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Failure Point
"Intense, compelling, and relentless . . . will keep you turning the pages until the very last one." -Mike McGrale, screenwriter, The Following, Miami
"Strap in for Failure Point's chilling ride of mounting suspense that leaves you gasping at the ride's end." -Parris Afton Bonds, New York Times bestselling author
Is it possible to really know your spouse?
Nick Faulkner is about to find out . . . if he can stay alive. Nick-a former FBI star whose career mysteriously tanked, returns home one day to find that his wife Lexi has walked out on him and simply vanished. Then, he discovers she's part of a cult-like church. He doesn't believe for a second she's suddenly found religion but is convinced she's been kidnapped. Nick recruits a band of similarly disgraced ex-agents to help him spring her from the cult's heavily armed compound.
He doesn't know that powerful forces high in the US government and intelligence services are working to make sure that doesn't happen. And that they'll stop at nothing to prevent him from exposing the secrets lurking beyond the church gates.
Including murder.
As Nick works his way through the shadows of Lexi's life and tries to sort out the hidden truth behind her disappearance, he tumbles into a sprawling web of deceit and lies thick with betrayal and shifting loyalties, where nothing is as it seems.
His quest will bring him face-to-face with enemies foreign and domestic, including traitors, social media "truth tellers," Russian spies, and well-armed mercenaries. And he'll have to survive a vast conspiracy determined to keep him from learning the stunning truth about who Lexi really is.
Or, perhaps even more shocking, who she isn't.
"Strap in for Failure Point's chilling ride of mounting suspense that leaves you gasping at the ride's end." -Parris Afton Bonds, New York Times bestselling author
Is it possible to really know your spouse?
Nick Faulkner is about to find out . . . if he can stay alive. Nick-a former FBI star whose career mysteriously tanked, returns home one day to find that his wife Lexi has walked out on him and simply vanished. Then, he discovers she's part of a cult-like church. He doesn't believe for a second she's suddenly found religion but is convinced she's been kidnapped. Nick recruits a band of similarly disgraced ex-agents to help him spring her from the cult's heavily armed compound.
He doesn't know that powerful forces high in the US government and intelligence services are working to make sure that doesn't happen. And that they'll stop at nothing to prevent him from exposing the secrets lurking beyond the church gates.
Including murder.
As Nick works his way through the shadows of Lexi's life and tries to sort out the hidden truth behind her disappearance, he tumbles into a sprawling web of deceit and lies thick with betrayal and shifting loyalties, where nothing is as it seems.
His quest will bring him face-to-face with enemies foreign and domestic, including traitors, social media "truth tellers," Russian spies, and well-armed mercenaries. And he'll have to survive a vast conspiracy determined to keep him from learning the stunning truth about who Lexi really is.
Or, perhaps even more shocking, who she isn't.
460 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 22, 2024
3 people are currently reading
4 people want to read
About the author
Doug Williams
4 books5 followersDoug Williams is a playwright, author, and award-winning screenwriter and filmmaker. He is a former journalist; served as press secretary in the US Senate; and has overseen communications in both the public and private sectors. He’s somehow managed to make a career as a freelancer for over 25 ears.
His script Back Star Rising, based on the life of iconic Texas congresswoman Barbara Jordan, has been honored in over 45 competitions worldwide—winning 12 best screenplay awards—and is in development for a feature film. A film he wrote and produced, A Bullet For Your Thoughts, has been recognized in 12 festivals and has won six awards for best short film as well as individual honors for best director, best actor, best supporting actor, and best supporting actress. He and his wife Donna McKenzie are currently working on a screenplay whose working title is Kitty’s Back, about a cat the CIA trains to be a spy and save the world. (Seriously.)
Critics compared his previous novel, Nowhere Man, to Homeland and House of Cards, saying “it delivers excitement, suspense and cheers in all the right places” and calling it a “labyrinthine conspiracy thriller with both verve and heart.” He cowrote A Sacred Duty, the true account of a federal whistleblower who exposed a scandal that took the lives of hundreds of U.S. veterans that is also in development for a film. Additionally, he collaborated with noted restauranteur Johnny Carrabba on two books, With Gratitude and A Gift from the Heart.
He is also a playwright with four New York City productions, and his most recent work, The Boundary, written with Donna McKenzie, was produced by Dirt Dogs Theatre Company in Houston. They are currently at work on a new play, Swimback, which explores the dissolution of a military family during the Cuban missile crisis.
His script Back Star Rising, based on the life of iconic Texas congresswoman Barbara Jordan, has been honored in over 45 competitions worldwide—winning 12 best screenplay awards—and is in development for a feature film. A film he wrote and produced, A Bullet For Your Thoughts, has been recognized in 12 festivals and has won six awards for best short film as well as individual honors for best director, best actor, best supporting actor, and best supporting actress. He and his wife Donna McKenzie are currently working on a screenplay whose working title is Kitty’s Back, about a cat the CIA trains to be a spy and save the world. (Seriously.)
Critics compared his previous novel, Nowhere Man, to Homeland and House of Cards, saying “it delivers excitement, suspense and cheers in all the right places” and calling it a “labyrinthine conspiracy thriller with both verve and heart.” He cowrote A Sacred Duty, the true account of a federal whistleblower who exposed a scandal that took the lives of hundreds of U.S. veterans that is also in development for a film. Additionally, he collaborated with noted restauranteur Johnny Carrabba on two books, With Gratitude and A Gift from the Heart.
He is also a playwright with four New York City productions, and his most recent work, The Boundary, written with Donna McKenzie, was produced by Dirt Dogs Theatre Company in Houston. They are currently at work on a new play, Swimback, which explores the dissolution of a military family during the Cuban missile crisis.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 21, 2025
Failure Point by Doug Williams
Doug Williams’s Failure Point is a high-octane, pulse-pounding thriller that explores one of the most haunting questions anyone in a marriage might ask themselves: Can we ever truly know our spouse? Combining elements of conspiracy, espionage, and domestic drama, Williams crafts a story that’s both deeply personal and explosively global in scope.
At the center of the novel is Nick Faulkner, a once-brilliant FBI agent whose promising career has been derailed by mysterious circumstances. The story begins with Nick stumbling into a nightmare when he discovers that his wife, Lexi, has vanished. What at first seems like an act of abandonment quickly turns sinister when Nick learns she is connected to a cult-like religious organization. But Nick isn’t convinced Lexi’s disappearance is a matter of faith—he believes she’s been kidnapped, manipulated, or worse. This sets the stage for an adrenaline-fueled journey that takes Nick far beyond the role of concerned husband and into a tangled web of lies, conspiracies, and shifting allegiances.
One of the novel’s strongest aspects is the way Williams balances character depth with suspenseful action. Nick is not simply a cardboard-cutout action hero; he’s flawed, bruised by his past, and haunted by the shadow of professional failure. His determination to save Lexi is as much about redemption and reclaiming his identity as it is about love. This makes him relatable, despite the extraordinary dangers he faces.
The supporting cast of disgraced ex-agents adds richness to the story. These characters, all of whom carry their own scars and motivations, form a ragtag but formidable team. Their banter, resourcefulness, and moments of moral conflict ground the narrative in humanity while also heightening the sense of camaraderie. Together, they infiltrate the cult’s compound, all the while facing not just religious zealots but a far larger, darker machinery at work.
Williams excels at layering tension. Just when the reader thinks the story is about a man rescuing his wife from a fanatical sect, the plot broadens into a sprawling conspiracy that involves the highest levels of government and intelligence. The revelations come fast and hard, keeping readers constantly on edge. Each twist reframes the story and challenges both Nick and the audience to question every assumption about Lexi, the cult, and the world around them.
Thematically, Failure Point is as much about identity and truth as it is about action. Can we ever know someone completely, even someone we love? How much of what we perceive in others is truth, and how much is illusion shaped by lies, secrets, or manipulation? These questions give the novel a psychological edge that elevates it above a straightforward thriller.
Stylistically, Williams’s prose is taut and cinematic, making the action scenes especially vivid. Gunfights, covert operations, and chase sequences unfold with a clarity that allows readers to visualize every moment. Yet the quieter, emotional beats carry just as much weight, ensuring the story never loses its human core.
In conclusion, Failure Point is a gripping, intelligent thriller that blends personal stakes with global intrigue. Readers who enjoy authors like David Baldacci, Brad Thor, or Daniel Silva will find themselves hooked by Doug Williams’s storytelling prowess. It’s a story of love, betrayal, and survival that challenges us to rethink how well we truly know those closest to us.
A fast-paced, thought-provoking thriller with heart, depth, and plenty of twists.
Doug Williams’s Failure Point is a high-octane, pulse-pounding thriller that explores one of the most haunting questions anyone in a marriage might ask themselves: Can we ever truly know our spouse? Combining elements of conspiracy, espionage, and domestic drama, Williams crafts a story that’s both deeply personal and explosively global in scope.
