Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

James Houston Turner’s Into the Eye delivers a resonant, fast-paced thriller about human trafficking that will put readers on the edge of their seats. Former KGB colonel Aleksandr Talanov and the covert KTAC team under the command of Bill Wilcox, Talanov’s mentor, are dispatched to Africa to rescue Dr. Shawni Juma, an American virologist who has been gathering evidence on human trafficking involving Istvan Szabo, a dubious philanthropist and former colleague of Talanov. Warlord Ojo Mutebi has captured her. The mission should have been an easy one, given the amount of research and intel Talanov has received, but a traitor opens fire inside the helicopter and sabotages it. Talanov is believed to have died, but he fights for survival while uncovering a dangerous alliance between Istvan Szabo and Mutebi. With the rescue mission being complicated by Larisa, a former human trafficking victim who joined the team in a quest for truth, can Talanov bring this mission to completion and success?

James Houston Turner’s storytelling is a masterclass in sustained tension, combining breakneck pacing with unexpected, unrelenting action that includes precision airstrikes, nighttime helicopter extractions, and brutal close-quarters combat, all rendered with cinematic clarity. The characters are rock-solid, and Talanov is a flawed hero whose stoic exterior hides his grief. Larisa and Shawni demonstrate sacrificial courage that rejects victimhood. The eclectic KTAC team, including the sharp-tongued hacker Jingfei and the unbeatable pilot Gator, brings more color and life to the story. Into the Eye is told in an irresistible voice, with terrific descriptions of the scenes and landscapes. The author skillfully explores the corruption of power, the hazardous path to redemption, and the horrors of human trafficking. I haven’t read a novel that is as searing in its examination of the cost of fighting evil.