Unfortunately, my approval for this audiobook came late, so I was unable to finish it before it was archived.

That said--it is an intelligently written book about the government. I was impressed with various nuiances, and I would have very much liked to finish listening, so I'll add this to my TBR pile. As such, the rating reflected below is only for the first 40% to which I listened.

An excellent thriller that will have you turning pages at a rate of knots! The pace and the twists make it a MUST READ

Fast paced imaginative thriller with great characters and a premise that will continue propelling the series. I really enjoyed it and will be recommending it.

Colt is a CIA operative. He is going to have to infiltrate a terrorist group. He must succeed or more lives will be lost and the USA office of president will be compromised.

Now, this is an espionage thriller. This usually means there is quite a bit of set up to the story. This part might have been better for me if I had read the others in this series first. It is a long, slow start to this tale. BUT, and this is a capital BUT! The last half of this novel moves like lightning. AND! Now I am really worried all of this could happen🤦🏻‍♀️!

The narrator, Michael Wolfe, is probably the reason I stuck with this book.

Need a good espionage thriller…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

All Secrets Die is like a rollercoaster ride of action and mystery! It's packed with exciting twists and turns that'll keep you guessing until the end. Colt McShane, the main character, is someone you'll root for from the start, and Ava Klein, adds an extra dash of mystery. Just be prepared for some moments where you might scratch your head at all the high-tech talk. Overall, it's a fun read for anyone who loves a good spy story with a modern twist!

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was great! This is the 5th book in the series and I somehow missed that when requesting the ARC. I read it as a stand-alone and while I wasn’t confused, I can tell by the author’s writing that I missed a lot of story/character development. I really enjoyed it though and I will go back and read the first four. Highly recommend this one, just read the whole series!

All Secrets Die
The Firewall Spies #5
Andrew Watts, Dale M. Nelson
This tale could have been ripped from the headlines.
Our hero is Colt McShane, a CIA operative was in Cuba for a meeting. Afterwards he met with Ava for some down time. But he had to end his R&R when he got a call to report in. A data breech was threatening the world. His mission was to investigate and stop Archon, a Techno-terrorist group with technology to break any encryption. The terrorist can expose all secrets including individual and global from China to the USA to Turkey. The plan was to nab one of the terrorists and force him to share the kill switch. The target was assassinated before Colt could reach him. Someone is picking off the terrorists; is it a friend or enemy.
Ava Klein, an operator for Trinity, a top level covert organization, steps in to help Colt but can she be trusted. Everyone is trying to stop Colt, who can he trust?
This is the 5th book in the Firewall series however it stands well alone. Author Andrew Watts has blended complex plot twists with fast-paced action scenes. The characters are well fleshed out. Main character Colt is relevant hero; Ava added an additional intriguing level of interest. This book will appeal to Techno Thriller fans.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a review copy of this book.

First, the good: The thriller aspects of this book are really well done - the stakes are high and things are tense. We travel around the world as our characters struggle to determine who is behind a series of sensitive data leaks and as they try to unravel a series of side conspiracies in the hopes of getting closer to the answer.

The neutral: There is a lot happening - many plots, side characters, organisations and motives. While this does add to the suspense, it does get a little overwhelming sometimes and I feel like sometimes plot strands fall a bit to the wayside and/or are rushed to keep up. It isn't terrible - the story works well - but it is quite a bit to keep up with. Also, as this is a technothriller dealing with AI and quantum computing, I do think this could potentially have had a bit more information for the unfamiliar (even if it's a foreword/afterward type thing). The increasing role of computers and data in espionage and war is definitely an interesting thing to consider though, especially with the future it looks like we're heading towards.

And the bad: Let me start off by saying I am not assuming that these are the views of the author or that they are fully unexpected given the rivalries that would likely form in an international espionage rivalry type context. But the whole American exceptionalism and looking down at other countries and their people, especially poorer countries, was deeply uncomfortable at times. Especially since I am not from one of the "good western countries". Again, I do understand how people in such positions would develop such attitudes but it felt a bit too prevalent and mean-spirited. There is especially a lot of it towards the start and I even found myself wondering if I actually want to continue the book for a while because of the tone. It get better (or maybe I just got numb to it), but it's something worth being aware of, particularly if you aren't American (or maybe European - they typically get talked about less harshly as well). Of course it won't bother everyone and that's perfectly fine! I am just confused as to why these attitudes had to be expressed to frequently. Especially since our characters were doing some of the things they looked down on others for doing and saw themselves as good and honourable for doing so.

Overall, although this book has its problems, it was a thrilling listen (although it did take me a little while to get used to the narrator).

Can the attacks be stopped? Can the leaks be plugged? Before it’s too late?....

With the ever-growing, changing AI and technology, how can they stop the techno-terrorist, a term I’d never heard before, but it totally makes sense. The team is amazing at pivoting, melding old-school and new-school techniques to find the source and overcome.

The storyline borrows heavily from real-life and has lots of tech. I am a tech person and it was fun and scary to read this story. Lots of healthy debate between myself and my tech friends on the possibility of the things in this story. It was so well done. This is book 5 and I wish I’d started with book 1, not that I am missing anything, but I would love to have more of the background of Trinity, Colt, Archon, etc. We see where they are now and I believe I would have enjoyed the ride to this point. I think Colt, Tony and Ava make a good team - though I think Colt is a little unfair to Ava. I like that Colt and Tony are not just hammers doing the higher-ups bidding. They take a moment to do a morality/gut check to see if they can live with what they are being asked to do.

