Amok: A Dox Thriller

Last seen in 2021’s The Chaos Kind, former Marine sniper Dox, a supporting character in bestseller Eisler’s John Rain and Livia Lone franchises, takes center stage in this exciting series launch. In 1991, Dox has just returned from an undercover mission in Afghanistan and is spinning his wheels in his hometown, Tuscola, Tex., dealing with family problems, including the imminent release of his violent, abusive father from prison. When the CIA offers him $50,000 plus $5,000 a week for what sounds like a routine job in East Timor—keeping his eye on Isobel Amaral, a doctor who may be helping the guerillas—he jumps at the chance. Shortly after he arrives, however, Dox falls in love with Isobel, and the feeling is mutual. Together, they find themselves fighting both sides in Indonesia’s long-running civil war. Amid a lot of background detail, Dox comes across as a companionable, sometimes corny, motormouth trying to broaden his skill set beyond that of sniper. The overall tone can be lighter and bouncier than in the Rain and Lone series, but the speedy pace and skillful scene-setting remain Eisler trademarks. Readers will eagerly await the sequel. Agent: Laura Rennert, Andrea Brown Literary. (Dec.)