Cold Barrel Zero

John Hayes #1

by Matthew Quirk

John Hayes is a Special Operations legend who went rogue on a deep-cover mission and betrayed his own soldiers. Disgraced and on the run, he returns to the United States to get back to his wife and daughter and take revenge on his accusers with a series of devastating attacks. Only one man can stop Thomas Byrne. He once fought alongside Hayes as a combat medic, but he gave up the gun. Now a surgeon, he moves from town to town, trying to forget his past, until he is called upon by a high-ranking government official to help capture the man he once called a friend. Hayes and Byrne were once as close as brothers, but with the fate of the nation hanging in the balance and nothing as it seems, both men must decide whom to trust -- and whom to betray. In a final, explosive battle for justice, they face off along a rifle's cold barrel. Cold Barrel Zero brings together the blistering pace of Lee Child, the nonstop action of Brad Thor, and the richly drawn characters and moral stakes of Daniel Silva. An experienced reporter armed with deep behind-the-scenes research into America's Special Operations Forces, Quirk takes the military thriller to a new level of suspense.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Mystery, Audiobook, Action, Mystery Thriller

401 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 29, 2016

About the author

Matthew Quirk studied history and literature at Harvard College. After graduation, he spent five years at The Atlantic reporting on crime, private military contractors, terrorism prosecutions, and international gangs. He lives in San Diego.

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

In an action-packed conspiracy versus conspiracy thriller, Matthew Quirk will leave you exhausted from his head-spinning tale, Cold Barrel Zero. Special Ops and deep cover team leader, John Hayes is set up to take the fall for a heinous act of mass murder. They are now considered traitors to their country, but he is determined to bring the truth to light, or die trying.
When a former medic on Hayes’ team becomes entangled in this game of David versus Goliath, he becomes a pawn in the “who-do-you-trust” game between two forces. As he digs deeper, he realizes National Security is at stake and choosing which side could prove deadly for him and his country.

Race alongside Matthew Quirk as he delivers an amazingly powerful read that will have you questioning how much we, the people do NOT know about deep cover missions and how easily today’s hero can become tomorrow’s most wanted dead. There is more than meets the eye, because not everyone is on our team…but everyone is human, so do NOT expect larger than life heroes, expect players going above and beyond to the best of their ability.

I received an ARC edition from Mulholland Books in exchange for my honest review through NetGalley.

Publisher: Mulholland Books
Publication Date: March 29, 2016
ISBN-10: 0316259217
ISBN-13: 978-0316259217 (Hard Cover)
Genre: Military Thriller | Suspense
Print Length: 384 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this novel -- which was almost 400 pages long -- in two sittings, which in itself speaks to how good of a thriller it was. It was exciting from the first page to the last, with non-stop action and interesting cast of characters.

The most interesting was unwilling protagonist Thomas Byrne, the field medic turned doctor that was pulled into the story by the government's need for help, due to his knowledge of a rogue agent that just committed a string of terror attacks. The rogue black ops agent in question, John Hayes, a former commanding officer of Byrne's, is painted in shades of gray, which leaves Byrne unsure exactly who and what to trust.

This "nothing is what it seems" uncertainty is -- along with the breakneck pace of the action -- what really drives the novel, so I don't want to say much about the plot, other than to say everything comes together to a satisfying conclusion at the end, and it is well worth a read. Highly recommend for anyone that likes to read military thrillers.

Full disclosure: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

[Larry H · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd rate this 3.5 stars.

Full disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Many thanks to NetGalley and Mulholland Books for making it available!

Matthew Quirk's third book, Cold Barrel Zero , almost literally begins with a bang.

John Hayes was once an elite soldier in Special Operations. He and his fellow soldiers were trained to infiltrate targets by completely immersing themselves in their midst, essentially becoming one of them. They performed many deep cover missions, eliminating enemies of the U.S. by whatever means necessary, and their very existence was disavowed by the country they were fighting to defend. When one mission goes wrong, Hayes and his cohorts are labeled as traitors and are disgraced, forced to go into hiding and leave their loved ones behind. But Hayes knows at some point those who betrayed them will come after them again, and he must be ready to fight with everything he has.

Tom Byrne once knew Hayes, once fought by his side as a combat medic, and even helped patch him up after a firefight. Yet the two followed different paths—after a particularly difficult time on the front lines, Byrne makes the decision to leave the military and become a surgeon. But the memories of his time as a soldier haunt him, making it difficult for him to stay in one place too long or commit to a relationship.

Much to his surprise, Byrne finds himself enmeshed in Hayes' plans for revenge despite not having seen him for years. He isn't sure whom he should trust—a soldier he fought with years ago who seems utterly capable of the crimes of which he is being accused, or the U.S. government, who is allegedly protecting Byrne but yet isn't sure whether he is to be trusted either. Whatever choice he makes is a dangerous one, with significant repercussions for everyone involved, including the woman he's starting to fall in love with. This is a battle with the highest of stakes, for both life and liberty.

I first came upon Quirk a few years ago when I read his debut novel, The 500 , which really impressed me. I missed his second book (but will have to pick it up, as it was a sequel of sorts to the first) but in the ensuing years, Quirk has definitely matured as a storyteller. He has a real knack for action sequences—I felt my pulse racing during some of the fight scenes. He also has a created some very interesting characters, although he doesn't develop all of them fully, leaving some of them to be a little more rote than I wished they were.

There is definitely a lot going on in this book—too much at times, in my opinion. Between the use of a lot of jargon and acronyms I'm not familiar with, and the large cast of cohorts on both sides of the battle, I found myself having to re-read passages to be sure I knew which side I was reading about, and who did what to whom. This is definitely a book that keeps you guessing, and while that makes for a suspenseful read, there was a lot of double- and triple-crossing to keep track of.

If you like action and espionage, I think you'll find Cold Barrel Zero a really compelling read. Quirk's talent makes you want to keep reading, and while it is a little confusing from time to time, your heart will be pounding as you race through the book.

See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....

[Monnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

For years, I've insisted that nobody can touch Stephen King for getting my full attention within the first few pages (if you don't believe me, read the first chapter of Mr. Mercedes. Well now, Mr. King has some serious serious competition: In this one, author Matthew Quirk writes an absolute killer of an intro. No doubt, I said to myself as I kept reading several more chapters, I'm gonna love this one.

When I agreed to read it (thanks to the offer from the publisher, via NetGalley, for the advance copy in exchange for a review), I admit to having second thoughts. Quite honestly, I've grown a bit weary of stories about Special Ops guys gone rogue, now wanted by government leaders who once fell all over themselves praising their accomplishments - leaders who most likely are themselves corrupt. I still feel that way, and this book saddles up that template from start to finish. But in this case, boy, what a ride it is in between!

John Hayes, a Special Operations superstar, apparently betrayed his soldiers while on a deep-cover mission overseas. Now, he's back in the United States and on the run, trying to avoid being captured or killed by the very folks who sent him on that mission. One of his colleagues in other missions, Thomas Byrne, exchanged his weapons for life as a surgeon; but he can't escape his past and the guilt he continues to feel. The two old friends meet up now under very different circumstances - if Byrne finds Hayes, he's to capture him. But as readers might expect, nothing is ever black and white. The two old friends - made enemies by the government they both trusted - do find each other; but the story Hayes tells is quite different from the one Byrne has come to believe.

So who's telling the truth? That, too, isn't exactly black and white. The action turns explosive - literally - as the two try to work out their differences and ferret out what really happened and who the "baddies" really are. I'll admit the super-human action got a little wild and crazy from about the mid-point on (shades of Ian Fleming's Thunderball and Clive Cussler's NUMA Files series), but the writing remained top-notch throughout, with at least one twist I didn't see coming. So even though I was thinking "Movie!" for the second half of the book, I couldn't wait to get to the last page.

Will there be a follow-up? To be sure, that seems like a good bet. If that happens, it's a sure bet I'll be in line waiting to read it!

[Samuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

COLD FORGED DEATH.

