RUNNER - Patrick Lee

Retired Special Forces operative, Sam Dryden, is looking to live a quiet retirement in his seaside Southern California town, but when he sees a young woman being chased by armed men down near the boardwalk, his instincts and skill kick in.

The men with the weapons, bent on killing the young woman, are highly skilled and clearly trained, but Dryden, with his background in Special Forces, Delta Ops, and off-record special ops missions, is more than up to the task of getting the girl away. But it quickly becomes clear that the young woman, Rachel, is no ordinary girl when she reveals her ability to read Dryden's mind. But other than this ability, Rachel doesn't remember much about her past - only that she is trying to get away.

Sam Dryden will need to use all his skills to keep the two of them safe while also trying to learn more about Rachel's background - which may be the only way to help her get truly free.

This was an absolute thrill ride!

Author Patrick Lee wastes no time establishing place and character and instead drops us in on the very moment of conflict intrusion and it ramps up from there.  We get to know the principle character (Dryden) through his actions and interactions, and we get to know Rachel as Dryden does (we even get to learn things about her that she doesn't know).

There's a pretty high body count which shouldn't be surprising given that the book starts with men with guns, and there's just a fair bit of luck involved (specifically when Dryden finds a doctor, out of office, willing to listen to his story and trust him, despite the constant news reports of how dangerous he and Rachel are), but most of the book really does rely on Dryden's skill and his ability to read others (who can be trusted and who can't).

It shouldn't be a surprise or a spoiler to learn that Rachel is being chased because of her mind-reading ability and after the initial meet and escapes (which are a tremendous hook) the book revolves around trying to get information about her abilities. This makes the book take an interesting turn and while it at first looks like it's going to be a standard 'chase' thriller (especially with a title like Runner) it's much more involved and interesting.

I don't know why I went into this not expecting a whole lot - likely because I haven't read a lot of thrillers - but I was hooked early and always wanted to read 'one more chapter'.  The book does slow down just a bit, and not in the best way, when Dryden gives up a little bit of control and trusts in others rather than relying on his own skill set.

I definitely want to read the next book in the Sam Dryden series.

Looking for a good book? Runner, by Patrick Lee, is a thriller that is non-stop excitement. Dropped into the action the book reveals the back story as the action (and danger) ramp up.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

4-1/2 stars

* * * * * *

Runner

author: Patrick Lee

series: Sam Dryden #1

publisher: Minotaur Books

ISBN: 9781250030733

hardcover, 328 pages