I've been reading a lot of Jack Reacher lately and this had the same vibe, which is another way to say I really enjoyed it. Jack Reacher has many character flaws that I choose to overlook because I like the mysteries, but really let's all admit that Reacher is sort of a sexist macho dick even though the author was clearly trying to make him not sexist. The main character here, Eddie Virgo, was clearly working through internal struggles and while there was a light romance it didn't "save" him, so to speak. The trope of male macho hero needing to impress a woman and using sex/romance as a way to not deal with his feelings is so boring and insulting- thank you Steve Sheffield for not falling into that hole.

On to the actual plot, this was a really engaging novel. I loved the limited time we spent in Casey's head and how she realized that even if the POG sort of turned out to be a cult, it didn't necessarily corrupt her faith. In general, faith as a weapon is a villain I wish we saw more of in media. The difference between what faith should be and what charismatic leaders can turn it into makes for a fascinating dichotomy, and Sheffield handled it extremely well. I didn't realize this was the second in a series, so I look forward to going back and reading the first book!

When special forces veteran Eddie Virgo agrees to rescue a young woman, Casey Bender, from the clutches of a religious cult, he has no idea what he’s getting into! The cult leader, self-appointed prophet Doctor Daniel Nelson, has a small army of fanatical followers who will do whatever he asks. Up to and including murder! Great book and series! Fantastic characters! It had great suspense, mystery, gruesome murders, action packed moments, and some wild scenes! The story was very interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book and series! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

A good read, It felt very similar to the first one in the series. I would recommend that you read the first in the series to have a better understanding.

I look forward to more books in this series and from this author.