In Paradigm Shift by Ron Sherkin, Ewa is a spy in training, watching a handoff of information, when she makes a rookie mistake upon confronting her target and gets headbutted for her trouble. Her boss, Asher, is quick to counsel Ewa after she receives a painful lesson in spycraft. Asher is well acquainted with the perils of espionage and how trust is a disposable commodity in their business. Ewa shows potential and will be an asset to Asher’s team, which includes the loyal and reliable Haymishe. Asher learns to his consternation that his squad is to be sent to Colombia on a mission to learn more about “Devil’s Breath”, a potent drug with mind control capabilities. The mission comes with considerable danger as the men behind the drug’s proliferation are a cartel that Asher has clashed with in the past. Asher will need to heed his own advice regarding trust and how never to underestimate an adversary.

Paradigm Shift is a rousing and well-crafted spy novel wherein Jericho Asher must complete a fateful mission that involves confronting ghosts from his past. Asher distinguishes himself as a wise and effective team leader who would take a bullet for any man or woman he leads. Asher’s imperfections, such as a weakness for seductive women, make him an imperfect yet believable character. Asher’s opponents include the patriarch of a crime family and the son who is heir to the criminal throne. The perpetual drug wars have been written about in countless books and movies, but author Ron Sherkin provides this well-conceived narrative with a modern-era type of drug and an eclectic team of operatives aiming to eradicate the menace. This book will resonate with fans of books such as Clear and Present Danger and TV shows such as Narcos.

Asher Jericho, an elite operative, and his team—Haymishe and the rookie Ewa—receive an assignment in Colombia to investigate a new, dangerous drug called scopolamine or the ‘Devil’s Breath.’ Asher has mixed feelings about it, particularly because of his bad history with the country. He had sworn never to return to Colombia. However, he accepts the assignment out of loyalty to his boss and the urge to settle unfinished business. As the team heads to South America, they must first make a detour to Argentina for a secondary assignment, which entails investigating a disgraced organizational official. However, Asher barely lasts a day in Buenos Aires before he receives bold threats from the ghosts of his past, the biggest one being a Colombian drug cartel empire called the Soto family. What awaits Asher in Colombia? Find out in Paradigm Shift by Ron Sherkin.

The fast-paced plot relies on a third-person limited perspective and dialogue filled with banter and tension. The conversations captured both the camaraderie of the group and their underlying pensive mood, born of cynicism toward the dangerous drug world they were navigating and the high stakes they were facing. One moment, I was watching Asher’s team enjoying light moments at a bar. The next thing I knew, my heart would be pounding as I followed them, rushing to rescue an abducted member or step into a gun confrontation. Asher is an intelligent, top-ranking operative whose flaws add complexity to his character. His appetite for women, especially those involved in his investigations, often leaves him prone to clouded judgment. Lovers of espionage thrillers blended with crime will find Paradigm Shift by Ron Sherkin an enthralling read.