Black Flag

Ricciardi’s exciting third Jake Keller thriller (after 2019’s Rogue Strike) finds the CIA officer and his agency partner, John Pickens, in Mogadishu, Somalia, seeking to identify the mastermind behind the bandits who have been using high-speed skiffs to attack oil tankers. After killing the crews, the bandits seize the oil and sell it on the black market. The two most promising suspects are Badeed, chief elder of the Hawiye clan, and Yaxaas, the warlord of the Darwood clan. Yaxaas keeps a pet alligator named Little Yaxaas, and it’s no surprise what Little Yaxaas’s job is in the organization. Keller has a plan to lure the mastermind out of hiding, but the mission is complicated by a secret agenda originating from CIA headquarters. The appealing leads have complimentary strengths. Pickens is old school, interested in human intelligence, while Keller comes from an analysis background and is adept with technology. The complicated plot and furious action build to a final, head-snapping twist. Riccardi has hit his stride with this outing. Agent: Rick Richter, Aevitas Creative Management. (May)