Summary
A brutal, seemingly invincible Russian general flees the Motherland. Determined to control an international maritime chokepoint as the Ottoman Empire did 400 years earlier, he boldly trumpets his plan to the shipping industry. Skeptical, the free world is soon set back on its heels and seems powerless to deal with the self-styled despot. Negotiations are impossible. The Russians try a special-operations takedown. The General may hold a trump card that no one wants him to play. Conventional military operations against his Red Sea fortress and band of loyal fighters just won’t work. An incident involving a modern British container ship provides the catalyst for action. Major capitals around the world examine all options to stop the rogue who has shown that he has the will and means to enforce his extortion of seagoing commerce.
Dan Steele is a fearless ex-US Navy SEAL working in a top-secret cell as a warrior conducting America’s sensitive clandestine operations. Still mourning the loss of his wife and twin boys at the hands of a terrorist, he is determined to stay in the intelligence loop and to bring his family’s killers to justice. He plans a high-risk mission and finds himself executing it. Steele again puts himself at the point of the spear. This heart-pounding thriller that will elevate your pulse rate as you follow a plausible, near future scenario which blurs the distinction between fiction and reality. From the White House situation room to the depths of the Red Sea, the non-stop action will keep you turning pages. Find out what Dan Steele faces in this high-stakes mission.
Purchase
Released September 2019
Apple
Reviews
“Astounding! Where does this guy get this stuff from? Once again “JP” (Morse) knocks it out of the park. I truly hope that the “Bad Guys” don’t get any ideas.
A major waterway held for ransom, a beautiful Nuclear Submarine Commander who appears to be interested in Dan Steele, a diabolical scheme created by a boar wrestling, treasure hunting, space flying mastermind who also happens to be a Russian General and former Alpha Group member.
This time, Dan Steele appears to have met his match. Go ahead, try and put this one down!”
–Anne E. Corcoran
“Former Seal Dan Steele, author John Morse’s hero of “Chokepoint”, is a worthy addition to the A-Team of fictional special ops warriors like Mitch Rapp, Scot Harvath and Bob Lee Swagger. The hot action bounces from the sub-basement briefing rooms of Washington to the halls of the Kremlin to the blood-stained streets of Yemen. Steele’s foe is a deadly Russian general who has plundered a priceless trove of artifacts hidden by Tsar Alexander from Napoleon. And behind the general is the shadowy Spence, whose machinations in an attack on Washington in the first Steele book, “Halfstaff”, killed Steele’s wife and two young sons. Morse’s own naval career and extensive time spent in the Mideast give his stories a deep sense of authenticity.”
–S.K. Doig
“John Morse’s latest novel, Chokepoint, confirms his writing talent as fully equal to the biggest names in the national-security thriller genre.
As a former US Navy warship captain with worldwide operational experience, Morse writes with authority. Whether he’s talking about the Pentagon E ring or the dusty streets of Yemen, he gives a sense of credibility that comes only from personal experience and penetrating observation. His short, focused chapters build the story rapidly and skillfully. The dialogue is realistic, intelligent but never tedious, often incorporating understated wit. The book’s scenes of physical violence are crystal clear, conveying riveting images yet are never gratuitous – they all contribute directly to the unfolding story. Morse’s technical knowledge makes for plausible and convincing threat situations and defensive measures, but he is never showy and describes the functions of weapons and sensors so clearly that anyone can picture them.
Buy this book. And while you’re ordering, add his earlier novel Half Staff 2018 to your list.”
–David G. Muller, Jr.