What do you think?
Rate this book
Mike Garin Thriller #2
Second Strike
The next gripping, high-stakes thriller following Target Omega, in which special operator Mike Garin faces off against a lethal Russian assassin--and a devious plot to wreak chaos in America.
Within mere weeks of thwarting a cataclysmic electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack against the United States, Michael Garin, former leader of the elite Omega special operations unit, discovers that Russia has triggered an ingenious and catastrophic backup plan. Garin's efforts to warn the administration of the new attack, however, fall on deaf ears. No one can believe that the Russians would initiate another strike of such magnitude so soon.
Alone again, Garin turns to three people for help: Congo Knox, a former Delta Force sniper; Dan Dwyer, the head of a sprawling military contracting firm; and Olivia Perry, an aide to the national security advisor. Yet Garin and his ad hoc team are checked at every turn by the formidable Russian assassin, Taras Bor, who is directed by an individual seemingly able to manipulate the highest reaches of the US government.
As evidence mounts that the Russian plot has been set in motion and that Bor is pivotal to its success, it's up to Garin and his team to thwart an attack that will cause the death of millions and establish a new world order.
Within mere weeks of thwarting a cataclysmic electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack against the United States, Michael Garin, former leader of the elite Omega special operations unit, discovers that Russia has triggered an ingenious and catastrophic backup plan. Garin's efforts to warn the administration of the new attack, however, fall on deaf ears. No one can believe that the Russians would initiate another strike of such magnitude so soon.
Alone again, Garin turns to three people for help: Congo Knox, a former Delta Force sniper; Dan Dwyer, the head of a sprawling military contracting firm; and Olivia Perry, an aide to the national security advisor. Yet Garin and his ad hoc team are checked at every turn by the formidable Russian assassin, Taras Bor, who is directed by an individual seemingly able to manipulate the highest reaches of the US government.
As evidence mounts that the Russian plot has been set in motion and that Bor is pivotal to its success, it's up to Garin and his team to thwart an attack that will cause the death of millions and establish a new world order.
385 pages, Hardcover
Published May 15, 2018
23 people are currently reading
406 people want to read
About the author
Peter Kirsanow
6 books52 followersPeter Kirsanow practices and teaches law and is an official of a federal agency. He is a former member of the National Labor Relations Board and has testified before Congress on a variety of matters, including the confirmations of five Supreme Court Justices. He contributes regularly to National Review, and his op-eds have appeared in newspapers ranging from The Wall Street Journal to The Washington Times. The author of Target Omega, he lives in Cleveland, Ohio.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 11, 2018
Second Strike is a high-stakes espionage thriller with agents from Russia and Iran infiltrating the U.S. and covert op Garin battling enemy agents and assassins. Fairly run of the mill for this genre.
April 7, 2018
I would like to thank The Penguin Group and NetGalley for making this book available in exchange for my honest review. In Target Omega, Peter Kirsanow introduced Mike Garin, a cross between Jason Bourne and Jack Reacher. When his Omega team was assassinated, it was Garin who discovered a connection to a planned EMP attack on the US, planned by the Russians to look like an Iranian operation. The Russian assassin responsible for the murder of Garin’s team escaped, but now he is back.
The return of Taras Bor and an attack on Garin raises his suspicion that an attack of some sort is impending, but suspicions alone do not raise any alarms. The movement of Russian troops, the murder of an American scientist and Bor’s re-appearance also cause Olivia Perry, an assistant to the National Security Advisor to alert her boss.
In Russia, President Mikhailov has a team working on a project that will wreak havoc in the US and cause the death of millions. This time he is staging the operation to divert attention to ISIS, while using the opportunity to expand Russia with little opposition. Once again Garin must use every skill he possesses to thwart the operation.
With the assistance of Olivia and Dan Dwyer, a military contractor and former business associate, Garin tracks Bor to Washington DC. Despite the high tech equipment available to them, it is the determination of an elderly widow of one of Bor’s victims to catch her husband’s murderer that provides an essential clue.
This is a high octane thrill ride that does not slow down until the closing pages. Kirsanow leaves an opening at the end that will have the reader looking for the return of Mike Garin. If you are a fan of Lee Child or Erik Lustbader you will definitely add Kirsanow to your must read list.
The return of Taras Bor and an attack on Garin raises his suspicion that an attack of some sort is impending, but suspicions alone do not raise any alarms. The movement of Russian troops, the murder of an American scientist and Bor’s re-appearance also cause Olivia Perry, an assistant to the National Security Advisor to alert her boss.
In Russia, President Mikhailov has a team working on a project that will wreak havoc in the US and cause the death of millions. This time he is staging the operation to divert attention to ISIS, while using the opportunity to expand Russia with little opposition. Once again Garin must use every skill he possesses to thwart the operation.
