Buried in Black by JT Patten

JT Patten was gracious enough to let me read an advance copy of his upcoming novel, BURIED IN BLACK, which will be published in November. I enjoyed it immensely, as you can tell from my review below. Patten has a very distinctive style of writing, and I highly recommend his books, especially if you are looking for something a bit different in the genre. November is still a long way's off, so you should read his earlier self-published books SHADOW MASTERS and PRIMED CHARGE, if you haven't already.

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JT Patten’s new novel is a unique and well written addition to the military/spy thriller genre. Drake Woolf, his new protagonist isn’t the typical Mitch Rapp clone, and Patten’s portrayal of the world of espionage and covert operations isn’t glamorous or black and white, instead existing within a morally grey area populated with complex characters who possess dubious intentions, motivations, and loyalties. Each character has their own distinctive voice and personality, and Patten's dialogue is sharp, authentic, and flows well. Although the plot has plenty of action and twists, this is also very much a character-focused story.

Drake Woolf is a soldier from the Intelligence Support Activity, specializing in implementing high tech SIGINT techniques to gather intelligence. He’s also troubled and heavily influenced by a childhood incident in which he witnessed the murder of his parents, who were CIA operatives in Tunisia. An early sequence in the book highlights Woolf’s skills with both SIGINT and direct action as he tracks a terrorist target in Lebanon. Here he’s also introduced to Sean Havens, the protagonist from the author’s past self-published novels. From there, the plot shifts to a terrorist bombing outside the Pentagon, and we are introduced to the Mohawks, a group of JSOC-trained Iraqi special ops soldiers who, with the support of an Iranian general, are personally motivated to launch a campaign of terrorism and assassination against the Americans they believe betrayed them and their families. The hunt begins for the Mohawks, and the plot soon becomes increasingly more complex and personal for Drake.

“Buried in Black” will appeal to anyone who prefers the darker, grittier, and more authentic side of the genre where authors like Dalton Fury, Jack Murphy, Joshua Hood or Sean McFate reside, and the ending suggests Drake's story will continue.