Dead Man's Hand: A Pike Logan Novel

by Brad Taylor

Overview

New York Times bestselling author and former special forces officer Brad Taylor is back with a propulsive and topical edge-of-your-seat thriller featuring Pike Logan as he goes head-to-head with Putin’s henchmen.

To finally end the war between their nations, a rogue band of Ukrainian partisans known as the Wolves teams up with members of Russia’s military intelligence to assassinate Vladimir Putin.

But Putin is aware of the traitors in his midst and assigns the loyal commander of the Russian National Guard to root them out. It’s a mission Victor Petrov is expected to undertake after he prevents Sweden from joining NATO—by assassinating a deputy minister of foreign affairs.

After receiving intelligence about the threat in Sweden, the United States sends Pike Logan to identify Petrov’s target—only for him to get caught in the crossfire between Putin’s agents and the Wolves. When the smoke clears, Pike makes no effort to stop the Wolves on their ultimate mission, believing it just, until he discovers that their operation has unimaginable consequences.

For Putin is preparing a devastating endgame: activating the Dead Man’s Hand nuclear response that will launch Russia’s missiles in the event of his death. . .

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063222052
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/23/2024
Series:	Pike Logan Series , #18
Pages:	464
Sales rank:	8,624
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 6.20(h) x 1.40(d)

About the Author

Brad Taylor, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.), is a twenty-one-year veteran of the U.S. Army Infantry and Special Forces, includ­ing eight years with Delta Force. Taylor retired in 2010 after serving more than two decades and participating in Oper­ation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has written seventeen New York Times bestsellers and is a security consultant on asymmetric threats for various agencies. He lives in Charleston, South Carolina, with his wife and two daughters.

Editorial Reviews

12/11/2023

Taylor’s 18th Pike Logan adventure (after The Devil’s Ransom) finds a cell of Ukrainian partisans known as the Wolves undertaking a mission to kill Vladimir Putin. In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Putin has put in place a plan called Dead Man’s Hand, which will trigger a nuclear attack on the West if he is ever removed from power or killed by his own countrymen. The job of launching the missiles falls to Victor Petrov, commander of the Russian National Guard, who’s also tasked with assassinating a Swedish official so the subsequent turmoil will result in Sweden and Finland failing in their bid to join NATO. Meanwhile, Logan and his unit, the Taskforce, are training in North Carolina when Logan is summoned to Washington, D.C., and ordered to protect Sweden and Finland’s attempts to join the alliance. Taylor packs in some decent action, but the overly busy plot keeps both Logan and readers in the dark for too long about the nature of the novel’s central conflict, and how Logan is going to resolve it. The constantly shifting POVs only muddy the waters. This disappoints. Agent: John Talbot, Talbot Fortune Agency. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

So readable and resonant. The politics are familiar and the characters seem very much like real people navigating a real world. Fans of the series will be lining up for this one." — Booklist on Dead Man’s Hand

“Brad Taylor dials things up in a big way for his 18th Pike Logan novel, kicking off the new year with an exciting, ripped-from-the-headlines thriller that sets an impossibly high bar for the rest of the genre to try and match in 2024…Bottom line: Dead Man’s Hand is more than just a bang, bang-shoot-em-up book full of gun porn and graphic violence. There’s real heart, with a hero to root for, and a timely, sophisticated plot that bleeds realism on every page.” — The Real Book Spy

“Logan is a fun hero to follow, given that he only slaughters bad guys and has a degree of self-awareness…Thriller fans will love the ticking-clock action.”  — Kirkus Reviews on The Devil’s Ransom

“A blisteringly fast-paced, ferociously intense and violent thriller, The Devil’s Ransom is Pike Logan at his absolute world-saving best. Brad Taylor has gifted readers a classic Pike mission within a timely and modern storyline that will leave readers sweaty and trying to catch their breath.” — TheBestThrillerBooks.com

“Taylor has fashioned a wondrously structured tale that’s complex without being confounding. Once deemed the heir apparent to W.E.B. Griffin, Taylor is now laying claim to being the American John le Carre, and his End of Days is a stunning triumph.”  — Providence Journal

“Not since Vince Flynn has an author been able to combine headline-beating plots with such visceral, explosive action year in and year out…one of the true masters of the genre today…Smartly plotted and brilliantly executed, Brad Taylor continues to dominate the military thriller genre with The Devil’s Ransom.”  — The Real Book Spy

“A whirlwind of high adventure, and edge-of-your-seat plot twists… End of Days is an incredible tapestry of real world implications mixed with stellar story telling. Brad Taylor still has the touch.” — Mystery & Suspense Magazine

“All action from start to finish…. Another solid novel in the series.”  — RedCarpetCrash.com on End of Days

“With his experience as an officer in the U.S. Army’s Special Forces, Taylor brings firsthand military knowledge to the Nephilim ‘Pike’ Logan series....A believable account of elite operators working outside traditional government parameters to track international villains.” — Kirkus Reviews

“ A car bomb meant for Pike [sets] the enraged Pike off on an unauthorized mission of vengeance… Aaron and Shoshana Bergman… raise the excitement level as they wreak havoc. A big surprise on the last page will please series fans.” — Publishers Weekly

“Taylor clearly has the qualifications to provide a military thriller with realistic details, and he does just that in this latest addition to the Pike Logan series....a fast-paced thriller. A believable story with the kind of interesting details that keep the pages turning.” — Kirkus Reviews on Daughter of War

“As usual in the Pike Logan series, the spycraft and related technology are fascinating, the dialogue crackles, and all the players are operating in an international sea of moral ambiguity. Recommend Pike Logan to readers who like their spies tough, smart, and bordering on superhuman.” — Booklist

“Former Delta Force officer Taylor relies on his familiarity with modern combat logistics to create credible characters and complex plots that pulse with intense intrigue, authenticity, and realism. Fans of military thrillers will enjoy how this narrative mirrors current events in the worldwide war on terror.” — Library Journal

“Pike ranks right up there with Jason Bourne, Jack Reacher, and Jack Bauer.” — John Lescroart, New York Times bestselling author

“Fresh plot, great action, and Taylor clearly knows what he is writing about....When it comes to tactics and hardware, he is spot-on.” — Vince Flynn on All Necessary Force

“Logan is a tough, appealing hero you’re sure to root for.” — Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author

“[Pike Logan is a] feisty, devil-may-care hero.” — Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author

“[A] page-turning thriller...Taylor is one of today’s premiere authors writing about the world of special ops.” — Associated Press

“Taylor has already established himself as a master of special-ops thrillers, and this one will only add to his stellar reputation…Taylor adds human depth to his usually plot-driven novels, and the result is one of his best books to date.” — Booklist (starred review) on Daughter of War

“It is [Taylor’s] remarkable character work with a robust and memorable cast that is the true strength of the novel. The camaraderie of the battle-hardened operators…, their staunch loyalty... and their stalwart sense of shared duty ultimately make for a big-hearted novel, even amid its many pulse-pounding moments.” — Charleston Post & Courier on American Traitor

“[A] page-turning thriller...Taylor is one of today’s premiere authors writing about the world of special ops.” — Associated Press on American Traitor

“Brad Taylor knows his stuff. His new Pike Logan novel, Hunter Killer, has the gun metal ring of authenticity and the crisp writing of a military communique… It makes you pause and think while you’re being thoroughly and rapidly entertained. It’s an excellent read, and I greatly enjoyed it.” — Nelson DeMille

“Taylor continues to tell flawless stories with his stellar cast of characters... It’s amazing that after so many novels Taylor can still maintain the high-level quality and breathless action readers expect, while also getting better with each tale.” — Booklist (starred review)

From the Publisher