This is a wild series. It's man-lit, in the way that some people insist on calling certain books "chick lit" - which is to say, it's all stereotypical testosterone and high-octane action. But it's entertaining to listen to, and the narration really sells it. Peter Giles narrates it like every actor that has ever played Batman (including Will Arnett in the LEGO version), with a gravelly deep voice that just works here. Even when the plot is entirely beyond belief, it's just fun to listen to.

This is the second book in the series, which I didn't know when I requested it... (Incidentally, why do publishers/NetGalley not want people to know that a book falls within a series so often? Personally I find it irritating to request something and receive it, only to learn that there are multiple books/bits of backstory that I don't know about before I begin.) I downloaded the first from my local library and honestly I'm glad I did. While you could probably listen to this for the pure adrenaline-charged excitement of it, there is a fair amount of backstory that I believe you'd find helpful to have under your belt before beginning. It's not like this is really a character-study, but it still helps to understand some of the whys lurking behind the decisions Nick makes.

Overall the book is just a pure blast of fun. Nick Ryan is like 007 in the stereotypical old-school "every woman wants him, every man wants to be him" kind of way - and if that bugs you, you won't like this. It's not a genre I seek out a lot, but sometimes, in the same way that I sometimes want a Michael Bey movie, it's just satisfying and entertaining to engage with a story that is all about vengeance and seeing the bad guys get their comeuppance. There is definitely that sense in spades here, and it makes for an enjoyable listen.

Nick Ryan is looking for a murderer who is hiding his crime within the tragedy of 9/11. Ryan has the resources and the persistence to find the connections among many different events and people, at the risk of his own life. This is one of those kinds of characters where one character is willing to risk everything to expose something much bigger than any one person.
The story is dark, and it never felt like it slowed down. The narrator does a great job telling the story and keeping it interesting. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook.