Light It Up

Thriller Award–winner Petrie’s propulsive third Peter Ash novel (after 2017’s Burning Bright) finds the hyperresourceful Marine veteran in Colorado, helping old friend Henry Nygaard’s Heavy Metal Protection team deliver a truckload of medical marijuana to Denver-area shops. Later, on a mountain road, hijackers ambush the truck and seize the money collected in Denver. Peter, the only team member to survive the violent encounter, manages to kill several hijackers and elude the rest. Eager to avenge his friends, Peter sets out to recover the stolen money and uncover the conspiracy behind the theft. With the help of Lewis, his faithful ex-Marine sidekick, and girlfriend June Cassidy—both as fearless as Peter himself—many bones are broken and gallons of blood are spilled in seeing justice done. The final hand-to-hand battle between Peter and the psychotic villain, involving a variety of guns, axes, and even a hammer, is a violent pièce de résistance. Petrie is a master of orchestrating convincing mayhem. Author tour. Agent: Barbara Poelle, Irene Goodman Literary Agency. (Jan.)