Now classified as persona non gratis in the United States and on the outs with his wife Annabelle and even his three-year-old son Jack, ex-CIA top secret black op Adam Hayes has relocated to Africa.  He struggles to regain his inner self after giving up his former lifestyle of violence and all the top-secret behaviour modifications he had been given to be an assassin in the top secret Treadstone Group.

Cut off from the CIA and on his own funds, Hayes ponders the 25 euro charge for the down at the heels Hostal La Perta in Spain where he has gone to meet up with a contact. Meanwhile, Carlito, a Spanish teenager, is fed up with being hungry and is on the prowl for rich tourists.  Gripping his .44 Magnum he knows he is going to be the top dog as he comes as he has an unexpected in-your-face meeting with this older male tourist.  Fortunately for him, Hayes wants to maintain his now 152 days of going without killing.   Will others be so lucky?

ROBERT LUDLUM’S THE TREADSTONE EXILE is the second novel in the series and I found it to be an awesome and thrilling read on its own as a stand alone thriller. I am sure that Hood’s many fans of the first book, ROBERT LUDLUM’S THE TREADSTONE RESURRECTION will also find this latest espionage mystery to be just as exciting and suspenseful as the first.  Hood is a terrific storyteller and this latest fast-paced uber-action thriller definitely leaves other espionage books back in the dust.   

Adam Hayes is a great character. Programmed by scientists to be a killer fighting machine, he ponders and fights with himself to regain his true self and his estranged family. He argues with the voice in his head designed to keep him going while he ekes out a quieter life flying in medical and food supplies to isolated non-government agencies in Burkina Faso.

Hood defines himself as a “roll up the sleeves and get to work” kind of guy and Hayes is the same.  He knows lots about many things from construction to restoring planes as well as all the badass stuff his enemies throw at him. Hayes also has a great sense of the wiry and witty humour that makes for good laughs and tensional release while he fights against insurmountable odds or the cruel taunting of bullies as they deal with this “old man”.

While the story follows Ludlum’s outline, Hood carves his own path and successfully achieves the “can’t put the damn book down” kind of status.  Hood writes with an authentic voice due to his own extensive military background and I appreciate how well he skillfully balances all the detailed info on weapons, speedboats, motorcycles, and airplanes some readers crave with the more psychological and political/historical insights that readers like myself relish.

Joshua Hood defines his books as “ALL KILLER. NO FILLER” and he is more than true to his words! If you are a fan of Ludlum’s Jason Bourne series, you definitely do not want to miss this explosive and thrilling world of elite operators, high tech tracking, illegal dealings, top secret espionage, and lawless environments all neatly packed in this exciting and dramatic thriller.  So grab your copy of ROBERT LUDLUM’S THE TREADSTONE EXILE and check out all the warp speed action today! 

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