Strike Back

A Mason Sharpe Thriller #7

by Logan Ryles

They messed with his partner. Now they have to deal with Mason Sharpe.

Army veteran Mason Sharpe is recovering from surgery when the email comes in. Just two short lines, all numbers. The first is a zip code. The second is the police code for immediate, emergency backup.

And the sender? Jacquie Richardson, his former partner on the Phoenix police force. A woman who once saved Mason’s life.

If Jacquie needs help, Mason will be there. No questions asked.

The zip code points to the backwater town of Whitton, deep in the foothills of Arkansas mountain country. When he gets there, Mason’s worst fears are realized. Jacquie is missing and her uncle has been murdered, his body branded with an extremist symbol.

Mason investigates and uncovers a group of Neo-Nazi extremists headquartered in the quiet rural county. Pushing their radical agenda, using violence to intimidate the local community.

But they haven’t reckoned on Mason. He’ll do whatever it takes to save Jacquie. Unleashing a special kind of hell, showing them there are so many ways he can… Strike Back.

Strike Back – book 7 of the exciting Mason Sharpe action thriller series. Perfect for fans of Lee Child, Jason Kasper and David Archer.

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

396 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 14, 2024

About the author

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

Reviews

[Dave C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the seventh entry in the Mason Sharpe series and it's another action-packed thriller as Sharpe goes in search of his ex-partner who's gone missing following an emergency call for back-up.

The setting is a small town, with Sharpe unwelcome from the moment he arrives. There are fewer things better than the main man being bullied out of town by an unsavoury community and this book does a great job of pitching Sharpe against plenty of bad guys up to bad things!

The pacing is, as always, fast and tense, with the plot unfolding superbly, with things escalating to a great and very satisfying ending.

Logan Ryles doesn't just do action. In Sharpe, he has crafted one of my favourite protagonists. A man deeply wounded by past events, finding himself and his purpose whilst helping those in need along the way. A vigilante with a depth of character rarely found and often packing an emotional punch.

A brilliant addition to a brilliant series.

Finally, thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the ARC!

[Mary Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was absolutely brilliant. The series is already great but this latest book takes it to an even higher level.

Mason heads in search for his old partner Jacquie when he gets a coded message from her. As usual he finds himself in the middle of something nasty and finds himself the target for an Aryan gang. It also seems there are corrupt police around but Mason soons realises there's more going on here than normal racist behaviour. This was non-stop as usual and has even more twists than ever to make you feel you've been through a tornado. It has a great ending too and I can't wait for the next.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Abibliofob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mason Sharpe drives to Arkansas to help an old partner, little does he know what mess he ends up in. Strike Back by Logan Ryles is another entertaining book in this series and there is a new type of problem in each book. All deals with real nowadays problems and are well written and filled with suspense and action.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic

Mr Ryles just keeps getting better and better.

You could read it as a standalone but it would be a lot more enjoyable if you started at the beginning with book 1.

Whichever route you take, this one's great.

[Tom · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can authors please stop with the white nationalist, anti- immigrant tropes? Hasn’t it been beaten to death already?
Maybe it’s the only group authors feel they can vilify without offending the latest grievance group.

[Carson Walls · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not up to par

Mr. Ryles has started a good series but has lost sight of believable actions and tried to pack too much excitement into a story. I will finish the series then decide if I want to go forward with his other stories.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

In the latest Mason Sharpe story, Mason is in a laundromat when he sees a man hitting the man's girlfriend. Mason takes exception to this and soon makes things right. He tells the girlfriend to take a bus and get away. The Birmingham Ala. police show up and Mason escapes out the back door. Mason looking for confirmation of a receipt checks his phone and not finding one he begins going thru his emails. As he peruses them, he notices one from his former partner Jacquie with the message identifying a zip code and a police 10 code asking for help. Mason immediately begins his trip to that location.

Upon arriving in Whitton, Ark., he begins at the sheriff's office asking for information. Getting nothing, he then starts asking around town about the Richardson family, but no one seems to notice anything. Mason next stop is town hall where he receives an address from the mayor, but in reality it is set up for an ambush. When Mason recovers, he finds himself at the home of Jacquie's relatives and learns about her uncle's death. He then learns that Jacquie start looking into who killed him and that is when she disappeared.

