Dave McKeon’s Sabotage is a high-stakes thriller that plunges readers into a world of crime, deception, and hidden identities. The story follows Lou Gault, a former elite soldier turned peaceful resort owner, and Santino Varni, a ruthless crime lord with an alter ego, Luigi Secondo. As Varni seeks refuge in Gault’s remote fishing lodge, tension builds when he tries to buy the land for mysterious reasons. Meanwhile, a brutal murder in Boston signals that Varni’s world of corruption is far from dormant. As these two worlds inch closer to collision, Gault finds himself caught in a dangerous game of power, one that threatens his land, his family, and his life.

McKeon does a fantastic job crafting an intense atmosphere right from the first chapter. The opening scene, where an assassin methodically kills a prosecutor in a parking garage, sets a chilling tone. The detail in this sequence is gripping. The way Popeye, the hitman, relishes the kill, even taking the victim’s Italian leather shoes as a prize, immediately tells us what kind of people we’re dealing with. The book throws you straight into the fire and keeps the heat cranked up.

One of the strongest elements of Sabotage is the contrast between Lou Gault and Santino Varni. Lou is a man of integrity, a protector of the land, and someone who values the simplicity of his life. Varni, on the other hand, is a man who bends reality to his will, eliminating obstacles without a second thought. The scenes where Varni pressures Gault to sell the resort are thick with tension. You can almost hear the underlying threat behind his words, even as he tries to frame the offer as generous. When Gault repeatedly refuses, you just know things are going to get ugly.

The duality of Santino Varni, or rather his dissociative identity disorder, is one of the book’s more fascinating aspects. By day, he plays the role of Luigi Secondo, a charming, well-mannered guest who befriends the lodge’s residents. But at night, the voice of the real Varni creeps into his thoughts, reminding him who he truly is. This internal struggle adds an extra layer to the villain, making him more than just a standard crime boss. At times, I even felt a sliver of sympathy for Luigi, who seems to want to break free from the monster that created him. But then Varni reasserts himself, and the sympathy vanishes as quickly as it appeared.

The book builds to an explosive conclusion, and while I won’t spoil the details, I will say that the slow-burn tension pays off. McKeon lets the danger simmer, letting readers feel the growing sense of inevitability before delivering a hard-hitting climax.

I’d recommend Sabotage to fans of crime thrillers, especially those who enjoy stories with moral dilemmas, intense action, and psychological depth. If you like books where every interaction feels like a potential standoff, this one’s for you. McKeon keeps the stakes high, the characters compelling, and the pages turning.

Pages: 452 | ASIN : B0D9ZWHPXQ