Cold Trail

Taylor Moore is one of my favorite crime thriller and action adventure authors. Action and suspense combine into an intensity that keeps readers engaged as readers find new depths in the reoccurring characters in this series. In Cold Trail, the fourth intense novel in the Garrett Kohl series, Garrett is on leave from the Drug Enforcement Administration.

He’s working to ensure his family has a secure future. This includes his girlfriend Lacey Capshaw, his adopted son, and his father. An alliance has been made to form his new oil and gas exploration company, Savage Exploration. His estranged sister, Grace, shows up with a lucrative idea, but its success is at risk when there’s an explosion at a nearby ranch. Was it an accident or sabotage? Meanwhile a secondary plot line involves the CIA in Afghanistan.

Garrett is a DEA special agent, former Green Beret, ex-CIA intelligence officer and occasional consultant for the Department of Defense. He’s good at finding people who don’t want to be found and hates confrontations that involve feelings. He’s independent, proud, and self-reliant. He also loves his family and wants to ensure they have a safe and secure future. He is someone that you would want to back you up if you needed help. Several characters from previous novels show up in this novel as secondary and tertiary characters.

Diverse characterization and exciting scenes helped pull this reader into the conflicts in the novel. The world building was fantastic. Whether it was a blizzard in the Texas Panhandle or drama in rural Afghanistan, there was a strong sense of place and a feeling that I was transported and living the events alongside the characters.

Engrossing writing, as well as an excellent, dynamic plot will keep readers engaged. The story stays at a high level of intensity throughout most of the novel. It takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster ride that requires them to quickly turn the page to find out what happens next. I also liked how the author brought the two tense story-lines together. The author also incorporated real-world issues into the story arc that added depth to it. Danger, assaults, explosions, love, family, and friendship are woven into the story line.

Overall, this was a high-octane and intense novel with suspense and action that kept me engaged throughout. If you enjoy crime thrillers, then I recommend that you check out this one. I am looking forward to finding out what happens next in this series. This series is best read in order as there are spoilers in the later books in the series.

William Morrow and Taylor Moore provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for September 17, 2024.