I do feel like that could have been more showing instead of telling but there was a lot to unpack and I enjoyed every moment of this globetrotting, tech driven, action packed thriller.

Thank you to #NetGalley  for the opportunity to do an early read and share my thoughts on the story. 

Happy Reading!

Thank you very much to NetGalley, DreamscapeSelect, and authors Andrew Watts and Dale M. Nelson for this ARC in exchange for an honest review of "All Secrets Die," and CIA operative Colt McShane, our bada** protagonist. This was actually book #5 of the series, so as a new reader I need to catch up sequentially as other characters appeared. it was my own fault for missing plot connections but the authors do a great job giving you enough information to follow, making readers more curious to further learn characters former plot backstories. I will binge the other 4 ASAP.
"All Secrets Die" takes readers around the globe as techo-terrorism threatens humanity from Quantico to China to Turkey as a doomsday clock ticks down. No sector is immune to this dark web threat, and it makes readers question actual news worthy parallels. AI at its best or worst?From the initial chapter, the tension builds at an exciting pace, and I found myself captivated by the complex dark web, espionage, AI, and quantum computing. The characters are plausible and well-developed. Protagonist Colt McShane gives palpable hero vibes as he pursues those responsible, while the world teeters on the brink of disaster. Can Colt trust Ava Klein, a member of a secret organization group with top level connections? I had to Google a few techie and espionage terms that I was unfamiliar with, but that only added a layer of fascination.Will the CIA and Colt be able to decipher friends from foes? "All Secrets Die" delivers an oscillating techno thriller experience that kept me reading all night as each riveting chapter unfolded. Secrets, lies, world leaders pointing fingers, quantum computing, AI, terrorism, hacking, corruption, assassinations, and a ticking worldwide threat on a global level filled with non stop adventure, legal drama, and heart-pounding action that will keep readers engaged until the very last page. Cannot wait for the next installment! 4.5/5

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚

All Secrets Die (The Firewall Spies, Book 5) by Andrew Watts and Dale M. Nelson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 426 / Genre: Technothriller
Audiobook Narrator: Michael Wolfe / Duration: 10 hours 48 minutes

A techno-terrorist organization known as Archon has the technology to break any encryption anywhere. They’ve used this power to destroy politicians, collapse banks, and more. They need to be stopped and, of course, Colt McShane is the only one who can do it.

This is the fifth book in this series and I’ve only read book three, but there’s enough going on here that you can read it on its own. They do call on a lot of previous characters so it’s probably better to read the full series in order. I enjoyed this exciting technothriller and especially like the hero Colt.

Thank you @netgalley, @severnriverpublishing, @andrew_watts, and @dalenelsonbooks for my gifted copy.

Rating: 3,75⭐️
🚨 I received an Advance Reader Copy of All Secrets Die from the publisher and chose to provide my honest review of this book.

"All Secrets Die" delivers a pulse-pounding technothriller experience that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Andrew Watts and Dale M. Nelson expertly craft a gripping narrative filled with twists, turns, and heart-pounding action that will leave readers breathless.


The authors' ability to blend intricate plot twists with fast-paced action scenes is commendable. From the opening pages, the tension builds steadily, drawing readers deeper into the complex web of espionage and intrigue. The characters are well-developed, with protagonist Colt McShane standing out as a compelling and relatable hero. The inclusion of Ava Klein adds an extra layer of mystery and depth to the story, keeping readers guessing until the very end.


While the overall pacing of the book is solid, there are moments where the plot feels slightly convoluted, with multiple threads vying for attention. Additionally, some of the technical jargon may be overwhelming for readers unfamiliar with the world of cybersecurity and espionage.

Overall, "All Secrets Die" is a riveting addition to the technothriller genre, showcasing the talents of both Andrew Watts and Dale M. Nelson. Fans of political espionage and high-tech thrillers will find plenty to enjoy in this action-packed adventure.

Happy Publication Day!!

So, for those of you who don’t know, this is book #5 in the series…Firewall.
I received this as an ARC from #NetGalley, and had NOT read the books before this. That being said, I grabbed book #1 and read that one (and loved it!)…so I had an idea of what was going on. I would suggest you read them in order, but being as this one is being released TODAY, 4/30/24, I wanted to at least have read one of them prior to reading this…and I did. (I do hope to go back and read #’s 2,3 &4 in the future…)

Colt McShane is back in the hot seat again! He is now tasked with getting to the bottom of the biggest cyber leak in history. One that is sure to change the world as we know it…
As he assembles his CIA team and negotiates how and what they are going to do, well, it all goes up in smoke….

The guy he planned to take down to get to the facts…well, he was murdered…right in front of him!

So once again, he is scrambling, and so is his team…

They are literally globetrotting again…but the stakes are high. Very High! And people are being picked out and killed…and he’s not sure how or why, but he’s got some guesses…

And when it starts to hit very close to home for him, well, he wants answers…and maybe even revenge…but the little voice in his head keeps telling him to go ‘by the book’…. But, can he do that?

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeSelect for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

#AllSecretsDie by #AndrewWatts and #DaleMNelson. Narrated nicely by #MichealWolfe.

⭐️. Action packed once again!
⭐️. Washington, DC (USA)…Turkey…Italy… we travel all over!
⭐️. Badass main character, and sidekicks!
⭐️. I thought I guessed ‘the who’ multiple times. I was wrong…

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4/5 ⭐️
Thank you NetGalley for letting me have this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I really enjoyed this audiobook and its narrator. I will be checking out the first 4 books of this series.