I enjoyed this. Superficially a typical black ops agent tracking down the bad guys, this actually has a lot going for it. Our black ops guy is operating very much in the dark and for all his skills, he has also been damaged by his past and upbringing. An attack on US soil has links back to those who once worked with US forces and our operative and a very small team might be all that can stop them. At the same time the FBI with a somewhat unique agent is on their trail, not sure if they are good guys or not.
Good character interaction, plenty of action and some thoughtful plotting. This is very good stuff and closes in a way that really leaves you wanting more.

This is a thrilling and exciting adventure by one of the masters of the spy genre. I loved the book and would like to read another soon. Recommended.

Buried in Black is the debut novel in the Task Force Orange series by J. T. Patton. Drake Woolf, who is the son of two murdered CIA operatives, has been groomed throughout his entire life for this top-secret undercover group known as Task Force Orange. The missions Woolf is responsible fall into the category of things the government doesn’t want their footprints on, and not only are they top secret, the government won’t acknowledge any of the members or missions. Woolf is good at what he does, but when he receives the orders for his next mission, he is wary, since he is up against his own, men and women that he trained and knows, and these “Mohawks” as they are called, know his secrets, as well as strengths and weaknesses, and are using them to carry out a deadly attack on American soil. Drake needs to stop it and at the same time survive.

Readers who enjoy spy/espionage thrillers will want to pick up this first book in the series. The suspense builds from the first chapter throughout the entire novel. Drake is an excellent character to play the protagonist in this series, and has attributes that hopefully will lead to winning rather than being cut down. Drake is a believable character, albeit a bit super-hero, and he is actually a bit likeable.

Patten comes with a full resume of government positions that make him privy to the secret goings-on in the government. He weaves his scenarios in a way that readers will not only be absorbed, but also believe that these things could really happen. This novel is well-written and organized so the prose is easy to follow. Secrets are revealed at the dénouement, and readers will anticipate the next installment of the series.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Great first book in a series it does exactly what it's supposed to do, gets you caught up and then leaves you hanging with just enough to want to read the next one. And whether you you love them or hate them great characters. I can't wait to read more.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am all about this kind of book because usually, it's 'fictional' enough that it doesn't feel like I'm completing a reading for work when I'm actually reading it.This novel, however, despite the really cool premise, did feel like work. I think it really was more to do with the fact that the author, clearly well-steeped in intelligence and security terminology, was trying to educate the reader as he went along but didn't quite manage to weave the teaching moments into the flow of the novel. Certain areas of the book felt like a reading I would do (or assign) on the basics of intelligence operations or special forces operations; other parts felt like what I imagine some field reports would look like. This really interrupted the flow of the story itself. There were also just some really, really odd choices in description; "eyebrow-hair bundles" made an appearance at one point and I just honestly didn't know what to do with that, other than laugh disbelievingly.However, as I said, I did enjoy the premise of the novel. There is a lot you could build on for further work and I do like the characters that were introduced, though again there were a few issues around how the introduction of new characters did tend to interrupt the flow of the story. The twist at the end was interesting, I'll admit, and I did not see that happening at all, for which I have to credit Patten. This is worth a read, I think, if only to lay the groundwork for his other books (which I haven't read to, but may look at in future). Also for the "lecture" bits which are pretty good, actually, if you want a feel for that sort of thing.

JT Patten is an author you need to keep your eye on. By the time I finished this book I was already craving for the next! Unique characters, covert operations, formidable opponents, authenticity, and a flawed protagonist made this a great read.

Full review to come.
I deeply apologize, but life is a handful lately and I'm using all my free time to read, not review. I hope everybody understands.

First of all I have to thank the author for giving me the opportunity to read this.
This is by far the best thriller I've read in years with a surprising twist at the end.
I am really looking forward to the next one in this series.
I didn't know when I started this that one of the characters, Sean Havens had his own series so know I've got the first one of those read and the second in my TBR pile.
I will not write about the content because there are so many places to read that, but I will say this if you like thrillers. Read this one.

I have read all of JT’s books. They are all well-crafted, chilling, and realistic military and espionage thrillers. I now expect that from JT. JT’s depth of knowledge of this ultra-dark corner of covert operations is, as always, outstanding. But, what makes JT’s books hum, is that he layers through the relentless action veins of emotion, contrasting character traits, faults, flaws, the goodness in people, and the worst. His characters come across as people who struggle with internal demons, while they battle with the individuals, places, and groups that intersect in their lives. It takes skill and nuance to balance these complex layers of action and humanity. JT succeeds. I highly recommend Buried in Black.

I devoured this book in one day... once I started reading I couldn't put it down. The author has created a world of outstanding and exceptional characters, and a narrative that doesn't pull punches in dealing with the real-world dangers of terrorism, social media, and unchecked power. I usually have a hard time picturing a written scene in my mind, but there was plenty of detail in each scene and I could easily imagine the events unfolding in front of me. The narrative isn't as much of a yarn as it is a coil: tightly wound, with each loop adding a layer of pressure to the story, culminating in a heart-stopping climax.
I only have two criticisms of this book and both are fairly minor. The first is that structurally, the book is very similar to the film "The Accountant," as both involve a protagonist with mental health issues/mental dysfunction, preternatural killing abilities, and an estranged brother on the wrong side of the fence. Both involve a government agency using a secondary female character with a criminal past to hunt down the protagonist, hanging the threat of comeuppance over her head if she doesn't comply. Given that the film came out two years ago, it's more than likely that the film and book were developed independently of one another and just happened to hit some of the same conceptual beats, but I couldn't help but notice the similarities. Whether these aspects of the book require modification to avoid those similarities is up to the author, but for what it's worth, I think the book is just fine as-is.
The second criticism is that more proofreading is needed; the second half of the book has multiple typographical and grammatical errors (misspelling of characters' names, bad punctuation, etc.). It speaks highly of the author's attention to detail that there were hardly any errors for the first half of the book (none that I noticed, at any rate), but additional refinement prior to publishing is necessary.

Overall I am very impressed with this book and its author; upon finishing the book I immediately bought his previous two novels on Kindle. I look forward to this book's release, future installments in the series, and whatever else Mr. Patten has up his sleeve. He's earned this reader's loyalty.

J.T. Patten has created a swell followup to his Safe Havens series with Buried in Black. Buried in Black stars Warren "Drake" Woolfe, a Covert Operations soldier unlike any other. Woolfe is a man balancing on a razors edge, but he is also the most gifted SIGINT operative there is. With Drake Woolfe J.T. Patten brings a new perspective to the action thriller genere, one that hasn't been explored before. Working with Woolfe is Sean Havens, former Covert Operations man and J.T. Patten's protagonist from his previous works. Havens brings with him his brother in law Lars Bjorklund who's Chicago PD background brings a little more down to earth street smarts that counterbalances the two former spooks.


Opposing the team is FBI Special Agent Tresa Halliday, a relentless pursuer who is put in place to ensure Woolfe's team stays on the up and up.


On the other side of the law are American trained former Iraqi operatives the "Mohawks", these are men who the US government had promised to protect and allow to come over, but were left behind for bad actors to take advantage of. Acting as ringleaders for this are Iranian Quds force operatives.


J.T. Patten writes a good and very cohesive story with action and motivation well thought out and explained. His understanding amd explaination of the material and techniques obviously coming just as much from experience as from imagination.

I cannot wait to read the next book, it seems things are about to get even deeper into the black.

Great story, well written and an exciting plot! Would recommend to others who enjoy this genre. Good author, and I look forward to more.

The detail, the tradecraft, the realism, the terror, the tension are all so tightly woven that the reader isn’t sure whether he’s reading fact or fiction. I haven’t read previous Sean Havens novels by the author, but I will definitely be looking for the next.

A decent book that starts well but strained my beliefs in the plausiblility of the protagonist’s actions toward the end. It ends on a cliffhanger and I look forward to the next installment.

This is a top notch thriller about international espionage and warfare. This author writes in a realistic and engaging style, drawing you in deep and never letting go. The opening chapter of this exciting thriller is heartbreaking, describing how young Drake Woolf’s life was forever changed. Drake was raised by his aunt and uncle, the latter being Robert O’Toole, the Deputy Director of the Department of Defense. O’Toole pushes Drake to the limits and raised him to be a killing machine.

The Mohawks were a group of Iraqi insurgents that the US had trained in combat and counterintelligence. When the US does them wrong, these ghosts from Drake’s past begin to haunt him and others they were trained by. The Mohawks plan a revenge attack that will cripple the US intelligence infrastructure. Drake soon discovers that the threat is much closer to home than he or anyone ever realized.

When someone close to Drake is attacked at home, the situation becomes personal. Drake had been thinking about becoming “disappeared but not dead” after he survived an attack overseas, but now Drake has no choice but to resurface and plan a revenge mission against those responsible.

Drake is used to working alone. In fact, he prefers it. But in this operation he is forced to work with a small team. As their investigation continues, Drake and his team leave a trail of bodies in their wake. Little do they know, an unlikely FBI agent is hot on their trail. Drake and his team must be cautious of the Mohawks and the FBI, never quite knowing who they can fully trust.

All guilty parties are held accountable for their actions in the thrilling conclusion, but a window is left wide open in reference to the next installment in this exciting series. I will eagerly anticipate reading more about Drake and his associates.

I would recommend this book to fans of thrillers and espionage. I received this as a free ARC from Kensington Books, Lyrical Underground on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was fortunate to receive an ARC of Buried in Black and I was amazed at how well the story flows, the amount of detailed action, and how well everything fits in modern times. I was also pleasantly surprised with the depth of the story! I highly recommend this and look forward to more JT Patten and Havens/Woolf adventures.

'Drake' Woolf comes from a hardened background where some can agree he was a child of misfortune. Fast forward to a grown special operator, who is haunted by internal demons and thrives in the black ops world. Woolf is a tremendous character that meet up w JT Pattens Sean Havens and the two are on a mission to stop the killing of innocent people at the end of the most unlikely enemies.

I was fortunate enough to receive an early copy of this novel, partnering with The Real Book Spy, in exchange for an unbiased review.

Wow! This book is the Tesla of thrillers. It goes from 0-100 in mere seconds. Kicking off with on of the best prologues I've ever read, J.T. Patten is flying up the ranks as one of the top writers in the genre with BURIED IN BLACK. You can tell Patten is more than a writer. With his insight in counterterrorism, in-field operations, cyber warfare, and everything in between, it is easy to see that Patten knows exactly what he's writing about. As someone who works in cybersecurity, I was partially expecting to be hyper-critical of every and any technological slip-up, but everything was spot on. He hit the nail on the head with every, little detail. It felt almost like a Clancy novel but was half as long (which is a good thing). Patten introduces his newest character, Drake Woolf, who is easily one of the most impressive protagonists I've seen in years, and takes him on a wild adventure around the world.

BURIED IN BLACK is non-stop action from the first page until you flip the back cover. It is one of those books that will literally have your heart racing as you read it. I can't recommend this book enough, especially if you're a fan of thrillers. Great characters, great plot, great insight, great action, perfect thriller.

JT Patten’s new novel is a unique and well written addition to the military/spy thriller genre. Drake Woolf, his new protagonist isn’t the typical Mitch Rapp clone, and Patten’s portrayal of the world of espionage and covert operations isn’t glamorous or black and white, instead existing within a morally grey area populated with complex characters who possess dubious intentions, motivations, and loyalties. Each character has their own distinctive voice and personality, and Patten's dialogue is sharp, authentic, and flows well.. Although the plot has plenty of action and twists, this is also very much a character-focused story.

Drake Woolf is a soldier from the Intelligence Support Activity, specializing in implementing high tech SIGINT techniques to gather intelligence. He’s also troubled and heavily influenced by a childhood incident in which he witnessed the murder of his parents, who were CIA operatives in Tunisia. An early sequence in the book highlights Woolf’s skills with both SIGINT and direct action as he tracks a terrorist target in Lebanon. Here he’s also introduced to Sean Havens, the protagonist from the author’s past self-published novels. From there, the plot shifts to a terrorist bombing outside the Pentagon, and we are introduced to the Mohawks, a group of JSOC-trained Iraqi special ops soldiers who, with the support of an Iranian general, are personally motivated to launch a campaign of terrorism and assassination against the Americans they believe betrayed them and their families. The hunt begins for the Mohawks, and the plot soon becomes increasingly more complex and personal for Drake. .

“Buried in Black” will appeal to anyone who prefers the darker, grittier, and more authentic side of the genre where authors like Dalton Fury, Jack Murphy, Joshua Hood or Sean McFate reside, and the ending suggests Drake's story will continue.