Mason then starts his own investigation trying to find Jacquie as well learn who killed her uncle and why. This investigation takes many twists and turns providing new information. Again, Mason is in danger and it takes a lot of effort to stay safe because of the organizations looking for him. Eventually he learns enough and finally puts it all together and even an idea where Jacquie is.

To discover why Jacquie's uncle was klled, why Jacquie was taken, who the people behind the incidents, what new fact led Mason to his conclusion as well as how it all worked out in the end, then you need to read this book. It is a definite winner.

[Kymber Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Logan Ryles book, Strike Back, is book seven in the Mason Sharp series, and is non stop action almost from page one.

Strike Back takes place deep in the heart of the South. A place where racism and sexism are still quite prevalent in many small towns, even though most people say it is not acceptable, and Strike Back strikes out with two out of two.

Mr. Ryles does an excellent job bringing the feel of a small, no name, backwoods town to life, The unemployment, the poverty, everybody knowing everybody and everybody's business, and keeping town business town business while at the same time keeping outsiders out. As you read Strike Back, you get the feeling you're sitting right in the middle of this town that acts like it's sometime in the 1950's, yet wants you to believe it's in the modern day. It's almost like watching the Stephen Seagal movie Fire Down Below from 1994 when Mr. Seagal was still in demand.

If you like fast action, high intensity, intense drama, and no questions asked loyalty, read Strike Back, then go back and read the previous books in the Mason Sharp series because, thankfully, these books don't have to be read in any particular order to understand what is going on, though it is recommended you do read from the beginning to get the most enjoyment from the series.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

With nothing but an emailed zip code and 10 code, Mason Sharpe drops everything to help his former Phoenix PD partner in her greatest time of need. Arriving on the scene to find her missing, he begins turning over rocks one by one. He faces outright resistance from the get go, soon turning to physical hostility to his efforts. Despite all odds, he slowly unfolds a deep plot involving murder, corruption, and brutality with multiple groups doing everything to stop him from foiling their ultimate plan.

With descriptive language, we feel his frustation build along with the lumps and bumps along the way. No worries, though - Mason Sharpe isn't the kind to give up - besides unravelling the mystery of his missing partner, the bad guys will get what's due before it's all said and done. Add in an interesting plot reveal near the end, you've got another compelling book to keep you on the edge of your seat! Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Frank Rush · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mason receives call for help from former partner in her Home Town

Mason is in Birmingham and receives text for help from former Detective Partner Jacquie in her Arkansas home town. Arriving he finds the town hostile and Jacquie missing. Further he learns she had come to Arkansas for her murdered Uncles Funeral.

Mason encounters uncooperative Sheriff, Staff and local,townsfolk. Local
neo-nazi thugs ( AKA - Aryan Brotherhood Army - “ABA” ) overpower Mason, giving him a beating with him waking up in Jacquie’s Aunt’s house and care. As he continues to look for missing Jacquie he ends up uncovering illicit sales of
U.S. Government M4A1 rifles from nearby military installation through locals (ABA) to Mexican Cartel. Mason must unravel the total mystery to find Jacquie.

Logan Ryles weaves intriguing twist and turns for Mason Sharpe finding Jacquie. A not to be missed latest quest of/for Mason Sharpe. Five ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Star

Thank you for looking at my REVIEW that I hope you find Informative, Useful and HELPFUL! 😃

[Carol Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mason Sharpe is at it again, he just had surgery on his nose when he received a very short e-mail but it was the code that the Phoenix Police Dept used and was from his former partner Jacquie, and she has served him well in the past so now's the time for payback. All is well and good but he can't find her she is missing, so plenty of action just looking for her, and he has not been received with open arms hence the emergency e-mail.
Mason Sharpe is at best not very clever always rubs people up the wrong way fighting. How he ever comes out of it alive beats me, but this book is full of action, always a few hiccups along the way but a survivor on steroids
Good pace some nasty characters, and with Mason Sharpe he will put the bad to rest.
I did receive this ARC book through Booksprout but this is my honest review.

[Ricki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mason is recovering from nose surgery after his most recent exploits when he receives a text - a zip code and police code for backup, He knows it's from former PhoenixPD partner Jacquie and leads him to a nothing town in remote Arkansas. What he finds is rampant racism and no Jacquie. The entire town claims not to have seen her which makes Mason believe she's been taken.

He's a one man wrecking crew in his quest to save Jacquie before it's too late and discovers illegal gun sales by an Aaryan Brotherhood crew and then something even more evil they have planned. He's either one step ahead or one behind the entire book. There's beatings, shootings, corrupt local PD and very little info on Jacquie, yet Mason comes to the rescue just in time.

Lots of car chases/crashes and other action. A solid 3.5 (the religious overtones as in the last book is not my favorite)

[Doug Yonce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book seven in the series finds our protagonist, Mason, still wandering around the south, healing emotionally from the loss of his fiancé and physically from injuries suffered (in book six), when he receives a text from his former detective partner, Jacquie. Responding to the message takes Mason to a backwoods town in Arkansas where he finds a murder of Jacquie’s uncle has taken place ( and covered up), Jacquie is missing, and a white supremacist group is running things, hiding things, and planning even more things. Mason, as usual, makes a nuisance of himself and gradually peels back the layers to reveal how deep the coverup. I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the book and voluntarily provided an honest review.

[Jeff Benham · Rating 5 out of 5]

After two major terrorist attacks on America, there is no way Reed is sitting this one out. He is focused. Focused on Ibrahim, the terrorist whose bomb shrapnel almost killed Banks and did kill their unborn daughter. The terrorist who attempted to assassinate President Trousdale and left her with a non functioning liver that may kill her yet. The Presecution Force is back in the good graces, sort of, with the CIA and Director Aimes has placed all hope on them. Looks like Ibrahim got his hands on a nuke and is extremely adept at staying 1 step ahead of them. He also seems to be an expert on leaving false clues. But Montgomery is focused. Very exciting read and the next one promises to be even better.

[Samuel murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Thriller.

A thriller that has Sharpe responding to an emergency coded text from a previous police colleague. A call that leads him to the colleagues home place finding racial tension and police corruption in a small town where he is not wanted and residents including the police deny having seen his colleague despite her relatives having spoken to her when she attended her uncles funeral. Investigation reveals weapons going missing from an army camp assisted by corrupt police and federal agents planning to detonate a bomb killing migrants housed in a camp which has Sharpe and the rescued colleague fighting their way from a group of militants to stop delivery of the bomb and uncover the corruption.

N

[Gwen Chester · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! If you are looking for action this book is for you. This book was so full of twists and turns that I really had to pay attention at times to keep up. It was a good book but had too much action at times. This poor guy Mason Sharpe had to do the work of an entire army and is kind of hard to imagine since he just had surgery. I loved the fact that he went to Jacquie's aid but with everything that he and Jacquie both endured it was just a little too much. Maybe this is just not my type of book and others will love it. As I said the book is good but has a little too much action for me.

I got this book from BookSprout and will be happy to leave my review.

[patrick Lorelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mason is recovering from his last encounter and after getting back to looking at his messages, he is surprised by the numbers that were left by his former partner Jacquie, she needs help. That was two weeks ago and he now must drive to Arkansas. Once there and beginning to ask around about her he is met with dislike and hatred. By most, except for her family and a few others. He begins to unravel the problem and what got Jacquie in trouble in the first place. This is an action-pact story with many different characters and a storyline that will keep you entertained until the very end. Very much worth the read.

[Brenda Moser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the seventh book in the series and the author does not disappoint! He does a great job developing the story and paints his scenes perfectly. He brings strong characters and weaves another interesting mystery with Mason still recovering from the loss of his fiance and recovering from the injuries from book six. He's now dealing with more drama and action. The story move fluidly and is a terrific page turner.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and are freely given.

[Denice Langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book #7 in the Mason Sharpe series. Anyone who loves Jack Reacher will love Mason Sharpe. He has a firm grasp on right and wrong and has no problem educating those who need an attitude adjustment. In STRIKE BACK, Mason will travel to answer a call for help from his former partner. Her family has been attacked by extremists and now she is missing. The action is quick and the consequences properly applied. This book could be read as a stand alone and enjoyed but, you'd be missing 6 more great books. Pick up all 7 and plan a Mason Sharpe binge weekend then share with your reading buddies.

[Paul Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mason Sharp. I’m liking this guy more with each episode.

Early in my reading I considered docking Logan a star when the setup resembled a Jack Reacher outline too closely. Not to worry, although Sharp nearly goes full “Reacher” when really necessary, he remains much more human. Even sensitive, but without being conflicted like the modern woke antihero. If you want to up your game and don’t mind missing some sleep, you’ll enjoy Strike Back. Ryles can take the story right up to the edge without going dark.

[Janie Graybeal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an absolute page turner! I found myself hour after hour when I got the chance, sitting and reading non-stop until it was so late that my eyes were closing from staying up. I was sucked in to every chapter word for word, and sometimes even felt like I was in the action myself with Mason and Jacquie! Jammed packed with thrilling suspense and action scenes ending in a takedown by the historical duo! And the ending...what a perfect end with justice served!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Manda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mason goes to help his ex partner when he receives a coded message and as you would expect finds himself in the thick of things. This time being frozen out of a small town by a bunch of racist bad guys.

Another fantastic fast paced, gritty, action packed story with Mason wading through the bad guys with skill, knowledge and charm. Excellent world building, likeable characters and plenty of plot twists. I thoroughly enjoy this author's writing style.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Beach Bum · Rating 3 out of 5]

More twists than a corkscrew

It plods along at a fair old pace , similar to all the previous Mason books, but you get to about 70% and then the twists start to occur.
Couple you could see a mile off, but the last one was a real surprise, nice to get caught out for once
It's an OK story with a good ending, I'm tempted to give 4*, but the first 70% just want up to that standard.
This time round you need to have read the previous books for a lot of this to make sense, it's not a standalone novel

[Carolyn Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

engaging book

Mason is a great character and the story catches you from page one. Logan has an entertaining style of writing and developing his characters. Mason gets a cryptic coded message from his former parter needing backup so he and his old GMC hit the road. The story has lots of bad guys, but be ready for a surprise at the end. Great book, picked it up and read until finished. The entire series is worth your time.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strike Back

I enjoyed this book and the story about bad guys in a small mid western town in Arkansas. I use to make sales calls in Arkansas and can certainly relate to the story. I thought the story was fun to read and relive the descriptions of the small towns in Arkansas and meet the great people that populate the state. It was a great experience and this book brought it all back so that I could relive the time that I spent in Arkansas.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

What drew me to this book was the cover. This is book seven in the Mason Sharpe Thrillers and I have just one question for myself why haven't I found this Author before now. This thrilling story kept me turning pages in this suspense filled story. I will be reading more of this series. This is a new Author to me. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sandra Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a page turner with heroic characters. A hard man who likes to help people and make things right. Loyal to friends. Has tenacity and fortitude. Single minded with head in the game. I like this fellow, Mason. Action packed finale as keeps you enthralled. All in all, a great read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sandy T · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an exciting action packed thriller. Mason is determined to find his ex partner and trouble follows him everywhere. This was a page turner with lots of action. I figured out some of the twists early but was surprised at others. Lots of interesting characters plus I enjoyed the classic muscle cars.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rick Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strike Back

I have enjoyed every book in the Mason Sharpe series. I think I read this one even faster because I almost couldn't put it down. It was full of non stop action and one hell of a storyline. I highly recommend picking this one up as well as any other Mason Sharpe stories you haven't read. You won't regret it!

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action and intrigue are all through the story. Thrilling ride as the clues unfold. Love the strong male lead character. He is bound and determined to help save his friend. Another strong female character. Edge of your seat reading until the end. Good read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.