I enjoyed this. Superficially a typical black ops agent tracking down the bad guys, this actually has a lot going for it. Our black ops guy is operating very much in the dark and for all his skills, he has also been damaged by his past and upbringing. An attack on US soil has links back to those who once worked with US forces and our operative and a very small team might be all that can stop them. At the same time the FBI with a somewhat unique agent is on their trail, not sure if they are good guys or not.
Good character interaction, plenty of action and some thoughtful plotting. This is very good stuff and closes in a way that really leaves you wanting more.

This is a thrilling and exciting adventure by one of the masters of the spy genre.  I loved the book and would like to read another soon.  Recommended.

Buried in Black is the debut novel in the Task Force Orange series by J. T. Patton.  Drake Woolf, who is the son of two murdered CIA operatives, has been groomed throughout his entire life for this top-secret undercover group known as Task Force Orange.  The missions Woolf is responsible fall into the category of things the government doesn’t want their footprints on, and not only are they top secret, the government won’t acknowledge any of the members or missions. Woolf is good at what he does, but when he receives the orders for his next mission, he is wary, since he is up against his own, men and women that he trained and knows, and these “Mohawks” as they are called, know his secrets, as well as strengths and weaknesses, and are using them to carry out a deadly attack on American soil.  Drake needs to stop it and at the same time survive.

Readers who enjoy spy/espionage thrillers will want to pick up this first book in the series.  The suspense builds from the first chapter throughout the entire novel.  Drake is an excellent character to play the protagonist in this series, and has attributes that hopefully will lead to winning rather than being cut down.  Drake is a believable character, albeit a bit super-hero, and he is actually a bit likeable.  

Patten comes with a full resume of government positions that make him privy to the secret goings-on in the government.  He weaves his scenarios in a way that readers will not only be absorbed, but also believe that these things could really happen.  This novel is well-written and organized so the prose is easy to follow.  Secrets are revealed at the dénouement, and readers will anticipate the next installment of the series.  

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Great first book in a series it does exactly what it's supposed to do, gets you caught up and then leaves you hanging with just enough to want to read the next one.  And whether you you love them or hate them great characters. I can't wait to read more.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am all about this kind of book because usually, it's 'fictional' enough that it doesn't feel like I'm completing a reading for work when I'm actually reading it.This novel, however, despite the really cool premise, did feel like work. I think it really was more to do with the fact that the author, clearly well-steeped in intelligence and security terminology, was trying to educate the reader as he went along but didn't quite manage to weave the teaching moments into the flow of the novel. Certain areas of the book felt like a reading I would do (or assign) on the basics of intelligence operations or special forces operations; other parts felt like what I imagine some field reports would look like. This really interrupted the flow of the story itself. There were also just some really, really odd choices in description; "eyebrow-hair bundles" made an appearance at one point and I just honestly didn't know what to do with that, other than laugh disbelievingly.However, as I said, I did enjoy the premise of the novel. There is a lot you could build on for further work and I do like the characters that were introduced, though again there were a few issues around how the introduction of new characters did tend to interrupt the flow of the story. The twist at the end was interesting, I'll admit, and I did not see that happening at all, for which I have to credit Patten. This is worth a read, I think, if only to lay the groundwork for his other books (which I haven't read to, but may look at in future). Also for the "lecture" bits which are pretty good, actually, if you want a feel for that sort of thing.

JT Patten is an author you need to keep your eye on. By the time I finished this book I was already craving for the next! Unique characters, covert operations, formidable opponents, authenticity, and a flawed protagonist made this a great read.

Full review to come.
I deeply apologize, but life is a handful lately and I'm using all my free time to read, not review. I hope everybody understands.

Buried in Black had me hooked in the first chapter! We are introduced to Drake Woolf, who is a phenomenal character that works in the Shadows. Woolf is tasked with bringing down a group of Iraqis, known as the Mohawks and who just happen to have been trained by Woolf himself, who are planning a devastating attack on America.  