With the assistance of Olivia and Dan Dwyer, a military contractor and former business associate, Garin tracks Bor to Washington DC. Despite the high tech equipment available to them, it is the determination of an elderly widow of one of Bor’s victims to catch her husband’s murderer that provides an essential clue.
This is a high octane thrill ride that does not slow down until the closing pages. Kirsanow leaves an opening at the end that will have the reader looking for the return of Mike Garin. If you are a fan of Lee Child or Erik Lustbader you will definitely add Kirsanow to your must read list.
April 21, 2018
Mike Baron is back. He has a suspicion about an impending attack from the Russian President, but no proof. After some other things happen, he gets Olivia Perry and Dan Dwyer on his side and they help him track down an old enemy.
This book does have a lot of action. It leaves an opening at the end for another book with Garin.
The book was well written.
This book does have a lot of action. It leaves an opening at the end for another book with Garin.
The book was well written.
June 13, 2018
an excellent novel. Mike Garin is like a twin to Mitch Rapp, simply invincible!
October 20, 2018
Absolutely 100% kick ass! Excuse the language. 😉 What a great writer.... Adding him to the must read list.
May 11, 2018
Last year Peter Kirsanow introduced us to Mike Garin, another alpha-male, apex predator, save the world hero in the thriller genre. Second Strike picks up the story a month or so after Garin foiled an attempt by the Russians to strike America with an EMP via a nuclear blast in the atmosphere. Still stinging from the loss of his team and friends, the group known as Omega, as well as the betrayal of one of the Omega members, Mike is participating in ultra extreme endurance competitions. It doesn't take long before an attempt on his life brings him back into predator mode.
I enjoyed this book. I thought the story was a little better developed than Target Omega, and that Kirsanow's writing has improved. Garin is still a little to close to super-human for me, but the storytelling compensates for that. In addition, the supporting cast of characters really helps to entertain and bring life to the story as well as temper the super-human factor.
I feel that Kirsanow excels in the high-octane action sequences. It is easy to feel the tension and picture myself in the midst of the scene. These sequences don't disappoint, and in my opinion bump the book up an extra star.
The story is a continuation from Target Omega, but it is also well enough written that it would make sense as a stand alone if one hadn't yet read the first book.
I am looking forward to a third book for more from Garin and his supporting cast, as well as to see continued improvements from an up-and-coming author in the genre. Kirsanow has potential to be around for years to come.
I am grateful to Net Galley and the good folks at Dutton for an advance copy of Second Strike in exchange for my thoughts and comments. Second Strike hits stores next week on 15May.
I enjoyed this book. I thought the story was a little better developed than Target Omega, and that Kirsanow's writing has improved. Garin is still a little to close to super-human for me, but the storytelling compensates for that. In addition, the supporting cast of characters really helps to entertain and bring life to the story as well as temper the super-human factor.
I feel that Kirsanow excels in the high-octane action sequences. It is easy to feel the tension and picture myself in the midst of the scene. These sequences don't disappoint, and in my opinion bump the book up an extra star.
The story is a continuation from Target Omega, but it is also well enough written that it would make sense as a stand alone if one hadn't yet read the first book.
I am looking forward to a third book for more from Garin and his supporting cast, as well as to see continued improvements from an up-and-coming author in the genre. Kirsanow has potential to be around for years to come.
I am grateful to Net Galley and the good folks at Dutton for an advance copy of Second Strike in exchange for my thoughts and comments. Second Strike hits stores next week on 15May.
May 11, 2018
I just LOVE this series... Mike Garin is such a great hero - he's Superman who thinks he's Everyman, except when he doesn't. And in this second installment, he finally seems willing to (grudgingly) admit that he is not like everyone else.
The action is thick on the ground, the pacing is great, and the characters are very compelling. I love the black/white, good/evil comparisons between Garin and Toras Bor. Rarely, these days, is it so easy to know who the good guys are - and it is unusual to have a bad guy who is so unrepentantly, irredeemably bad. I keep waiting for Kirsanow to try to humanize him - at which point I'll roll my eyes and stop reading. I like the old-school spy thriller conflict of Good v. Evil; it's engaging, entertaining, and there are enough other characters and opportunities for the "who are they, are they *really* good/bad/indifferent" drama that keeps you guessing from page to page. I really enjoy having the contrast between that ambiguity and the Garin/Bor dichotomy.
And am I the only one who is DYING to know who The Patrician is?! I keep thinking we'll get a teaser or hint big enough to clue me in, but if there has been one I've totally missed it... He's this fantastic "banality of evil" malevolent presence underpinning everything, and you just know that finding out who it is will blow up everything! I have a few guesses, but that's all they are - Kirsanow has done a marvelous job at keeping this secret. It's rare to have someone stay so blind two books in - and even rarer that it's not annoying or forced, but feels completely natural in the flow of the narrative.
If you like your thrillers full of action, suspense, secrets, and cabals conspiring against everyone, definitely give this one a look. The writing is strong and crisp and perfectly matches the tone and tenor the story establishes. The characters are engaging and a great mix of human and superhuman. The individual plot of each book is a thoroughly enjoyable and exceptionally well-plotted and -paced story, but the build-up between them is also managed brilliantly and really keeps me engaged.
My review copy was provided by Penguin's First to Read program.
The action is thick on the ground, the pacing is great, and the characters are very compelling. I love the black/white, good/evil comparisons between Garin and Toras Bor. Rarely, these days, is it so easy to know who the good guys are - and it is unusual to have a bad guy who is so unrepentantly, irredeemably bad. I keep waiting for Kirsanow to try to humanize him - at which point I'll roll my eyes and stop reading. I like the old-school spy thriller conflict of Good v. Evil; it's engaging, entertaining, and there are enough other characters and opportunities for the "who are they, are they *really* good/bad/indifferent" drama that keeps you guessing from page to page. I really enjoy having the contrast between that ambiguity and the Garin/Bor dichotomy.
And am I the only one who is DYING to know who The Patrician is?! I keep thinking we'll get a teaser or hint big enough to clue me in, but if there has been one I've totally missed it... He's this fantastic "banality of evil" malevolent presence underpinning everything, and you just know that finding out who it is will blow up everything! I have a few guesses, but that's all they are - Kirsanow has done a marvelous job at keeping this secret. It's rare to have someone stay so blind two books in - and even rarer that it's not annoying or forced, but feels completely natural in the flow of the narrative.
If you like your thrillers full of action, suspense, secrets, and cabals conspiring against everyone, definitely give this one a look. The writing is strong and crisp and perfectly matches the tone and tenor the story establishes. The characters are engaging and a great mix of human and superhuman. The individual plot of each book is a thoroughly enjoyable and exceptionally well-plotted and -paced story, but the build-up between them is also managed brilliantly and really keeps me engaged.
My review copy was provided by Penguin's First to Read program.
December 4, 2023
I was disappointed in this book. The pace was much slower and there was less action than the first book. It definitely was not a page turner. I also felt like there wasn't really a climax to the story. The plot was building to a climax, but when the big moment came, the story just fizzled out. Another reason for my rating was due to the ending....or more accurately, the lack of an ending. There were too many loose ends and unanswered questions. It's like the series was supposed to be a trilogy, but the third book didn't get published and the reader is left with a bunch of unanswered questions.
In the second book I found Garin to be irritating with his constant boy scout attitude. It made him less believable. Compounding the lack of realism was the interaction between Garin and Olivia. It was awkward at best if not borderline absurd.
The narrator did not help the pace of the book. His narration was flat, like he was reading an instruction manual, not an action book. If there is ever a third book, I might consider reading it if it ties up all of the loose ends in this book. Otherwise, I will pass.
In the second book I found Garin to be irritating with his constant boy scout attitude. It made him less believable. Compounding the lack of realism was the interaction between Garin and Olivia. It was awkward at best if not borderline absurd.
The narrator did not help the pace of the book. His narration was flat, like he was reading an instruction manual, not an action book. If there is ever a third book, I might consider reading it if it ties up all of the loose ends in this book. Otherwise, I will pass.
May 22, 2018
2 - 2.5 stars. I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway. I did not read the first book in the series (though the plot was mentioned enough for me to get the gist) and I don't plan to read the next book in the series (which is undoubtedly in the works). I felt like this written with a quantity-over-quality mentality - where more characters, more plot lines, more brutality, and more set-up of "the plan" were meant to substitute for a well-written story.
I was tempted to quit reading several times during the first half of the book but stuck with it. I don't think I would've regretted not finishing. It wasn't a bad book, but it certainly wasn't anywhere near the top of its class. For those who read the first book and are already invested in the characters, hopefully you know what to expect and will enjoy this second installment.
I was tempted to quit reading several times during the first half of the book but stuck with it. I don't think I would've regretted not finishing. It wasn't a bad book, but it certainly wasn't anywhere near the top of its class. For those who read the first book and are already invested in the characters, hopefully you know what to expect and will enjoy this second installment.
June 19, 2018
Following “Target Omega,” Mike Garin finds himself pitted against a Russian assassin as he races to uncover a plot designed to wreak havoc throughout the country. With the EMP threat averted and their plot exposed, no one expects the Russians to make any other egregious moves any time soon. They couldn’t be more wrong.
Can Mike outwit the assassin and thwart the Russian backup plan that, if successful, will cause the death of millions?
With its relentlessly fast pace, nonstop action, and never-ending conspiracies, this strong narrative pulls readers in from the beginning and keeps them on the edge of their seats as the constantly-mounting suspense ramps up the tension. Unexpected plot twists and sinister doings keep the thrill ride racing along to a conclusion most readers won’t see coming.
Highly recommended.
Can Mike outwit the assassin and thwart the Russian backup plan that, if successful, will cause the death of millions?
With its relentlessly fast pace, nonstop action, and never-ending conspiracies, this strong narrative pulls readers in from the beginning and keeps them on the edge of their seats as the constantly-mounting suspense ramps up the tension. Unexpected plot twists and sinister doings keep the thrill ride racing along to a conclusion most readers won’t see coming.
Highly recommended.
June 10, 2018
Following up on his debut thriller Target Omega, Peter Kirsanow continues to captivate his audience in the Mike Garin series 2nd novel Second Strike.
Garin only 1 month after stopping the Russians from detonating an EMP, is once again faceing his Arch Nemesis Tara's Bor in another plot by the Russians to bring America to her knees.
Peter Kirsanow has created one of my new favorite thriller series and Tier One Operator hero. I can't wait for the next novel in the Garin series
Garin only 1 month after stopping the Russians from detonating an EMP, is once again faceing his Arch Nemesis Tara's Bor in another plot by the Russians to bring America to her knees.
Peter Kirsanow has created one of my new favorite thriller series and Tier One Operator hero. I can't wait for the next novel in the Garin series
May 1, 2020
Second Strike. Peter Kirsanow
Mike Garin doesn't have a stop switch. America is being threatened by a former member of his covert team OMEGA.Tier one operators sanctioned by POTUS but now are caught up in bureaucrats who only care about self promotion. Sound familiar? The clock is ticking. Russia is launching an attack of major proportions. There is a traitor who has the presidents confidence. Non stop action from the first to last page. A stupendous read!!!
Mike Garin doesn't have a stop switch. America is being threatened by a former member of his covert team OMEGA.Tier one operators sanctioned by POTUS but now are caught up in bureaucrats who only care about self promotion. Sound familiar? The clock is ticking. Russia is launching an attack of major proportions. There is a traitor who has the presidents confidence. Non stop action from the first to last page. A stupendous read!!!
July 6, 2023
I absolutely love this series and Mike garin. I’m not sure which book I loved more this one or the first. The only reason why it took me so long to read this one has been my hectic schedule. I’ll read every book about Garin. If you haven’t read this series do yourself a favor and read them! Absolutely incredible
April 17, 2021
The second book continuation of his first book "Target Omega". A continuation of thrills and suspense. This Is a book you can't put down. It is Russia vs America, Bor a Russian Assassin vs Mike Grain an American agent.
June 29, 2023
Non-stop Action!
Second Strike is my 2nd PK read and I can hardly put these books down! More snow has a way with each character that I can connect with...even the bad guys become family for a moment. I'm a Clancy and Cussler fan. Kirsanow , so far, is better.
Second Strike is my 2nd PK read and I can hardly put these books down! More snow has a way with each character that I can connect with...even the bad guys become family for a moment. I'm a Clancy and Cussler fan. Kirsanow , so far, is better.
September 5, 2025
This series is way better than I expected. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book and this one was just as good! My only disappointment is that there isn’t a third book immediately available to continue the action!
May 16, 2018
Mike Garin saves the day once again.
June 1, 2018
Actually pretty good
June 13, 2018
An excellent read with realistic story line and vivid action scenes
June 23, 2018
Always an exciting read!
September 5, 2018
Love discovering this author and Mike Garin series
November 22, 2018
Loved it!
January 7, 2019
Once I started I couldn't stop! The author one upped his first book with this page turner. Cant wait for the next release!
May 25, 2019
Rank 22
Interesting and exciting to the end. Looking forward to the next book. Hopefully this time Bor will not get away.
Interesting and exciting to the end. Looking forward to the next book. Hopefully this time Bor will not get away.
July 10, 2019
Well done novel and I hope that the series continues
March 13, 2020
Can't wait for the Nextbook
April 13, 2021
3.5 stars
A lot of action as Garin try’s to figure out what the Russians are planning to do. Fast paced with good characters including the villains. I hope a third book comes out.
A lot of action as Garin try’s to figure out what the Russians are planning to do. Fast paced with good characters including the villains. I hope a third book comes out.
November 10, 2020
Good book, I will have to read the rest of the series.
January 26, 2018
Fast paced action thriller—not top of class but close to it—look for sophomore effort.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews