Back Blast, by Mark Greaney: A Review

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Court Gentry, The Gray Man

The Gray Man is back. And truly back this time–to the United States. After five years eluding his own government, working on his own, Court Gentry has come home. Still hunted, he has finally returned to find out why.

Back Blast, released February 16th, 2016, is the fifth in the Gray Man series. Mark Greaney has created a terrific character in Court Gentry. Each book has been an exciting thrill ride. Each has also increased the readers fondness for the Gray Man.

You will find plots within plots as you might expect when politics are thrown in the mix. Back Blast is a complex thriller with plenty of action and excitement, as always.

Court Gentry is the best at what he does. He doesn’t make mistakes. So he is driven to learn why his own team would try to kill him.

Gentry searches for clues, finding little comfort in what he learns. As those he contacts begin to die, he is running out of places to turn. He is the only survivor the first secret team he was assigned to. Nearly twenty young operatives, killed. He knows where to start his search.

One man may be behind it. Carmichael, the chief of Clandestine Services, is intent on keeping their hunt for Court Gentry within their own ranks. It’s a secret, but why? Determined to keep others away from the investigation, away from the reasons they are after Court. How far would he go with a cover up?

With the body count rising, word is out that the Gray Man is there, that he is responsible. Still, there are a few that question Gentry’s guilt. The facts don’t fit what officials are sharing. Will the media find the truth first? Or will a few within the hunt realize someone has hidden motives?

Everyone is after Court Gentry. The government, the police, his former associates, and a middle east contingent who surely don’t belong. Even the media wants to find him. Will any of them be able to beat the Gray Man?

From the first in the series, The Gray Man, every book has been a delight to read. Suspenseful, exciting, page turning…all the key ingredients in a great thriller.  With Court Gentry you have a prime operative following orders clearly and successfully, suddenly on his own, with no one to trust. That has made each book even more intriguing, since Court will be on freelance assignment at the same time he is avoiding “his own.”

I loved this entry to the series. Perhaps part of that may be because I have been a Gray Man fan from the start. I found the novel fast moving, with a complex plot that switches from scene to scene seamlessly. A definite thriller.

Through Audible

Mark Greaney’s series is one I have enjoyed in audio since the beginning. Jay Snyder has narrated each one remarkably well. He has become the voice of the Gray man, and it suits Court Gentry well. Each book moves at a steady pace, one that keeps your interest and moves along smoothly. If you get a chance, try one. You can listen to a sample of the audio version here on Audible.

Each book is terrific on its own, but I would suggest you start at the beginning and go through the series. It is always enjoyable to follow a main character throughout his series.

In addition to this series, you may know Mark Greaney as the author who has continued the Tom Clancy series featuring Jack Ryan Jr. He has continued the wonderful style of the late Mr. Clancy.

I’m already looking forward to book six.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Merry Citarella, often writing as Merrci, writes on a wide range of topics. Recently relocated to the Oregon Coast in the northwest United States, she frequently writes travel features on the beautiful Pacific Northwest. She specializes in health and aging, Alzheimer’s Disease, food, lifestyle, and book reviews. For more information you can see her on The Writers’Door. You can read more articles here or at her websites Alzheimers HQ and Simple Living Ideas

Author: Merry Citarella

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