The Witness

Solid Action Thriller. If you haven't been reading John Ryder... you need to be. This is just the second time I've read a book from him, and he has clearly established a pattern of solid action thrillers with heroes who are conflicted and yet have solid and even innovative ideas on how to do their jobs. The house scene early was truly brilliant in what Ryder has Roche do to prepare the scene, and a few other actions late were nearly as good - if a touch more typical.

Indeed, the one flaw - which again I'm chalking up to “maybe British people don't know their way around guns as well as Americans do” and even “most Americans also think this, but it is a myth” - is one point where even as Ryder uses the correct terminology - “suppressor” rather than “silencer” - he still gets the actual effects more Hollywood than real-world. Without giving a whole hell of a lot away, Roche is across the street when a suppressed shot goes off inside a building. Roche doesn't hear the shot. In reality... everyone within at least a quarter mile is hearing that shot, even with it occurring indoors and even if they are indoors themselves.

Still, this was the only actual flaw in the writing and story here, with everything else being more “no one is perfect and this actually makes the story seem even more real” level. Truly an excellent action thriller, and one you won't want to miss. Hell, even as this book is (currently?) listed as a standalone... let me say right here right now that I for one would like to come back to this world. :D Very much recommended.