Only the Dead

One retired intelligence officer, one criminal gang, and a struggle that may tear a city apart.

Hank McCaskill never thought of himself as a hero, much less a saint. While serving his fifth combat tour in the Middle East, he struggles daily with his faith. In his few moments of peace each day, he dreams of a peaceful retirement and a bountiful tomato patch. Hank must put his personal struggles aside, however, because he leads a team of intelligence analysts. Their mission is to find a brutal and elusive insurgent leader.

While Hank was fighting America’s enemies abroad, however, a gang of vicious criminals was terrorizing his hometown. Back on American soil, Hank’s dream of a peaceful retirement is shattered when he crosses paths with these violent men. Frustrated with the inaction of the police, and struggling with post-traumatic stress and alcoholism, Hank resolves to find these men. Using skills he learned in the Army, Hank begins his search, not yet understanding what may really be at stake, and not yet accepting that only the dead have seen the end of war.

Can Hank connect the dots and stop these men before they strike next? What dark secrets will his search uncover? And can he overcome his own demons along the way?

“Only the Dead” is the first book in the Hank McCaskill thriller series.

The struggle between a retired intelligence officer and a criminal gang begins to move out of the shadows and into the light, but what is real and what is deception?

After nearly losing his life in a struggle against a criminal mastermind, Hank seems to have little to show for his efforts. But he does have new information that may be the key to identifying and locating his nemesis. Realizing that he can’t fight this fight alone, he assembles a team of friends and family to help him track down this man. Many of the clues they find seem to make little sense, and the entire situation begins to resemble a magic show - an illusion built of smoke and mirrors.

Meanwhile, the mastermind behind the criminal gang is building a team of his own, and they have Hank in their sights. Who will emerge victorious as this house of smoke and mirrors bursts into flame?

Buckle up, hold on, and get ready for a white knuckle thrill ride as the clues begin to come together, forcing these two men to face off in an explosive battle where lives and honor are at stake.

Can Hank and his team of volunteers outwit a criminal mastermind and his minions? How do all the puzzle pieces fit together? And can Hank foil the gang’s murderous plans without getting himself and his family killed?

“Flames and Mirrors” is the second book in the Hank McCaskill thriller series.