Riveting maritime drama with explosively high stakes and a consistent edge of gritty realism, Indies Inferno by Edward M. Hochsmann is a military procedural flavored with a romantically entangled and unforgettable crew. The experienced pros onboard the Coast Guard cutter Kauai face another deadly challenge, but outsmarting a group of radical environmentalists is just the beginning of their high-seas heroics. When a natural disaster interrupts a classified mission, the crew must balance duty to their country with the humane responsibility to preserve life. Boosted in believability by the author’s own experience, the prose is immersive, the action is steeped in authentic suspense, and the dialogue crackles with realism. Drawing on diverse themes of emotional attachment, patriotism, the trauma of disaster, and law enforcement ethics, this latest installment of Hochsmann’s series is a multifaceted and gripping read.

https://www.independentreviewofbooks.com/indies-inferno-by-edward-m-hochsmann/ 

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The adrenaline-fueled action of this new sea adventure for the crew of the USCG Cutter Kauai will keep readers glued to the page!

Indies Inferno is the fifth book in the talented Edward M. Hochsmann’s highly entertaining action series, the Cutter Kauai Sea Adventures, as the entire crew returns for their next special operation. From emergency rescue operations to circumventing terrorist activities, it is all in a day’s work for this versatile and dedicated group of men and women.

Lt. Haley Reardon is back as the Kauai’s captain, and with a couple of high-adrenaline missions under her belt, she has confidently settled into her command. Although she relies on her XO’s experienced opinions, she is a much more seasoned leader now. I was impressed by how she always maintained a considered balance between her hard-won career and her off-duty life, yet I was sad that she often felt the need to disregard the personal for the professional. We’ve come a long way, baby, but I guess this is still pretty close to reality, and I can’t imagine her male counterparts having to consider some of these basic restrictions. However, things may be making a change for the better.

The author captures and conveys the emotional toll experienced by all military families when their loved one is on duty, both from the families’ points of view of not knowing what their loved one is undergoing and from the service member who is deployed and unable to be there at the home when needed at times. Case in point: poor Victoria Wyporek is really put through the wringer on this one. However, this mission is a little different than the previous ones; several couples are involved in romantic relationships in the operation, and all are in harm’s way. The result really intensifies the emotional impact of the plot.

As with the previous books, the author introduces civilian readers to the daily life, language, protocols, and routine aboard a Coast Guard vessel and service. Getting an authentic peek into the crew members’ day-to-day lives and the Kauai crew’s unpredictable and random range of assignments continues to fascinate me.

The plot is fast-paced, and the sheer range of tasks the Kauai performs in this book is mind-boggling but probably not far off the mark. The author has a knack for immersing a reader into the current operation with descriptions that put you right into the action. In this series of assignments, the danger levels are consistently high, and the action hits the ground running. Tension mounts with each successive operation, especially when the story moves to St. Ignatius and the Ile Oiseau. The crew literally takes a licking and keeps on ticking!

I recommend INDIES INFERNO to readers of military action-adventure stories, especially those who enjoy tales of the Coast Guard and fans of the series.

Karan Siddall

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