Review: Killing Time by Cindy Gerard

Killing Time 

By Cindy Gerard 

Book #1 in the One-Eyed Jacks series 

Romantic Suspense 

For the seven years after Operation Slam Dunk went south, Mike Brown got drunk on each anniversary. The eighth year was no different—until he was drugged by a woman and woke up to her questions about what had happened eight years ago in Afghanistan.

CIA attorney Eva Salinas has her own theory behind what happened to Mike’s team—which included her husband—in Afghanistan eight years ago, and she’s determined to prove foul play. Though she doesn’t trust him, Mike is the only person she can turn to for help. Under an assumed name, Eva convinces Mike to assemble a new team and go after the traitor who screwed up both their lives. As they track down the rogue who started it all, Eva and Mike discover they can’t live without each other. But can they stay alive while an enemy is still on the loose?

REVIEW:

Mike Brown participated in a mission gone wrong in Afghanistan eight years ago. On the eighth anniversary of Operation Slam Dunk, he was spending it as he usually did, getting drunk. While at a bar in South America, he was enticed by a beautiful woman and ended up getting drugged by her, taken to a hole in the wall and then grilled for details about the mission. His captor is CIA attorney Eva Salinas who is trying to get more details about the mission that killed her husband. While she doesn’t trust Mike, he’s the only one that can help her now that her inquiry has set off a chain of events that has her life at risk.

This story started off with a bang and continued throughout. It doesn’t take very long for Eva to figure out that Mike’s been made a scapegoat, especially when an attempt is made on both of their lives. Mike flew helos for covert operations so between the two of them, they have some skills. Additionally, Mike has worked for Black Ops, Inc., a private covert operations company and he enlists their assistance as they struggle to figure out what really happened during Operation Slam Dunk , evade hired assassins and uncover who within the government is part of the conspiracy.

The action is exciting, the romance works and the characters are interesting. Part of the fun was also trying to figure out who was behind the plot and while the clues are there, it wasn’t all that apparent, at least the underlying reasons. I really liked Eva as a heroine as she could hold her own with all of the testosterone surrounding her, without appearing to try too hard. Mike tended to be a bit overprotective but Eva knew how to handle him. Mike is a good guy with his heart in the right place and very loyal to his friends and military team.

This is my first book by Cindy Gerard and I’m looking forward to the next books in this series. I like her writing style and blending of action and romance. Her characters are well developed and layered. And, since some of the characters from her Black Ops series appeared in this story, I’m off to begin reading that and her Bodyguard series. This promises to be a great series.