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Field of Valor: A Thriller (3) (The Logan West Thrillers) Hardcover – May 22, 2018
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With the full resources of the Justice Department, Intelligence Community, and the military (not to mention presidential pardons pre-signed), Logan must battle a secret organization with the connections and funding to rival many first-world nations. The goal of this organization is both singular and sinister—to pit the United States against China in a bid to dismantle the world’s security and economy. Back on US soil, Logan and his task force pursue the elusive foe from the woods of northern Virginia to the banks of the Chesapeake Bay, from suburban Maryland across the urban sprawl of Washington DC. The stakes have never been higher for Logan or America itself...
- Print length400 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherAtria/Emily Bestler Books
- Publication dateMay 22, 2018
- Dimensions6 x 1 x 9 inches
- ISBN-101501161989
- ISBN-13978-1501161988
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"The action in Betley's superb thrillers can come from every direction at the pace of a firefight, sweeping you from Iraq to Mexico to Africa to the corridors of power in DC. A former Marine, Betley writes with the authority of an insider who understands this world intimately, just as he knows his compelling and troubled hero, Logan West. A welcome new star!" -- Peter Heller, New York Times bestselling author of THE DOG STARS
“Suspenseful, inventive, and relentless, FIELD OF VALOR unfolds at lightning pace. The action rings with authenticity. The story brims with twists, intrigue, and secrets that will keep readers turning pages.” -- Meg Gardiner, New York Times bestselling author of INTO THE BLACK NOWHERE
“In Field of Valor, make sure you strap in tight! Like the best rides in a theme park, this one starts FAST, and while your heart rate may occasionally approach 'normal,' it never truly does...and you'll love it! Betley's pacing, language, and presentation of situations sing the true, real notes of one who has been there. Logan West uses his considerable intelligence and fortitude to conquer the challenges presented. If you haven't discovered Matthew Betley before, congratulate yourself for doing so now!” -- Charles Davis, Fox Sports NFL Sunday Announcer & Analyst, John Madden Video Game Announcer
"Fast, hard-hitting, and impossible to put down, FIELD OF VALOR is hands-down one of the best action thrillers hitting bookstores in 2018." -- The Real Book Spy
"Thrilling and captivating, Field of Valor is a must-read. Betley’s extensive experience and knowledge as a former Marine is front and center throughout, and he makes you feel like you are right in the middle of the action. But it is his ability to develop characters like Logan West and fellow warriors whom you come to love that keeps you holding your breath as this thriller takes unexpected twists and turns right up to the last page." -- Joan Lunden, New York Times bestselling author and award-winning journalist
"What we have here is non-stop action. The series has been optioned for video and is a natural for cross-marketing between the books and the digital. If you have seen "Strike Back," the addictive Cinemax series, or the beautifully realized John Woo movie franchise, you'll get a hint of what FIELD OF VALOR is like." ― Bookreporter.com
"Thriller authors of this caliber are rare." ― San Francisco Review of Books
"Action-packed and authentic, with characters you’ll root for." -- Karen Cleveland, New York Times bestselling author of NEED TO KNOW
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
CHAPTER 1
48 Hours Earlier
Falls Church, Virginia
Tuesday, 0800 EST
Smack!
The right hook glanced off John Quick’s left jaw as he slipped the punch to the right, barely avoiding the full force behind it. Gotta move faster. He pushed his opponent’s arm with his left hand, hoping to expose the attacker’s right side. He stepped in to deliver a right hook to the body and was rewarded with . . . empty space.
The figure had spun around him in a whirl of motion, stopping adjacent to his right shoulder. John immediately knew he’d lost. This is going to hurt.
He felt a warm breath on the side of his neck, followed by, “Too slow. You keep exposing yourself.”
“Stop talking and—” he started to say in frustration, but his words were cut off as his attacker stepped fully behind him, back to back, and hooked his left arm, securing it. The attacker dropped to a knee and gained momentum, twisting and yanking John off his feet.
He found himself briefly staring at the fluorescent lighting, and then he crashed to the ground, landing on his back. Before he could react, his attacker straddled him and pinned his arms to his sides with two lean, muscular legs.
John stared at the face of his attacker as he managed to yank his right arm from under the crushing force. Before he could do anything with his free hand, though, his opponent leaned in and pinned his right arm to the floor above his head.
Merciless blue eyes studied him from inches away. There was no quarter to be given. He thrust his hips upward, trying to buck the figure off, but his efforts only elicited a small smirk.
“Not so fast, tough guy,” a low voice said. “I’m not done with you yet.” The face was closer, looming large in his field of view, and he felt himself being scrutinized. Not again—this is getting old.
Mercifully, an instrumental version of the Marine Corps hymn started playing from John’s encrypted iPhone, and he reflexively glanced toward the sound. Realizing his mistake, he turned back . . . as warm lips suddenly closed on his, and he felt a rush of exhilaration course through his body like electricity as Amira Cerone kissed him hard.
John felt himself getting lost in the intense physical connection they shared, but just as quickly, Amira pulled away, and said, “Playtime’s over, babe. Time to work. It’s Logan.”
She rolled off of him and toward the phone, reaching it with such fluid grace that John couldn’t help but stare. A moment later, he found himself snatching the phone out of midair, even as he kept his eyes on Amira.
She smiled, and said, “You might want to take it.”
“You’re beautiful, you know,” John said, even as he pushed the accept button on the screen.
“You’re not too bad yourself,” Amira said as John put the phone to his ear.
Logan started talking, and John’s eyes followed Amira as she walked across the rubber combatives floor she’d installed in her large penthouse, open-floor-plan apartment.
“I’ll be in the shower. Join me if you have time,” she added without looking back, as she pulled her black tank top off and moved toward the master bedroom.
John was captivated by her slender, muscular physique, and thought, There’s no hope for me.
His attention was brought back to the phone as Logan said, “We have a hit on the Recruiter.”
John’s mind effortlessly shifted gears at the mention of the name of one of Task Force Ares’ most sought-after high-value targets—the man who had recruited a contemptible human being named Jonathan Sommers into the world of treason and espionage. In addition to being the president’s former national security advisor, Sommers was also one of the most despicable traitors the country had been subjected to, even if the general population wasn’t aware of it.
Fortunately for the US, Jonathan Sommers had been betrayed by one of his own victims, Colin Davies, who’d set in place precautionary measures—out of habit, of all things—but who had no idea that the national security advisor was in fact an insider threat. As a result, he’d outlined the meetings he’d had with Sommers and placed the information in the Google Cloud. Those meetings had started the pursuit for the hijacked DARPA project ONERING, ultimately leading to Colin Davies’ violent death at the hands of a clandestine Russian special ops team. But in the end, Colin Davies had achieved his vengeance from beyond the grave.
Once the task force had returned from Sudan with the ONERING, the first order of business had been to kidnap Jonathan Sommers from his Georgetown home. Logan, John, Cole Matthews, and Amira Cerone—the core members of Task Force Ares—had executed the operation and then faked Sommers’ death with assistance from DC’s chief medical examiner, whose brother coincidentally was a special agent and executive assistant to Jake Benson, the director of the FBI. More importantly, Jake Benson had been uncle to Deputy Director Mike Benson—longtime friend and brother-in-arms of Logan West—who’d been killed by the Chinese.
The faked death had been intended to send a message to the shadowy organization that was Jonathan Sommers’ real employer, hoping to draw them out into the light. While Sommers had languished away in a specially designed cell in the basement of Ares headquarters on Marine Corps Base Quantico—in violation of multiple major laws and statutes, although they all had presidential pardons protecting them—subject to nearly daily interrogation, the task force had waited . . . and waited.
While they gleaned a treasure trove of information and intelligence from the enthusiastic Sommers—names, contact information, and operational details for other members of his organization, which, as it turned out, was in fact called the Organization—nothing he provided was actionable, and they all knew it, including Sommers. It was tradecraft 101: the Organization had to assume he was either dead or compromised, which also meant everything he knew could be compromised. As a result, all those identities had likely changed within a day or two after Sommers had been removed from the playing field.
But something’s changed, or Logan wouldn’t be calling me.
“How?” John asked.
“Through the contact Sommers told us about at the Venezuelan embassy,” Logan said. “After Sommers gave us his list, we put all of them on tasking at every law enforcement agency and member of the Intelligence Community we could.”
“I remember how busy the FISA court was. The judges and government attorneys finally earned their keep,” John said, referring to the notorious Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act court responsible for issuing warrants against foreign agents inside all US borders. “We assumed all the intelligence he had would be dead ends. I can’t believe any member of their organization would keep the same mobile devices or computers.”
“Well, one Luis Silva, a member of the SEBIN, did,” Logan said, referring to the Bolivian National Intelligence Service. “NSA told Jake that Luis received a phone call yesterday morning on one of the mobile numbers, one he hadn’t utilized since we discovered it. The call originated from a landline in a Firehouse Subs shop in Fredericksburg. Jake sent two senior FBI agents with the Counterterrorism Division to talk to the owners of the restaurant. It turns out the phone was located near the front of the store next to the register. No one recalls anyone using it, and the store didn’t have any surveillance cameras.”
“So then how exactly did we find out about it?” John asked.
“Dumb luck. Turns out there’s a new bank under construction across the parking lot, and the construction company had installed cameras the day before in order to prevent vandalism. The agents said there was no way anyone walking in or out of the sub shop would’ve known about them, the way they were hidden and how far they were located from the shop. They talked to the foreman at the construction site and were able to review the camera’s footage.”
“Really?” John asked.
“Uh-huh,” Logan responded. “And guess which sonofabitch showed up on candid camera?”
“The Recruiter,” John said.
“Bingo. Based on the description we have from Sommers, there’s no doubt about it. Once they had the date-time stamp from the video, they provided it to Jake, who then asked NSA to search their databases for the call to Luis’ cell phone. Once they found it, they listened to the content, which turned out to be a twenty-second encoded message. Fortunately, NSA has some brilliant cryptographers, and someone who used to work in South America in the eighties figured out that it was a Cuban cipher code used during the sixties in the Cold War,” Logan said.
“And I thought the only good thing to come out of Cuba was cigars,” John retorted.
“Funny—as in you’re not,” Logan said, and continued. “More importantly, the message was a time and location for a meet. And guess where and when it’s happening?”
“Logan, Amira just kicked my ass for the third time this week. I’m really not in the mood for guessing games, especially from you,” John said drily.
“Hey, I can’t help it if you can’t handle your woman,” Logan said good-naturedly.
“I’m going to tell her you said that.”
“You better not—I don’t want to be on her hit list,” Logan said, remembering how she’d aggressively interrogated—with a stiletto—a Chinese operative after Logan and Cole Matthews had been temporarily captured in Sudan six months ago.
“Fine. Just get to the point. Amira and I are supposed to be having lunch with her dad today, remember?”
“Damnit. That’s right,” Logan said. “I’m sorry, brother, but lunch is going to have to wait. The meet is set for thirteen hundred at the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum near Dulles Airport. The Recruiter specified ‘Discovery,’ which could only be the space shuttle display.”
“That’s less than five hours from now,” John said.
“I know, and here’s the kicker: it’s a Tuesday afternoon, and schools are out for the summer. The head of security told us that it would be bustling with activity. So it’s straight-up civilian attire and concealed weapons.”
“Got it. I better let Amira know,” John said.
“And John, after what happened with Mike, don’t forget your vest. Put it in your pack and bring it. You can put it on there. We shouldn’t need them, but there’s no fucking around with these guys, you understand me?”
“Absolutely—no taking chances. I got it. By the way, where do you want to meet? You know he could already have someone inside casing the place, right?” John stated.
“I know. It’s why Cole will be in as soon as the doors open at ten hundred. He’s as good as it gets when it comes to countersurveillance, and I’m sure he’ll enjoy showing off that stupid beard of his,” Logan added.
“Don’t be jealous of our Delta Force of one,” John said, mentioning Cole Matthews’ background as a Delta operator only to irritate Logan. “You can’t help it that you’re a pretty boy with those dashing looks and dreamy bright-green eyes of yours.”
“Jackass,” Logan said dismissively. “I’ll be in the security center on the lower floor, down the steps once you get through the initial security checkpoint. Be there by eleven thirty. When you and Amira get to screening, tell the guards who you are, and they’ll send you my way. Remember, these guys know who we are, but we don’t think they were able to identify Cole or Amira before we took Sommers out of play.”
“Understood. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to go let Amira know our plans have changed, and I’m totally blaming you for it. See you soon,” John said, and hung up on his closest friend and ally.
Moments later, he knocked on the door to the bathroom loudly enough to be overheard above the sound of running water.
“What’s wrong with you?” he heard Amira say as he opened the door. “I told you to join me, didn’t I?” she added in mock exasperation.
John stared at her through the glass door, the steam from the shower concealing the details of her gorgeous physique yet somehow accentuating her beauty.
“We’ve got a problem, but not in a bad way. We’re going to have to cancel on your dad, though,” John said, delivering the bad news as quickly as possible.
“How is that not a bad thing?” Amira asked, staring at him intently. “You know how he is. He’s been expecting us since we had to cancel last week.” Her father, a retired DC homicide detective and widower, cherished the infrequent occasions he spent with his daughter. He knew who her real employer was, and he’d accepted the fact that her country unfortunately took top billing in these troubled times.
“I know, but it’s the Recruiter—he popped up, and he’s going to be at the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum at thirteen hundred.”
At the mention of the target, Amira changed—a subtle hardening of her taut figure—and John could sense the tension increase across her frame. He smiled at her, waiting for a response.
Even though he was in his midforties, he epitomized rugged handsomeness, with short brown hair, defined features, and brown eyes that studied her. Suddenly he gave her his best puppy-dog impersonation and said, “But I could still join you. It’s the least I can get for getting knocked on my ass again.”
Amira didn’t immediately answer.
Finally, she said, “So you want to be rewarded for losing, is that it?”
“Whoa!” John said, and raised his hands. “I’m just doing my best millennial impersonation. Don’t hold it against me.”
“Cute,” Amira said, and then, “just get your ass in here. We don’t have much time.”
God knows I’ll take any time I can get, John thought as he took off his shirt and stepped toward the shower.
Product details
- Publisher : Atria/Emily Bestler Books; First Edition (May 22, 2018)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 400 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1501161989
- ISBN-13 : 978-1501161988
- Item Weight : 1.2 pounds
- Dimensions : 6 x 1 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,987,554 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #4,257 in Terrorism Thrillers (Books)
- #10,969 in Political Thrillers (Books)
- #69,145 in Suspense Thrillers
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Matthew Betley grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, which he considers home after his family moved there from New Jersey, where he was born and which also explains his affinity for the New York Yankees. He attended St. Xavier High School and then Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he graduated with a B.A. in psychology and minors in political science and sociology. He also spent the first semester of senior year investigating felony murder cases as an intern investigator in Washington, D.C., for the Public Defender’s Office, a formative experience that provided countless stories that could fill the pages of a non-fiction book. Upon graduation, he worked in corporate America for five years in Cincinnati before joining the Marine Corps in 1999.
Matt spent ten years as a Marine officer and was trained as a scout sniper platoon commander, an infantry officer, and a ground intelligence officer. His experiences include deployments to Djibouti after 9/11, and Fallujah, Iraq, prior to the surge, both in staff officer support billets, although he learned that enemy rocket and mortar fire don’t discriminate between billet types.
As the author of the Logan West thriller series, Matt’s first book, OVERWATCH, was nominated in 2016 for a Barry Award for Best Overall Thriller and was also named a Top Ten Book of 2016 by the Military Times. His second, third, and fourth novels, OATH OF HONOR, FIELD OF VALOR, and RULES OF WAR received similar critical acclaim, with RULES OF WAR picked by Dana Perino at Fox News as the Dana Perino Book Club Selection for Fox Nation. His latest thriller, AMIRA, the origin story for Amira Cerone, a fan-favorite female protagonist, is out now.
Finally, and most importantly, Matt is a recovering alcoholic with more than twelve years of sobriety. He credits the Marine Corps with providing a foundation in discipline and personal accountability for his desire to initially seek help. Matt is open and direct about it and has spoken in front of large groups of people with one clear message – if he can get sober, so can anyone. His recovery and sobriety provide the authenticity for Logan West’s struggle with his inner demons.
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Top reviews from the United States
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A quick spoiler free over view of what you’ll see. Field of Valor centers around a secret cabal hellbent on creating a rogue republic and it is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goal. It’s up to Logan West and his team to stop them before the United States is changed forever.
With Field of Valor, Matthew Betley has not only crafted his best thriller yet but has as I’ve said already produced what will easily be one of 2018s best thrillers. Betley who has quickly become one of the most unique and original voices in the genre has upped the ante with his third novel. Field of Valor, is a thriller of such breakneck speed and intensity that it might be impossible for you to put it down. Betley’s trademark action and humor are in full display and he has once again proved he is not an author who merely writes cookie cutter thrillers.
One of the things I appreciate most about Betley’s writing is that he is willing to make each novel feel so unique but at the same time crafts such an interesting overall arc between each book. In Overwatch, Betley was able to give us an origin story that felt fresh and original. With Oath of Honor, it was a globe trotting adventure worthy of the best Mission Impossible and Bond films. With Field of Valor, he has mixed it up again and given us a novel that plays out over only a few days time. This creates such a sense of tension that forces readers into the same sense of anxiety that the characters face. Each of Betley’s book provides the readers with a new vibe and that is to be commended.
One thing that every Betley book has is action! That never changes and it’s what he is the best at. Pound for pound no one delivers more action in a novel than Betley. He doesn’t create just a fight scene, he create grand set pieces. They are big, they insane and they are written in such a way that you feel your seeing the action unfold before you not reading or listening to it. It’s safe to say you get more action in a Betley book that you would if you added up 2 to 3 books worth of action from other authors.
This is a must read! Start your summer out the best way possible. Field a Valor is a 5 Star thriller. Enjoy!
On the very first page, on the very first line the bullets are flying and from there it barely lets up long enough for you to absorb what just occurred and moves on to another action scene which comes up as a total surprise. Like, WOW (again) I didn’t see that coming.
Side note: If you’ve had the absolute pleasure of serving in my beloved United States Marine Corps. This book along with Overwatch and Oath of Honor is written for you. It will speak to you in so many ways. There are many talented authors out there, but those who have served often throw small, often overlooked dialogue that pin points their time in the service. Small things that come to mind is Brad Taylor’s Pike Logan series with call signs, or Joshua Hood’s Mason Kane, when he talks about the canvas cots we sleep on that are such a pain to put together. With Matthew Betley, his time in the USMC is clearly evident with so much sarcasm thrown in that is very specific to Marines.
Field of Valor is an action filled, page turning thriller that will keep you wanting more and it will deliver more with every page. In this soon to be cinematic universe Matthew Betley has created characters who have become family, on a mission to bring down an “organization” which has grown globally. Logan West and John Quick are brothers in arms, who are as formidable as they are determined to complete their mission. Joined with them are returning characters, Cole and the beautiful Amira. Together they deliver an action filled thriller that is a MUST READ.
Emily Bestler books and Matt himself are a great team, and you will be flatbout astounded. I’m not even going out on a limb here, this is his best work yet and you can see his growth as an author between Overwatch (his first thriller) to Field of Valor. You will not be disappointed.
Top reviews from other countries
Mit Logan West und John Quick hat er zwei pure glasklare Helden geschaffen, die ihren Job erledigen und gerne den gefährlichen und unwahrscheinlichen und suizidalen Weg gehen, um den Bösen den Mittelfinger zu zeigen. Klasse.
Das dritte Buch verspricht Nonstop-Action, die im Prologue mit einer aussichtslosen Lage für das Team West/Quick beginnt und ihr Versprechen bis zur letzten Seite hält. Logan West in Höchstform.
Natürlich kann man anmerken, das Logan immer einen Tick schneller und besser und reicher an kreativer Improvisation als seine Gegner ist. Kann man, muss man aber nicht. Man kann sich auch einfach hinsetzen und lesen, dabei in die Welt eines ehemaligen USMC und jetzigen Teamleader einer ultra geheimen Counterterrorism Task Force eintauchen und mit ihm die Welt retten. Mit Popcorn natürlich. Und einer Dose Bier.
Ich auf jeden Fall habe es getan und bereue nichts. Ganz im Gegenteil, ich freue mich auf einen alten Logan West in einer neuen Geschichte.
Vielen Dank für das Lesevergnügen.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 25, 2018