Die Damaskus-Connection

Dominic Verrazzano Thriller #1

by Matt Rees

Die Ärztin Amy Weston, spezialisiert auf die Behandlung von Opfern chemischer Kampfstoffe, hat es eilig. Sie muss dringend Federal Agent Dominic Verrazzano sprechen, den man ihr empfohlen hat. Jedes Verbrechen, bei dem die Grenzen des amerikanischen Staates überschritten werden, liegt im Zuständigkeitsbereich seiner New Yorker Behörde Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Und Weston hat eine wichtige Botschaft. Aber bevor sie Verrazzano erreichen kann, wird sie tödlich verletzt, kann ihm nur noch einen kryptischen Zettel geben. Verrazzano, ehemaliger Elitesoldat und Söldner, nimmt die Ermittlungen und, wie es aussieht, auch den Kampf auf. Es geht um Giftgas, um einen Anschlag, und die Untersuchungen führen ihn und seine Kollegen schließlich nach Syrien, mitten in den Bürgerkrieg, zu einem Gelände voller Sarinfässer. Aber wer steckt wirklich hinter den dramatischen Anschlagsplänen und geht es hier tatsächlich um Syrien? Furios, voll komplexer Charaktere und überraschender Wendungen, actionreich und hochspannend – der erste Thriller von Matt Rees um den charismatischenFederal Agent Dominic Verrazzano

Genres: Thriller

363 pages, Paperback

First published August 9, 2016

About the author

I'm an award-winning writer of international thrillers, mysteries, and historical fiction. I'm giving away a FREE ebook THE THRILLER CHECKLIST, a no-nonsense guide to get your thriller written. Get it here: http://bit.ly/2r2jciK.

My novels have grown out of my career as a Middle East correspondent, which took me into culture very different from my own, and my love of history, which takes me into times very different from now. But those places and times aren't so completely different. I love to examine the emotions that connect you and me to people who live in distant places or distant times.

My books have been dramatized for BBC Radio and published in 25 languages. Along the way I picked up some major awards (a Crime Writers Association Dagger in the UK and a National Jewish Book Council finalist in the US)) and some nice compliments: major authors have compared my writing with the work of Graham Greene, John Le Carre, Georges Simenon and Henning Mankell.

Reviews

[Sean Peters (A Good Thriller) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Net Galley, the publishers and the author for an ARC Copy.

This book is a four star book.

A former Middle East foreign correspondent, Matt Rees is an expert on the war on terror. With his new ICE Thriller series, he opens the door to a part of United States Homeland Security that has rarely been explored before.

This fast-paced, action-packed first in a new thriller series from Rees—best known for The Fourth Assassin and three other crime novels featuring Palestinian sleuth Omar Yussef—introduces Dominic Verrazzano, a former Green Beret and current U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agent.

When a doctor specializing in chemical weapons is murdered on the doorstep of the ICE Manhattan offices while trying to reach Verrazzano, the agent becomes entangled in a mystery surrounding a plot to unleash a chemical attack somewhere in New York City.

Verrazzano travels from New York to Syria and back again battling a wide variety of bad guys every step of the way. It seemed like he was near death every few pages in this story, Threats ranged from sarin gas to drowning to every hazard in between.

My thoughts are great action story with a difference, well paced, great characters in his Ice Team.

I will look forward to the next in the series.

[Hermien · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping for an Omar Yussef type thriller in an interesting Middle Eastern setting but it was more US Special Agent superhero gets almost killed 50 times but still gets up to save the world. Having said that, it was not unenjoyable. Fans of Jack Reacher and Jason Bourne will like it.

[Zippergirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Up to the minute thriller with action torn straight from the today's headlines.

A dying woman's last words reveal a terrorist plot to launch a biological attack in the United States in the next few days. The team at Homeland Security frantically track a stockpile of deadly biological weapons hidden somewhere in Syria and headed for New York City.

Strong characters, including a band of combat buddies, locations that thrum with life, and prose that is a magnitude above the usual fare in the thriller genre makes this a recommended read for non-stop action fans.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Viva · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought the writing was awkward and hard to follow. This is what happens when the author tries too hard to make the writing edgy instead of connecting with the reader to make the story easy to understand and follow.

Just take the first three chapters. Each chapter deals with an event that starts in the middle and is not explained to the reader. Who are these characters? What is happening? These are fundamentals which the reader should not have to guess or read later in the book to find out.

What is even worse are the cliffhanger type endings to those 3 chapters.
Prologue: "Underwood didn't have the breath to scream."
Chapter 1: "The hooded man brought his pistol to her chest."
Chapter 2: "He swiped off the connection."
Chapter 3: "He hammered the button, and they dropped down."
and so on. So what happens next? You're supposed to be thrilled and rush on to read the next chapter. But unfortunately, the next chapter is about an unrelated event. These cliffhanger endings remind me of Hardy Boy books chapter endings.

Sorry, but the mixing up of the story, the awkward prose and style turned me off. I got this book as a free review copy.

[Kathy Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE DAMASCUS THREAT is an action-packed thrill ride. Agent Dominic Verrazzano needs to track down some pretty obscure clues to stop a chemical attack in New York. This twisty plot has a secret organization trying to bring the Middle East to war so that it can profit by selling weapons to all sides.

Verrazzano travels from New York to Syria and back again battling a wide variety of bad guys every step of the way. It seemed like he was near death every few pages in this story, Threats ranged from sarin gas to drowning to every hazard in between.

This story was told from multiple viewpoints including one of the villains, other agents working with Dominic, and some of the people who were manipulated into furthering the villain's plans.

I liked the fast pace. I liked the characters who weren't superheroes but good people trying to do the right thing in very difficult circumstances. This situation is solved but the ultimate villain lives to plot another day. I can't wait for the next book about Dominic Verrazzano.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a Goodreads giveaway.

I found the writing, quick, intelligent and the story line very believable. I read this in one day not wanting to put it down until I finished the book and see how it would end. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

So-so thriller about a former spec-ops operator now working for ICE...antagonist is a former commanding officer unbound by any morality now running a weapons company that champions the highest bidder...a "race-the-clock thriller to prevent a Sarin gas exposure in the US...Meh!

[Clipinchick · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this book for free from the author/publisher in response for an honest review of the book. This is a good thriller fast pace and lots of action very good book.

[dubh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Special Agent Dominic Verrazzano, ehemaliger Elitesoldat, arbeitet für die New Yorker Behörde Immigration und Customs Enforcement (ICE), als ihn Amy Weston kontaktiert. Die Ärztin, die auf die Behandlung von Opfern chemischer Kampfstoffe spezialisiert ist, kann Verrazzano allerdings nur noch eine Notiz mit Koordinaten geben und ihm ein paar Worte zuraunen - dann stirbt sie. Ihre Hinweise deuten auf einen Anschlag mit Giftgas hin...
Die Ermittlungen werden den Special Agent und seine Kollegen bis ins Bürgerkriegsland Syrien führen. Droht den USA ein Angriff mit Sarin? Doch was genau ist das Ziel und wer steckt hinter solch perfiden Plänen?

"Die Damaskus-Connection" startet mit einem Paukenschlag und von da an gibt es kein Halten mehr. Rasant treibt der Autor Matt Rees, den ich bislang von den Omar Jussuf-Krimis kannte, die Handlung voran und kennt dabei kein Zaudern: die schrittweisen Ermittlungsergebnisse lesen sich dabei wie die Grundlage möglicher aktueller Schlagzeilen und spitzen die Befürchtungen vor dem internationalen Terrorismus glaubhaft zu. Wer sich nun wundert, weil er/sie noch niemals von der ICE gehört hat: doch, diese Polizei- und Zollbehörde des Ministeriums für Innere Sicherheit gibt es tatsächlich! Sie wurde nach 9/11 neu strukturiert und ist eine der am stärksten verdeckt ermittelnden Strafverfolgungsbehörde der Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika.

Die Arbeit des Autors als Journalist im Nahen Osten trägt sicherlich dazu bei, Details glaubhaft zu schildern, ansonsten überzeugt dieser Thriller aber vor allem durch seine Actionlastigkeit und die Tatsache, das die Handlung vermutlich nicht so weit von der aktuellen politischen Lage entfernt sein dürfte. Wer allerdings zart besaitet ist, sollte sich die Lektüre gut überlegen. Nicht (nur), weil sie durchaus bestehende Ängste weiter schüren kann, sondern vor allem auch, weil Leichen den Weg pflastern... Diese Einschläge und die schnelle Schreibe Rees' trägt dazu bei, dass die Handlung rasend voranschreitet.
Zusätzlich zur packenden Story konnte mich auch vor allem die Hauptfigur überzeugen, denn Verrazzano ist in meinen Augen glaubhaft menschlich und gleichzeitig ein brillanter Ermittler - etwas, das bei solch spannenden Thrillern nicht immer unbedingt im Fokus steht.

Wer die Fälle von Omar Jussuf gelesen hat: "Die Damaskus-Connection" ist anders, deutlich actiongetrieben und vor allem augenscheinlich viel mehr in Schwarz/weiß-Denken verhaftet.

Fazit: Spannungsgeladener Thriller für alle, die gerne etwas über internationalen Terrorismus lesen.

[Kathy · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars. I expected better from the author of Omar Yussef quartet of novels. This is amateurish, and disjointed. Plus Verrazzano should have been dead about 5 times - no way, no matter how "special" the Special Ops training could he have survived some of the encounters.

[Gayle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action packed as a great read!


Current with today's headlines and a look at the dangers out there in these high tech times. Rees knows his stuff and brings us the reality of today's possibilities with rampant greed in play .

[Patricia Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Judie]

As Amy Weston, a doctor specializing in chemical weapons just back from Syria, rushes to Dominic Verrazzano’s office with a warning, she is attacked in the elevator. Verrazanno is a Special Agent in the ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement) department. Amy is able to provide a few words before she dies, but trying to interpret them will take some time. Time is something ICE doesn’t have much left. Verrazzano is able to find her killer who, after saying “I got the four-ten,” jumps to his death from a high buiding.
ICE is able to determine that there is a major chemical attack planned but they don’t have other details. Clues lead him to Syria where he is determined to learn who is behind the plot, where the chemical (the extremely deadly sarin gas) is being stored, what the target is, and when the attack is to take place.
As he dashes through Syria, people he meets keep getting murdered and he is beaten up regularly. Life in Syria is tenuous. After he spares the life of one man, the man tells him, “If you ever need anything...I’ll try to do it. Really, if I can, I’ll try.” “ In the Middle east a highly qualified promise was all you could expect for a life spared.” He isn’t able to really trust anyone, but he does learn the attack will be taking place in New York City.
THE DAMASCUS THREAT is action-packed and Matt Rees does know how to tell a good story. I found it hard to differentiate between the characters. Unfortunately, he weaves several threads simultaneously resulting in very short chapters and had some confusion trying to remember who was who. The story is very violent and the way Verrazanno is able to keep going instead of being in an intensive care unit pushes belief. It’s a stretch of the imagination to believe that he can stop two trained thugs who are trying to kill him. At another point, after almost dying in a brutal attack and being severely injured, he is still able to carry another injured man in a fireman’s lift and race with him to a departing airplane.
Trust plays a big part in the story. Rees notes: “Only the worst Americans were able to disguise the shame that came over them when they told an untruth. Most Americans grew up expecting honesty from others and consequently were guilt-ridden they engaged in deception. In less prosperous nations, the assumption was that everyone lied and the only way to avoid being taken for a sucker was to lie as well. The vocal cords of a dishonest American tightened with remorse, and the increase in pitch was like a shrieking klaxon to Verrazzaona’s ear.”
The man who recruits people to carry out his nefarious plans has no trouble lying. He picks his targets carefully–mostly US military veterans who have not received the services they need to return to normal lives. He tells one, “We’re not going to hurt anybody. We’re not going to steal....We’re taking back our dignity.”
At one point, he goes to a house which just suffered a huge fire caused by an arsonist pouting gasoline throughout. The explosion blew out the windows and the firs blackened the furniture, floor, and walls. As soon as the fire is extinguished, he enters the house and is able to walk up the stairs to the upper floor.
Rees has great command of his words. Examples: “The toughness leeched out of Browne’s eyes and grief replaced it. This wasn’t a real hard man. No one could keep up that act. It was like being bullied by yourself.” “His voice was so deep that it seemed to creep across the floor and vibrate up from Verrazzano’s feet through his entire body.”
Food for thought: “The thing about the past is it’s all ahead of you.’
I have been a huge fan of Matt Reese since I read his earliest book, a nonfiction called CAIN’S FIELD and have enjoyed all his Omar Yussaf mysteries as well as his books on Mozart and Caravaggio. I didn’t like THE DAMASCUS THREAT because of all the violence and unrealistic, superhuman survival abilities of Varrazzano and don’t plan to read any more in this series. However, I rated it according to how I think people who appreciate this genre would.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first is a new series by Matt Rees. Dominic Verrazzano is a special agent for Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE. When he learns of plans for a sarin attack in NYC, he contacts former colleagues in Syria. With too many suspicious deaths and unanswered questions, he races against time to prevent the attacks and on to apprehend the men behind it. I had read this author's series about a Palestinian detective a few years ago. This new series is very promising

[April Kelcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a fan of Joel C. Rosenberg's books about Middle East conflicts and so I was curious about this author and his style given he was a journalist assigned to the Middle East in the past. The unrelenting suspense may be just the thing for some readers, but I felt the story could use better pacing and more in the way of character development.

My biggest personal beef was what I considered the extreme overuse of the "f" word. It is a word that I am often willing to overlook when it is used more rarely and in cases where the context and some sort of extreme development makes it seem plausible. But for this author to have peppered it throughout each chapter not only became irritating and offensive, but it just became a literary filler word, like a speaker who says "ah" and "um" with every other word --- thereby having no impact on meaning or story development at all.

The main character also ends up being a little like Jack in the program "24" - e.g. never needs to eat, sleep, use the restroom. In my view he survives too many types of situations --- back-to-back --- to meet the credibility test, even for special ops.

[Jessica Rickert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book should be a movie! A fast paced thrill ride into a terrorist threat toward the US. The ending was shocking.


I won this book for free on the Good reads giveaways.

[Ray Palen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another ripped-from-the-headlines story about a chemical attack being planned for NYC. It is up to Middle East foreign correspondent, Matt Rees, to put together a tale that is frighteningly plausible.

Homeland Security and ICE Special Agent Dominic Verrazzano may be the only person standing between this deadly attack and the deadly forces conspiring to unleash it. A decent thriller just below the Brad Thor and Tom Clancy level.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was fast paced, full of action, and kept me interested the whole time. I liked the main character and the supporting characters gave the book a nice balance. Often times in books like this there are absolutely no women, but there were a couple of really awesome female characters. I'd have liked a little more back story, or even some slower scenes that would allow us to just get to know Varrazzano and the other characters a bit more. Overall a great book, I liked that the storyline seemed plausible...makes it even more thrilling to read. Look forward to the next book in this series. * I won this book from a goodreads giveaway

[Judie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Damascus Threat gets 4 stars because it's a good thriller and would make a good movie. However, I prefer the Omar Yussef series - I'm not that keen on thrillers.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grabbed my attention right away. I loved this book

[Shanoe]

Mehr als 30 Seiten hab ich nicht geschafft, dann hatte ich keine Lust mehr. Die Versatzstücke zu Beginn passen nicht zusammen, als Leser werden bei mir viel mehr Fragen aufgeworfen, als Antworten gegeben und weil ich die Charaktere nicht kenne, kann ich auch nicht mitfiebern. Ich hätte es wahrscheinlich besser gefunden, wenn nach dem Prolog gleich Verrazzano gekommen wäre, das erste Kapitel hat es überhaupt nicht gebraucht und hat mich nur frustriert.