OPERATION ARGUS

While investigating the murder of one of their own, former members of a British Special Forces unit untangle an international web of crime and corruption in Mitchell’s debut novel.

In 2016, tragedy reunites a handful of men who once served together in the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment. Bob in West Africa, Sam in the United Kingdom, and others join Mitch in California to attend the funeral of their fallen comrade, Paul, who allegedly died of a heart attack. Mitch suspects that Paul was murdered, and an autopsy reveals signs “some sort of lethal injection.” Then another retired SAS operative dies under identical circumstances. Paul had been working with the CIA on an election-rigging investigation that began in Thailand and later expanded to other countries, including the United States. The men start their own investigation with Irish mob boss Tommy Boyle, whom they think they saw at Paul’s funeral. However, their interrogation of Boyle only leads to further complications, as they discover an inexplicable connection between members of the Irish mob and various Russians and Colombians. Unraveling the conspiracy entails globe-trotting and gunfights, and one of the former operatives turns out to have a surprise association with the criminals they’re investigating. Mitchell’s taut narrative skillfully juggles its many characters by introducing them individually in their respective countries before taking them all to America. Although the book has its share of action scenes, it’s primarily about investigation and espionage. The vigorous plot keeps things lively by intermittently splitting up the SAS team—Mitch and Mac question Boyle, for instance, while Jimmy travels to Lithuania solo to follow another lead. Certain characters are shrouded in mystery, such as Nikita, a male friend of Mitch’s daughter; and Conrad Yee, aka “the Dog,” “the most expensive assassin on the planet.” Although there are some casualties, other characters’ fates are left up in the air, allowing them to return in a future installment.

An engaging thriller featuring rounded characters and a variety of locales.