A Book Spy Review: ‘Storm Cell’ By Brendan DuBois

In the tenth novel in Brendan DuBois’ Lewis Cole series, friendships are tested, and the outcome just might be life or death. 

brendan-deboisLewis Cole, a former intelligence analyst for the Department of Defense, has partnered up with Felix Tinios many times in the past. The two even formed a friendship while seeking justice for those in need. But now everything is called into question when Felix lands himself in some seriously hot water. 

Anyone who knows him understands that Felix is far more than just the ordinary security consultant he claims to be. Much more. But is he a cold-blooded murderer? That’s the real question. 

Prosecutors claim that Felix shot and killed Tyler Beach, a New Hampshire-based business man. Witnesses place Felix in the area at the time of the shooting, and forensic analysis puts him at the crime scene. Police even recovered Felix’s gun, which was then confirmed to be the murder weapon, with his fingerprints on it. 

With a rock-solid case that is heavy on physical evidence and light on circumstantial, the DA goes for the death penalty. 

For a man who claims to be innocent, Felix sure does make some puzzling decisions. For starters, he kicked his longtime attorney to the curb, deciding instead to go with a newer, lesser-known lawyer who underwhelms and seems in over his head with a case of this magnitude. But the most puzzling thing of all is Felix’s decision to not seek Lewis Cole’s help. In fact, he won’t even speak to him. 

Cole doesn’t believe his old friend flat-out murdered anyone for no reason and decides that Felix either had probable cause for the shooting or is innocent altogether. As he sets out to find the truth, though, he’s stopped by two FBI agents who present disturbing news. If Lewis can’t get Felix out of jail within the next three days, it won’t matter if he’s sentenced to death or not, because they believe someone else will take him out long before the state can carry out the lethal injection. 

With his back against the wall and the clock ticking down, Lewis Cole races to save his friend before it’s too late. 

Intertwined with Cole’s mission to save Felix are several other minor plotlines that include a former lover (who is now a taken woman) and a couple of bad guys who do everything they can to stand in Lewis’ way. 

While there are some minor flaws, mostly in the story’s structure, Storm Cell is still a wildly entertaining read. While newcomers might struggle just a bit to understand the nuances of the characters and their relationships initially, things should fall into place after a few chapters.

Written as a hybrid story that falls somewhere between a legal thriller and an action adventure novel, Brendan DuBois’ latest offering will keep long-time fans of his series glued to their reading chairs. 

Book Details

Author: Brendan BuBois
Series: Lewis Cole #10
Pages: 256 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 1681772337
Publisher: Pegasus Books
Release Date: November 22, 2016 (Order Now!)

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