Courtland Gentry, aka the Gray Man, returns in Mark Greaney's Back Blast, the fifth book in the thriller series featuring the notorious CIA paramilitary officer turned freelance assassin. For five years, Gentry has evaded the Agency's shoot-on-sight order against him, while having no idea what he did to deserve it. Certain that he performed his missions perfectly, he returns from Europe to the U.S. to confront his opponents--the very people who made him who he is.
On the streets of Washington, D.C., a battle ensues between the lone Gray Man and his former colleagues--including his team leader and the best-trained operatives in Gentry's former division. As if that isn't enough trouble, a band of rogue foreign agents is also gunning for Gentry. He doesn't expect to survive the fight; he just wants the truth. But the truth could destroy the CIA, and very powerful people are making sure it doesn't come out.
Greaney knows how to hit the ground running and keep the pace flying. Gentry is engaged in one action set piece after another, employing his various fighting skills against very bad guys. Much of the fun comes in wondering how the Gray Man will extricate himself from impossible situations and then seeing his ingenious solutions. Just call him MacGrayver. The banter between Gentry and his macho former team members is entertaining, too. Yes, Back Blast is over the top and involves top CIA suits who are disturbingly fluid in their morality, but who knows? Maybe it's more realistic than most readers might think. --Elyse Dinh-McCrillis, blogger at Pop Culture Nerd