At the center of the novel is Nick Faulkner, a once-brilliant FBI agent whose promising career has been derailed by mysterious circumstances. The story begins with Nick stumbling into a nightmare when he discovers that his wife, Lexi, has vanished. What at first seems like an act of abandonment quickly turns sinister when Nick learns she is connected to a cult-like religious organization. But Nick isn’t convinced Lexi’s disappearance is a matter of faith—he believes she’s been kidnapped, manipulated, or worse. This sets the stage for an adrenaline-fueled journey that takes Nick far beyond the role of concerned husband and into a tangled web of lies, conspiracies, and shifting allegiances.
One of the novel’s strongest aspects is the way Williams balances character depth with suspenseful action. Nick is not simply a cardboard-cutout action hero; he’s flawed, bruised by his past, and haunted by the shadow of professional failure. His determination to save Lexi is as much about redemption and reclaiming his identity as it is about love. This makes him relatable, despite the extraordinary dangers he faces.
The supporting cast of disgraced ex-agents adds richness to the story. These characters, all of whom carry their own scars and motivations, form a ragtag but formidable team. Their banter, resourcefulness, and moments of moral conflict ground the narrative in humanity while also heightening the sense of camaraderie. Together, they infiltrate the cult’s compound, all the while facing not just religious zealots but a far larger, darker machinery at work.
Williams excels at layering tension. Just when the reader thinks the story is about a man rescuing his wife from a fanatical sect, the plot broadens into a sprawling conspiracy that involves the highest levels of government and intelligence. The revelations come fast and hard, keeping readers constantly on edge. Each twist reframes the story and challenges both Nick and the audience to question every assumption about Lexi, the cult, and the world around them.
Thematically, Failure Point is as much about identity and truth as it is about action. Can we ever know someone completely, even someone we love? How much of what we perceive in others is truth, and how much is illusion shaped by lies, secrets, or manipulation? These questions give the novel a psychological edge that elevates it above a straightforward thriller.
Stylistically, Williams’s prose is taut and cinematic, making the action scenes especially vivid. Gunfights, covert operations, and chase sequences unfold with a clarity that allows readers to visualize every moment. Yet the quieter, emotional beats carry just as much weight, ensuring the story never loses its human core.
In conclusion, Failure Point is a gripping, intelligent thriller that blends personal stakes with global intrigue. Readers who enjoy authors like David Baldacci, Brad Thor, or Daniel Silva will find themselves hooked by Doug Williams’s storytelling prowess. It’s a story of love, betrayal, and survival that challenges us to rethink how well we truly know those closest to us.
A fast-paced, thought-provoking thriller with heart, depth, and plenty of twists.
January 4, 2025
An irresistible espionage thriller where nothing is as it seems. From white-knuckled spycraft to shattering domestic fallout, Doug Williams delivers a novel that works on every level.
As Failure Point opens, a dead drop between FBI agent Nick Faulkner and a Kremlin mole goes horribly awry. Instead of obtaining intelligence that reveals a suspected spy within the Bureau’s highest ranks, Nick watches as his contact is murdered in a hit-and-run. As if that isn’t humiliating enough, local police then catch him rifling through the dead man’s car, mistaking him for a common vulture.
Nick, who has weathered a series of intelligence disasters that he attributes to bad luck, expects to get another rap on the knuckles. Instead, he’s given a choice between being fired or resigning with full benefits. He wisely chooses the latter.
The idea of breaking the news to his wife, Lexi, fills him with uncommon dread. After the death of their son, the relationship is already on the rocks. But upon returning home to Bethesda, things go from bad to worse. Lexi is gone, leaving behind only a succinct post-it note: I have to leave. It’s all too much. I can’t take it anymore.
He soon finds evidence that Lexi may be with an east Texas cult known as the Hammer of the Gods Ministries, and becomes convinced she has been kidnapped. However, longtime friend Wendell suspects Lexi simply left the relationship. Julia, a woman with whom Nick had an affair, finds Nick’s refusal to believe Lexi left on her own terms laughable (“What planet are you on? I know love can make you stupid, but please”).
Author Doug Williams delivers a tantalizing puzzle piece in the early going in the form of a transcription that reads as if it may be a confessional written from Lexi’s point of view. From there, the more Nick, Wendell, Julia and others dig into Lexi’s history, the more nefarious – and dangerous – the truth becomes.
Author Doug Williams, whose resume includes a stint as a press secretary in the U.S. Senate, writes with the authority of a beltway insider. Through Nick’s past and present relationships, Williams deftly explores the concept of identity, but also painful themes of loyalty and betrayal on both a personal and professional level. White-knuckled action scenes are beset by wistful nostalgia, as well as the ever-present, unspoken fear that Nick’s best days as both a man and a professional may be behind him. Even well-drawn supporting characters like William “Trip” Vincent III, a former FBI Agent whose success and demise are eerily similar to Nick’s, cast a foreboding shadow over everyone associated with the Bureau.
