Some Die Nameless

An overly familiar setup—an elite ex-military man attempting to leave his past behind him becomes entangled with a criminal element—mars this predictable thriller from Stroby (The Devil’s Share and three other Crissa Stone novels). After a stint as an Army paratrooper, Ray Devlin was part of a mercenary team that worked as security contractors in political hot spots all around the world. Now 54 years old, divorced, and living in a boat off the coast of South Florida, he is almost killed by a former team member he hasn’t seen in almost two decades. Attempting to stay alive long enough to find out who is behind the assassination attempt, Devlin follows clues to Philadelphia, where his path intertwines with that of an investigative reporter struggling to keep her job by breaking a story about multiple murders and grand-scale political corruption. Devlin’s two-dimensional character is interchangeable with countless similar thriller protagonists, and the story’s climax, while satisfying, is unsurprising. Fans will hope for a return to form next time. Agent: Robin Rue, Writers House. (July)