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After time spent in the Australian military and as a mercenary, Jaeger has decided to slow down. Getting married and getting older has him looking for a pursuit better suited to his current circumstances. He decides work as a private investigator sounds interesting. However, when his first client turns out to be the daughter of a mafioso he put behind bars many years ago, he starts to wonder if he has just jumped into the deep end once again. With the aid of his friend Took, a large and extremely intelligent motorcycle enthusiast, the two begin to unravel the threat to her life. All threads lead to the enigmatic Cassandra. Cassandra was behind a plot the men foiled years ago but has eluded capture and appears to still retain much power and influence.
The first half of Taylor’s novel reads like hard-boiled detective fiction, complete with the suspicious damsel in distress and old enemies sharing half-truths. At the midpoint, Taylor’s protagonists undergo a week-long training and embark on a mission, not unlike what one would expect from a Jack Reacher character. Interspersed throughout are Jaeger’s ruminations about his own life and what it means to get older in his line of work. Taylor’s writing is easy to read, and the action is exciting enough for those seeking an adventure novel. The author’s use of parts of three different genres is interesting. However, the parts never quite fit together in a way that benefits the choices made. Still, the standard detective section is well done, and readers may enjoy the action, which ramps up in the book’s second half.