All Secrets Die

The Firewall Spies #5

by Andrew Watts, Dale Nelson, Michael Wolfe (reader)

When a techno-terrorist group threatens to break encryptions on a global scale, a CIA officer must take matters into his own hands to save a world held hostage. A massive security breach in China. CIA operations compromised in Turkey. Undercover ops breaking down the world over. A techno-terrorist group dubbed “Archon” has unleashed a terrifying new technology that can break any encryption. Humanity’s secrets are about to be laid bare, and global order tilts toward chaos. Up against a doomsday clock, CIA officer Colt McShane hatches a desperate infiltrate Archon, capture one of the terrorist group’s leaders, and force them to divulge the kill switch. But when Colt arrives just in time to see his target assassinated, he realizes that the stakes have been raised. Someone else is killing the terrorists and targeting their technology. And the question are they friends, or a new, and even more dangerous, enemy? Aided by the beautiful and mysterious Ava Klein—an operator in a covert organization known only as Trinity—Colt must stay one step ahead of all who want him international terrorists, government agents, police. Even those he once called friends can no longer be trusted. Because in a world where power is built on a foundation of secrets, unlimited truth is the most destructive force of all... USA Today Bestselling author Andrew Watts teams up with Dale M. Nelson to bring you another chapter in The Firewall Spies, a technothriller series that mixes the political espionage of Jason Matthews with the thrills and adventure of Mark Greaney.

Genres: Espionage, Thriller Suspense, Suspense

Audio CD

First published April 30, 2024

About the author

Andrew Watts graduated from the US Naval Academy in 2003 and served as a naval officer and helicopter pilot until 2013. During that time, he flew counter-narcotic missions in the Eastern Pacific and counter-piracy missions off the Horn of Africa. He was a flight instructor in Pensacola, FL, and helped to run ship and flight operations while embarked on a nuclear aircraft carrier deployed in the Middle East.

Today, he lives with his family in Ohio.

Reviews

[Doc Tisch · Rating 5 out of 5]

OUTSTANDING

This series was OUTSTANDING! All wrapped up in a most frightening ending that left this reader a little nervous how fiction can parallel reality, sometimes.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Publication Day!!

So, for those of you who don’t know, this is book #5 in the series…Firewall.
I received this as an ARC from #NetGalley, and had NOT read the books before this. That being said, I grabbed book #1 and read that one (and loved it!)…so I had an idea of what was going on. I would suggest you read them in order, but being as this one is being released TODAY, 4/30/24, I wanted to at least have read one of them prior to reading this…and I did. (I do hope to go back and read #’s 2,3 &4 in the future…)

Colt McShane is back in the hot seat again! He is now tasked with getting to the bottom of the biggest cyber leak in history. One that is sure to change the world as we know it…
As he assembles his CIA team and negotiates how and what they are going to do, well, it all goes up in smoke….

The guy he planned to take down to get to the facts…well, he was murdered…right in front of him!

So once again, he is scrambling, and so is his team…

They are literally globetrotting again…but the stakes are high. Very High! And people are being picked out and killed…and he’s not sure how or why, but he’s got some guesses…

And when it starts to hit very close to home for him, well, he wants answers…and maybe even revenge…but the little voice in his head keeps telling him to go ‘by the book’…. But, can he do that?

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeSelect for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

#AllSecretsDie by #AndrewWatts and #DaleMNelson. Narrated nicely by #MichealWolfe.

⭐️. Action packed once again!
⭐️. Washington, DC (USA)…Turkey…Italy… we travel all over!
⭐️. Badass main character, and sidekicks!
⭐️. I thought I guessed ‘the who’ multiple times. I was wrong…

Feel free to like, follow and friend me on: Goodreads,
IG @ #BookReviews_with_emsr or
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Thanks so much for reading! And if you 'liked' my review, please share with your friends!! 📚⭐️

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you very much to NetGalley, DreamscapeSelect, and authors Andrew Watts and Dale M. Nelson for this ARC in exchange for an honest review of "All Secrets Die," and CIA operative Colt McShane, our bada** protagonist. This was actually book #5 of the series, so as a new reader I need to catch up sequentially as other characters appeared. it was my own fault for missing plot connections but the authors do a great job giving you enough information to follow, making readers more curious to further learn characters former plot backstories. I will binge the other 4 ASAP.
"All Secrets Die" takes readers around the globe as techo-terrorism threatens humanity from Quantico to China to Turkey as a doomsday clock ticks down. No sector is immune to this dark web threat, and it makes readers question actual news worthy parallels. AI at its best or worst?From the initial chapter, the tension builds at an exciting pace, and I found myself captivated by the complex dark web, espionage, AI, and quantum computing. The characters are plausible and well-developed. Protagonist Colt McShane gives palpable hero vibes as he pursues those responsible, while the world teeters on the brink of disaster. Can Colt trust Ava Klein, a member of a secret organization group with top level connections? I had to Google a few techie and espionage terms that I was unfamiliar with, but that only added a layer of fascination.Will the CIA and Colt be able to decipher friends from foes? "All Secrets Die" delivers an oscillating techno thriller experience that kept me reading all night as each riveting chapter unfolded. Secrets, lies, world leaders pointing fingers, quantum computing, AI, terrorism, hacking, corruption, assassinations, and a ticking worldwide threat on a global level filled with non stop adventure, legal drama, and heart-pounding action that will keep readers engaged until the very last page. Cannot wait for the next installment! 4.5/5

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC through "Severn Publishing" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The story begins with Colt in Cuba meeting with his foreign agent. Once he finished the meeting, he went to a location where he met up with Ava for some time off. His time got shortened when he received a call to report back to NTCU because of widespread data release throughout the world which had grave information. It seems like the releases of data were from of the most secure cyber programs that were not supposed to be hacked. Colt and the team were given the mission to discover who was responsible for the data release and prevent it happening some more. The organization suspected for being responsible was AUCHON who had been responsible for other actions. The decision was to try and capture the board members and gain the necessary information relating to the hacks. Colt and his team were in the process of capturing the 1st individual when as they got close, some unknown party wound up causing the board members death.

As they regrouped and began attempting their next capture, two of the other board members were also killed. They eventually managed to arrest one of the members, but as they were on their way back, there was a group that attacked them with the intent of killing that board member. They were only able to escape with help from Ava.

While Colt was still in the area, he received a call that Jason, his mentor had been killed and Thorpe, Colt's current boss, had been injured and since Colt was No. two in the organization, he was now put in charge of the team. As they team made plans, Colt was given an order which he wasn't sure that he could do.

To discover what order Colt was given, who was the party responsible for the leaks, how was the Presidential election impacted and how it all worked out in the end, then you need to read this book.

[dor_is_reading 🇸🇷 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3,75⭐️
🚨I received an Advance Reader Copy of All Secrets Die from the publisher and chose to give my honest review of this book


"All Secrets Die" delivers a pulse-pounding technothriller experience that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Andrew Watts and Dale M. Nelson expertly craft a gripping narrative filled with twists, turns, and heart-pounding action that will leave readers breathless.


The authors' ability to blend intricate plot twists with fast-paced action scenes is commendable. From the opening pages, the tension builds steadily, drawing readers deeper into the complex web of espionage and intrigue. The characters are well-developed, with protagonist Colt McShane standing out as a compelling and relatable hero. The inclusion of Ava Klein adds an extra layer of mystery and depth to the story, keeping readers guessing until the very end.


While the overall pacing of the book is solid, there are moments where the plot feels slightly convoluted, with multiple threads vying for attention. Additionally, some of the technical jargon may be overwhelming for readers unfamiliar with the world of cybersecurity and espionage.

Overall, "All Secrets Die" is a riveting addition to the technothriller genre, showcasing the talents of both Andrew Watts and Dale M. Nelson. Fans of political espionage and high-tech thrillers will find plenty to enjoy in this action-packed adventure.

#Technothriller
#Espionage
#Cybersecurity
#Action
#Suspense
#GlobalIntrigue
#CIA
#Terrorism
#Conspiracy
#PoliticalThriller

[SD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can the attacks be stopped? Can the leaks be plugged? Before it’s too late?....

With the ever-growing, changing AI and technology, how can they stop the techno-terrorist, a term I’d never heard before, but it totally makes sense. The team is amazing at pivoting, melding old-school and new-school techniques to find the source and overcome.

The storyline borrows heavily from real-life and has lots of tech. I am a tech person and it was fun and scary to read this story. Lots of healthy debate between myself and my tech friends on the possibility of the things in this story. It was so well done. This is book 5 and I wish I’d started with book 1, not that I am missing anything, but I would love to have more of the background of Trinity, Colt, Archon, etc. We see where they are now and I believe I would have enjoyed the ride to this point. I think Colt, Tony and Ava make a good team - though I think Colt is a little unfair to Ava. I like that Colt and Tony are not just hammers doing the higher-ups bidding. They take a moment to do a morality/gut check to see if they can live with what they are being asked to do.

I do feel like that could have been more showing instead of telling but there was a lot to unpack and I enjoyed every moment of this globetrotting, tech driven, action packed thriller.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the opportunity to do an early read and share my thoughts on the story.

Happy Reading!

[Mia Jaramillo-Salazar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Minimal spoilers: I really loved the first 3 books in this series. The story was always BIG, but it was manageable until book 4, which I muddled thru because I was hopeful for resolutions in Book 5. Unfortunately, book 5 was a disappointment because many of the threads that carried thru all 5 books were left to dangle, or the knots were tied very hastily. The two biggest disappointments were, firstly the introduction of a brand new, behind-the-scenes character that (spoilers!!)... this was so annoying! This character only appeared in one chapter and was not addressed at all again! No additional explanation or justice at all. There were so many original characters and entities that could have been the big-bad. Also, the new bad guy sets up additional bad acts that are never addressed again, either. The second disappointment involved the main character's love arc. Colt is left believing that Ava (spoiler!!) and the reader knows otherwise - what the heck! How awful for Colt and Ava. One of the most satisfying storylines of the whole series was Colt and Ava's relationship and the complications that kept popping up interfering in what would have been a perfect match - the author ends up completely destroying the relationship for seemingly no reason. After everything Colt had gone thru, he was basically left with nothing, and so was I. I am so disappointed.

[David Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who is the leaker? Will Colt follow orders or follow his moral compass?

After reading Tournament of Shadows, I had a few unanswered questions about where this series might be going in any future books. Reading All Secrets Die answered all those questions, and several of the answers weren’t what I had considered after reading Tournament of Shadows. While the first four books of this series were action and intrigue packed, they don’t hold a candle to All Secrets Die in either department. Furthermore, the character interactions lead to several questions and answers which took this story in directions not seen in the previous stories. If you have read the previous books in this series, you need to read All Secrets Die. If you are new to The Firewall Spies series, you owe it to yourself to read the first four books prior to reading All Secrets Die to fully enjoy this book. I received an Advance Reader Copy of All Secrets Die from the publisher and chose to provide this review.

[Reeca Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Colt is a CIA operative. He is going to have to infiltrate a terrorist group. He must succeed or more lives will be lost and the USA office of president will be compromised.

Now, this is an espionage thriller. This usually means there is quite a bit of set up to the story. This part might have been better for me if I had read the others in this series first. It is a long, slow start to this tale. BUT, and this is a capital BUT! The last half of this novel moves like lightning. AND! Now I am really worried all of this could happen🤦🏻‍♀️!

The narrator, Michael Wolfe, is probably the reason I stuck with this book.

Need a good espionage thriller…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A techno-terrorist organization known as Archon has the technology to break any encryption anywhere. They’ve used this power to destroy politicians, collapse banks, and more. They need to be stopped and, of course, Colt McShane is the only one who can do it.

This is the fifth book in this series and I’ve only read book three, but there’s enough going on here that you can read it on its own. They do call on a lot of previous characters so it’s probably better to read the full series in order. I enjoyed this exciting technothriller and especially like the hero Colt.

Thank you @netgalley, @severnriverpublishing, @andrew_watts, and @dalenelsonbooks for my gifted copy.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

All Secrets Die (The Firewall Spies Book 5), my eleventh read from author Andrew Watts. Reminiscent of the best works of Tom Clancy and Robert Ludlum, an incredibly well-developed, well-written book. The primary characters are well developed. A captivating, page-turning, well-written read. A must-read book! “I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. I look forward to reading more from this author. Upon completing the book and writing the review I discovered I hadn't read Tournament of Shadows (The Firewall Spies Book 4), so it's back to book 4 for me. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[Earl Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A continuation of the series that can also be read separately. It parallels today's headlines, which at times made me wonder if I was reading fiction or fact. Well researched and written. A fast moving book that was both entertaining and set me back on my heels causing me to examine the current state of affairs coming to some unsettling conclusions. I highly recommend this thought provoking novel.

[Ronaele Whittington, D.S.W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contending organizations grab power and control

Surveillance detection routes, landscape descriptions, and personal apparel seem to fill up a lot of space in this book. The various groups vying for quantum control lose members via assassination. Can the real culprit be eliminated? Who has mixed loyalties and misgivings?

[WC · Rating 5 out of 5]

another great book in the series

Every book on this series has been outstanding and All Secrets Die keeps that streak going. This book gives you a lot to think about for our future and I love the AI perspective this book takes. The characters are perfectly balanced and the story has the right mix of action drama and adventure. Read all 5 books!

[John Eubanks · Rating 4 out of 5]

All Spies Die (The Firewall Spies Book 5)

Excellent characters and a good story line. However, not a clear picture of the players and on whose side anyone was on at any given time. Often there was more detail about a minor character’s clothing than the story line.

[Linda Schmidt- · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intereting information about AI and drones dominates the plot which continues Colt McShane's efforts to lead his black ops team to fight groups which want to dominate world economic and government power.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good series but time to put secrets to bed

Was not the driving force compelling sleepless nights like previous books in the series.
More like an old war horse that was ready for pasture.

[Dan Hazlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although highly technical, it was easy to follow…with a nice storyline and meaningful human interaction. Plus, it didn’t hurt to have my namesake as a character. So long Howard.

[Daniel L Stieren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read

This was a great book. Great Piece of the series. I got a little technical and a little bit too much jargon and slang words which sometimes made it hard to follow.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

AI takes over

A well written story of a possible way it could start. It is ripped from the headlines and did a great job of laying out the story.

[Arnold Masayila · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best in the series.

I hope more come.

[Paul A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great finish to the series.

[Marlene M. Oaks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this ongoing saga

What will Colt do now? Will he and Ava get together? Will AI reign supreme? Will war break out? On to the next book.

[Daniel Fogarty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent throughout, great read

The only thing that is scary is a lot of the book seems like it is non fiction rather than fiction....

[Jim Flagg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book for my honest review. This book is a continuation of a great series. The story weaves around with the characters chasing around the world. Some of the bad guys are eliminated but, another one is revealed that will lead into the next book. I can’t wait for it to come out.

[Ganesh Subramanian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book belongs to the current generation where the focal point is on the impact of the new technologies on humans. We start off with a massive security breach in China with the USA being a natural suspect. The security breaches continue and extend towards the private sector and business secrets being breached and all their secrets being exposed online. A Secret terrorist group “Archon” is suspected of being behind these security breaches. We are then a technical exposition of Quantum computers, which is considered the next breakthrough in computer technology. The fear is that the power of Quantum computers would make the most advanced encryption technologies/ security measures obsolete. The story winds through the complexities of AI and quantum computers and is quite a lot for everyone to absorb. As a techno-thriller, the story is riveting and keeps you tense and anxious for more. An enjoyable story for all those who like techno-thrillers.