“Stay low, go fast, kill first, die last, one shot, one kill, no luck, all skill”. —UNOFFICIAL NAVY SEAL SLOGAN

“It's necessary to have wished for death in order to know how good it is to live.”- The Count Of Monte Cristo

“I regret every decision or mistake that I might have made which resulted in the loss of a single innocent life. But do you know what I regret the most? Is that this world needs people like me.” – Jack Bauer Day 7.

Contemporary military thriller fiction. Most of the present crop is good but could be improved. You can write a story with all the guns, kit and political backstabbing in the world, but that is not enough. You need the following to make a military thriller good. A plot with actual twists. Characters who are compelling and interesting and writing that flows well. The highest body count in the world is worthless if the fundamentals are ignored, and if they are ignored, the prose can become unstuck from its foundations and become flabby and clunky like arterial fat blocking blood circulation. One new military thriller writer who respects the fundamentals is Matthew Quirk.

Quirk is a former journalist who reported on a variety of thriller worthy topics like Private military contractors, the Latin American drug trade and terrorism trials. His creation is the John Hayes saga, a military thriller series that focuses on the Special Mission Units of America’s military. This is the legendary silent army, a paramilitary capability unequalled by any nation on earth. If you need to set the world ablaze, the men and women who make up the SMU have no competitors. In the first entry of Quirk’s series, one of these Special Mission Units has been accused of atrocities in the Afghanistan – Iranian border and resurfaces to get even with the men who have tried to destroy them. Now to the review. Can those who live in the shadows ever see the light of day?

The novel begins somewhere in Africa. We are introduced to John Hayes, the protagonist. He’s a hunted man and realizes that in a few short moments he will be close to death. Clearing out his bungalow, he evacuates successfully before it’s turned to matchsticks by a Predator Drone’s hellfire missile. The flames from the missile then start a flash fire and Hayes uses it to vanish from the Drone’s infrared sensors. Across the world several individuals receive messages that change their lives. Comrades in arms of Hayes, they, like their commander begin packing and head off to a war that might save or destroy them. Once assembled in the USA, Hayes and his team get to work. Files with leverage on them are made to disappear from the Department of defence. And on a highway in California, Hayes and his team set off alarm bells by robbing an armoured truck. This attracts the attention of USAF Colonel Riggs and his minion Hall who have an acrimonious history with Hayes. They decide to begin hunting the rogue soldier down and press gang a civilian to do it.


The bait’s name is Tom Bryne, one of the few people to ever get to know Hayes face to face. Cajoling him with veiled threats, intimidation and the usual flag waving appeals, Bryne is successfully recruited, but seconds later, kidnapped by Hayes. Face to face with the hunted man, Bryne finds himself landing in a true hall of mirrors. With no one to trust and running for his life across the state of California from terrorists and mercenaries that have nefarious plans for him, only one question remains. Can a shadow warrior come in from the Cold?

In terms of plot, Cold Barrel Zero is a slick, elegantly written production. Fast paced, it reads like a post 9/11 Count of Monte Cristo meeting the best of Three Days of The Condor and “24”. The result is a highly topical story that delves into the truly complex world of America’s paramilitary operations, a realm that has so drastically changed beyond recognition since the early days of the War on Terror. And Cold Barrel Zero also reflects the changed nature of a changing war. It captures the moral ambiguity of modern counter – terrorism, its shades of light and dark grey, with sublime skill that lesser writers can only manage after three or so books.

But perhaps what I love most about Cold Barrel Zero is the writing style. Mr Qurik’s prose reads like a hybrid of Ernst Hemmingway and Vince Flynn. The military/spy/political thriller genre does sometimes suffer from excess and over reach. So, such minimalism from an author is a very refreshing development. And Mr Quirk’s training as a journalist allows him to avoid wasting a single word, while at the same time delivering a thrilling blood pumping experience that doesn’t involve painstakingly describing how a piece of technology works for an entire chapter.

