What do you think?
Rate this book
Vin Cooper #6
Standoff
OSI Special Agent Vin Cooper is brought to the scene of an airport massacre in El Paso, Texas, to investigate the death of a USAF airman, AWOL from a nearby Air Force base.
When a survivor of the chilling massacre crawls out of the desert, Cooper comes to the obvious conclusion – with major cartels just across the border in Juarez, this has to be about drugs.
As he begins to piece together the case, Cooper is drawn into a world of violence and treachery. Soon he finds himself on the run, framed for murders he didn't commit. But being a fugitive just happens to be the perfect cover for his most dangerous mission yet – crossing the border and infiltrating the cartel.
Coming face-to-face with a terrifying madman, Cooper soon realizes that the airport massacre was just a dress rehearsal for something even worse ...
When a survivor of the chilling massacre crawls out of the desert, Cooper comes to the obvious conclusion – with major cartels just across the border in Juarez, this has to be about drugs.
As he begins to piece together the case, Cooper is drawn into a world of violence and treachery. Soon he finds himself on the run, framed for murders he didn't commit. But being a fugitive just happens to be the perfect cover for his most dangerous mission yet – crossing the border and infiltrating the cartel.
Coming face-to-face with a terrifying madman, Cooper soon realizes that the airport massacre was just a dress rehearsal for something even worse ...
398 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2013
15 people are currently reading
488 people want to read
About the author
David Rollins
21 books86 followersHiya, I'm a fiction author and I live in Sydney, Australia. I guess my best-known work is the series featuring Vin Cooper, a special agent in the United States Air Force OSI.
I have published eleven novels, which most recently includes the seventh novel in the Cooper series, the highly controversial KINGDOM COME.
I've recently discovered the joys of Substack. Come and take a look at davidrollins@substack.com where I'm also serializing BLOOD & EMPIRE, the sequel to FIELD OF MARS.
I have published eleven novels, which most recently includes the seventh novel in the Cooper series, the highly controversial KINGDOM COME.
I've recently discovered the joys of Substack. Come and take a look at davidrollins@substack.com where I'm also serializing BLOOD & EMPIRE, the sequel to FIELD OF MARS.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 7, 2014
Special Agent Vin Cooper of the Office of Special Investigations along with his current partner, Hector Gomez, a Texas Ranger were on the trail of Senior Airman Angus Whelt who had gone AWOL from his air force base – rattling along in a vehicle not designed to cross the rough terrain, Whelt was getting away from them on his motor cycle. As they approached the border of Mexico, it seemed they would catch him after all – but no, the previously cut gap in the wire fence and the one finger salute Whelt sent them from the top of the hill, then the subsequent collision with a deep ditch – he was long gone when they managed to scramble from the badly damaged vehicle.
When Vin and Hector were notified of the dreadful events which had just occurred at a small airport in El Paso, Texas, Vin was ordered there immediately. The subsequent investigation of the horrors which had transpired, leaving airport personnel as well as civilians dead would begin the most dangerous mission that Vin had ever found himself involved in. The chilling psychopath who enjoyed inflicting pain, the drug cartel led by another madman – one who was seemingly one step ahead of the authorities continually – this was just part of OSI Vin Cooper’s terrifying introduction into the world of the drug lord of Juarez. As the action heated up, the clock was ticking faster, faster… Vin realized he had himself in way too deeply this time.
This is an extremely fast paced full on action thriller! Vic Cooper is a tough, fit and dedicated man, one who had the grit and determination to attempt to rid the world of the evil he found himself up against. And of course, being fiction his tough guy persona shone through. If you love action packed, no room to breathe thrillers, this is a great one to sink your teeth into. This is my first by Aussie author David Rollins, but it won’t be my last. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.
When Vin and Hector were notified of the dreadful events which had just occurred at a small airport in El Paso, Texas, Vin was ordered there immediately. The subsequent investigation of the horrors which had transpired, leaving airport personnel as well as civilians dead would begin the most dangerous mission that Vin had ever found himself involved in. The chilling psychopath who enjoyed inflicting pain, the drug cartel led by another madman – one who was seemingly one step ahead of the authorities continually – this was just part of OSI Vin Cooper’s terrifying introduction into the world of the drug lord of Juarez. As the action heated up, the clock was ticking faster, faster… Vin realized he had himself in way too deeply this time.
This is an extremely fast paced full on action thriller! Vic Cooper is a tough, fit and dedicated man, one who had the grit and determination to attempt to rid the world of the evil he found himself up against. And of course, being fiction his tough guy persona shone through. If you love action packed, no room to breathe thrillers, this is a great one to sink your teeth into. This is my first by Aussie author David Rollins, but it won’t be my last. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.
February 16, 2014
Willie Sutton famously said he robbed banks "because that is where the money is". David Rollins set his brutal, bloody and over the top thriller, "Standoff' in Mexico because that is where murderous drug cartels are located.
Vin Cooper is investigating a strike team that killed twenty people including women, men and children at the Horizon Airport near the border of Mexico, when he gets in a gun battle with drug smugglers and Kirk Matheson, a traitorous deputy sheriff. The deputy lies and says that Cooper killed the other deputies at the scene.
The CIA is intrigued. They want to use Cooper to infiltrate a particularly blood thirsty cartel run by Juan Apostles, the Saint of Medillin and his murderous henchmen, Arturo Perez, the Tears of Chihuahua. Perez likes to flay the skin off his victims.
Cooper is sent down to find Apostles, but along the way he sees brutal acts of violence at the hands of drug dealers.
Apostles, with his twin girl fiends - Lina and Daniela, are willing to listen to Cooper, who claims he can get drug shipments to America without them being interdicted by the US Border agents. Perez does not trust Cooper, but Apostles is willing to listen. But Cooper's mission is compounded by Matheson who has escaped to Apostles.
There is one violent encounter after another. A beautiful CIA agent is killed by Perez in a brutal way.
In the end it will be Cooper, who will have to figure out why Apostles attacked the Horizon Airport and what he plans to do with 1000 man army of murderous thugs.
Its violent, brutal and action packed. But the violence is a bit over the top and senseless at times.
While I liked Cooper, I just cannot see myself reaching for another of Rollins books.
There are better thrillers out there.
I received this book from Netgalley.
Vin Cooper is investigating a strike team that killed twenty people including women, men and children at the Horizon Airport near the border of Mexico, when he gets in a gun battle with drug smugglers and Kirk Matheson, a traitorous deputy sheriff. The deputy lies and says that Cooper killed the other deputies at the scene.
The CIA is intrigued. They want to use Cooper to infiltrate a particularly blood thirsty cartel run by Juan Apostles, the Saint of Medillin and his murderous henchmen, Arturo Perez, the Tears of Chihuahua. Perez likes to flay the skin off his victims.
Cooper is sent down to find Apostles, but along the way he sees brutal acts of violence at the hands of drug dealers.
Apostles, with his twin girl fiends - Lina and Daniela, are willing to listen to Cooper, who claims he can get drug shipments to America without them being interdicted by the US Border agents. Perez does not trust Cooper, but Apostles is willing to listen. But Cooper's mission is compounded by Matheson who has escaped to Apostles.
There is one violent encounter after another. A beautiful CIA agent is killed by Perez in a brutal way.
In the end it will be Cooper, who will have to figure out why Apostles attacked the Horizon Airport and what he plans to do with 1000 man army of murderous thugs.
Its violent, brutal and action packed. But the violence is a bit over the top and senseless at times.
While I liked Cooper, I just cannot see myself reaching for another of Rollins books.
There are better thrillers out there.
I received this book from Netgalley.
January 10, 2014
As a character I generally really liked Cooper. He isn’t as hard boiled as I usually like my main characters in this type of thriller but was enough of a bad ass that I had no problems with him. What I do really like about the character is his sense of humor. While not relying on the humor in the main character as some other titles do there was enough of it through Cooper that it helped to break the tension in parts and make the story read faster. The other thing I liked is how vulnerable Cooper was. Unlike some books where he could do no wrong and no one could touch him there were moments that I actually felt like something might happen to him, although logically I knew that wasn’t true since there was always enough books left that if he died the following 100 pages would be pretty weird.
My only real issue with the book was the last 2 big action beats. Both were WAY over the top, kind of hard to follow at times and simply not so far out there as to keep me from suspending my disbelief.
Therein lays the only real issue I have with the book. I was totally on board with the plot till the very end of the book when the villains plan was realized and actualized. The plan was so ridiculous and how it came about so unbelievable there is just no way I could get into the chapter. I kept thinking “this would never ever happen like this. It’s just ridiculous.” Keep in mind I love sci-fi and zombie books and the end of this book was less believable then a those genres. It’s unfortunate too, because it took what would have been a 5 star book for me and knocked it down a peg.
http://homeofreading.com/standoff/
My only real issue with the book was the last 2 big action beats. Both were WAY over the top, kind of hard to follow at times and simply not so far out there as to keep me from suspending my disbelief.
Therein lays the only real issue I have with the book. I was totally on board with the plot till the very end of the book when the villains plan was realized and actualized. The plan was so ridiculous and how it came about so unbelievable there is just no way I could get into the chapter. I kept thinking “this would never ever happen like this. It’s just ridiculous.” Keep in mind I love sci-fi and zombie books and the end of this book was less believable then a those genres. It’s unfortunate too, because it took what would have been a 5 star book for me and knocked it down a peg.
http://homeofreading.com/standoff/
January 23, 2014
Loved it!
I have been a huge Vin Cooper fan from the beginning. I waited for this installment to come out and it did not disappoint. all of the same characters we have grown to love over the past books and a few few new ones sprinkled in. David Rollins has made me a.life fan and I am proud to say all of his books should have a rating for.guilty pleasure. pick this one up and read, forget about the outside world and just sink into Vin Cooper s world.....A solid 5 stars.. can't wait for the next installment... thanks again David
I have been a huge Vin Cooper fan from the beginning. I waited for this installment to come out and it did not disappoint. all of the same characters we have grown to love over the past books and a few few new ones sprinkled in. David Rollins has made me a.life fan and I am proud to say all of his books should have a rating for.guilty pleasure. pick this one up and read, forget about the outside world and just sink into Vin Cooper s world.....A solid 5 stars.. can't wait for the next installment... thanks again David
February 15, 2018
A plot as twisted as the Mexican border. !
Well paced , gnarly characters , just enough T and A to keep the heart going . Humor was definitely on my wavelength . Thanks Senor Rollins , keep it up
T.E.
Well paced , gnarly characters , just enough T and A to keep the heart going . Humor was definitely on my wavelength . Thanks Senor Rollins , keep it up
T.E.
March 3, 2014
Having not read any of the Vin Cooper series this started out as an exercise in seeing if I could catch up in a hurry. So, for newcomers to the series as well, a few points. Cooper's an interesting character in an over-the-top military style thriller. Definitely a bit of an all-action hero with the physical prowess and durability of a tank, he's also got a touch of humour about him that somehow makes him slightly less hard-boiled than you'd expect. It did, however, leave this reader with a sneaking suspicion that there could be more than just Cooper's tongue firmly planted in his cheek.
The scenario that STANDOFF puts him in is straight out of the wild ride handbook. Very very wild. Towards the end, positively lunatic. Oddly believable for a hefty portion of the plot, with only a couple of points at which the reader might be forgiven a slight sneaking doubt, particularly when it comes to motivation. Although that's really isn't all bad for this style of book.
Of course the violence is extreme, and the mayhem pretty full on. But back to the plot. Which is nicely evil to start off with, with the baddies very bad, and slightly mad; and the good guys very mad, and only sometimes bad. There's lots of twisting and turning, and some evil women who were, and then weren't, there just as sex symbols, and a reason for all the mayhem which was... well madder than most of the mad thriller type scenarios.
Which makes it all a bit hard to put into any context. On the one hand I really liked Vin Cooper. On the other I've no idea if STANDOFF's slightly weird plot is typical. Having said that, can't think of a single reason not to find out.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
The scenario that STANDOFF puts him in is straight out of the wild ride handbook. Very very wild. Towards the end, positively lunatic. Oddly believable for a hefty portion of the plot, with only a couple of points at which the reader might be forgiven a slight sneaking doubt, particularly when it comes to motivation. Although that's really isn't all bad for this style of book.
Of course the violence is extreme, and the mayhem pretty full on. But back to the plot. Which is nicely evil to start off with, with the baddies very bad, and slightly mad; and the good guys very mad, and only sometimes bad. There's lots of twisting and turning, and some evil women who were, and then weren't, there just as sex symbols, and a reason for all the mayhem which was... well madder than most of the mad thriller type scenarios.
Which makes it all a bit hard to put into any context. On the one hand I really liked Vin Cooper. On the other I've no idea if STANDOFF's slightly weird plot is typical. Having said that, can't think of a single reason not to find out.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
December 28, 2014
Air Force OSI Special Investigator Vin Cooper goes undercover in Mexico to infiltrate a drug cartel believed responsible for a massacre at a private airfield in Texas and clear himself of phony murder charges at the airfield. Vin cracks wise while a vindictive CIA officer, a charismatic cartel chief who resembles "a Mexican Don Johnson", his beautiful super model daughter and twin girlfriends, his psychotic assistant and an army of motor bike riding bad guys all doubt Vin's undercover status as a cop killer. The plot of this excellent military thriller may indeed be far fetched but that doesn't really matter since it's such a fun read. I loved it along with all the other Vin Cooper books in this series. Thank you David Rollins and keep typing!
December 10, 2013
The last third of this book is great and was what I was expecting and wanted the whole book to be like. But the beginning was a long drawn out story that was lackluster when it come to excitement. It was like a drip irrigation system, just enough water to keep the plant alive, and thats the way this story is.
But still worth reading and makes me wonder what is going to happen next with Vin Cooper.
But still worth reading and makes me wonder what is going to happen next with Vin Cooper.
May 6, 2015
I don't usually read this kind of thriller, but I love Special Agent Vin Cooper's view of life. This particular installment was very good as usual. Lots of action, beautiful and deadly women, bloodshed, violence, messy deaths--what's not to like?
September 27, 2014
Very good read!
Great details, unique story line, likeable characters, nasty as hell bad guys, drugs, guns femme fatales ... all th err good things you could hope for. I am looking forward to additional titles. Thanks David Rollins!
Great details, unique story line, likeable characters, nasty as hell bad guys, drugs, guns femme fatales ... all th err good things you could hope for. I am looking forward to additional titles. Thanks David Rollins!
July 29, 2016
Excellent
Another excellent Vin Cooper novel. Continues the excitement from the previous ones and leads Vin on a new course. Non stop action and really no slow spots. A great overall book.
Another excellent Vin Cooper novel. Continues the excitement from the previous ones and leads Vin on a new course. Non stop action and really no slow spots. A great overall book.
July 24, 2016
Why five stars? Because it is Cooper. He is an engaging character, a man with morals and a code, who is not just an untouchable hero, but a guy who is handy with a Sig Sauer 226 and has a nice line in humour. Loved it.
December 29, 2013
See my thought about Standoff here: http://www.justtalkingbooks.com/1/pos...
February 11, 2014
I dig Vin Cooper. He's a complete smart ass, kinda like John Corey.
September 17, 2014
Fast paced and thrilling
gets you involved from the very beginning. a really great read with lots of action. I hope Vin will save the day in another adventure.
gets you involved from the very beginning. a really great read with lots of action. I hope Vin will save the day in another adventure.
October 9, 2014
Good reading
Good reading book has hi and lows but will keep you reading. the ending is fairly predictable from the mid point of the book
Good reading book has hi and lows but will keep you reading. the ending is fairly predictable from the mid point of the book
October 13, 2014
Very enjoyable
A QUASI MILITARY, DRUG STORY THAT WAS INTERTWINED WITH ENOUGH ACTION AND DESCRIPTION TO BE INTERESTING, EVEN IF THE MAJOR CHARACTER WAS A BIT TOO MUCH
A QUASI MILITARY, DRUG STORY THAT WAS INTERTWINED WITH ENOUGH ACTION AND DESCRIPTION TO BE INTERESTING, EVEN IF THE MAJOR CHARACTER WAS A BIT TOO MUCH
March 4, 2016
An unusual setting and plot for Vin Cooper. Intense and fascinating right through the last page!
November 30, 2016
Love David Rollins and his character Vin Cooper....highly recommended.
April 3, 2018
David Rollins was one of my favorite authors in this genre. I really liked the Vin Cooper character. He reminds me of Nelson DeMille's, John Corey character. Both are irreverent, don't take direction well, and have a way of interjecting humor in difficult circumstances. Not everyone can write this type of character and yet keep the action story moving.
Rollins has not written much of late and, therefore, I was looking forward to reading this one to catch up. I was a little disappointed. It was good, but just not up to his first few efforts. Cooper has become a full fledged action/black ops character and not the snide, investigator-type that we had seen previously. Maybe putting him in a story with crazy, over-the-top mexican cartel characters explains it. Oh well, i still liked it, but prefer he keep Cooper in his lane and let others handle the black ops/crazy risk taker role.
Anyway, still a strong 3 star, just not quite a 4 star.
Rollins has not written much of late and, therefore, I was looking forward to reading this one to catch up. I was a little disappointed. It was good, but just not up to his first few efforts. Cooper has become a full fledged action/black ops character and not the snide, investigator-type that we had seen previously. Maybe putting him in a story with crazy, over-the-top mexican cartel characters explains it. Oh well, i still liked it, but prefer he keep Cooper in his lane and let others handle the black ops/crazy risk taker role.
Anyway, still a strong 3 star, just not quite a 4 star.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews