Book Review: Hunt The Jackal by Don Mann & Ralph Pezzullo

Spoilers Ahead

Chief Warrant Officer Tom Crocker and the rest of SEAL Team Six are back in the latest – and, so far, best – of the thrillers written by former SEAL Don Mann and author Ralph Pezzullo. Crocker is my sort of character, a tough-as-nails, no-nonsense warrior who is instantly suspicious of politicking and bureaucracy, and often sidesteps protocol to get the results he needs. He reminds me of Vince Flynn's lethal Mitch Rapp, and the storylines and plot devices are certainly similar.

Each book in this series is better than the last, as Mann and Pezzullo continue to build the depth of each character, and although each instalment has a similar theme, that of the SEALs heading off to capture or kill a particular target, there is enough difference in each one to present the characters with new struggles.

Previously, in Hunt the Falcon, Crocker (and his trusty team of specialist) gained revenge on the Iranian terrorist who had kidnapped his wife, and was then involved in stealing Libyan nuclear material for an attack on America. It involved a risky mission into Iran, and Crocker’s out-of-sorts father makes a reappearance, the home-front drama woven nicely in amongst increasingly urgent missions.

Hunt the Jackal sees the team on the tail of a terrorist who has kidnapped the wife and daughter of a prominent US Congressman, who also happens to be a former SEAL colleague of Crocker’s. En route to that mission, there is personal tragedy to be dealt with, and Crocker’s father once more comes into the frame, when it appears that he might be being taken advantage of by a new friend. It’s an opportunity for Crocker to exert some of his battlefield authority at home, too.

Before long, Crocker and his team are sent south to Mexico, where they must find the Jackal and his captives, before the power-hungry terrorist, who is fond of particularly brutal tactics to ensure his empire remains intact. The Jackal also happens to be a sort of modern day revolutionary. Combine that with the obvious tensions between the United States and Mexico, and the presence of officials who might not be completely above board, and it’s a rip-roaring adventure that barely slows down from the first page to the last.

That the book is written by a guy who has been there and done that means there’s a certain level of authenticity attached, and it made me wonder that, although the storyline is obvious fiction, just how much realism finds it's way into these great plots. If anyone knows about modern-day SEAL operations, it’s Mann.

If you want a quick, exciting read, and you love military thrillers, Hunt the Jackal certainly won’t disappoint.