Flash Points

Kirk McGarvey #22

by David Hagberg

David Hagberg's New York Times bestselling Kirk McGarvey series continues in Flash Points, the action-packed thriller about a plot to lead a president towards impeachment

The novel begins just after the US presidential election, when a man of Trump's stripe wins. Determined to push him out of office, members of the president's staff hire an assassin to set up three terrorist attacks in the US. Meanwhile, a Pentagon general contacts mid-level intelligence operatives in fifteen different countries, concocting a plot in which the president will be faced with supposed attacks along flash points, places where trouble could easily erupt into an all out nuclear war: Pakistan/India; China/Taiwan; North vs South Korea; Russia/Ukraine.

The idea is to overwhelm the new president so that he could not possibly make the right decisions. Dangerous, but the effect would cause the public to demand that Congress impeach him.

In order for their plots to succeed, both groups must first eliminate the one man who could possibly stop them: retired CIA assassin Kirk McGarvey.

Genres: Espionage, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 27, 2018

About the author

aka David Bannerman, Sean Flannery, David James, Robert Pell, Eric Ramsey

David Hagberg is a former Air Force cryptographer who has traveled extensively in Europe, the Arctic, and the Caribbean and has spoken at CIA functions. He has published more than twenty novels of suspense, including the bestselling High Flight, Assassin, and Joshua's Hammer.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidh...

Reviews

[Skip · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kirk McGarvey is back, and his spider sense is tingling: KABOOM. A new U.S. president is elected, who is unpopular with many because of his inexperience in international relations: sound familiar? Anyway, there are conspiracies galore here, and Kirk/Pete/Otto/Louise have to piece it all together to prevent a massive crisis. Even too implausible for fiction, especially a miraculous medical recovery, in addition to analytical conclusions based on skeletal facts and adversaries seeming to have advance or concurrent knowledge of other's activities. Hagberg has and can do better than this. At least, there is a comeuppance.

[Wayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another enjoyable Kirk McGarvey novel. Like a number of other current anti-terror heroes, McGarvey can be counted on to provide some super-human escapades. What makes Flash Points a little different (and even humorous) is the new President of the US who, like President Trump, has no government experience and, thus, has many American leaders looking to possible impeachment procedings.
There are two separate bad guys in Flash Points. One is headed by al Nassar (the Eagle) who escaped in the last Hagberg novel. He plans to have explosions occur in three US locations to make the new President look weak. The other is actually a group of folks who want to make the new President look weak. They are made up of several foreign government folks along with two US traitors.
In his usual way, Kirk, along with Otto and Pete, solve satisfactorily the precarious situations they face.

[Mike Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is probably closer to a 3.5 stars. This is almost like a continuation of the last book, Tower Down, in the fact that Kirk McGarvey goes back up against Al Nasser again. The book starts off with a bang as Al Nasser tries to assassinate McGarvey. The next few chapters are what drug this book down slightly. It was a little over the top and unrealistic. Not that I expect realism in a thriller I am reading, but this had a jump the shark feel to it. After that the story and plot was pretty solid with some extra groups going after McGarvey. Overall it was worth my time. The last few books in this series have seemed to be heading in the right direction. I am looking forward to reading the next installment in the Kirk McGarvey series.

[Dan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The novel begins just after the US presidential election, when a man of Trump's stripe wins. Determined to push him out of office, members of the president's staff hire an assassin to set up three terrorist attacks in the US. Meanwhile, a Pentagon general contacts mid-level intelligence operatives in fifteen different countries, concocting a plot in which the president will be faced with supposed attacks along flash points, places where trouble could easily erupt into an all out nuclear war: Pakistan/India; China/Taiwan; North vs South Korea; Russia/Ukraine.
The idea is to overwhelm the new president so that he could not possibly make the right decisions. Dangerous, but the effect would cause the public to demand that Congress impeach him.

[Ruth Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was intrigued by this plot, based on a new president winning unexpectedly and not having the confidence of any world leaders.
The president himself was barely a minor character, I am sorry to say.
Kirk McGarvey, early on, loses a lower leg. A mere few days later he’s running through woods on his prosthesis and taking out enemies. Really!? He also has burns requiring grafting on his back. This is not mentioned after his release from the hospital.
I am not impressed with this plot and it’s execution.

[Robert Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

22 adventures and Kirk MacGarvey is still the fastest, quickest and hardest of them all. MacGarvey has aged in the series, and honestly he has slowed just a bit but he is still the best man for the job. This book is a current as today without pounding the reader with the authors personal beliefs. This may not be the best book to start the series, earlier books introduce the characters in this book. I would recommend an earlier book in the series but all of them are great and the tension never lets up.

[Juliet Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read, lots of twists and turns as you would expect, and oddly enough it feels 100% plausible. While the "president" invites comparisons to today's White House occupant, he seems more lucid and proactive at the end that I suspect our current fellow would be. But one doesn't know. Only the people there would know for sure.

Very fast read.

Here's hoping the insider details are correct, as it was fun learning more about them.

[Robert Enzenauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Hagberg remains one of my favorite action-thriller fiction writers. A veteran, his story moves very fast, and indeed, could be tomorrow newspaper headlines. Great action. Excellent dialogue. And Kirk McGarvey is a character that I have grown to love and respect over several decades. With the shenanigans in Crimea, and with Putin, I would like to see "Sean Flannery" again. Strong work, David Hagberg.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most interesting part of this book was the fictitious president who was obviously meant to be Trump except the book president was described as "definitely not fat." Otherwise, he was just as screwy as the real president. I was surprised about this because I always thought the Kirk McGarvey and the Mitch Rapp books were a bit on the right wing side.

[Samuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of very convenient assumptions. Adversaries seem to know exactly what each other did, doing or going to do. they guess everything correctly...Stretches limit of imagination even for a fictitious writing. losing a lower limp and within days Kirk is running, chasing, jumping on cars.....entertaining read if you ignore or can somehow gloss over these things.

[Susan B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book, pulled you in right from the first chapter and never stopped. Kirk McGarvey, retired CIA assassin and former director has 2 factions trying to kill him and stop several terrorist attacks spread around the country. With his girlfriend , Pete and his computer geek Otto and wife Louise all of them working to stop his arch foe from killing them.

[D A Lightcap · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intrigue,mis-direction, and suspense all the hallmarks

Follow-up to Tower Down. Using to feelings everyone has with current US President as a backdrop. Exciting from beginning to end.

[Roger Schaap · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fine effort by David Hagberg. I really enjoy the Kirk McGarvey character and this book was no exception. I would highly recommend this book. It was a very good read and was hard to put down.

[Dan Hiner · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would give this book Zero stars if I could. It is pure DRIVEL! I know it is fiction, but is it pure fantasy? worthless.........

[D · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very disappointing:(

[Al Menaster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good; great pacing, exciting action.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Kirk McGarvey!

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the assassin from "Tower Down" comes to town looking to take out McGarvey, Kirk and friends need to find him and stop his plans

[Duane Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Flash points

Not the best but certainly not the worst. It’s a stretch on this one, but McGarvey is always an interesting read and character you can get lost in.

[Bob Stenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good story line and was prescient in some of its flash points.

[Garry Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Binge reading while on 14-day vacation.

[Rock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally got this particular bad guy.
Amazing how Mac survives these adventures.

[Ernest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book, McGarvey is tough

[Pat Malon]

Relevant current events! Enjoyed the story.