If you've ever read any of the Blake Sanders series, you're in for a treat. If you haven't, you get to meet him in an entirely standalone story, with no need to know any of his back story.

Night Drop is an impressive thriller that ties in Blake, his ex-wife, a former Navy SEAL, a jihadist, a disgruntled and vengeful nationalist, and a Navy commander together in a plot that threatens Seattle in a way that would rival 9/11.

This thrill-a-minute story zigzags between two locations, with two primary protagonists, each contributing to the overall story arch that keeps the reader riveted and questioning, almost to the end.

At this point I'll read almost anything involving Blake Sanders, who is the first protagonist in the book. The thing about Blake that makes him so very interesting is the fact that he has the same condition I do - ADHD. While the story is not about that, the way the character is written makes him very believable, because his behaviour and thought patterns are true to life.

Having been introduced to the new thoroughly likeable character - Trip Macready, the second protagonist - my hope is that Michael Sherer will provide him a story arc of his own. The character is so compelling, in fact, that my guess is that this is probably already in the works.

When an author can bring characters like these so alive and relatable, he only adds to the mosaic of the world in which he writes, making it impossible for the reader to break away or even for a minute think "well, this is just a story".

Night Drop by Michael W. Sherer

This novel is a jigsaw puzzle of a thriller. There are about a half-dozen major pieces to the puzzle and the reader, together with the characters, gradually, slowly, learn how they fit together, forming the relationships among the characters and the structure of the story. There are two main protagonists. Blake Sanders, in Seattle, is a flawed but sympathetic hero, deeply hurt by circumstances. His ex-wife, who still means the world to him, has been attacked and has disappeared. Trip MacReady, in San Diego, is an ex-Navy Seal whose girl friend has been kidnapped. As these two characters, each unbeknownst to the other, pursue their own objectives in saving the women in their lives, a larger plot to create terror in the United States is gradually revealed. In resolving their individual conflicts, these two men burn the same fuse from either end, as it were, and the climax of the story is explosive.

The story's narrative alternates, ofttimes mid-chapter, between the points-of-view of Blake and Trip. The result can be disconcerting for the reader, who is whip-lashed from one story line to another and kept continuously off-balance. This jarring effect, combined with the evolving mystery behind the relationships among the various pieces of the story, heightens the tension and the suspense for the reader. The result is a thriller that is difficult to put down. This novel has cost me hours of lost sleep and I can't wait to read the next one in the series!

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ( 4½ stars )

A kidnapping which seems to follow the normal form - a demand for an exhorbitant ransom followed by complicated instructions for the drop and retrieval followed by death threats if the money is not paid fast enough. The addition of trained dolphins used by the American Navy and now indoctrinated by Middle Eastern terrorists to retrieve nuclear material in canisters hidden in the seas added a new depth to the story.
Blake is Molly's ex husband and he becomes the person who is the contact man between the kidnappers and the people who are going to pay the money. Complicated by not following instructions Blake is determined to identify the group who have abducted Molly because no one seems to know who they are dealing with.
Betrayal by her own office colleague initially, Blake calls on Naval Intelligence in the form of Reyna to help out and they realize that their earlier idea of freeing Molly is overshadowed by a bigger threat of an attack on one of America's biggest cities - Seattle in the form of a nuclear holocaust and they have to use all their resources and strengths to preempt the attack.
The story started out slow, but built up as it went along. It became very nerve wracking towards the end and was a real page turner.

Night Drop by Michael Sherer First book I’ve read by Michael Sherer, and, oh my, wow did it catch my attention and cage it all the way to the end! Loved it so much that I quickly purchased Night Tide and Night Blind to feed my new Sherer addiction!

Blake Sanders had just finished his nightly paper round at 6am when his phone rang – his ex-wife Molly was on the other end of the line, just letting him know that she was home from her work trip. But while they were on the phone, Molly had to answer the door – the ensuing argument then Molly’s scream was heard clearly by a panicked Blake.

As Molly’s law firm immediately called in the FBI, Blake with his ADHD, plus a life that had been traumatised and shattered for the past twelve months decided he would do everything in his power to get Molly back, unharmed. But the FBI and the law firm believed Molly’s abduction was only for the money – as time moved forward Blake was more convinced than ever that this wasn’t so. It was personal – now he needed to find out why.

When ex-Navy SEAL and animal rights activist Trip Macready vanished off the radar the same day Molly was abducted, the suspicion that the connection was there was intense in Blake. He contacted Naval Intelligence Office Reyna Chase to help – their combined knowledge would increase their chances of finding the kidnappers. But no-one else believed their story…did they have to work alone, without law enforcement beside them?

Suddenly events pointed toward terrorism – but how was Molly connected to Macready? As the danger escalated at a frightening speed, the frustration that Blake felt was intense. Would he be able to save Molly? And what about the danger to Seattle – it was a catastrophe he knew would happen unless he could get there on time…

Another fantastic thriller in the Blake Sanders series from Michael W. Sherer. I’ve read all three now, and thoroughly enjoyed each one. The pace is fast, the plot is gripping. The twists and turns are all there – I found it hard to put down. I have no hesitation in recommending this one, and the series, to all.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.

Imagine talking on the phone with someone you care about when suddenly that person's doorbell rings. You remain on the phone while the person answers the door and then the next thing you hear are loud voices, then screaming, then dead silence. Frantic with fear you drive like a maniac across town only to find the house empty and blood on the living room floor. You call the police. Because you are the ex spouse of the person who has vanished, you become a prime suspect in the eyes of the police. What do you do?

If you are Blake Sanders, you immediately go on the offensive. Your ex-wife Molly has rich parents and is a lawyer in a successful law firm. It is not unreasonable to assume there will be a ransom demand so the FBI are in charge of the case. Blake makes sure he is there when the ransom call comes in and he insists on implicating himself in the plans to rescue Molly. He will bring her back alive or die trying

It slowly comes to light that one of Molly's clients, Trip Macready, has also disappeared. He is an ex-Navy SEAL dolphin trainer turned animal rights activist. The Navy connection brings Blake's sometime girlfriend, Reyna Chase, a Naval Intelligence Officer into the search and back by Blake's side.

The story has three main threads. Blake's attempt to find and rescue Molly; Macready's attempt to foil a terrorist plot and also rescue Molly; Yousef preparing his team to pull off an act of terror and elude Blake and the FBI. There was a point early on when it felt like I was reading three books and I wondered how everything was going to come together to make sense. Trust me, it does.

There is a lot happening in the story and quite a bit to remember and process. By maintaining three distinct threads, Sherer introduces the secondary characters in distinct, well-defined and separate settings, allowing you to get to know each of them well. Otherwise, you would easily lose track of whose who and what is going on.

I happen to really like Blake Sanders as a character. I find him to be sympathetic, understandable and believable. He has his problems and he has his strengths; he's not perfect and he would make a reliable neighbor or solid friend. Macready is also a character that I came to like and I hope he makes a return in a sequel. A team comprised of Blake, Reyna and Macready has the potential for one hell of an adventure.

Night Drop kept me glued to my Kindle following the unexpected twists and turns and holding my breath waiting for what was going to happen next. Looking forward to reading Night Strike, next in the series.