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Against Protocol: A Gripping Conspiracy Thriller
Three years after their lives were violently upended, Kynan Esprit's opened a first-responders training facility, while his wife, Reina, manages her father’s weapons manufacturing company until his release from federal prison.
Everything changes when Kynan accepts the US president’s offer to become his advisor, and Reina’s father is murdered days before his scheduled parole.
Now CEO, Reina must deal with a dangerous hack to her company’s mainframe, but with Kynan in D.C., Reina leans on former colleague, Alex Rodin. Together, and without Kynan’s knowledge, they fly overseas after tracing the hack to Poland, then disappear without a trace.
Kynan knows something’s wrong when he can’t reach Reina. Forgoing White House protocol, he jets off to Poland to find her, but when his CIA-supplied intel proves bogus, Kynan’s forced to rely on his last actionable lead, a desperate phone call from Rodin, who claims he and Reina were abducted.
Kynan traces Rodin to Kaliningrad, where he’s captured by the Russian pharma-oligarch holding Reina. The man threatens to kill Reina and unleash a deadly biological weapon if Kynan fails to compel the president to return assets stolen by Western sanctions.
It's a race against the clock to find a way to thwart the Russian’s plot and escape with their lives, or risk a worldwide pandemic for which there is no cure.
AGAINST PROTOCOL is the exciting sequel to Nancy S. Thompsons electrifying debut.
A fusion of Matthew Quirk’s Hour of the Assassin and The 500, and Simon Gervais’ The Last Protector, and a reckoning of our recent political climate.
Everything changes when Kynan accepts the US president’s offer to become his advisor, and Reina’s father is murdered days before his scheduled parole.
Now CEO, Reina must deal with a dangerous hack to her company’s mainframe, but with Kynan in D.C., Reina leans on former colleague, Alex Rodin. Together, and without Kynan’s knowledge, they fly overseas after tracing the hack to Poland, then disappear without a trace.
Kynan knows something’s wrong when he can’t reach Reina. Forgoing White House protocol, he jets off to Poland to find her, but when his CIA-supplied intel proves bogus, Kynan’s forced to rely on his last actionable lead, a desperate phone call from Rodin, who claims he and Reina were abducted.
Kynan traces Rodin to Kaliningrad, where he’s captured by the Russian pharma-oligarch holding Reina. The man threatens to kill Reina and unleash a deadly biological weapon if Kynan fails to compel the president to return assets stolen by Western sanctions.
It's a race against the clock to find a way to thwart the Russian’s plot and escape with their lives, or risk a worldwide pandemic for which there is no cure.
AGAINST PROTOCOL is the exciting sequel to Nancy S. Thompsons electrifying debut.
A fusion of Matthew Quirk’s Hour of the Assassin and The 500, and Simon Gervais’ The Last Protector, and a reckoning of our recent political climate.
418 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 4, 2025
123 people are currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
Nancy S. Thompson
5 books328 followersNancy S. Thompson is an award-winning author who loves to write suspenseful action thrillers with a touch of romance. Her latest, Against Orders (Book One), is a geopolitical conspiracy thriller and a reckoning of our recent political climate.
When she’s not writing, you’ll find Nancy in her studio, painting contemporary art, or at the piano, playing Chopin or Mozart. She’s a California transplant currently living in Seattle, Washington with her husband and cats, and recently retired after 35 years in the architectural and interior design business.
To learn more, visit her website and sign-up for Nancy’s newsletter to receive updates in your inbox. You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Threads, Tribel, and Bluesky.
When she’s not writing, you’ll find Nancy in her studio, painting contemporary art, or at the piano, playing Chopin or Mozart. She’s a California transplant currently living in Seattle, Washington with her husband and cats, and recently retired after 35 years in the architectural and interior design business.
To learn more, visit her website and sign-up for Nancy’s newsletter to receive updates in your inbox. You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Threads, Tribel, and Bluesky.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 15, 2025
After thoroughly enjoying the series debut by Nancy S. Thompson, she pulls the reader into the middle of the action with another strong political thriller. Kynan Esprit and his wife, Reina, have been through a great del in the past few years. After a harrowing revelation, they settled down to work and raise a family. However, news that Reina's father had been killed just before being released from prison caused major ripples, ones that Kynan could not ignore. Reina discovers a breach in her company mainframe and begins an investigation that sends her to the depths of Eastern Europe. This, in turn, leads to her capture at the hands of a ruthless Russian arms manufacturer, whose latest idea could not only turn war on its head, but introduce a crippling biological weapon into the mix. In a rush to save hs wife, Kynon falls into a trap and must develop a means of extricating himself before he, too, becomes a victim of this madman. A solid second novel in this series that packs more punch than I might have imagined and shows how Nancy S. Thompson has a handle on the genre.
It has been three years since the chaotic time that Kynan Esprit saved his wife, Reina, from certain death. He's now content running a first-responders training facility on the West Coast, while Reina runs a weapons manufacturing facility for her father, at least until he finishes his stint in prison for financial crimes. Their love for one another and young daughter pull Kynan and Reina together. All this is tested when Kynan is offered an advisor's role with the sitting US President, something that he cannot turn down. While he and Reina are straining to comprehend how to make it all work, news of her father's murder inside the prison walls just before he is released on parole shakes the family to its core.
While she tries to process it all, Reina must come to terms with a hack to the company's mainframe and odd electronic crumbs that point to someone infiltrating things from the inside. Reina is unable to determine what is going on and turns to an old colleague, Alex Rodin, for answers. With his poweful connections, Alex wonders if he can help trace things to their core, which will mean a covert trip to Poland, where he and Reina can hopefully save things before the US Department of Defence discovers the breach and pulls their weapons orders.
Things go sideways and, when Kynan cannot reach his wife, he jets off to find her. He's alerted to the news that Reina and Alex have been kidnapped and taken to Russia, where they are being held by a ruthless man who wants power and control in the form of a new biological weapon. Ready to do what it takes, Kynan rushes to get there, only to fall into a trap and find himself facing new and harrowing issues of his own. The hunt for Reina will be dangerous and Kynan will not like what he finds, but he will stop at nothing to bring his wife back to him safely, even if it costs him everything. Nancy S. Thompson does a stellar job with this novel, tapping into numerous facets of a great thriller and adding her own twists.
I love a story that takes me on a journey and never lets up. Nancy S. Thompson did that with her series debut and returns to do so once more. The narrative is both fast-paced and detailed, painting a picture for all to enjoy as the reader delves into the darkest of corners for answers. Thompson sprinkles development in the story with some ruthless events, which might be too much for some readers, but surely enriches the reading experience. I found the characters were both well-suited to the piece and kept me wondering what awaited me around the next bend. Their backstories work well to piece the larger story together and keep the reader wondering. Plot points are plentiful in this piece and I could not have asked for more. Thompson does know how to pull a story to its limits, without revealing too much at any one time. I hope there is more to this series or that Nancy S. Thompson remains keen on writing more in the genre. Everyone is better off for it!
Kudos, Madam Thompson, for an addictive political thriller.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
It has been three years since the chaotic time that Kynan Esprit saved his wife, Reina, from certain death. He's now content running a first-responders training facility on the West Coast, while Reina runs a weapons manufacturing facility for her father, at least until he finishes his stint in prison for financial crimes. Their love for one another and young daughter pull Kynan and Reina together. All this is tested when Kynan is offered an advisor's role with the sitting US President, something that he cannot turn down. While he and Reina are straining to comprehend how to make it all work, news of her father's murder inside the prison walls just before he is released on parole shakes the family to its core.
While she tries to process it all, Reina must come to terms with a hack to the company's mainframe and odd electronic crumbs that point to someone infiltrating things from the inside. Reina is unable to determine what is going on and turns to an old colleague, Alex Rodin, for answers. With his poweful connections, Alex wonders if he can help trace things to their core, which will mean a covert trip to Poland, where he and Reina can hopefully save things before the US Department of Defence discovers the breach and pulls their weapons orders.
Things go sideways and, when Kynan cannot reach his wife, he jets off to find her. He's alerted to the news that Reina and Alex have been kidnapped and taken to Russia, where they are being held by a ruthless man who wants power and control in the form of a new biological weapon. Ready to do what it takes, Kynan rushes to get there, only to fall into a trap and find himself facing new and harrowing issues of his own. The hunt for Reina will be dangerous and Kynan will not like what he finds, but he will stop at nothing to bring his wife back to him safely, even if it costs him everything. Nancy S. Thompson does a stellar job with this novel, tapping into numerous facets of a great thriller and adding her own twists.
I love a story that takes me on a journey and never lets up. Nancy S. Thompson did that with her series debut and returns to do so once more. The narrative is both fast-paced and detailed, painting a picture for all to enjoy as the reader delves into the darkest of corners for answers. Thompson sprinkles development in the story with some ruthless events, which might be too much for some readers, but surely enriches the reading experience. I found the characters were both well-suited to the piece and kept me wondering what awaited me around the next bend. Their backstories work well to piece the larger story together and keep the reader wondering. Plot points are plentiful in this piece and I could not have asked for more. Thompson does know how to pull a story to its limits, without revealing too much at any one time. I hope there is more to this series or that Nancy S. Thompson remains keen on writing more in the genre. Everyone is better off for it!
Kudos, Madam Thompson, for an addictive political thriller.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Read
July 31, 2025Very good. Kept my interest throughout. Had a hard time putting it down. Would be interested in a Book 3!
June 30, 2025
If you’re a fan of breathless, globe-hopping thrillers with emotional depth and political intrigue, Against Protocol delivers in spades. Nancy S. Thompson picks up three years after the chaos of her debut, and wastes no time throwing us right back into the fire with Kynan and Reina. Their relationship is tested like never before—geopolitics, personal tragedy, and espionage converge in a high-stakes game that starts in Washington D.C. and rockets across Europe with relentless intensity.
What makes this sequel shine isn’t just the action—though there’s plenty of it, including daring escapes, kidnappings, and secret missions—but the emotional weight behind every decision. Reina’s quiet resilience as she steps into her father’s role, and Kynan’s dogged determination to find her at all costs, create a powerful dynamic that grounds the breakneck pace in something deeply human. The plot is smart and timely, touching on cyber warfare, global health threats, and the blurred lines of loyalty in a divided world.
Thompson expertly weaves together the political tension of The 500, the covert intrigue of Hour of the Assassin, and the gritty realism of The Last Protector. The stakes are enormous, the pacing fierce, and the villain chillingly believable. Against Protocol is a top-tier thriller—an absolute must-read for fans of action, heart, and global conspiracies that feel just a bit too real.
What makes this sequel shine isn’t just the action—though there’s plenty of it, including daring escapes, kidnappings, and secret missions—but the emotional weight behind every decision. Reina’s quiet resilience as she steps into her father’s role, and Kynan’s dogged determination to find her at all costs, create a powerful dynamic that grounds the breakneck pace in something deeply human. The plot is smart and timely, touching on cyber warfare, global health threats, and the blurred lines of loyalty in a divided world.
Thompson expertly weaves together the political tension of The 500, the covert intrigue of Hour of the Assassin, and the gritty realism of The Last Protector. The stakes are enormous, the pacing fierce, and the villain chillingly believable. Against Protocol is a top-tier thriller—an absolute must-read for fans of action, heart, and global conspiracies that feel just a bit too real.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews