This was a strong seventh entry in the Rogue Warrior Thriller series, it had that element that I enjoyed from the previous six books. The characters were everything that I wanted and enjoyed the way they flowed with the plot of the book. Ian Loome has a strong writing style and glad I got to read this.

Bob continues on his vagabond journey, hiding in plain sight from the CIA that is hunting him.  When he fell off the wagon a local cop, Mike Schultz, in Portland, Maine, helped get back into an AA group and he continues to take strides to hold onto his sobriety.  But now it seems that it's Mike who is in a bit of a pickle.  It would appear a body from a crash site has disappeared!

Bob soon finds himself up to his neck in espionage, sleeper cells, and he has "acquired" an assistant of sorts. One with a very personal stake in solving the riddle of the missing body.

I really enjoy my outings with Bob and Co.  He's a man fully aware of his failings and is finally happy to use his skills in the name of good.  He'd rather not get back onto the radar of the CIA doing it, however. Dawn and Marcus continue to be his cornerstone, the people who keep him grounded and remind him of what a long way he has come.

There were plenty of twists and turns and I really did feel for poor Mike. Even one of the sleeper agents managed to elicit some sympathy from me.  The lies, fibs and half-truths are flowing freely and Bob is left wondering if he'll ever sort out the mess.

For an ex-CIA assassin, Bob Singleton ends up killing a lot of people. He also makes some stupid mistakes for someone who has survived CIA hit squads coming for him as they clean house over issues from the past.

These days, Bob is working as a roofer and determined to stay sober. His sponsor, Mike, calls him drunk and the book unravels from there. Mike is on leave from the police after losing a body from a crash site and as Bob starts investigating to help him get his job back, he gets caught up in a Russian spy ring.

The book has a lot of themes of family and patriotism. Does your upbringing make you a killer? For Bob and Nikolai, it did but they are also very different people. One enjoys killing, one sees it as righting the world of bad people. The spies also were also brought up in that world, with few of them having a choice in staying in it.

As for Uncle, I worked that out earlier than Bob did. Although by the time you get that far into the book, there are not a lot of people left who could be Uncle. I did find I enjoyed the book more once we got around halfway and Bob's old boss shows up with an offer of a truce and potentially removing the hit on Bob. It was action packed the whole way though but I enjoyed the back and forth with Eddie even if it was mostly them threatening to kill each other constantly.

Thanks to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the copy for review. Body Count is available on January 19th.

Body Count by Ian Loome
Rogue Warrior #7

Another intense, action-packed, riveting read that had me flipping pages as fast as possible to see how Bob would manage to help his friend in this episode of his life ~ Couldn’t put it down

What I liked:
* Bob Singleton: ex-military, ex-CIA assassin, recovering alcoholic, strong, lethal, has his own moral compass, protective, good friend, willing to do what it takes, intriguing, well trained, survivor
* Mike Schultz: Bob’s sponsor, police sergeant, family man, good friend, in a bit of trouble, asks for Bob’s help, a good person
* Rachel McGee: lawyer, JAG officer, AWOL, mid-twenties, worried about her grandfather, intense, focused, supportive, wonder if she will be seen or heard from in the future
* The Russian Sleeper aspect of the story and being glad I have never had to deal with it
* Finding out a little bit about how Dawn and Marcus from a previous book are doing
* Learning more about Bob and his past with each book and watching him make sense of his current life and where he fits into the world
* That I respect Bob and what he does to help those he considers friends
* Being able to thoroughly dislike his old “handler-boss” and hope Bob can evade him forever
* The twists and turns and how Bob came up with a solution that worked by the end of this episode
* Thinking about where Bob will end up next and what person he will decide to help
* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing
* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about how it must have been to be raised by an embedded Russian sleeper agent and how conflicted they might end upbeing
* The ruthlessness of some of the characters – both American and Russian

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the ARC – this is my honest review

5 Stars

I really enjoyed this book, such a thrilling story line and great character building. I could not put it down.

For those of you that loved the americans. Body Count by Ian Loome could be something to enjoy. Bob Singleton aka Rogue Warrior is still hunted by the CIA amongst others, and his friend is only asking for a little help with a missing body at the scene of a road accident. Easy right? Well Bob soon suspects that the missing man is a russian sleeper and no one believes him until more russians appear in the small community. Even his old boss at the CIA believes him and are willing to stop the hunt for him. I really like this series and the struggles Loome puts Bob through. I must thank Inkubator Books and Netgalley for letting me read this advance copy, out in stores this January.

This book is well written, easy to read, and has very good characters. Unfortunately, the entertainment value drops with strange actions and incredibly stupid tactics from the main character and his sidekick.

Ian Loome delivers another electrifying installment with Body Count, a gripping thriller packed with suspense, action, and intrigue. Former CIA assassin Bob Singleton returns to the fray, and this time, he’s helping an old friend whose career is on the line after a body mysteriously vanishes from an accident scene.

From the opening pages, the story propels readers into a whirlwind of tension and danger. Singleton's pursuit of answers leads him to uncover a deadly conspiracy involving a Russian sleeper cell, forcing him to navigate a treacherous path filled with twists and betrayals. Loome masterfully balances high-stakes action with character-driven moments, making Singleton not just a relentless operative but also a deeply relatable hero.

The pacing is tight, with scenes that immerse you so deeply you can almost hear the crack of gunfire or feel the crunch of leaves underfoot during tense chases. The twists keep you guessing until the very end, and the stakes feel incredibly real as Singleton battles not only external enemies but also his own demons.

Highlights:

The suspenseful and well-designed plot, which keeps the story moving at a breakneck pace.
Loome’s vivid descriptions that make you feel like you’re right in the middle of the action.
The way the story ties up all its threads, offering a satisfying conclusion without loose ends.
Final Thoughts:
Body Count can be read as a standalone, but fans of the series will appreciate how it builds on Bob Singleton’s journey. With its action-packed narrative, sharp dialogue, and engaging characters, this is a must-read for thriller enthusiasts.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I couldn’t put this book down and highly recommend it to anyone who loves fast-paced, heart-pounding thrillers!

A Russian sleeper cell. A deadly conspiracy. Bob is on the warpath. Ex CIA assassin Bob Singleton agrees to help out an old friend, a police officer whose career is on the line when a body goes missing from an accident scene!! Great book and series! Each book can be read as a stand alone! This book had great suspense, action packed, murder, mystery and a great who done it! The story was very interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book and series! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

A good addition to the series. The protagonist jumps in to help a friend. Then the rules change and he must find a Russian bad guy in order to get the dogs off his own tale. We’ll-designed story moves at a good pace.

Very good, all stories were wrapped up for the ending which is so nice when your invested. I did listen to this on the kindle app on my iphone and was so invested and felt like I was in the book with them. Running through the woods, ducking behind the truck. Did take me a few days to read, will be rereading this once its out., Thank you