THE GREEK GAMBIT

In this novel, a special military unit must quickly thwart terrorists in Greece cooking up a secret nuclear plot.

Col. Blake Hunter’s relaxing Santorini vacation takes a turn for the worse when armed men enter the picture. They threaten his wife, Mia, and their kids, coercing Blake, who heads the American military’s Nuclear Response Team, into aiding a scheme underway. Combat-trained Blake manages to save himself and his family, but now the United States ambassador wants to know what the baddies wanted him to do. This is especially crucial, as it definitely entails a classified “plasma sphere” and the likelihood that terrorists are planning to get “the biggest bomb in the history of the world,” a weapon that could blow an entire country off the map. Back in America, Lacey Brown and Jim Logan of the NRT look into cases of acute radiation syndrome. Their investigation sends them to Greece, where they team up with Blake. The NRT soon has eyes on a ship that the team will have to intercept if it wants any shot at preventing a nuclear catastrophe. In this series opener, Salter maintains a brisk pace with a kinetic plot unfolding on Greek islands and vessels at sea. Blake proves to be an engaging hero; for much of the story he’s fighting an undiagnosed ailment that’s gradually weakening him. Flashbacks also take readers to his youth and a scene with his grandfather that parallels Blake’s relationship with his twin son and daughter. Unfortunately, the supporting cast pales in comparison, as even Mia is little more than a woman in peril and an emblem of family life. Salter nevertheless outfits this thriller with action, as NRT members engage in fisticuffs and stealthily shadow dubious types. A highlight is Blake’s quiet pursuit of a would-be assassin as a musical rehearsal goes on.

A dynamic officer headlines this energetic thriller that will make readers eager for the sequel.