Action and setting? Pretty good. Much of the book is set in California and Mr Quirk uses some very interesting settings for backdrops. From the opening robbery that sets the plot in motion, a dicey car chase into a Fed Ex package facility, to a shocking ambush in one of the biggest parks in Los Angeles, the book then climaxes in a confrontation on a sinking US Naval transport ship. The action is perfect paced and in between the bullets there are also some quieter moments, in the book's lovingly described backdrop. Setting is sorely underused in the genre with few exceptions. Mr Quirk joins the rare category of writers who use setting very well. Despite taking a "less is more approach" with his writing, Cold Barrel Zero is one of the most beautiful portrayals of California ever put to pen.

Research? The author has hit the sweet spot. Mr Quirk’s journalism career has served him well. The man has recognized how to sort necessary and unnecessary information out or provide succinct, efficient descriptions that don’t cause the story to grind to a screeching halt. There are many highlights in Cold Barrel Zero. From a look into the inner working of the silent army and the sometimes-lethal politics that follow it wherever it deploys, we also get a crash course in urban warfare tactics, covert operations kit and law enforcement procedures. Another highlight is in the medical scenes. Bryne, one of the characters is a doctor and thus has to patch a lot of people up over the course of the story. These parts are described in great detail and Quirk uses them to make a point. That even soldiers, individuals who are seemingly super human only get that way because someone is on call to stop them bleeding guts and blood over the ground.
Best thing about the research however is that unlike many Post 9/11 thrillers, the author does not turn his book into an ordinance catalogue. Now, I don’t mind a bit of name dropping kit, but there is a point where it can consume the narrative and burn the flesh right off a good story, leaving only bones. Mr Quirk however avoids this and only during the climax does he engage in one big bit of namedropping, describing the tools of the trade Hayes and his team are going to use to get to the bad guys.

Now to characters. Several standouts. But I’ll focus on three for brevity’s sake. Hayes, Bryne and Kelly. First Hayes. He marries the charisma and affable menace of Edmund Dantes, with the professionalism and lethality of Jack Bauer in one destructive package. An outsider who could best be described as a lycanthrope, Hayes is a fascinating cypher. A man who seems to comfortably toe the line between the moral greys and white of his profession, Hayes is a victim of the fickle nature that seems to infect middle management military commanders now and then. Despite the hardships, he’s gone through, Hayes doesn’t mope or devolve into self-pity like a lesser character would in his profession. What makes Hayes special is that he’s got awe inspiring strategic planning abilities and cooks up a very impressive plan to lead his enemies to utter destruction. Most thriller heroes think two steps ahead or merely use brute force to accomplish their objectives. Hayes by contrast, is a meticulous plotter who only goes for improvisation when it is the final option remaining for him. It’s not about how many people you can shoot, but how you plan the shooting that counts, and Hayes is an exemplar of that.

Next, Bryne. Bryne is a former US Marine Corpsman that gets sucked into a nightmare he would have preferred to wash his hands of. On the surface, Bryne seems to be an upstanding member of society and the furthest thing from the gleefully morally ambiguous Hayes whom he once saved from bleeding out in Afghanistan. But it’s a mask, one with many cracks in it. Bryne carries a lot of psychological baggage and is filled with a huge amount of self-loathing for something he believes was his fault. Over the course of the story however, he’s forced to work through his issues and finally have a reckoning with the demons that he’s let get the better of him for too long. As a character, I like Bryne a lot and he did steal the show from Hayes in several ways.

Firstly, the scenes he features in are in first person narration and the author perfectly executes a switch between third and first person perspectives, similar to Brad Taylor. Secondly, Bryne’s narration is well done. It neither comes off as overbearing angst, nor does it ring hollow. He’s a sympathetic character Mr Bryne, and his dialogue rings very true to life. Finally, Bryne is one of the best “everyman” characters I’ve seen in the genre to date. Let me make it clear that I despise most protagonists that fit the “ordinary civilian” template. Most are annoying and would have gotten shot before making it through the first third of the books they feature in. Bryne however is different. He does not grasp the proverbial “idiot ball” and plays things smart.

Finally, Kelly. Kelly is Bryne’s love and girlfriend. A former US Army Sapper, Kelly is dragged along for the ride when her boyfriend is forced to flee from a group of killers. Gradually she reveals herself to be smart, capable and at times, even tougher than Bryne is. She acquits herself well in the chaos that ensures in Cold Barrel Zero and I’m crossing my fingers that she appears in the sequel to this story.

Constructive criticism. While most of the characters were well drawn, some of them could have been fleshed out a bit more, specifically some of Hayes team members who seemed less defined than their boss. Thankfully there is a sequel novel coming out this year that may help us readers get to know them more. Although considering a few are set to be murdered horribly in Dead Man’s Switch, such a sentiment might be premature.

So, Cold Barrel Zero. My verdict is this. Matthew Quirk has written a refreshing, intricate military thriller that is truly high speed and no drag. With crisp, minimalist prose that does more with less, a topical story that explores the real life tip of the West’s counter – terrorism spear, meticulous research that is efficiently utilized rather than vomited out, and a cast of compelling characters who are much more than they seem to be at first glance, Cold Barrel Zero is an impressive first book that is surprisingly more refined and polished than one would expect. Mr Quirk will be releasing the sequel to this world class thriller this year, but one thing is for sure, he’s planted his flag in the sand early.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

[Tammy AZ · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book had short little sections that were great and looooong slogs where every character was so interchangeable, it was nearly impossible to keep straight who was who. And frankly, after a time I gave up trying or even caring.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like your thrillers full of special forces lingo and action, this may be a good fit for you. I wasn't too impressed at first, but warmed up to it. Somewhat predictable, and even a bit lame at points, but a fairly good pace. Nothing that I haven't seen before in the characterizations, though some information and action was new to me. Seemed to me everyone got a cheek or ear injury. My style might be more LeCarre, but this wasn't bad for entertainment.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

The more I read this author's books, the more I am amazed by their content. Seriously, folks; if you haven't discovered Matthew Quirk, you are really slacking in the thriller genre. This book is the first in the John Hayes series. The book helps you understand John's background a bit better and lets the reader in on his past. I found the book to be very engaging and hard to put down. A worthy effort!!!

[George Lichman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hayes and his unit were black ops, knowledge of their operation would be disavowed if they were captured or killed. When returning from a mission, they were ambushed. Hayes saw the man behind it and recognized him as an ally of his ambitious Colonel Riggs. Upon return to base, Hayes saw the same man killing-massacring-the civilian population. Hayes fought back, tried to defend the civilians, but it was too late. Riggs reported that it was Hayes and his men that turned, murdered the civilian population; it happens sometimes, he said, that black op units turn, forget what’s right and what’s wrong, he said. And, according to Riggs, it happened to Hayes.

What would you do if your government was trying to kill you? Frame you for killing innocent civilians while serving honorably halfway around the world? Hunting you like a terrorist? Would you run? Create a new identity? Or try and kill those who set you up?
In COLD BARREL ZERO, the newest novel by Matthew Quirk, Hayes and his crew of US Special Forces soldiers didn’t do any of those things. Instead, they continued to protect and serve their country while dodging bullets and missiles meant for them, courtesy of the United States military.
Hayes and his crew went beyond clearing their names and reputations. Hayes viewed himself as a soldier whose responsibility it was to protect and defend the people of the United States, even though the government had turned on him. At one point, while a friend was trying to convince him to flee:
“I’m not running…”
“They’ll try you.”
“I knew what I was doing. If I broke the law, I’ll pay the price. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
“Don’t,” Byrne said. “They might execute you.”
“I can’t kill them all. I can’t make the believe at the point of a gun. This is too big for Riggs to control anymore. I have to trust my country”

Those words, “I have to trust my country,” in a time where there is so little trust, were powerful to me, and were perhaps the greatest explanation of a motive for Hayes. But maybe Hayes had to trust his country, because there was nothing or no one else to trust.

COLD BARREL ZERO, as a thriller, accomplishes its goals: it is exciting and fast paced, lots of action; an impossible mission of revenge, a race to prevent a terrorist attack in the United States, and even a little romance.
The ending was satisfying, but I have to admit a little disappointment that Quirk, having nicely set up for a follow-up, decided to see the story through. I would enjoy more from Hayes and his crew.

[Anthony Gold · Rating 2 out of 5]

I knew nothing about the author and accidentally stumbled upon this book. I read another reviewer's critique of two books: Orphan X (Greg Hurwitz) and Cold Barrel Zero (Matthew Quirk). And I made a mental note to purchase the former for reading. However, I mistakenly purchased Cold Barrel Zero and decided to give it a read.

While it started off with an engaging hook, the book came off the tracks in Chapter 14 where Byrne had been stripped searched and now "sat naked on a wooden dining chair". Following which Hayes handed Byrne "a pair of work pants and a long-sleeved gray shirt." A few minutes later, Byrne escaped, ran into a dead-end where he tried climbing a wall and said "My shoes skidded as I tried to push myself up." I re-read that chapter a couple times thinking, "where did he get shoes if he was naked and just given some pants and a shirt?"

I decided to write that off as the author simply "implying" that shoes would have been provided if a shirt and pants were. But then came Chapter 15 where Hall says to Riggs, "Byrne called. We have his exact location. He wants us to get him out." Riggs asks, "And the rest?" To which Hall replies, "Rough location. Within five hundred meters." Riggs says "Good."

Here's the problem - at the end of Chapter 14, Byrne actually calls Riggs and Riggs asks, "Where are you? Are you okay?" Byrne replies, "I'm fine." and gives the details of his location.

Apparently the author forgot that Riggs and Byrne had a conversation at the end of Chapter 14 such that in Chapter 15 Riggs is asking his second, Hall, where Byrne is located. I'm guessing those two chapters were written at very different times and the author lost or forgot his "position". Unfortunately, the book is filled with such "inconsistencies" that made it very hard to overlook.

But I did read the book thoroughly till the end. If the book did not have all the plot holes, I probably would rate it a 3.5 stars. It's a good story, although the characters a bit thin and predictable. However, I'm not a writer and could never produce anything near this level of quality, so my assessment is purely from a reader perspective.

On the flip side, I did end up reading Orphan X and was blown away. That was an exceptional book.

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I finish a book....it usually has something going for it. But, this book had poor character development and a shaky plot line ....was expecting a better story.

[Bryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok at best, I won’t bother with the next book in the series. Onward to another author, too many good books on my book case to put up with something that’s just ok!

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this as much as other Quirk novels for a couple of reasons. I don't have much reading time these days so have short sessions. The scene shifts and extensive backfill don't lend themselves to this. Secondly I found the plot similar to many books I've read - evil terrorists vs everyone else. So I had a little trouble getting into it. On the plus side anything that highlights the incredible skill and sacrifice on the part of our security people as they quietly protect our way of life is a worthy effort.

[Mhd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rounded up to 3-stars: well, after all, I did finish it, and I do plan to try #2 in this series and other books by Quirk. Shifts in point of view were often difficult to follow. Ultimate villain was fairly obvious. Had to skip some of the torture and violence detailed descriptions. Some of the characters are very interesting.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rather strange way to begin a series.

A troubled combat medic and his girlfriend are picked up by Homeland Security as bait for an elite soldier turned terrorist.

This elite soldier immediately breaks the medic and his girlfriend out of their predicament, leaving the medic wondering who to trust and who the real villain is. The thing is, the protagonist of the book is not the series character. We used to see this in a few series, notably the Mr. Moto series, but rarely in a series of this type.

Lots of twists, turns, and derring do.

[Josie · Rating 2 out of 5]

"military" has gotta be the worst genre of man media. story made no sense and i know more about military titles than i ever wanted or needed to

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a Special Ops team operating in a deniable situation (i.e., within the border of a country where an incursion might mean war, as in Iran) is sacrificed as the collective fall guys for a massacre carried out by other elements within the secret world of Black Ops, it fights back. In effect, the surviving members of the team seek to reclaim their good names while defusing a truly dangerous conspiracy against the US, a conspiracy for which they may well be blamed. A navy medic-turned triage surgeon, with war-related issues of his own (survivor guilt) gets caught in the middle due to his prior relationship with the Special Ops team's leader when serving as a medic in a marine unit. As he says at one point, his problem is to know whom to trust. He concludes that he'll have to wait until one side kills him and then trust the other.

Action is fast, but intelligently rendered. Plotting is complicated (and delivered via two voices: 3rd person overview and first-person from the man in the middle), but clear.

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book that I have read by Matthew Quirk and I really liked it. It sounds as if it is much different than his first two books in content. But, never the less, this is one good book. Quirk's writing is lean and moves with a frenetic pace. ^There are twists and turns and divided loyalties where at first you are really not sure who you should be rooting for.
The book concerns Thomas Byrne, a former combat medic who had been part of a deep cover Special Operations team led by John Hayes. Byrne, now a doctor who is trying to forget and atone for his past is recruited by a high government official to stop Hayes who is now, according to our government a rogue agent with his team bent on destroying America. Throw into the mix a dirty General, a mysterious figure from the Middle East and others and the truth is very hard to find.
I loved the character of Hayes, he is complex and noble and viscous in his own way, just as Byrne has other skills besides saving lives.
If you like well written thrillers, you will not be disappointed in this book.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I've enjoyed other Matthew Quirk books, this one didn't do it for me. Technically, the writing is still good -- well written dialogue, good work with action scenes, and interesting characters, but this book was way too graphically violent for me. I wound up skipping whole chapters because it was too disturbing to read. I get it; war is hell, but I don't need to read endless torture scenes to grasp that concept. Not too entertaining. Same with the medical procedures. I actually put this book aside, and read another, but I eventually returned to finish this.
I also felt that there were too many of the "near-misses" to be believable. Some of the scenes with lock-picking went on too long, and I wound up skipping over them, as well. I liked the characters of Byrne and Hayes, but both were "super-soldiers" who could do anything, survive anything, out-think everybody. Got to be a lot by the end.
I think I will try the next in the series, but I prefer the Mike Ford character.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I intended to just read a few chapters before I got down to the business of the day. Yeah, right. What business and what day? Before I realized it the early morning had become late afternoon and the book was finished. While the plot of the misunderstood elite fighting team desperately trying to come home is almost a cliche, this story moves so fast and covers such fertile ground that the reader never has enough time or reason to question the story. And this story moves quickly, both the action and the character development move together seamlessly to create tension and urgency as the unknown fate of a bomb hangs in the balance. Finally there is a surprise ending, something that rarely happens in these books; a sweet extra added on that was entirely unexpected. This is a great ride of a book that I strongly recommend. I received my copy from NetGalley.

[Scottsdale Public Library]

I intended to just read a few chapters before I got down to the business of the day. Yeah, right. What business and what day? Before I realized it the early morning had become late afternoon and the book was finished. While the plot of the misunderstood elite fighting team desperately trying to come home is almost a cliché, this story moves so fast and covers such fertile ground that the reader never has enough time or reason to question the story. And this story moves quickly, both the action and the character development move together seamlessly to create tension and urgency as the unknown fate of a bomb hangs in the balance. Finally there is a surprise ending, something that rarely happens in these books; a sweet extra added on that was entirely unexpected. This is a great ride of a book that I strongly recommend. - Suzanne R.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this fast paced thriller, former U.S. Marine medical corpsman Thomas Byrne still suffers guilt over the death of some of his teammates in Afghanistan. Now a doctor, he hopes to escape his nightmares while vacationing in California. However, once there he finds himself drawn in to a clandestine operation with his old mentor and former Captain, John Hayes. Hayes, operating outside official jurisdiction, has assembled a group of loyal teammates in an effort to stop an imminent terrorist attack within the United States. Twists and turns abound with a sense of urgency that will hold your interest until the final, unexpected conclusion.

Thank you to Net Galley and Mulholland Books for the opportunity to read the ARC of this suspenseful story!

