, dispatched to the Pacific Northwest. His mission is to dismantle an underground crime ring, specifically the Danby family, suspected of a bank robbery involving mysterious stolen goods. Adding a compelling layer of suspense is Henry Carter, the Danby's' son in law, who, after being shot and left for dead in the robbery's aftermath, is now very much alive and on a relentless quest for revenge. The narrative brilliantly employs two distinct viewpoints; Danny's first person perspective on his infiltration, and Henry's third person journey towards the Danby's, creating a clever and engaging dynamic. The story is enriched by a fascinating supporting cast that provides deep psychological insights into the crime family's intricate history. Prepare to be thoroughly entertained by this action packed, fast paced tale, where Corbett even manages the impressive feat of making you empathize with the antagonist, Henry Carter.

[Alisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cape Rage by Ron Corbett is a fast paced story about an agent named Danny Barrett who finds himself embedded with a criminal family on an island. He is trying to solve a bank safe deposit box robbery. The FBI suspects the family of the crime.

The adult daughter is married to a man who is also from a crime family. They live on the island. Danny befriends her and finds out that her father killed her husband for taking something of his. All of the people seem to be psychopaths.

We do not find out what all this means until Danny makes plans with the daughter. Danny has some talents that help him to stay alive but they may not be enough for this job. It is stressful and Danny finds himself in more deeply than he anticipated.

The story keeps readers guessing with surprises and twists. The suspenseful ending makes all the tension worth it.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the prepub copy to read and review.

[Ellis Amdur · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fine writer. Beautiful descriptions of landscape and place. He captures the edge-of-nowhere of the islands of the Pacific Northwest. He develops one of the best characters I've ever read in the young girl who rescues and accompanies Henry Carter - I hope to 'see' her again in future work. I really enjoyed the book, but there were problems that kept me from really being swept into the story. Despite some vivid character descriptions, the Danby's are a pretty hapless bunch for a crew of master pirate criminals, and Tess' response to Carter's shooting doesn't ring true. Finally, the most ridiculous, uninformed description of Brazilian jiujitsu - the writer made it out to be more a poor description of capoeira done by a crab.
Still, I will read more of this author. Vivid characters, plotting drives forward with a lot of power.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was all over the place and too far fetched. First we are to believe Carter survives being shot in the back at close range, with no organs damaged! Then he heals enough in 2 days to be up and about with no other medical attention but cedar bark dressings done by a teenager. Wait for it…..then is able to overtake/ kill 6 Fbi agents and a dozen armed criminals. It took him days to drive from the San Francisco area, through Nevada, and Idaho to get to the Seattle area! talk about a round about journey. But, it only took him a few hours to walk 30 miles in the trees, avoiding police blockades, kill the fbi agents waiting for him, steal a boat, get to the island, swim to shore and kill the others Less than 2 weeks after almost bleeding out from gun shot hole in his back. Miraculous!! I don’t think this author does any research.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cape Rage, by Ron Corbett (Book Two of A Danny Barrett Novel), is a splendid novel that combines family gravitas, high emotion, crime, and its unavoidable consequences. Danny Barrett is an independent contractor working for the F.B.I. in an isolated part of the Pacific Northwest. The Danby family conducts organized crime with impunity, resulting in death and destruction. The local police and state authorities are powerless.
A bank robbery results in the near-death of one of the Danby clan, and the wounded husband, Henry Carter, is blind with psychotic anger and all too willing to kill anybody who stands in his way. The result is a fascinating game of cat and mouse, violence, and unpredictability that entangles the reader emotionally, producing tension and a great reading experience.

[Sara Temba · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars even. A book recommended in the Seattle Times as a good crime thriller taking place in the Pacific Northwest. As I've said in many reviews, a 7-8 hour book length will definitely get me to try a book I see recommended.

A goodreads reviewer I follow, Lit With Leigh (who is hilarious and deserves a follow), uses the phrase "Beep Beep, Honda Civic Reliable" for solid 3-4 star book that delivers and is enjoyable but not at the level of 4-5 star read. This book fits my definition of Honda Civic Reliable - a good plot, good writing, interesting characters, etc. it was fun so see all the local towns and landmarks. I probably will barely remember it in a week but I enjoyed it well enough for hours I listened to it.

[Carla Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway for my honest opinion of this Title. I love police procedural and murder mysteries. Usually they have a pretty good idea who is the good guy and who might be the bad guy. This one was not black and white a lot of smears of gray areas throughout this book. Which made it even more exciting. You didn't rightly know who was the good guys and who were the bad guys. This book was written outside the box which is a very good thing. Great story plot that left you wanting to read it more. Very well written, love this authors thought processes. This book made you think about life in depth. Everyone needs to check this book out. I was so glad I did. Very good. 👍

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and the author for my gifted physical copy and eARC to read and review!

A remote northwest coastal island, a dangerous criminal family, a man desperate for revenge & an undercover cop assigned to investigate it all makes this a gripping crime thriller! It’s fast paced & action packed with a great mix of family drama, mystery & suspense! I really like having the dual pov between Danny, the undercover agent & Henry, the man with a score to settle. It all wrapped up with a great ending that I definitely didn’t expect! Page turning from start to finish!