Deep Black: A Tom Locke Novel

“Has an enjoyable, realistic feeling…will appeal to action junkies and armchair diplomats alike.”
   — Kirkus

Tom Locke must track a missing Saudi prince deep inside ISIS territory in this second military action thriller from the authors of Shadow War.

Disillusioned after a mission in Ukraine goes tragically wrong, military contractor Tom Locke is on the run from Apollo Outcomes, a private military corporation run by the treacherous Brad Winters. While working undercover with his surviving team members on the frontlines of ISIS-infected Iraq, they are approached by a Saudi middleman who offers good money to find the missing son of a high-ranking government official.

What Locke doesn’t know is that the missing young Prince may have been carrying the result of a secret agreement made with the Pakistanis in the 1960s, and that his father may or may not be trying to topple the Saudi government. As he pushes deeper into ISIS territory, Locke must figure out both the on-the-ground battle lines and the larger Deep State war he has stumbled into yet again.

Who is the mysterious Saudi who hired Locke’s team? Is the prince’s disappearance personal or political? And how many sides are being played against each other in a Middle East torn apart by overlapping and contradictory alliances? To complete the mission and keep his men safe, the battle-hardened Locke must use every skill he has to defeat a fanatical enemy on the ground—while a duplicitous adversary much closer to home waits for his chance to strike. . . .

TOM LOCKE MUST TRACK A MISSING SAUDI PRINCE HOLDING DEVASTATING SECRETS WHO HAS FLED DEEP INSIDE ISIS TERRITORY IN THIS SECOND SIZZLING MILITARY ACTION THRILLER FROM THE AUTHORS OF SHADOW WAR

In Paris, a motorcade is attacked by masked men who corner a Saudi prince and steal the case handcuffed to his wrist. A thousand miles away in Istanbul, the prince’s brother receives a mysterious phone call, and moments later narrowly escapes a black ops ambush after a dash through the grand bazaar. 

Meanwhile, military contractor Tom Locke is working undercover on the frontlines of ISIS-infected Iraq. He’s on the run from Apollo Outcomes, a private military corporation run by the treacherous Brad Winters, when he’s approached by a Saudi middleman who offers good money to find the missing son of a high-ranking government official. What Locke doesn’t know is that multiple sides of a clandestine war are scrambling to find the young prince, that he may be holding the key to a new world order, and that his father may or may not be using him to topple the Saudi government. As he pushes deeper into ISIS territory, Locke must navigate both the on-the-ground battle lines and the larger “deep state” war he has stumbled into yet again.

To complete the mission and keep his men safe, the battle-hardened Locke must use his considerable skill to combat a fanatical enemy on the ground—while a duplicitous adversary much closer to home waits for his chance to strike. . . . 

Once again, Sean McFate lends his rare expertise to this riveting, fast-paced tale of enigmatic warriors and international treachery, proving that he’s one of the most captivating new thriller writers of recent years. 

“McFate knows his way around bold, riveting stories, fascinating characters and ground-level combat that are sure to please fans of Brad Thor, Tom Clancy, and Daniel Silva.” - Mark Greaney, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One Minute Out

“[A] smart, exciting first novel and series launch…. Readers will look forward to seeing a lot more of Locke.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Has an enjoyable, realistic feeling…will appeal to action junkies and armchair diplomats alike.” - Kirkus Reviews

“Locke is another strong hero in the growing subgenre of black-ops thrillers, and Deep Black is a maze of treachery and intrigue to the very end.” - Booklist Online

“Step aside, faux thriller writers and armchair warrior storytellers. Ex-mercenary Sean McFate has produced a first novel that’s assured, authentic, timely, gritty, and most of all real... I enjoyed the hell out of it.” - C.J. Box, New York Times bestselling author of Badlands and Off The Grid

“McFate knows the world of his first thriller intimately.… The novel provides plenty of drama and a realistic view of political intrigue, and McFate really shines with lines that ring with authenticity. . . . A promising debut from an author who clearly knows the realities of the mercenary’s trade.” - Kirkus Reviews

“An American James Bond meets the twists and turns of “Homeland.”” - Adm James Stavridis, USN (Ret), Supreme Allied Commander at NATO