High Treason

McFate’s uneven third Tom Locke novel (after 2017’s Deep Black with Bret Witter) finds mercenary Locke still in hiding after Brad Winters, his onetime boss at the military security firm Apollo Outcomes, betrayed him. The assassination of the U.S. vice president brings Locke back into action. All evidence points to Islamic terrorists, though Locke is convinced Apollo Outcomes is behind the assassination. Locke joins forces with FBI agent Jennifer Lin, who suspects Russian involvement in the attack, and his loyal former compatriots on a mission to take down Winters and his rogue covert army. Army veteran McFate offers little of the usual authenticity, with Apollo Outcomes simply a shadowy organization that fortuitously provides advanced weaponry, armor, and clichéd teammates. Lin has an intriguing background, but once she and Locke meet, she shrinks into a familiar girlfriend role, her story line with the FBI abruptly discarded. There’s action aplenty to please series fans, but this entry falls short of the high standard set by its predecessors. Agent: Peter McGuigan, Foundry Literary + Media. (June)