The Breakout

Marine sniper James Murphy, the hero of this suspenseful, stylishly written novel from Jahn (The Dispatcher), has recently returned from a tour in Afghanistan and is stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Tex. When he learns that his junky sister, Layla, has been killed on orders from Mexican cartel boss Alejandro Rocha, James crosses the border seeking revenge, but while staking out Rocha’s house in a desert town west of Ciudad Juarez, he’s arrested by the cops, framed, and tossed into jail. With no chance of getting out alive on his own, James must rely on three Marine buddies and girlfriend Pilar Gutierrez to bust him out. Complicating the action are a crooked DEA agent, Francis Waters, and an undercover agent known as Gael Morales, who’s serving as a Rocha gang member while trying to collect enough information to bring him to justice. Jahn doesn’t portray the Marines as superheroes, and when their plans begin to fall apart, clever thinking and courage are what keep them on task. This satisfying read has enough twists and turns for fans of any genre. (Jan.)