Death Followed Us Home: a thriller

by J-S Rioux

Overview

Weeks before a tight-knit unit of combat vets deploys to Eastern Europe as a show of force against Putin's invasion of Ukraine, an unimaginable tragedy befalls one of the soldiers and his family. Although familiar with death on the battlefield, the cold-blooded killing of one of their own, so far from the battlefields of Afghanistan, is too much for them to take. When one platoon member accidentally discovers the killers' possible location, the temptation to avenge their brother is too great. Seasoned soldiers that they are, can they pull off the perfect murder? If so, what will be the consequences for each man personally, and for their unit as a whole? This crime thriller explores revenge and its consequences, even if it feels righteous.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781039192607
Publisher:	FriesenPress
Publication date:	12/11/2023
Pages:	276
Sales rank:	993,505
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.62(d)

About the Author

Jean-Sébastien (J-S) Rioux enlisted in the Infantry and served in the US Army's 101st Airborne Division (AASLT) in the 1980s. Following his military career, he became an academic, specializing in international conflict analysis. He taught at McGill University in Montreal, at Vesalius College in Brussels, Belgium, held the Canada Research Chair in International Security at Laval University in Québec City, and most recently was a faculty member at the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy. As a scholarly writer with over twenty academic publications to his credit, he always dreamed of writing novels, and this is the first of what he hopes to be many. J-S lives in Calgary, Alberta, with his wife and their three daughters.

Editorial Reviews

2024-06-05
In Rioux’s military thriller, a tightknit group of U.S. Army soldiers learn that one of their own has been shot dead—not on foreign soil, but in Kentucky—and they vow to retaliate.

As the story begins, a team of soldiers engage in fierce fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan. Sgt. 1st Class Emmanuel “Manny” Muñoz’s composure, bravery, and quick decisions keep the mission alive, and also show he’s ”a badass and an outstanding combat leader.” A year later, back at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, Manny is promoted to first sergeant, thrilling the platoon. The day after the announcement, Manny and his young son Manuelito stop for cash at an ATM, and masked robbers from a nearby truck shoot and kill them both. Det. Jennifer Beck is put on the case. Because a child and a veteran were gunned down, the police are eager to catch those responsible—and so are members of Manny’s platoon. One of his men, Specialist DeMarcus Brown, locates the truck shown on the video feed from near the ATM. He and Staff Sgt. Thomas “Sully” Sullivan, along with four other men from the platoon, decide to avenge their friend’s death by whatever means necessary: “Considering the criminal acts that they were about to commit and the possible shitstorm that might explode…if they screwed things up, they felt surprisingly ready.” Adding to that storm is Sully and Beck’s mutual attraction for each other. Rioux packs the pages with action and myriad emotions—disbelief, sadness, fear, love, hatred, loyalty, and hope. As the narrative explores the many ways that actions have consequences, the writing is fluid, the conversations are believable, and the wartime imagery is frightening and powerful. The author served in the military, and his expertise regarding the armed forces is evident throughout the book in passages such as “This was not the 1950s; women now accounted for over 15 percent of US Army personnel and served in the combat arms.” The footnotes explaining various military terms can be distracting at times, however.

A smart, scary, and satisfying novel.

Kirkus Reviews