Overall, I loved Buried in Black! It is a great story that is well written and has a great plot. I am a fan of Patten’s previous work, Safe Havens and Primed Charged, and Buried in Black is his best yet. It is set in the same universe as his previous two novels and even features the protagonist, Sean Havens. I would highly recommend Buried in Black. 

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing an ARC in return for an honest review.

First of all I have to thank the author for giving me the opportunity to read this.
This is by far the best thriller I've read in years with a surprising twist at the end.
I am really looking forward to the next one in this series.
I didn't know when I started this that one of the characters, Sean Havens had his own series so know I've got the first one of those read and the second in my TBR pile.
I will not write about the content because there are so many places to read that, but I will say this if you like thrillers. Read this one.

I was given an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 
   This was something new to me- a military thriller. While I am used to all kinds of thrillers- crime, psychological, adventure- this was a new category for me. And I must say I was impressed. The author, a former intelligence expert, has written other military thrillers, but this was his first in a series starring Warren Drake Woolf, a "black ops" or "spook" who belongs to an underground government program called Operation Orange. 
   The plot follows "the man from Orange", as he is known, as he becomes involved in an intricate operation chasing terrorists who are targeting American military and government personnel. As in many such books, things are not always what they seem, and sometimes he doesn't know who he can trust. The action is fast, the dialogue is sharp and witty, and the characterization is solid. The only drawback I found was an abundance of military jargon, which sometimes slowed the story down.
   This book is sure to be enjoyed by fans of military and spy books, such as those by Tom Clancy and Lee Child.

I have read all of JT’s books.  They are all well-crafted, chilling, and realistic military and espionage thrillers. I now expect that from JT. JT’s depth of knowledge of this ultra-dark corner of covert operations is, as always, outstanding. But, what makes JT’s books hum, is that he layers through the relentless action veins of emotion, contrasting character traits, faults, flaws, the goodness in people, and the worst. His characters come across as people who struggle with internal demons, while they battle with the individuals, places, and groups that intersect in their lives.  It takes skill and nuance to balance these complex layers of action and humanity. JT succeeds. I highly recommend Buried in Black.

J.T. Patten is an amazing storyteller. His command of all things covert cannot be matched. Buried In Black is breath taking and fast paced. Patten writes with authority and an understanding of world problems and hotspots. Drake Woolf is smart, intuitive, fast thinking, and at the same time remarkably human. I found myself thrilled by the fact that the author brought his characters Sean Havens and Lars Bjorklund into the mix! Looking forward to seeing how J.T. Patten integrates Sean Havens daughter and her nurse Aimee in future novels!

I devoured this book in one day... once I started reading I couldn't put it down. The author has created a world of outstanding and exceptional characters, and a narrative that doesn't pull punches in dealing with the real-world dangers of terrorism, social media, and unchecked power. I usually have a hard time picturing a written scene in my mind, but there was plenty of detail in each scene and I could easily imagine the events unfolding in front of me. The narrative isn't as much of a yarn as it is a coil: tightly wound, with each loop adding a layer of pressure to the story, culminating in a heart-stopping climax.
I only have two criticisms of this book and both are fairly minor. The first is that structurally, the book is very similar to the film "The Accountant," as both involve a protagonist with mental health issues/mental dysfunction, preternatural killing abilities, and an estranged brother on the wrong side of the fence. Both involve a government agency using a secondary female character with a criminal past to hunt down the protagonist, hanging the threat of comeuppance over her head if she doesn't comply. Given that the film came out two years ago, it's more than likely that the film and book were developed independently of one another and just happened to hit some of the same conceptual beats, but I couldn't help but notice the similarities. Whether these aspects of the book require modification to avoid those similarities is up to the author, but for what it's worth, I think the book is just fine as-is.
The second criticism is that more proofreading is needed; the second half of the book has multiple typographical and grammatical errors (misspelling of characters' names, bad punctuation, etc.). It speaks highly of the author's attention to detail that there were hardly any errors for the first half of the book (none that I noticed, at any rate), but additional refinement prior to publishing is necessary.

Overall I am very impressed with this book and its author; upon finishing the book I immediately bought his previous two novels on Kindle. I look forward to this book's release, future installments in the series, and whatever else Mr. Patten has up his sleeve. He's earned this reader's loyalty.

J.T. Patten’s Buried in Black is a must read.  
Patten weaves a terrifying plot with realistic characters that will take you on a fast paced ride into the world of "black ops".  
  I highly recommend this book and look forward to the next.

I was fortunate enough to receive an advance copy of Buried in Black! I enjoyed the ride. Buried in Black is the best yet from J.T. Patten. We are introduced to a new protagonist, the Man from Orange. Patten uses his former protagonist Sean Havens and his brother in law Lars as mentor and patners to a new kill team.
Just like each of Patten’s prior two novels, Safe Havens and Primed Charge, Buried in Black feels like you are being read in to a secret government program. The thought, detail, and plausible story make this a fun read.
There is great character development and strong foundation for long running series!

JT Patten does a wonderful job of pulling back the curtain and giving us a glimpse of what life looks like for those that operate in the shadows. Buried in Black feels real and in some places that reality is seen in very raw terms. As a magician uses the sleight of hand to trick an eye, JT uses vivid imagery to make it hard to distinguish fact from fiction. Readers who are familiar with his earlier work are already acquainted with the character Sean Havens. Sean joins Drake "Birddog" Woolf and Tresa Halliday on a dark journey into a world mired in shadows. The novel raises a totally believable and valid question of what happens when we make promises to Allies and go back on our word? Especially when going back causes death to those we swore to protect. Revenge has a fresh take when you read Buried In Black.

Operating in the shadows, Drake Woolf carries out government dark ops--work that must be done but need not be advertised. Woolf has been groomed for this line of work ever since losing his family at the hands of a terrorist. His skill set is that of a trained assassin. In Buried in Black, Woolf, aka The Man from Orange, battles his own personal demons while teaming with Sean Havens--from the best-selling Safe Havens series--to track and eliminate a well-funded and highly-skilled group of Iraqis bent on carrying out a series of deadly attacks on American soil--Iraqis Woolf once trained. 

JT Patten, the best-selling author, is clearly no stranger to black operations, as he takes you the reader into the deadly world of black ops, while Woolf and Havens attempt to hunt--and eliminate--the very men Woolf once  helped train. If you are one who cut your teeth on the likes of Mitch Rapp or Dewey Andreas, this high-octane thriller is a must-read!

J.T. Patten has created a swell followup to his Safe Havens series with Buried in Black. Buried in Black stars Warren "Drake" Woolfe, a Covert Operations soldier unlike any other. Woolfe is a man balancing on a razors edge, but he is also the most gifted SIGINT operative there is. With Drake Woolfe J.T. Patten brings a new perspective to the action thriller genere, one that hasn't been explored before. Working with Woolfe is Sean Havens, former Covert Operations man and J.T. Patten's protagonist from his previous works. Havens brings with him his brother in law Lars Bjorklund who's Chicago PD background brings a little more down to earth street smarts that counterbalances the two former spooks.


Opposing the team is FBI Special Agent Tresa Halliday, a relentless pursuer who is put in place to ensure Woolfe's team stays on the up and up.


On the other side of the law are American trained former Iraqi operatives the "Mohawks", these are men who the US government had promised to protect and allow to come over, but were left behind for bad actors to take advantage of. Acting as ringleaders for this are Iranian Quds force operatives.


J.T. Patten writes a good and very cohesive story with action and motivation well thought out and explained. His understanding amd explaination of the material and techniques obviously coming just as much from experience as from imagination. 

I cannot wait to read the next book, it seems things are about to get even deeper into the black.

Great story, well written and an exciting plot!  Would recommend to others who enjoy this genre.  Good author, and I look forward to more.

The detail, the tradecraft, the realism, the terror, the tension are all so tightly woven that the reader isn’t sure whether he’s reading fact or fiction. I haven’t read previous Sean Havens novels by the author, but I will definitely be looking for the next.