Full Circle by Mike Howard drops you headfirst into the shadowy world of espionage and never lets you climb back out. At the heart of the story is Jack Trench, a CIA case officer who has spent decades chasing terrorists across the globe. The novel opens in Manila, where Trench faces betrayal, blood, and the ruthless world of “Sparrow Units” bent on killing Americans. From there, the story stretches into the depths of Cobra One, the CIA’s hard-hitting counterterrorism arm, and carries Trench across continents and into retirement, where old ghosts and new dangers won’t leave him alone. The story mixes high-octane operations with the slower burn of regret and memory, building a character who is equal parts hardened operator and weary man looking for peace.

What stood out to me most was how straightforward the writing feels. It’s straight-shooting, clear, and doesn’t hide behind literary tricks. The action is described in sharp detail, and sometimes I felt like I was sitting in the backseat of that armored SUV with Trench, or crouching in the shadows with The Watchers. The violence is raw, often sudden, and always personal. At times, I caught myself holding my breath. Yet, there were also moments when the prose leaned into exposition. Background details sometimes came in thick slabs, slowing down the pace I’d gotten hooked on. Still, I admired the author’s dedication to grounding the story in real-world intelligence tradecraft, it gave the book a grit that felt convincing.

Emotionally, the book hit me harder than I expected. Jack Trench is no cardboard hero. He’s ruthless when he has to be, but the man carries loneliness and loss with him like extra baggage. Reading the quieter scenes, like his battle with caterpillars in his garden or the way he pours himself a bourbon while reflecting on old missions, I felt the weight of a life lived in shadows. The blend of action and emotion is what kept picking the book every night to finish the story.

I’d say Full Circle is a great pick for readers who love military thrillers, CIA spycraft, or stories about men who can’t quite escape the lives they built. If you’re someone who enjoys Tom Clancy or Vince Flynn, you’ll feel at home here. But it’s also a good choice for anyone curious about the toll that a lifetime of covert work takes on a person. This is a story with bullets flying and blood spilling, but it’s also a story about a man trying to come full circle in his life.

Pages: 204 | ASIN : B0BYTP2KFB