Having enjoyed Ian Graham's thriller Veil of Civility, I was happy to accept a copy of the sequel to give an honest review. Rules of Revenge picks up where the previous book left off, allowing the reader to jump back on the roller coaster and keep moving.
As might be expected of a thriller series, Declan McIver did not in fact ride into the sunset after derailing a major terrorist plot by the end of Veil of Civility. In fact, he does not even get much by the way of thanks. On the contrary, now that his identity as a former IRA member is known, his days of idyllic average-Joe life are over, and his once solid marriage is barely holding together. And that's before he and some of his close friends become entangled in ruthless power struggle that involves the upper echelons of the U.K. government.
Declan, however, refuses to be a pawn in someone else's game, nor is he as lacking in allies and resources as it appears. His quest to clear his name and get back the life he had worked so hard to build is equal parts thriller and mystery as he is pursued across Europe by a gang of brutal thugs, evades law enforcement and tries to figure out who is responsible for his predicament. Agent Harper, his somewhat accidental partner, is an interesting character in her own right, caught in the conflict between her professional obligations and the need to serve the cause of justice once it appears the two might not necessarily coincide.
The secondary characters are well developed, and the author conveys well the feeling of despair and betrayal a few of them feel when they find out the darker side to the system they dedicated their lives to serve. While their loss of innocence is heartbreaking to read, it's also a refreshing change of pace to not have every single character follow the "trust no one" rule 24/7.
There are several villains in this novel, some more despicable than others. In a bold choice, the author lets us know early on who the main baddies are, so rather than waiting for the Big Reveal at the end, the reader experiences a sense of dread as at several points in the story the evil seems unstoppable, with no one the wiser. I liked that the author knows the difference between an explanation and an excuse when it comes to his villains. Most people have reasons, sometimes good reasons, when committing despicable acts. However, that doesn't change the objective right and wrong, nor is a measure of sympathy become a get-out-of-consequences-free card.
As was the case with Veil of Civility, the settings themselves become part of the story. The author's ability to create a sense of place, to put the reader right into that remote village, or on the mountainside, or in a creepy abandoned building is worthy of the old-fashioned literary fare. I'm always glad to see proof that high-quality descriptive prose is not confined to the novels that torment generations of high school and college students, but can be used to entertain fans of genre fiction like yours truly.
Last but certainly not least, I appreciated that the novel provides serious, at times brutal, action without going graphic and an undertone of sexual attraction without the semi-obligatory casual hookup. While I don't demand my fiction to be clean, I do admire the care and skill that go into crafting an engaging tale without using gore and sex as crutches.
Whether you're a dedicated thriller fan or just want a palate cleanser in between epic fantasy door stoppers, this novel will not disappoint. Highly recommended.
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