Ultimately, Williams delivers a satisfying resolution without tying everything up in a neat bow. Let’s hope that we haven’t seen the last of Nick Faulkner.
As Failure Point opens, a dead drop between FBI agent Nick Faulkner and a Kremlin mole goes horribly awry. Instead of obtaining intelligence that reveals a suspected spy within the Bureau’s highest ranks, Nick watches as his contact is murdered in a hit-and-run. As if that isn’t humiliating enough, local police then catch him rifling through the dead man’s car, mistaking him for a common vulture.
Nick, who has weathered a series of intelligence disasters that he attributes to bad luck, expects to get another rap on the knuckles. Instead, he’s given a choice between being fired or resigning with full benefits. He wisely chooses the latter.
The idea of breaking the news to his wife, Lexi, fills him with uncommon dread. After the death of their son, the relationship is already on the rocks. But upon returning home to Bethesda, things go from bad to worse. Lexi is gone, leaving behind only a succinct post-it note: I have to leave. It’s all too much. I can’t take it anymore.
He soon finds evidence that Lexi may be with an east Texas cult known as the Hammer of the Gods Ministries, and becomes convinced she has been kidnapped. However, longtime friend Wendell suspects Lexi simply left the relationship. Julia, a woman with whom Nick had an affair, finds Nick’s refusal to believe Lexi left on her own terms laughable (“What planet are you on? I know love can make you stupid, but please”).
Author Doug Williams delivers a tantalizing puzzle piece in the early going in the form of a transcription that reads as if it may be a confessional written from Lexi’s point of view. From there, the more Nick, Wendell, Julia and others dig into Lexi’s history, the more nefarious – and dangerous – the truth becomes.
Author Doug Williams, whose resume includes a stint as a press secretary in the U.S. Senate, writes with the authority of a beltway insider. Through Nick’s past and present relationships, Williams deftly explores the concept of identity, but also painful themes of loyalty and betrayal on both a personal and professional level. White-knuckled action scenes are beset by wistful nostalgia, as well as the ever-present, unspoken fear that Nick’s best days as both a man and a professional may be behind him. Even well-drawn supporting characters like William “Trip” Vincent III, a former FBI Agent whose success and demise are eerily similar to Nick’s, cast a foreboding shadow over everyone associated with the Bureau.
Ultimately, Williams delivers a satisfying resolution without tying everything up in a neat bow. Let’s hope that we haven’t seen the last of Nick Faulkner.
October 6, 2025
Failure Point is a taut, fast-paced thriller that grips you from the very first page and refuses to let go. At its heart is Nick Faulkner, a disgraced former FBI agent whose world collapses when his wife, Lexi, suddenly disappears. What begins as a desperate search for a missing spouse quickly unravels into something far more sinister—a journey through lies, conspiracies, and the murky world of power and deception.
The novel excels in building tension, balancing emotional depth with relentless suspense. Nick’s determination to uncover the truth about Lexi—and the lengths to which he’s willing to go—make him both relatable and tragic. The deeper he digs, the more unsettling the picture becomes, as layers of deceit expose not only government corruption and espionage but also the chilling question of identity: how well do we really know the people closest to us?
The author’s writing is sharp and cinematic, filled with realistic dialogue and vividly drawn action sequences. Every chapter ends with a twist that propels the reader forward, yet the story never feels rushed. The interplay between personal betrayal and global intrigue gives the novel a rich complexity, while the psychological undercurrent keeps it grounded in emotion rather than pure spectacle.
By the end, ‘Failure Point’ delivers a shocking revelation that forces both Nick and the reader to question everything they thought they knew. It’s a gripping exploration of trust, loyalty, and the devastating consequences of secrets. A perfect pick for fans of espionage thrillers with a human edge.
The novel excels in building tension, balancing emotional depth with relentless suspense. Nick’s determination to uncover the truth about Lexi—and the lengths to which he’s willing to go—make him both relatable and tragic. The deeper he digs, the more unsettling the picture becomes, as layers of deceit expose not only government corruption and espionage but also the chilling question of identity: how well do we really know the people closest to us?
The author’s writing is sharp and cinematic, filled with realistic dialogue and vividly drawn action sequences. Every chapter ends with a twist that propels the reader forward, yet the story never feels rushed. The interplay between personal betrayal and global intrigue gives the novel a rich complexity, while the psychological undercurrent keeps it grounded in emotion rather than pure spectacle.
By the end, ‘Failure Point’ delivers a shocking revelation that forces both Nick and the reader to question everything they thought they knew. It’s a gripping exploration of trust, loyalty, and the devastating consequences of secrets. A perfect pick for fans of espionage thrillers with a human edge.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews