What do you think?
Rate this book
Nathan McBride #1
First to Kill
Ten years ago, a botched mission in Nicaragua ended covert ops specialist Nathan McBride’s CIA career. Now he utilizes his unique skill set in the private sector—until the night Frank Ortega, former director of the FBI, calls in a favor. A deep-cover federal agent has vanished, along with a ton of Semtex explosives, and Ortega needs them found—fast. Because for him, this mission is the missing agent is his grandson. And Nathan McBride is the only man he trusts to save him.
But it quickly becomes clear that something bigger than even Ortega could have imagined is at stake. Within days of accepting the assignment, McBride finds himself trapped between a ruthless adversary hell-bent on revenge and a group of high-ranking federal officials who will stop at nothing to reap their own brand of justice. Here there are no rules, no protocol, no backup. Only McBride…
But it quickly becomes clear that something bigger than even Ortega could have imagined is at stake. Within days of accepting the assignment, McBride finds himself trapped between a ruthless adversary hell-bent on revenge and a group of high-ranking federal officials who will stop at nothing to reap their own brand of justice. Here there are no rules, no protocol, no backup. Only McBride…
373 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2008
2522 people are currently reading
2320 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Peterson
15 books539 followersAndrew Peterson is the internationally bestselling author of the Nathan McBride series. Born and raised in San Diego, California, he attended La Jolla High School before enrolling at the University of Oklahoma, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Architecture.
An excellent marksman, he holds the classification of Master in the NRA’s High Power Rifle ranking system. His familiarity with weapons and dedication to research has resulted in many speaking engagements ranging from craft workshops to ATF canine demonstrations.
Andrew began writing fiction in 1990 and sold a short story, Mr. Haggarty’s Stop, to San Diego Writers Monthly in October, 1992. After attending his first writer’s conference in 2005, where he met Ridley Pearson, he became serious about writing the Nathan McBride stories.
FIRST TO KILL (FTK) is Andrew’s debut thriller which features Nathan McBride, the brutally effective, trained Marine scout sniper and former CIA operations officer. FTK was originally published in 2008 by Dorchester Publishing as a mass market paperback. Early in January 2011, Andrew signed with Thomas and Mercer. Then in 2012, FTK was re-released in trade paperback, eBook, and audiobook editions. FTK has been translated into six languages.
Andrew had the privilege of attending Operation Thriller II, a 2011 USO tour to Afghanistan where he personally thanked our troops for their service. He traveled with fellow authors Sandra Brown, Kathy Reichs, Clive Cussler and Mark Bowden. He considers the USO tour one of the highlights of his life. To date, Andrew has donated over 3,000 books to our troops serving overseas and to our wounded warriors recovering in Naval and Army hospitals worldwide.
When he’s not writing the popular Nathan McBride series, Andrew enjoys scuba diving, target shooting, flying helicopters, hiking and camping, and an occasional (and questionable) round of golf. Andrew and his wife, Carla, live in Monterey County, California with their two Giant Schnauzers.
An excellent marksman, he holds the classification of Master in the NRA’s High Power Rifle ranking system. His familiarity with weapons and dedication to research has resulted in many speaking engagements ranging from craft workshops to ATF canine demonstrations.
Andrew began writing fiction in 1990 and sold a short story, Mr. Haggarty’s Stop, to San Diego Writers Monthly in October, 1992. After attending his first writer’s conference in 2005, where he met Ridley Pearson, he became serious about writing the Nathan McBride stories.
FIRST TO KILL (FTK) is Andrew’s debut thriller which features Nathan McBride, the brutally effective, trained Marine scout sniper and former CIA operations officer. FTK was originally published in 2008 by Dorchester Publishing as a mass market paperback. Early in January 2011, Andrew signed with Thomas and Mercer. Then in 2012, FTK was re-released in trade paperback, eBook, and audiobook editions. FTK has been translated into six languages.
Andrew had the privilege of attending Operation Thriller II, a 2011 USO tour to Afghanistan where he personally thanked our troops for their service. He traveled with fellow authors Sandra Brown, Kathy Reichs, Clive Cussler and Mark Bowden. He considers the USO tour one of the highlights of his life. To date, Andrew has donated over 3,000 books to our troops serving overseas and to our wounded warriors recovering in Naval and Army hospitals worldwide.
When he’s not writing the popular Nathan McBride series, Andrew enjoys scuba diving, target shooting, flying helicopters, hiking and camping, and an occasional (and questionable) round of golf. Andrew and his wife, Carla, live in Monterey County, California with their two Giant Schnauzers.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 636 reviews
June 14, 2015
Above average action suspense. Former military guy can investigate without following the rules.
I liked the way Nathan notices, analyzes, and talks about details. There a hint of Sherlock Holmes to him. He’s a sniper, helicopter pilot, good at fighting, and wealthy from his security business.
Bad guys are dealing in explosives. FBI tries to find them. Bad guys kill good guys. A retired FBI guy asks Nathan and his partner to help as a favor. Nathan does not have to follow FBI rules. He can torture to get information if he needs to. We watch Nathan gather clues, learn things, find the bad guys, etc. That part was good. There is no stupidity. The ending is happy for the good guys.
One thing that was weak for me, I would have liked more unusual characters. Something to provide the unexpected. The main characters here were typical FBI and military types. I recently read Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King. He had a 40-year-old woman with OCD called Holly the Mumbler. She did odd and unexpected things - which was the best part of the book. Jack Reacher (by Lee Child) has his oddities with his wandering lifestyle and toothbrush. In comparison Nathan is more normal and typical.
For sensitive readers, there is a torture scene at the beginning and some brief torture later. Sometimes torture is difficult for me to read, but I was ok with this. I liked the way the author did it.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 364 pages. Swearing language: strong. Sexual content: one scene briefly referred to, no details. Setting: current day various U.S. locations. Copyright: 2012. Genre: action suspense.
I liked the way Nathan notices, analyzes, and talks about details. There a hint of Sherlock Holmes to him. He’s a sniper, helicopter pilot, good at fighting, and wealthy from his security business.
Bad guys are dealing in explosives. FBI tries to find them. Bad guys kill good guys. A retired FBI guy asks Nathan and his partner to help as a favor. Nathan does not have to follow FBI rules. He can torture to get information if he needs to. We watch Nathan gather clues, learn things, find the bad guys, etc. That part was good. There is no stupidity. The ending is happy for the good guys.
One thing that was weak for me, I would have liked more unusual characters. Something to provide the unexpected. The main characters here were typical FBI and military types. I recently read Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King. He had a 40-year-old woman with OCD called Holly the Mumbler. She did odd and unexpected things - which was the best part of the book. Jack Reacher (by Lee Child) has his oddities with his wandering lifestyle and toothbrush. In comparison Nathan is more normal and typical.
For sensitive readers, there is a torture scene at the beginning and some brief torture later. Sometimes torture is difficult for me to read, but I was ok with this. I liked the way the author did it.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 364 pages. Swearing language: strong. Sexual content: one scene briefly referred to, no details. Setting: current day various U.S. locations. Copyright: 2012. Genre: action suspense.
January 21, 2012
Okay first off with me being a writer I hate to rate a book 3 stars. I loved the storyline and the book had very memorable characters with healthy back and subplots. Me being retired military as well I can appreciate the research that was done to be as close to honest as you can be in a fiction novel. Now the negative WAY to many flowery words and over the top descriptions of scenes that never caught on. I caught myself skipping 3-4 pages at a time and missing absolutely nothing.. It's almost like the book needed a hundred more pages so it was filled with fluff... Man I hate writing reviews like this, but I have to be honest as I receive emails and questions about my book reviews on a daily basis.. This author has a ton of talent and a great way of spinning a story, but this one missed the mark..... Sorry
March 7, 2014
I am a Jack Reacher fan so I picked up this book when I had run out of Lee Child novels. The main character is a millionaire, security specialist, torture surviving, ex-military sniper. The beginning of the book is rather goofy - Nathan defends a group of call girls (one of which is his main squeeze) from a difficult customer. This encounter does not blend well with how Nathan ultimately shows his personality and abilities when he goes up against the Bridgestone brothers. But, once the main story line begins - when Nathan and his partner finally get their ghillie suits on - the story is very engaging. As snipers, the action is different than a Jack Reacher six-on-one fight but is fun none the less. I have started the second book in the series.
January 17, 2020
First to Kill by Andrew Peterson is the first book in the Nathan McBride series. Ex military sniper and previous CIA covert ops specialist, Nathan McBride now works in the private sector. He is asked by former FBI director Frank Ortega to help locate his grandson, an FBI agent who has gone missing together with some Semtex explosives. A superb action thriller that I enjoyed very much. The book started slow but picked up with plenty of twists. I especially liked the deep friendship and loyalty between Nathan and his partner Harvey. An excellent, action-packed adventure.
November 1, 2012
I accidentally read the second book in this series (Forced to Kill) first, and while it worked as a standalone, I would have gotten more out of it had I read THIS ONE first.
Purely stated, it's a wonderful book. I loved the characters and felt the plot line was engaging to the end. Nathan McBride deserves to be right up there with Jason Bourne and Jack Reacher in the "badass loner you definitely want on your side when everything hits the fan" category of heroes.
Purely stated, it's a wonderful book. I loved the characters and felt the plot line was engaging to the end. Nathan McBride deserves to be right up there with Jason Bourne and Jack Reacher in the "badass loner you definitely want on your side when everything hits the fan" category of heroes.
November 19, 2012
Forget every hard-ass, smart-ass, super-cool, lady-killing super-hero you've met before... Nathan McBride is the One. Invincible? Check. Smart? Check. To cut out a lot of checking... Can do everything that anyone in the world would ever want to do but be better at it than anyone else? Check. McBride is an ex-Marine turned super rich business man with ladies swooning at his feet, who is in more demand than Ghostbusters.
First to Kill is a decent, if fairly predictable, plot for a thriller. The action scenes are exciting and the story is well written. Like many action thriller protagonists, McBride is a bit too good. And then some. The attention to detail can get a little eyeball rolling at times. McBride doesn't pick up a gun, he picks up a 79mm Smith & Glock Attenuated Groil Snake-Barrelled Piston Hammer with Infra Purple Night Vison Articulated Scope. He doesn't put his shoes on, he picks up his left Horace Gershwin Combat Brogue and slides his Timothy Cooper green stockinged foot into it before pulling the laces tight then looping one lace... well, you get the idea. Jeez, how about crediting the reader with a little intelligence?
Despite the criticisms, First to Kill isn't much different to many other action thrillers out there, so I shouldn't be too harsh. I listened to it, rather than read it, and I think this probably improved the experience. I'm pretty sure I'll be listening to the follow up Forced to Kill so I must have enjoyed it really! If you like action thrillers and don't mind rolling your eyes a few times and having everything spelled out, First to Kill may well fit the bill.
First to Kill is a decent, if fairly predictable, plot for a thriller. The action scenes are exciting and the story is well written. Like many action thriller protagonists, McBride is a bit too good. And then some. The attention to detail can get a little eyeball rolling at times. McBride doesn't pick up a gun, he picks up a 79mm Smith & Glock Attenuated Groil Snake-Barrelled Piston Hammer with Infra Purple Night Vison Articulated Scope. He doesn't put his shoes on, he picks up his left Horace Gershwin Combat Brogue and slides his Timothy Cooper green stockinged foot into it before pulling the laces tight then looping one lace... well, you get the idea. Jeez, how about crediting the reader with a little intelligence?
Despite the criticisms, First to Kill isn't much different to many other action thrillers out there, so I shouldn't be too harsh. I listened to it, rather than read it, and I think this probably improved the experience. I'm pretty sure I'll be listening to the follow up Forced to Kill so I must have enjoyed it really! If you like action thrillers and don't mind rolling your eyes a few times and having everything spelled out, First to Kill may well fit the bill.
October 13, 2016
Got this book on Amazon for $1.99 because i was waiting for a couple books from the online library and needed something to read.
What a great book! well written and the characters had great depth to them! Can't wait to read more from this series.
What a great book! well written and the characters had great depth to them! Can't wait to read more from this series.
August 4, 2024
-5,300 amazon reviews
-15,000 Goodreads ratings
If you want realism in sniper activities and a sniper duel and a strong story behind it here it is the book, and it's the first in a very popular series of seven books.
What I liked:
-The characters felt real.
-The attention to detail for the sniper scenes and helicopter scenes (I am a helicopter pilot).
-The big issue involves the FBI.
-A few twists and turns.
What I didn't like:
-Nothing, good book.
-15,000 Goodreads ratings
If you want realism in sniper activities and a sniper duel and a strong story behind it here it is the book, and it's the first in a very popular series of seven books.
What I liked:
-The characters felt real.
-The attention to detail for the sniper scenes and helicopter scenes (I am a helicopter pilot).
-The big issue involves the FBI.
-A few twists and turns.
What I didn't like:
-Nothing, good book.
December 18, 2023
As often happens, I read the books I bought on my Kindle with a bit of a delay, even years, and this time I found a really exciting one.
This is the first of the series featuring Nathan McBride, a former Marine sniper and former CIA covert operations specialist, now owner of a security agency together with his partner Harvey Fontana. Former FBI director Frank Ortega involves the two in the search for his nephew, an FBI agent who infiltrated a criminal organization to investigate a shipment of explosives.
This is a classic action thriller, a fast paced story, with protagonists originating from the army and special operations environments. In some way they remind me of a mix between Lee Child's Jack Reacher and the Dirk Pitt and Al Giordino couple from the novels by Clive Cussler. The plot easily captures the reader, it is engaging and there is no shortage of twists and cinematic sequences that leave you breathless. The story is intense and emotional, written with vivid clarity and well detailed, whether describing military procedures or medical emergencies. The characters are compelling, the events described very well, you can see that the author made use of the experience of various consultants to write realistic scenes.
The two characters work well together, they are skilled professionals and long time friends, always concentrated in action, even if there is no shortage of exchanges of jokes, humor used to relieve tension. Ultimately this is a story of loyalty and friendship as well as breathtaking adventure. As often happens, Nathan McBride is also a man who carries with him many demons, scars in his body, but also in his mind, as well as conflicts with his father, often more difficult to face than an armed enemy.
If this book is any indication of what the next ones will be like, I think I've found a series I'll really enjoy.
This is the first of the series featuring Nathan McBride, a former Marine sniper and former CIA covert operations specialist, now owner of a security agency together with his partner Harvey Fontana. Former FBI director Frank Ortega involves the two in the search for his nephew, an FBI agent who infiltrated a criminal organization to investigate a shipment of explosives.
This is a classic action thriller, a fast paced story, with protagonists originating from the army and special operations environments. In some way they remind me of a mix between Lee Child's Jack Reacher and the Dirk Pitt and Al Giordino couple from the novels by Clive Cussler. The plot easily captures the reader, it is engaging and there is no shortage of twists and cinematic sequences that leave you breathless. The story is intense and emotional, written with vivid clarity and well detailed, whether describing military procedures or medical emergencies. The characters are compelling, the events described very well, you can see that the author made use of the experience of various consultants to write realistic scenes.
The two characters work well together, they are skilled professionals and long time friends, always concentrated in action, even if there is no shortage of exchanges of jokes, humor used to relieve tension. Ultimately this is a story of loyalty and friendship as well as breathtaking adventure. As often happens, Nathan McBride is also a man who carries with him many demons, scars in his body, but also in his mind, as well as conflicts with his father, often more difficult to face than an armed enemy.
If this book is any indication of what the next ones will be like, I think I've found a series I'll really enjoy.
November 27, 2014
5-Stars! A Crackling Good Action-Adventure Story
“First to Kill” is the first book in what is now a four book series of action-adventure thriller novels from Andrew Peterson featuring the lead character, Nathan McBride. He is a cerebral CIA Special Ops contractor and ex-Marine sniper who is still healing from an earlier mission that went badly wrong. McBride gets called out to help the FBI track down the grandson of a retired FBI director who has gone missing on an undercover assignment to penetrate a radical white supremacist, arms smuggling group. Series books are very much in vogue these days. I usually dislike them, because I feel they all-too-often cheat the reader. To me, a story should be distinct and complete from cover to cover and not simply a teaser to get the reader to buy yet another book. I don’t know how the next three books in the series will work out, but this one is a crackling good action-adventure story. Peterson does a very good job on the two main criteria to achieve that ─ he has created a unique, compelling main character, and an excellent, twisting and turning story line. In Nathan McBride, we have a thoughtful, quiet, and very lethal ex-Marine who thinks before he acts. Four a change ─ unlike Mitch Rapp, Scot Horvath, or a long list of others ─ the bullets don’t bounce off this guy, or anyone else in the story. They get hit, they bleed, and the often die. This isn’t just another action-adventure shoot-em up, it is good well-crafted fiction. I will read more of these, and so should you ─ great for the beach, pool, or long airplane ride.
William F. Brown is the author of 5 thriller novels with over 300 Five-Star Reviews: The Undertaker, Amongst My Enemies, Thursday at Noon, Winner Take All, and now Aim True, My Brothers. They are all available on Kindle and now on Audible Audio Books. You read about them at billbrownwritesnovels.wordpress.com
“First to Kill” is the first book in what is now a four book series of action-adventure thriller novels from Andrew Peterson featuring the lead character, Nathan McBride. He is a cerebral CIA Special Ops contractor and ex-Marine sniper who is still healing from an earlier mission that went badly wrong. McBride gets called out to help the FBI track down the grandson of a retired FBI director who has gone missing on an undercover assignment to penetrate a radical white supremacist, arms smuggling group. Series books are very much in vogue these days. I usually dislike them, because I feel they all-too-often cheat the reader. To me, a story should be distinct and complete from cover to cover and not simply a teaser to get the reader to buy yet another book. I don’t know how the next three books in the series will work out, but this one is a crackling good action-adventure story. Peterson does a very good job on the two main criteria to achieve that ─ he has created a unique, compelling main character, and an excellent, twisting and turning story line. In Nathan McBride, we have a thoughtful, quiet, and very lethal ex-Marine who thinks before he acts. Four a change ─ unlike Mitch Rapp, Scot Horvath, or a long list of others ─ the bullets don’t bounce off this guy, or anyone else in the story. They get hit, they bleed, and the often die. This isn’t just another action-adventure shoot-em up, it is good well-crafted fiction. I will read more of these, and so should you ─ great for the beach, pool, or long airplane ride.
William F. Brown is the author of 5 thriller novels with over 300 Five-Star Reviews: The Undertaker, Amongst My Enemies, Thursday at Noon, Winner Take All, and now Aim True, My Brothers. They are all available on Kindle and now on Audible Audio Books. You read about them at billbrownwritesnovels.wordpress.com
July 23, 2015
4 Stars! Hands Down. When I said I was looking for a D*** Good Book, I found it! "First to Kill" is a heart-pounding, roller-coaster of a thriller featuring Nathan McBride, an ex-Marine sniper and his old partner Harvey who come out of retirement for a private job issued by long time friend Frank Ortega, a high-profile government official. Ortega's son, James, an under cover CIA op, as been kidnapped and presumed dead. Together, Nathan and Harvey must track down those responsible for James' disappearance. As the pieces fall together, Nathan and Harvey find themselves in the middle of a dangerous cat-and-mouse game involving CIA secrets and a dangerous group of bomb trafficking brothers known as the Bridgestones. "Fist to Kill" is a beautifully paced book. Intense, emotional, and written with such vivid details, the story and characters come to life beautifully. The action and events are gripping and believable, the characters leaving you even more on edge! I'm eager for the rest of this action-packed series.
December 29, 2012
Been looking for a good action-thriller series...unfortunately, I'll have to keep looking. Main character Nathan McBride is a confident no limits protagonist, fairly common for the genre, but for all his bluster makes dumb move after dumb move usually resulting in the death/injury of those he is working with or civilians in the nearby vicinity. He is also an avid subscriber to Torturers Monthly despite the fact his "interrogations" typically result in misinformation.
The author dedicates a surprisingly large amount of time to developing the relationships between McBride and his various colleagues which is admirable in theory, but in practice the dialogue is quite forced and often not very believable.
The action does have its moments, just nowhere near enough to make me feel like I was reading anything other than a rejected script for 24.
The author dedicates a surprisingly large amount of time to developing the relationships between McBride and his various colleagues which is admirable in theory, but in practice the dialogue is quite forced and often not very believable.
The action does have its moments, just nowhere near enough to make me feel like I was reading anything other than a rejected script for 24.
January 27, 2013
I just finished my second reading of this book, and I enjoyed it every bit as much the second time around. I don't often re-read books, so the ones I choose to reread have to feel like I'm visiting an old friend.
I stand by the opinion I first gave when I discovered these books: Nathan McBride can stand tall and proud as a hero every bit as engaging as Child's Jack Reacher or Ludlum's Jason Bourne.
McBride is a former Marine sniper scout with some serious post trauma issues. Peterson is an expert at giving you a good idea of what this man went through without falling into the trap of overdescribing. Trust me, start reading this book and you'll be rooting for McBride to start kicking ass.
I stand by the opinion I first gave when I discovered these books: Nathan McBride can stand tall and proud as a hero every bit as engaging as Child's Jack Reacher or Ludlum's Jason Bourne.
McBride is a former Marine sniper scout with some serious post trauma issues. Peterson is an expert at giving you a good idea of what this man went through without falling into the trap of overdescribing. Trust me, start reading this book and you'll be rooting for McBride to start kicking ass.
October 3, 2011
I liked this book but I think it would have been better if it left off the romance part. It didn't add anything and it just irritated me. The women were all weak, most were "escorts" or helpless. A few were helpless escorts.
September 29, 2015
Love the series
I'm a fan of characters that continue though a series of books. I like to see development. This will be my new favorite series
I'm a fan of characters that continue though a series of books. I like to see development. This will be my new favorite series
May 30, 2013
Another great crime-action fiction with a new hero!!!
Nathan McBride (and Harv ? (∩_∩*)ゞ）
Story is in very fast pace....so fast so that you almost can't put it down..
I felt the 4th quarter of the book was a bit too rushed, but it didn't effect to the story as I thought.
Well, I like Nathan a lot, but I have to confess I love Harvey more (laugh).
I think Nathan was a bit too much talkative for his character.
I laughed many times when he talked or told the details of the matters he insisted to some people 'it's secret' and 'tell no one' (and you made it 'tell many ones' by yourself, Nate...(^_-)-☆) While Harvey, the sidekick, is more discreet and more cool sometimes.
I love the relationships between this two characters so much.
It's close...very close、and very impressed (萌え！！♥ ← for someone who can understand what I want to say♪).
The other novels (besides Sherlock Holmes) I love all has single hero (Jack Reacher, Dr.David Hunter, Roy Grace, etc), not pair. I do really love 'pair' (male-male partners) pattern in this kind of fiction. It makes the story more excite and way more cool in many aspects.
The matter that impressed me most was that the author has various knowledge in many fields.
Not only law enforcement institutes or military matters, but also specific details in arms and vehicles (included chopper! of course). That made the story so real when you read.
Nathan McBride (and Harv ? (∩_∩*)ゞ）
Story is in very fast pace....so fast so that you almost can't put it down..
I felt the 4th quarter of the book was a bit too rushed, but it didn't effect to the story as I thought.
Well, I like Nathan a lot, but I have to confess I love Harvey more (laugh).
I think Nathan was a bit too much talkative for his character.
I laughed many times when he talked or told the details of the matters he insisted to some people 'it's secret' and 'tell no one' (and you made it 'tell many ones' by yourself, Nate...(^_-)-☆) While Harvey, the sidekick, is more discreet and more cool sometimes.
I love the relationships between this two characters so much.
It's close...very close、and very impressed (萌え！！♥ ← for someone who can understand what I want to say♪).
The other novels (besides Sherlock Holmes) I love all has single hero (Jack Reacher, Dr.David Hunter, Roy Grace, etc), not pair. I do really love 'pair' (male-male partners) pattern in this kind of fiction. It makes the story more excite and way more cool in many aspects.
The matter that impressed me most was that the author has various knowledge in many fields.
Not only law enforcement institutes or military matters, but also specific details in arms and vehicles (included chopper! of course). That made the story so real when you read.
March 12, 2010
I picked this book up at a book event, where the author was promoting and signing it, but hadn't gotten around to reading it. The cover blurbs somehow didn't grab me.
Once I finally picked it up, I found it to be a pretty good book of the "hunt down the bad guys at all cost" genre.
While the anti-terrorist plot was nothing special, the relationships between the central characters were pretty interesting. I found certain plot elements hard to believe, like a 3rd-generation FBI agent blowing his undercover assignment in such an inept way, but that was the central McGuffin at the start of the book. Also, the romantic elements seemed a little forced. As the story slowly unfolded, I was more willing to forgive the writer for the few lapses. There is a sizable body count, but no more than necessary to tell the story the author wanted to tell.
This book isn't great literature, but it's a big step up from some of the "kill it before it dies" dreck that is often foisted off as "action-adventure fiction for manly men"...
Once I finally picked it up, I found it to be a pretty good book of the "hunt down the bad guys at all cost" genre.
While the anti-terrorist plot was nothing special, the relationships between the central characters were pretty interesting. I found certain plot elements hard to believe, like a 3rd-generation FBI agent blowing his undercover assignment in such an inept way, but that was the central McGuffin at the start of the book. Also, the romantic elements seemed a little forced. As the story slowly unfolded, I was more willing to forgive the writer for the few lapses. There is a sizable body count, but no more than necessary to tell the story the author wanted to tell.
This book isn't great literature, but it's a big step up from some of the "kill it before it dies" dreck that is often foisted off as "action-adventure fiction for manly men"...
July 23, 2014
Andrew Peterson's 1st book in the Kill series featuring former Marine Sniper, Nathan McBride narrated by Master of the spoken word Dick Hill, is a great book.
I would compare McBride to Lee Child's Jack Reacher in a lot of ways except he didn't walk away. Nathan became a covert CIA operative. When he did retire and walked away he was certain his life would slow down and he could rest.
When a deep undercover FBI Agent disappears along with 1 ton of Semtex explosive the Government reaches out to Nathan McBride. He has a set of skills that are unique and necessary to find the missing explosives. But when he is caught between the crazy ideas of the Semtex thief and the FBI Agents who will stop at nothing to find their missing Agent, McBride must walk a narrow line to find the explosives before something unspeakable happens.
You will love this book and there are 3 more available at Audible.com.
I would compare McBride to Lee Child's Jack Reacher in a lot of ways except he didn't walk away. Nathan became a covert CIA operative. When he did retire and walked away he was certain his life would slow down and he could rest.
When a deep undercover FBI Agent disappears along with 1 ton of Semtex explosive the Government reaches out to Nathan McBride. He has a set of skills that are unique and necessary to find the missing explosives. But when he is caught between the crazy ideas of the Semtex thief and the FBI Agents who will stop at nothing to find their missing Agent, McBride must walk a narrow line to find the explosives before something unspeakable happens.
You will love this book and there are 3 more available at Audible.com.
April 6, 2014
I think it is to violent for me. I guess as I get older I think " Do I want to waste my time on a book I am not enjoying."
Andrew Peterson sounds so much like Lee Childs that I had to check to see if this was a pseudonym for Lee Childs. So many phrases that are reminiscent of his writing. I will give the second in the series a chance.
Andrew Peterson sounds so much like Lee Childs that I had to check to see if this was a pseudonym for Lee Childs. So many phrases that are reminiscent of his writing. I will give the second in the series a chance.
August 24, 2015
It was in all ways an okay book. I "liked" it, didn't love it like some of the Patterson or Clancy titles, but didn't hate it either. It was your average mediocre shoot 'em up novel with a few hole & some serious issues in believability regarding the Government & FBI.
April 12, 2012
Not my style. Pretty unbelievable main character
Read
May 19, 2015One badass sniper
This was a great start to the series. Nathan McBride is one crazy sniper and this first story going against some crazy brothers proves it. A must read.
This was a great start to the series. Nathan McBride is one crazy sniper and this first story going against some crazy brothers proves it. A must read.
May 24, 2019
I actually really enjoyed this. Despite being a cliched American Gung ho thriller I found it exciting and I got to like the charachters.
The author had obviously done a lot of reasearch into the details of an ex-marine and FBI based plot.
Although the usual cliches of the charachters who get shot, beaten to a pulp, etc and can still function exist it was really good read and I would recommend anyone interested in the Jack Reacher/Will Roby style books to read this.
This book was on offer at the time by Amazon, I mistakenly bought the entire series, I am definitely not regretting it now and am looking forward to the next one.
The author had obviously done a lot of reasearch into the details of an ex-marine and FBI based plot.
Although the usual cliches of the charachters who get shot, beaten to a pulp, etc and can still function exist it was really good read and I would recommend anyone interested in the Jack Reacher/Will Roby style books to read this.
This book was on offer at the time by Amazon, I mistakenly bought the entire series, I am definitely not regretting it now and am looking forward to the next one.
September 15, 2018
Not bad for the 1st book in the series. Lots of characters to keep track of, making you wonder who will appear in future story lines. There are a lot of things going on in the Federal government that the average citizen doesn't know about - clandestine operations, deals between high ranking officials that are never publicized. It was a good story, but it made me a bit uneasy to see how our government operates with no checks and balances.
June 2, 2020
A fast paced thriller, action packed and full of great characters. Tough to put this thriller down as the two friends and colleagues Nathan and Harv are brought in under the radar to capture two fugitives and find 100s of pounds of missing explosives. With two lethal opponents second guessing their moves, and interference from the heads of law enforcement agencies with their own agendas, it was a tough assignment. I loved it and am looking forward to reading the other books in the series. As a Jack Reacher fan it is great to have a couple more enigmatic, straight talking, action orientated characters to find out more about.
January 13, 2021
Notes:
Currently on Kindle Unlimited Read & Listen
- Narration by Dick Hill was great.
- While the characters are well established, the plot was not as engaging and event sequences felt like they were glued together. The kind of transitions that would work in a movie or show but feel abrupt to jumpy in a story....
- Story may be more fun to read vs listening.
Currently on Kindle Unlimited Read & Listen
- Narration by Dick Hill was great.
- While the characters are well established, the plot was not as engaging and event sequences felt like they were glued together. The kind of transitions that would work in a movie or show but feel abrupt to jumpy in a story....
- Story may be more fun to read vs listening.
March 2, 2021
Il tipico poliziesco americano. Un’operazione FBI andata male, un reduce un po’ fuori di testa ma molto competente che può svoltare la situazione, una mezza storia d’amore nel mezzo e un’ultima azione piena di suspence e dai ritmi sincopati. Per gli amanti del genere è un libro molto bello, dalla trama avvincente e dalla scrittura scorrevole e intrigante.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2017
This book needs to be a movie!
Felt like Jason Bourne meets Mission Impossible. Good thriller that’s hard to put down. When I catch my breath, I’ll look for the next book
Felt like Jason Bourne meets Mission Impossible. Good thriller that’s hard to put down. When I catch my breath, I’ll look for the next book
January 2, 2018
Absolutely loved this book! I am a huge Reacher series fan and I think McBride is even a bigger bad a$$.
April 26, 2020
Im hooked
Displaying 1 - 30 of 636 reviews