Great start from a new author and new series.
Undercover DEA agent/green Beret and various other skills, returns home to Texas from Afghanistan with an orphan and winds up in the crosshairs of a dirty oil company, a lunatic oil executive and an up and coming drug cartel. Needless to say there is plenty of
action.
( )

It’s a pretty standard action thriller. And, it's not "Down Range", it's in Texas. There's so much action that action feels like normal...even the last two hours feels "normally" intense. Our hero is supposed to be protecting an Afghan boy from those who want him dead, but none of the Afghan villager bad guys can find him in Texas, so he's having a very good time there. There's some bad cartel guys, the local boss Hogg and a love interest. I'll read number two, it'll probably be fun. ( )

Down Range is the first novel for the former CIA intelligence officer. Garrett Kohl is on a mission in Afghanistan spying on a group of terrorists when they starting killing a group of civilians. Although supposed to watch and not interfere, when a 10 year old boy survives the shooting and is running for his life, Kohl cannot not rescue him. This leads to an immediate reassignment back to the states with the boy to avoid an international incident.

Home is Texas where his dysfunctional family is trying to survive the economic downturn of weak oil prices, danger of being caught in the web of a Mexican drug cartel and trying to stay away from local bad actors. Kolh's relationship with his father is strained but the Afghani boy, Asadi's, love of horses wins the old man over. Kohl's brother Bridger and former high school classmate, Lacey add family conflict and love interest to the plot.

This area of the Texas Panhandle is under siege by a Mexican cartel and a local powerful oil man and Kohl, a former Green Beret and current DEA agent, is going to upset their plans. The pages fly by with lots of tension followed by lots of action. Asadi plays some important moments in the plot but maybe could have had more time with Kohn in his adventures. ( )

A good, solid debut by author Taylor Moore, Down Range is a strong, action-packed start to a new series that has the promise of long-running success. Garrett Kohl is one of the good guys, and someone you will want to know better. Down Range, the first in the Garrett Kohl series, reminds me of a somewhat similar series by an author who has recently retired from writing. I have the feeling Taylor Moore and Garrett Kohl will fill that gap nicely.

The story starts while Kohl is on assignment in Afghanistan, and his actions there result in him bringing a young Afghan boy back to Garrett’s childhood home in Texas to keep him safe. Safe may have been the plan, but the ranching community there is anything but safe. Drugs, cartels, criminals, corruption throughout the ranks of local officials and other ranchers.

Down Range is non-stop, nail-biting, heart-stopping action, start to finish. But it’s not just a violent shoot-‘em-up. Characters have depth and are very well drawn. The credible plot moves quickly but smoothly, with twists and turns that keep you guessing (and afraid) who will survive.

Thanks to Thrillerfest and William Morrow and Custom House for providing an advance copy of Down Range via NetGalley. It is an excellent, exciting beginning to a series I can’t wait to continue reading. All opinions are my own. ( )

The author has written an interesting combination of CIA thriller/western story about a CIA man who is forced to hide out in his family ranch while protecting a 10-year-old Afghan boy from those who want him dead.

Action is well-paced, characters sympathetic and well-drawn. A good story. I would have liked to see the relationship between Garrett and Asadi developed a little more. ( )