Collateral Damage: Dane Winter, Book 2

Dane Winter #2

by Sam Cogley

The BRAND NEW explosive instalment in the Dane Winte r thrillers from Sam Cogley. Perfect for fans of Lee Child

"Pulse-pounding action and razor-sharp suspense" - Bestselling author Andrew Warren

Winter came for the pancakes. Hollowvale fed him the dead.

Dane Winter is unemployed and on a lonely road to nowhere. Riding his motorcycle west from New York, he spots a sign on the Hollowvale, Pennsylvania. A place he hasn't visited since his Redwind Security days. Back then, the town was known for its coal mines and the best pancakes he ever tasted.

A chance encounter with a distraught local woman pulls him into investigating her friend's disappearance. When Jacob Rhodes' body is found at the bottom of an abandoned mine shaft, the local authorities are quick to label it an accident. Winter isn't convinced…

Between the death of Jacob and the unexplained illnesses spreading through the local population, it's clear that nothing is as it seems in the town of Hollowvale. Worse still, Winter thinks it might have something to do with his time there two years earlier.

What starts as a quest for answers becomes a fight to expose a conspiracy that reaches far beyond the small town.

But Winter is never one to give up, and he's willing to burn it all down in order to uncover the horrific truth.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery

Audible Audio

Published March 24, 2026

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Collateral Damage by Sam Cogley is a Dane Winter thriller than begins with a pretty decent plot and some interesting characters, but quickly evolves into a story about a super man who can kill dozens in one attack. It’s about a recycling plant that is also hiding and illegally disposing of toxic materials. Dane just can’t let stuff go, so when the doctor tells him something is not right, he takes it literally. It begins with a man who killed himself, seemingly falling down an old mine shaft. It quickly becomes more than that as Dane looks into it. There are some interesting characters before the shoot-em-up begins. I don’t mind violence, but it that is the main thrust of the book, it leaves me cold.

I was invited to read Collateral Damage by Boldwood Books. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #BoldwoodBooks #SamCogley #CollateralDamage

[VickydpBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series of Dane winters perfect for Lee Child fans.

Winter came for the pancakes. Hollowvale fed him the dead.

What starts as a quest for answers becomes a fight to expose a conspiracy that reaches far beyond the small town.

But Winter is never one to give up, and he’s willing to burn it all down in order to uncover the horrific truth.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

This story has Dane stopping in Hollowvale, Pa. at a diner he used to visit while he spent time on job here. He remembers that pancakes were so good, so he came to get them once more. After getting his order, he discovered that the pancakes were not the same. He finished and was back on the road when he got into an accident. After discovering why Amanda was going so fast, he learned that a teacher friend had not showed up and since she got no help from the police, she was going to search for him. Dane agreed to help and on arriving discovered his campsite, but nothing else. They continued looking and eventually discovered that Jacob had fallen down a mine shaft. Amanda believed that there was something wrong and Jacob was too familiar with the area. Eventually Amanda convinced Dane so Dane did a further search and discovered that something was going on in the area that shouldn't. As he was heading back to town he was arrested and changed with Jacob's murder. He was locked up in a cell, but eventually he was able to escape.

Follow Dane as he tries to avoid the search parties and eventually where he then heads to Amanda's house. It seemed that Amanda had been taken and Dane was expected there so a group of individuals not associated with the law were looking to kill him. A fierce battle ensued and Dane then headed to the one place that was responsible.

Follow Dane and discover where he ends up and learn of what he had to overcome in trying to rescue Amanda. The ending is quite exciting and will finally provide the answers that explain who was behind the illegal activity.

This is definitely a book well worth reading, don't miss out!

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dane Winter had worked at Hollowvale two years prior, to set up security for an eco-friendly company. Remembering the cafe with the pancakes he'd enjoyed so much, he decided on them for breakfast before he continued on through town. His motorcycle didn't carry much, but he didn't need much. After breakfast, he headed to the eco-friendly site, to catch up with his old friend, but in doing so he was knocked off his bike by a driver going to fast around the tight bends. The meeting of Amanda & Dane started a couple of weeks of absolute chaos, of corruption, conspiracy and murder, when Amanda's good friend and fellow school teacher was found dead.

As Dane and Amanda worked together, Dane realised there was much more than what they'd thought. He headed up into the woods on his own, not wanting to put Amanda in danger, and also not knowing who he could trust. The local doctor had confided his concerns to Dane - Dane's instincts were seldom wrong and he knew what was happening wasn't right...

Collateral Damage is the 2nd in the Dane Winter series by Sam Cogley and what a doozy it was!! Twists and turns, I had to suspend disbelief at times, but that made it all the more exciting. Fast paced, it barely let up, the action was chilling and electric. An excellent 2nd in the series, and one I recommend highly.

With thanks to NetGalley & Boldwood Books for my digital ARC to read and review.

[Nikki Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dane is back and about to set foot into a small town murder which leads him into a big business conspiracy!

Winter, former Marine and current security specialist has driven back through Hollowvale with memories of the best pancakes he's ever tasted. He intends to fill up on fuel, pancakes and some nice memories and then continue on to NYC. However, a small road traffic accident with a local school teacher puts paid to that. Dane finds himself assisting the teacher to find her missing colleague. However they finds a lot more than just the missing teacher.

Hollowvale has been plagued by mysterious illnesses, ineffectual policing and deaths. Dane can't leave the town now that he's found these dangling threads of mystery but will he and Amanda be able to solve the mystery of her friends death before they end up a statistic themselves!

I love a lone wolf, mysterious stranger, type MC who rides into town and solves all their problems. Small towns always hides such big problems. This time out MC knows the town, the local major employer and has an in through his previous involvement in the security arrangements.

The murder & mystery intertwine wonderfully with the ecological catastrophe and corruption. Revealing what we already know - money is the root of all rot! The poor community is ravages but there are those that are willing to fight on to save it.

Plenty of action but there is a great story there too. Fast paced action thriller and I read it all in one sitting.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Dane Winter series, and it works really well as a stand-alone. I haven't read the first one, but the author gives enough to get to know the basics of the character and his background.

Winter is an ex-marine and security specialist. He had been to Hollowvale a couple of years ago when he helped to set up the security for an eco-friendly company. He remembers the pancakes were great, but as he is passing through this time, they are not the same. He does, however, get talking to a woman whom he had seen before. She is the local teacher and asks for his help to find her missing friend. They discover a body, an accident, says the local PD.

Winter is a loner, a nomad who travels from place to place with the basics he needs on his motorbike. As he already knows the town, he is aware of some of the people, but is shocked when he discovers all the security staff he originally recruited are no longer at the company.

The author brings several angles to this story, murder, mystery and thriller, and incorporates ecology, community, corruption, and greed. But, is everything as clear-cut as it seems? Well, no, it isn't but that is the whole point of the story. Secrets and backhanders are the norm, so you cannot trust anything anyone really says.

This is a reasonably fast paced story, lots of action, suspense, sense of danger and a good general thriller. I really enjoyed it and would happily recommend it.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dane Winter is unemployed on a lonely road to nowhere. Riding his motorcycle West from New York, he spots a sign on the Hollowvale, Pennsylvania. A place he hasn't visited since his Rewind Security days. Back then, was known for it's coal mines and the best pancakes he ever tasted. A chance encounter with a distraught local woman pulls him into investigating her friends disappearance. When Jacob Rhodes' body is found at the bottom of an abandoned mine shaft, the local authorities are quick to label it an accident. Winter isn't convinced.

I didn't know that this was the second book in the Dan Winter series when I requested it. Ex-marine and security specialist Dane Winter had been to Hollowvale before when he helped set up the secutity for an eco-friendly company. I quite liked Dane, he's an interesting character. He is out on his motorcycle when he passed the sign for Hollowvale. He remembers they make great pancakes and decides to stop by. Only to end up looking for a teacher who had disappeared.

Published 24th March 2026

I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #SamCogley for my ARC of #CollateralDamage in exchange for an honest review.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the second book featuring Dane Winters. He is on his own now and seems to be at a bit of a loss as to the direction he wants his life to go. The story starts with him traveling through a town where he did security work previously. He doesn't see a reason to stay but he soon realizes that things are not right in this little out of the way town.
This is when his ethics show up and he becomes involved with trying to find out what is going on as there are many unexpected things going on with the plant he setup security for. A teacher has died up in the hills but there are some very suspicious circumstances. His good friend and fellow teacher doesn't believe it was an accident although the police try to convince her that is true. Dane looks into all the goings on and soon realizes there is more than just a missing person/potential murder case.
There are many twists and turns to this tale. The final ending is a bit unexpected but makes me think I will like the direction that future Dane Winter tales will take.
I received an Advanced Reader's Copy and am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Eunice R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the brute force intensity of the narrative not being my cup of tea, I'd say the story is well written and the curated suspense did carry me through to the story's end. The small town setting and townspeople take the brunt of all the drama. There was some relief when some good people were identified among all the bad guys.

Whichever potential reader likes to read about lots of violence, high-speed chases, murder, gunslinging and mystery, I believe this book will very likely appeal to them. In spite of this there was a spot or two of humor that had me laughing right out loud. This helped to temper some of the evil and more graphic descriptions.

This is the second book in the Dane Winter series. It could be read as a stand alone but curiosity may nudge a reader to seek out the first.

~ Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger ~

March 2026

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary reveiw copy sent to me by NetGalley and the publisher.

[Rustic_reads_ (Donna) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a gripping thriller that pulled me in from the very first page. Even without reading Hostile Asset (book 1) this works well as a standalone- I never felt lost and was completely immersed. Dane is such a likeable, flawed character- I found myself rooting for him and feeling every twist and challenge he faced.

What really stood out was the emotional depth- it’s not just about the crime, but the weight it carries and the toll it takes on Dan and everyone involved in the town.

Some moments were genuinely intense and unsettling, adding an emotional edge that makes it stand out from a typical thriller. I was hooked from the start and properly invested in the people at the heart of the story. It doesn’t shy away from showing the consequences of greed and power, which gives it a more grounded, hard-hitting edge. The ending is satisfying but not overly neat, which I actually appreciated- it fits the tone of the book perfectly.

I’m already adding the rest of the series to my TBR!

[M.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Dane Winter series that I've read, although it's the second book in the series.

Our tale takes us to a small town, Hollowvale, in the US, with a man and his motorbike, and the next few pages feel very Reacher-esque as Dane eats in the diner and then heads out on the road once more. Only then does everything change, and Dane finds himself thrust into a mystery he wasn't expecting.

There are small-town politics, some nasty bad-guys, a cover-up of something very dodgy, a distressed woman, all coupled with Dane's desire to uncover the truth about a company he's worked for in the past (2 years ago).

The story moves fast, and while it might have taken me a while to get into the new character and situation, I was soon flying through the book as the tension and the stakes built.

This is a fun, if sometimes tense tale, with its fair share of jeopardy and 'fight' scenes. It is sure to appeal to Jack Reacher fans.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dane Winter is back and out on the road in volume #2 of his series.

When passing through a town he once had a contract job in, an accident strands him there. He then goes out of his way to help find a missing person and ends up with much more than he bargained for in the process. It's true to form for a former operative who can't help but find trouble wherever he goes.

But Dane Winter isn't the type to cut and run when the going gets tough and the odds seem against him. To help the residents of this town overcome a nefarious scheme will require all the skills in his toolset to prevail in the end. If it means a few bad guys heads will roll, so be it.

I enjoyed this volume even more than the first as Cogley had the chance to flesh out Dane Winter's character and what drives him at his core. I look forward to see where Cogley takes Winter next out on the lonely road!

[Sandra Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is going to be an absolutely great series, and I have read both books and can't recommend them enough. There is a lot more to be learned about the character Dane Winter, and I am looking forward to the next in the series. As one character says in the book Winter is a straight shooter and will fight for justice no matter what and will never give up. The narrative itself is a reason to read the books as it is both descriptive and visual. Saying that, it has plenty of action, skin of your teeth escapes, suspense and thrills. He is quite a one-man wrecking machine in the finale. I have heard said of some sections of the military that it is their mission to kill people and blow things up. Well, he certainly lives up to that. Don't let this one go by.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to @netgalley @samcogleybooks & @boldwoodbooks for the ARC in return for my honest review.

This is the 2nd book in the #DaneWinter series and was equally as good as the first! This could even be read as a standalone book because you still get plenty of Winter's backstory.
Winter is an ex- Marine & very much living a nomadic life with just his motorbike and a few essentials. He turns up to a quaint little town & things begin to escalate. Murder,corruption, the whole 9 yards! Full of twists and turns and is fast paced; I really enjoyed it! I definitely can't wait for the next installment!

[Christine Harman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 in the Dane Winter series. Dane rides into town to have a breakfast of the best pancakes he's ever had. Dane had visited the town 2 years previous to advise a big company on security measures. He ends up staying when he gets knocked off his bike. A fast paced thriller in the style of James Bond, this is an action-packed thrill ride. The occasional cliché does it no harm at all and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. The characters were either charming, vicious, bullish or pleasant but engaging nonetheless.
With thanks to the author, Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

[Cody Marie Phoenix · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read a good action filled book in a long time, but Collateral Damage has made that a fact of the past. I missed the first book in the series, but this can be read as a standalone. Dane Winter is a retired Marine who works in Security. He gets caught up in something and the bullets and fists start flying. Winter is a great character that is well fleshed out and I look forward to reading future books in the series! Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go read the first book, Hostile Asset.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Collateral Damage by Sam Cogley The suspense and action slowly build into an investigation that uncovers a covert conspiracy involving the residents of Hollowvale. Dane is an intriguing character with a mysterious and interesting backstory. Gripping and entertaining read, would be interested in reading more of Dane Winter's cases.

Thank you to the author, Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dane Winter is at it again.
While driving leisurely on a trip home, he passes through a town he worked in years before as a security consultant on his former job and decides to stop and get a bite to eat at a diner he used to frequent.
And, as is usually the case, one thing leads to another and he finds himself with a damaged motorcycle and
a few days to wait for repairs. He literally runs into an old acquaintance who is looking for a teaching colleague who seems to have disappeared on a star gazing overnight trip.
Dean becomes embroiled in finding out what happened to the missing teacher, as nefarious characters try to impede and stop his investigation.
Great action and twists that you will never see coming.
Waiting now, for his next stop.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating novel about about a big corporation that intends to take over some land for their own greedy purpose, Enter Dane Winter who used to live there and is concerned when 5th grade teacher, Jacob doesn't show up to work and was rumored to be camping near there. I plowed through this one quickly as it's fast-paced and very satisfying!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

[Diane Saul · Rating 4 out of 5]

A big corporation is skirting the laws and citizens are getting sick. Dane Winter is determined to find out
what is making people sick but there are a lot of people who have too much invested to allow the truth out. The action in this book starts from the beginning and never lets up.. This is definitely a page turner. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

[Nichole G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic read by Sam Cogley

Exciting at every page turn. I'm already a big fan of Sam's books, and this series just continues that admiration.
Dean winter is a rough exterior, no nonsense character, that has a soft side at the end of the day.
This installment was exciting, riveting, and everything that I would expect from a Sam Cogley book.

[Doug Yonce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good character in a familiar format as we find our hero/protagonist visiting out west from New York and finding himself in a company town battling the company. I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and voluntarily provided an honest review.