Coup d'État

Coes' follow-up to his entertaining debut, Power Down (2010), continues the saga of Dewey Andreas, now a hunted man. He has gone into hiding in the remote outback of Australia, hoping the men after him will eventually give up. But they are ruthless and have connections Andreas doesn't know about. Meanwhile, a radical new Pakistani president unleashes a nuclear weapon on India. India wants to retaliate, but the U.S. offers a plan to help. If the Indian government waits, the U.S. government will send in their best man, Andreas, to execute Pakistan's president. India agrees to hold off but only briefly. Andreas will have less than two days to elude his pursuers, break into Pakistan, and eliminate a president. For such a high-concept premise, the novel proves to be a bit slow going. The narrative bogs down with too many characters and situations in which people just sit around and talk. Still, Andreas, like the heroes in the novels of Vince Flynn and Brad Thor, does generate considerable appeal. Thriller fans shouldn't give up on this series quite yet.--Ayers, Jeff Copyright 2010 Booklist

Coes's exciting sequel to Power Down explores an all-too-plausible conflict in Asia. A radical cleric, in one of his first actions as Pakistan's new president, drops a nuclear bomb on India, its giant neighbor and rival. American leaders fear a domino scenario that could pit the U.S. against China militarily. Series hero Dewey Andreas, a former Delta Force officer who's been lying low in Australia, receives the call to assemble a small team of specialists and use whatever means necessary to get rid of the Pakistani president and install the U.S.'s handpicked successor-all within 48 hours. As India itches to retaliate with its own nukes, Andreas must find a way to worm his way into the halls of Pakistani power while also warding off a well-funded terrorist group run by a Syrian financier devoted to violent Islamic revolt. Though too predictable at points, the plot sizzles with action, and the details have an authentic ring that put this thriller a cut above the pack. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.