Conspiracy of Silence, Tox Files #1

Book description:

This Is the Way the World Ends.

Four years after a tragic mission decimated his team, Cole “Tox” Russell has been disavowed by the United States. And that’s fine–he just wants to be left alone. But when a dormant, centuries-old disease is unleashed, Tox is lured back into action.

Tox and his former Special Forces team regroup to work with FBI deception expert, Kasey Cortes, and fiery archaeologist, Tzivia Khalon, to search the globe for answers–and a cure. As the mission leads from one continent to another, it becomes clear they’re not just fighting a plague but battling an ancient secret society whose true goals remain hidden.

With time running out and the threat for a global pandemic rising, Tox and his team realize their sole chance might be to reach back through centuries of silence to find the only answer that can save them all.

My review:

  I have been a big fan of Ronie Kendig's books since I read the first one she published, Dead Reckoning, a suspense/political intrigue type book. Then she took to writing miltary suspense type books, or paramilitary,  and I was hooked. She is an author who gets better with each book and series she puts out, so I have been eagerly anticipating not only this new book in a new series, but also her first release from Bethany House Publishing.

 Awesome is a word that gets overused and is thrown around carelessly, but there really is no better word to describe this book. Actually, mind-blowing awesome is a better term.

   Kendig does something different in this book that is new ground for her: the book starts out a long time before the actual story..... as in Bible times. She uses the story of Korah in the Bible to launch this new book and series, and she also uses a lot of history and even some of the supernatural. Plagues, curses, Templar Knights, and more find their way across the pages of this book. Add to all of that special ops, FBI, Mossad, secret organizations, and a lot of suspense, action, and drama, and you have a novel that is near impossible to put down.

 This is her 4th military series, and I would think it would get difficult to come up with different characters and make up a team of these characters that are different from the other series, but she has done that. The guys who make up this very special and unique team of soldiers is the most unique and awesome (yeah, that word again) so far. She has created a believable, yet outstanding character in her main hero of the story, Cole, or "Tox" Russell. The dynamic and interaction between this team of men who are a tad bit antagonistic towards their leader, yet trusting and respectful is entertaining and very cool to observe as you read this masterpiece of fiction.

 The story goes all over the map from the White House to archaeological sites in Syria to Israel. The action is non-stop, and through it all is an undercurrent of a Christian theme.

 Conspiracy of Silence is by far the best book I have read in 2016, and is most likely the last book I will read this year....... and what a way to finish my reading experience for the year. I honestly cannot say enough good about this book, and I am not exaggerating.....this book is really mind-blowing awesome.

 No Ronie Kendig book would be complete without a romantic element adding extra drama to the story, but she does it a way that I found myself hoping a certain guy would make a move for a certain girl, and found myself cheering when.....well, read it and you'll see.

 Speaking of cheering, when I finished the book, I gave it a rousing hand-clap of appreciation. Mrs. Kendig has outdone herself and has much to be proud of for the results of her hard work. I am definitely looking forward to reading more in this series and seeing where she is going to take this unique and powerful team of men.

 There is an e-book novella that precedes this novel, and I would highly recommend reading it first. The last I knew, it was free.. so download it: The Warrior's Seal.

 And as I have said in previous reviews of her books, these are definitely books men will enjoy, but women also will enjoy them.

 I was given a copy of  this book in exchange for my honest review.

About the author:

An Army brat, Ronie Kendig grew up in the classic military family, with her father often TDY and her mother holding down the proverbial fort. Their family moved often, which left Ronie attending six schools by the time she’d entered fourth grade. Her only respite and “friends” during this time were the characters she created.

It was no surprise when she married a military veteran—her real-life hero—in June 1990.  Married more than twenty years, Ronie and her husband  have homeschooled for the last eighteen years. Despite the craziness of life, Ronie finds balance and peace with her faith, family, and retired military working doge in Northern Virginia.

Ronie has a deep love and passion for people, especially hurting people, which is why she pursued and obtained a B.S. in Psychology from Liberty University. Ronie speaks and teaches across the country and mentors other writers.

Since launching onto the publishing scene in 2010, Ronie and her books have hit bestseller lists and garnered awards and critical acclaim, including:

2015 RT Book of the Year Finalist – Firethorn

2015 INSPY Shortlist – Firethorn and Embers

2015 Lime Award Winner – Firethorn

2012 Christy Award Winner – Wolfsbane (Contemporary Romance)

2013 HOLT Medallion Winner – Trinity: Military War Dog (Best Book by a Virginia Author)

2013 Selah Award Winner  – Firethorn (Fiction – Suspense)

2013 Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award Winner – Trinity: Military War Dog (Romantic Suspense)

2012 Lime Award Winner – Firethorn (Suspense)

2012 Carol Award Finalist – Wolfsbane (Romantic Suspense)

Christian Retailing’s 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards Finalist – Nightshade

2011 Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award Finalist – Nightshade (Romantic Suspense)

Named one of the Top 25 Christian Fiction Suspense, Mystery, and Thriller Writers by FamilyFiction (Sept 2011)

2011 FamilyFiction Readers’ Choice Awards – 3rd place as New Favorite Author, 8th place with Nightshade for Novel of the Year.

INSPY Award Shortlist final in Mystery/Thriller (Dead Reckoning)

The Christian Manifesto’s 2010 Lime Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction (Nightshade)

  Conspiracy of Silence is available from Bethany House Publishing, part of the Baker Publishing Group.

 Thanks to the Conspiracy of Silence Influencer Group for the review copy.

Check out Ronie's website at RonieKendig.com

Download the e-book novella The Warrior's Seal here, which is free at the writing of this review.