[Jay Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably the best of the Black Ops genre I have read. Layers of deceit and conspiracies keep the characters and the reader guessing as non-stop action prevails. The story is realistic, but quite imaginative. Some of the characters are recovering from deep hurts and obsessive guilt. From time to time this clouds their judgment and leads to major problems. It is hard to rave about this book without giving away to much. Suffice it to say, you can't go wrong if you like well-told, suspenseful thrillers. Note: the summary does not do justice to the actual story, which is much richer in terms of characters and relationships.

[David Dalton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good book and right up my alley. Seems I have another author to add to my list of writers to follow. Matthew has a few other books and I think I will try out within the next month or so. Both The 500 and Cold Barrel Zero are in my digital library. Saves me a lot of $$.

I enjoyed the characters, the action, and the plot. It never slowed down enough to lose me and it seemed to go right along. Would like to see most of these characters again.

[Nise' · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a non-stop action, suspense filled novel that keeps you guessing. Both Hayes and Byrne are great characters. It took a bit to get all the characters situated in my mind with the multiple POVs as I listened to the book. I made a note of them and had to refer to it to remind myself of which group they belonged to. There were quite a few great twists and I loved that I was kept guessing! My errands ran longer than normal so I had time to listen. Peter Coleman does a good job narrating. I hope that these characters make a return appearance.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I once asked my daughter, who was nine years old at the time, the essential ingredient for a good book. "Nonstop action," she replied. Cold Barrel Zero certainly qualifies. This thriller kept me guessing until the very last scene. Really liked the protagonist: a doctor and former medic who specializes in trauma. He gets swept up in an international plot as a result of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and, like the reader, spends half the book guessing who the real bad guys are. No long set pieces here. The story takes off like a bullet train and never lets up.

[Jerry Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cold Barrel Zero was a little too slick for me. Too many characters to track, too many unbelievable situations and injuries that the good guys walked away from, etc.

Some sections I had to slog through...all in all just okay.

[Jon Ellis · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a horrible book, far to violent, unrealistic combat scenes in which are heroes are almost indestructible and a plot with so many holes you couldn't catch fish with it.

I won't be reading others in the series.

[SteVen Hendricks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review – Cold Barrel Zero – Matthew Quirk
Author Matthew Quirk has written an energetic, but complicated military/espionage thriller in the first book of the protagonist John Hayes series entitled, “Cold Barrel Zero.” With a crisp, uncluttered style that does more with less, Quirk pens an interesting ‘David versus Goliath-like’ story that explodes with pulse-racing action, interesting supporting characters, and penetrating and wonderous suspense. He delivers a remarkably powerful conspiracy read that leaves the reader questioning how much we, the American people do NOT know about deep undercover intelligence missions and how easily today’s paramilitary black ops operators can become tomorrow’s most wanted. There is more than meets the eye in this highly intense and absorbing conspiracy thriller. If thriller readers like an abundance of action, sly spying, and high anticipating suspense, then they will find Cold Barrel Zero a powerful and gripping read. Quirk's writing makes the reader keep reading, and while the story is a little puzzling at times, it led me to focus and concentrate which made the narrative more appealing and alluring. This "nothing is what it seems" story along with its breakneck pace of action is what made this novel an intriguing read. Cold Barrel Zero is an exciting first book of the John Hayes series.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was kind of psyched for this; great reviews, a hot item-- I actually checked it out twice before but brought it back before reading because the holds list was so long. I'm disappointed once again: this is a solid two and a half star experience. There are way too many characters who aren't super distinct from each other. It makes it difficult to follow who's tailing whom or to follow along in rapid-fire conversations. There were some pretty gigantic assumptions and guesses early in the story, where a lucky guess is just most convenient to move the plot along even though it has no basis in the facts presented. Unrealistic. The author also used a fair number of acronyms and jargon without explaining, so it's mostly accessible only to people who regularly read military fiction. What background information did need to be shared was clunky and poorly incorporated, a blatant instruction paragraph between action paragraphs. Would not recommend.