I know thriller readers are going to like this but it's a no and a DNF for me. This is implausible, over the top and just plain wrong in so many ways. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

A Chance Encounter Leads To A Gripping Story

The novel starts with professional assassins completing their assignment and post photographic proof. Since they went freelance, one of them wants to advertise their work by posting all the proof of their kills. Then, a main storyline thread starts where the protagonist, Brad Trasker, is introduced, as he has a flat tire in the middle of the Mojave Desert. He is rescued by Kylie Connor whom he recognizes as a billionaire technical entrepreneur. When he arrives home, he is invited to a party in a hanger and will be flown there. He was to observe a test flight of an experimental airplane. It does not go well. From this start, the novel proceeds.

There is only one main storyline thread. It proceeds in logical steps starting with being hired as head of security and proceeds to determine how, who and why. The main storyline moves at a good clip, as it becomes more complex. Brad Trasker is very organized and thinks things through as much as possible before acting. There are many obstacles. The current security team is dysfunctional, and for the technical team one member has left and one missing, a venture capitalist has just died, and lastly, he must outwit an international fixer. While some problem/issues are solved, other arise. There are many twists, turns, and some, because of their significance, that I call literary grenades. All of these captured my interest and kept it to the end. This is one of my critical criteria for a high rating.

The background on Brad Trasker is extensive military and espionage, which serves him well in his new position working for Kylie Connor. No matter how well he prepares and plans for all expected obstacles, he does find several times that he ended up on the short end of the stick. He does learn from these experiences. This side of Brad Trasker is the most exhibited, but his personal side is displayed with his relationship with ex-wife and dead son. While more professional, I was satisfied with this character.

The aspects of a novel that can cause some readers to stop reading are not significantly present in this novel. There are no intimate scenes, but one scene is clearly the start of one. Vulgar and rude language is present at a relative low level. Impious language is minimal. Violence tends to be described in the more edgy as it occurs. There is one long violent gun fight. That said, it wasn’t to a level that was of any concern for me. Most readers should be able to read this novel.

The issues I had are common for action novels. Some non sequiturs occur but are needed to make the scene work. The largest issue for me was that the engine for the Sparrow was described as a jet engine, but the Sparrow carried its own oxidizer, i.e., oxygen. A vehicle carrying both fuel and oxidizer is called a rocket. For me, this was an error that did not need to be. When considering the novel as a whole, this issue is minor. There were not any loose ends, and I was happy with the ending.

This novel is the seventh novel I have read by this author. I’ve also purchased six of his books to read. He is solidly intrenched in my Must-Read Authors. I already have an advanced reading copy of his next novel. I enjoyed reading this novel and recommend it if you like action thrillers. I rate it with four stars.

I received a free prepublication e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Thomas & Mercer. My review is based solely on my own reading experience of this book. I wish to thank Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

I’ve been a fan of both Andrew Mayne’s Underwater Investigation and The Naturalist series, so I was curious about this new series he was starting. Trasker is a retired spy. He’s still dealing with the tragic death of his college aged son. In an unbelievable setup, he meets the young CEO of a startup company looking to create the next generation aircraft. She invites him to the launch event during which the craft explodes. It’s a miracle no one is killed. She explains about all the mysterious events that have been occurring and hires him.
Trasker was a weird sort of character that I never got really comfortable with. He came across as some sort of aging James Bond character, capable of finding ten different ways to kill someone. But also, rusty and open to mistakes. And his habit of having to “place” people into his memory palaces based on books he’s read just irritated me. Because he does it ALL THE TIME. I get that Mayne is trying to define his character. But this got old really quickly. Kylie, on the other hand, was a fun character. Smart, gutsy, a woman used to playing in a man’s world. “I also know that a young girl with revenge in her heart who grows up to be a woman who never lets it go will not be deterred.”
The plot itself is totally unbelievable, but that’s true of most spy thrillers. And it gets more and more unbelievable as the story progresses. It’s mildly entertaining and I was invested enough to see how it all plays out. It’s a fast paced story and Trasker is always on the move and in one tight spot or another. There are some interesting points made about the old days of spying vs. current times with crypto currency and the plethora of players.
I’ll be happy to read more of the Underwater Investigation series. But I won’t be returning to this one.
My thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of this book.

Mayne does it again with a new series! A story line that will keep you guessing, wanting more and still in shock. It starts out simple enough with a unique flying device blowing up. Trasker is asked to step in to assist the investigation, considering his former job this should be easy. His chase takes him all over the place talking to key people, while many pieces fit there are still plenty of questions. He’s a man of mystery with his own personal issues but nothing stops him. Sometimes you shouldn’t have to look so hard to find answers. It’s a story we all know too well, trust no one. I enjoyed reading an early and happy to leave my voluntary review.

I’m a big fan of the author’s other series, so I was worried that I wouldn’t love this new one as much. I should have known better, Brad Trasker is as smart, resourceful and likable as his other characters. He is a retired secret agent of an indeterminate shady agency and tons of contacts. He is hired by Kylie, a young entrepreneur who could be the female version of Elon Musk. She’s bright and a visionary, but she’s been having a spate of bad luck. Or, she could be the victim of sabotage. This is escapist popcorn fiction at its best, with a cast of super-smart characters, written by a super-smart author, which makes everything more interesting. Brad and Kylie are steps ahead of the baddies, but some of them wrote the book they’ve been following, so it’s not easy to keep up. The plot is very entertaining and satisfying. I can’t wait to see where Mr. Trasker goes next.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Thomas & Mercer!

Another fantastic book by Andrew Mayne. I like the start of this new series with Trasker and hope there are many more! It is so fascinating what the author comes up with and the situations the characters have to think their way out of. Mayne is definitely one of my favorite authors!

I received an ARC through "NetGalley" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review. This story begins with Brad Trasker remembering his son's funeral. After the funeral, his ex-wife asked him to take Jason's, his son's truck back to California. On his way there, he got a flat and received assistance by Kylie who spotted him. She helped him out. Later he received an invitation to attend an event from her. He went and then began his next adventure.

Brad had been retired for a while, but an accident happened which changed all of that. The event was to be a flight demonstration, but before it happened, it exploded. Initial thought was that it was due to a problem with the plane, but after examining parts it was discovered that someone was responsible. Brad was asked to look into it and finally agreed. Kylie, the company owner, was almost killed by the blast. She explained that recently there had been several unusual events that occurred.

Brad began his investigation and also brought on people of his own to handle security. Brad then started looking into who might benefit by destroying the plan and whether the target was the plane or was it Kylie.

Follow along as Brad pursues leads that eventual over time provide him with the necessary answers. Learn what he had to overcome that were placed as obstacles in his search. Discover in the end who was behind the attack and why in addition to who was an insider providing information that aided the attacker.

The book is a winner and should be a definite read.

Night Owl by Andrew Mayne is a very highly recommended thriller and the first book in an exciting new series featuring Brad Trasker, a retired counterintelligence spy.

Brad Trasker is retired after three decades in counterintelligence and trying to heal after a devastating personal loss when aerospace CEO Kylie Connor invites him to attend the launch of the Sparrow, an experimental hydrogen-powered aircraft. Trasker once met her when she helped him change a flat tire, so the invitation surprises him. When the aircraft explodes before the flight, Kylie miraculously escapes harm, but it now becomes clear to Trasker why he was invited. He begins to look into the act of sabotage and the conspiracy behind it.

Trasker is a great new character. His background and experience assists him now along with his unique mnemonic device/system to remember people, places, and things involved with the case. His logical, perceptive approach to uncovering more information and clues to follow makes the pages fly by.

In Night Owl, Mayne has given readers the first installment in an impressive, sophisticated new series. The opening prologue introduces two contract killers, so readers will know to expect to be immersed into a shadowy world. The fast-paced narrative continues to present a compelling, intricate plot that features memorable characters, advanced technology, and complicated international intrigue. I was completely immersed in the plot from start to finish and am excited to be in on the start of this series. I can't wait for the next novel!

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Edelweiss, X, and Amazon.

Having read previous novels by Andrew Mayne, I was looking forward to reading Night Owl. I found it to be somewhat of a thriller with several unexpected twists and turns. However, for the most part, it was fairly uninteresting. The constant references to The Time Machine, the Time Traveler and memory palace were tiresome and annoying. In addition, it appears to be written for people who lack intelligence — for example “,,,the undersheriff who serves under the sheriff “ and a passcode in German “sieben zwei sieben” translated in the next paragraph as 773. I will continue to read Mr. Mayne’s books but, unfortunately, cannot recommend this one.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Andrew Mayne, and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Long a fan of Andrew Mayne, I eagerly accepted this book, which begins an exciting new series. A retired American spy finds himself pulled back into the life when he witnesses a prototype airplane explode and the CEO barely escape death. Brad Trasker may have a unique way of keeping things organised, but he’s top-notch when it comes to deducing plans and how things fit together. As he pulls himself deeper into the investigation, Trasker uncovers just how deep things run. A great start by Mayne that is sure to keep readers pushing on.

After serving his country for many years, Brad Trasker is retired from the world of espionage, with a number of regrets to add to his resumé. After being invited to a next-gen aircraft launch, Trasker finds himself chatting with the company CEO, Kylie Connor. Soon thereafter, the aircraft explodes and Connor is almost engulfed in the flames. Something’s happened and mechanical error does not seem plausible.

Connor immediately pulls Trasker in to help identify what’s happened and who might be behind the explosion. The mystery gains some momentum when Trasker digs a little deeper and finds that the aircraft is not entirely unique, in that it has tied to old Soviet-era plans. All of Connor’s data is missing and some close to her on the investment side turn up dead. With a missing engineer to add to the mix, Trasker will have to pull on all he knows, and a great deal that he does not, to piece things together.

With motive still very diluted, Trasker combs through data and follow some leads in order to make sense of everything, all while being forced to watch his back. Is this the Russians, the Chinese? Could there be a domestic angle? Trasker will stop at nothing to make sense of it all as he tries to keep Kylie Connor alive for as long ad the investigation takes. Mayne at his best in this powerful new series!

Andrew Mayne has a variety of life experiences, using them to fill his writing and pull the reader into the middle. I have quite enjoyed some of his past work, so I was ready to fully commit to this new series. Mayne takes his time to develop things with ease, laying the groundwork in a strong narrative and decent characters, before taking the plunge for all to truly see his abilities. With Brad Trasker and his unique take on memory compartmentalisation, Mayne has developed a character about whom the reader will want to learn over time. Plots develop and weave through action, mystery, and espionage genres to get to the heart of the matter. Mayne’s use of titled rather than numbered chapters provides the reader with a chance to get lost in the writing and novels be fully aware of where things are headed. I highly enjoy this type of story and hope to see Brad Trasker back again soon, for all to enjoy!

Kudos, Mr. Mayne, for expanding your abilities and series reach yet again.

5/5 stars: Mayne has long been a favorite Thriller Suspense author and this debut entry in Trasker series hit's it out of the park. With tons of action and plenty of twists and turns, Mayne's written a gripping tale that will leave you on the edge of your seat until the big reveal. Mayne's character work is as always top-notch, Trasker is complex and yet remains incredibly relatable and I look forward to reading more about him in future books. As always, Mayne manages to tackle current day issues in a refreshing ways and I loved the way he depicted Trasker's use of mind palaces. Take care and check the CWs. I can't wait to see what comes next for Trasker and Kylie.

I received this eARC thanks to Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

The rich and powerful do not want “We the People” to invent any new or revolutionary technology. They will hire infiltrators and spies to get your technology and then file patent papers to preclude you from completing your project, the concept of this novel and the beginning of a new series.

Kylie is a very rich lady who has developed a breakthrough propulsion system that uses hydrogen and oxygen and is environmentally sound. As her invention is exiting its’ hanger, however, it suddenly explodes. Kylie barely escapes with her life. Trasker is hired to assure her safety and handle security. The explosion would lead one to believe that someone was lacking in job performance.

Kylie’s technology is very valuable to the Russians and mirrors the efforts of Kylie’s group. Kylie’s life is constantly at threat and Trasker must find the culprit and stop the threat. Easier said than done!

This book illuminates the underworld of espionage and the dangers therein. It is an interesting book well paced with action including bombs, snipers, and technology. The narrative keeps the reader in suspense. Enjoy. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Thanks to #NetGalley for providing the opportunity to rate this book #NightOwl.

Once again, #AndrewMayne writes a compelling story with twists and turns that are not easy to solve before he hands you the answer. This book is like his others, he walk you through the situation the protagonist faces. Trasker is the main character in the story. He is a Marine who went on to work for the US Government working for those 3 letters agency those of in the DC area know not ask about! 🤷🏽‍♀️

Andrew develops characters that are complex , flawed, and with a fix it or true north heart.

I, as a Marine and a retired federal employee with decades experience in both the aviation and technology field, did not find ANYTHING in this book that would require the reader to suspend belief in this book.

Andrew creates a world that is totally believable and also delivers some cutting-edge technology ideas that maybe in the works or that you see a just around the corner. He does this so the reader can understand and follow.

What seems like Trasker is on a tangent trying to parse the clues he has to deal with in the story leads to an intriguing insight into his past.

This story is truly captivating, and I hope it becomes another series.

Andrew Mayne writes in engaging ways -- Night Owl is ideal for readers looking for a thriller somewhere in the vein of Bond and Bourne, but with its own flavor added. Enjoyable action/adventure reading.

"The game isn't what it used to be. And damned if I can't figure out what it is." -Brad Trasker

Brad Trasker could show up in your work place and look like he belonged there. That was his job...was. To fit in, be anonymous, get into places without people knowing it. Kylie Conner is a whiz kid in Aerospace Dynamics building what ever country wants to get their hands on. She just wants people to be able to travel. Someone wants to stop her. And they'll go to any lengths to do it. People around her have been having mysterious accidents and disappearing. Kylie needs Brad to get to the bottom of this. But can Brad adapt to today's dark web, bit coin style of espionage hits?

Brad Trasker is a character who is at a low point in his life when we meet him. I won't spoil why. But Kylie, our FMC, recognizes this man may be down, but he is far from out. Giving him a chance to sink his teeth into something leads to more than she even knows. She's brought a brilliant man into her business and he turns her business on its ear to scrap out who is doing her wrong. Trasker uses the Loci method to store information. Think Mind Palace. I absolutely love it. Wait until you meet his mother.

Kylie Conner is a prodigy in the Aerospace world with working advanced tech far above anyone else in her field. So, who is trying to keep her from being successful? A mole in her company? A rival? A government? That is where Trasker comes in.

Night Owl kept me on my toes guessing until the last pages. I was so very sure I knew "whodunit" that I was really surprised at the end proving Andrew Mayne will keep you entertained. I stayed up past midnight reading!!!

4.75/5
Scoville Spice Scale - behind closed doors/before and after

Brad Trasker has finally given up the spy game and all that goes with it. He has been going through terrible things personally and doesn't want anything to do with his old profession ever again. All of that changes when he goes to a demonstration of a new wave aircraft that they are trying out. When the CEO of the company, Kylie is in the plane and it explodes on the runway and she barely escapes with her life Brad knows he must dive in and find out what is going on to cause this. Brad quickly realizes he can't trust anyone when he is hunted down by assassins' and has to quickly find out who is hiding what to stay alive.

Incredibly captivating and help me turning the page and wanting more. I hate I have to wait so long to shout this book from the rooftops and have friends buy, because everyone needs to read it.

I very much enjoyed this. I’m not a huge fan of mystery/thrillers, but Andrew Mayne’s always get me. Brad Trasker is a former-retired intelligence agent dealing with the loss of his son when he meets Kylie Connor. Later, Kylie asks him to attend an event for her company, where sh*t hits the fan. Trasker is brought on as a member of Kylie’s team to figure out who did it, or who could want her dead. But as time goes on, he doesn’t know who he can trust.
This took me some time to get into because I was in a slump, but once I got past the first few chapters, I didn’t want to have to stop for work or even sleep. I’m excited to see where this series goes.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the copy of Night Owl by Andrew Mayne. I love the Theo Cray and Jessica Blackwood series, but for some reason Trasker just wasn’t for me. I’m not sure what it was about him that rubbed me the wrong way but I am not anxious to read more books about him. Theo and Jessica seem like people I would want to know, but Trasker felt like a throwback to a more chauvinistic time. It’s too bad I couldn’t warm up to him, because the story was really good and full of surprises.

Night Owl, a gripping spy thriller penned by acclaimed author Andrew Mayne, immerses readers in a world of suspense, conspiracy, and high-stakes espionage. With its well-crafted plot, intriguing characters, and adrenaline-inducing action, this novel is a captivating read that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The story revolves around Brad Trasker, a retired spy grappling with personal tragedy and a sense of disillusionment. However, when an act of sabotage strikes during the launch of a revolutionary aircraft developed by aerospace CEO Kylie Connor, Trasker is drawn back into the dangerous world he thought he had left behind.

Mayne wastes no time in building the tension and intrigue, as the mystery surrounding the sabotage deepens with each passing chapter. The author skillfully weaves a web of deceit, where nothing is as it seems and everyone is a potential enemy. The plot twists and turns, keeping readers guessing and engrossed until the very end.

Trasker is a complex and compelling protagonist. His experience, vulnerabilities, and determination make him a relatable and engaging character. As the conspiracy unravels, Trasker must navigate a treacherous landscape filled with assassins, shifting loyalties, and a constant need to question the motives of those around him. The emotional depth and internal struggle of the protagonist add a layer of authenticity to the story, making his journey all the more gripping.

Mayne's writing style is sharp, fast-paced, and immersive. The narrative flows effortlessly, aided by vivid descriptions and well-paced action sequences. The author's attention to detail and ability to create suspenseful moments contribute to the overall intensity of the story, making it difficult to put the book down.

While Night Owl delivers a thrilling ride, it occasionally sacrifices character development for the sake of plot progression. Some supporting characters could have been further explored and given more depth, enhancing the overall richness of the story. Nevertheless, the fast-paced nature of the novel keeps readers engaged and invested.

In conclusion, Night Owl is an enthralling thriller that will captivate fans of the genre. Andrew Mayne demonstrates his prowess in crafting a gripping narrative filled with mystery, danger, and unexpected twists. With its relentless pace and intriguing protagonist, this book is a must-read for those seeking an adrenaline-fueled adventure. I eagerly await the next installment in the Trasker series, eager to delve back into the high-stakes world of espionage Mayne has created.