The Chameleon is a work of thriller fiction by Ron McManus. India is mobilizing on Pakistan’s border, threatening to escalate the long-simmering dispute over control of the region of Kashmir. Pakistan reacts by activating a deployment of its tactical nuclear weapons arsenal in preparation for war with India. Fears over the security of Pakistan’s weapons grow as reports surface that a shadowy figure, the Chameleon, will attempt to steal a nuclear warhead during the deployment. Jake Palmer is in Islamabad, Pakistan, operating for a top-secret US Joint Special Operations Command team. Palmer and his JSOC partner, Alona Green, are assigned to find a suspected mole in their ranks that is feeding information to Pakistani intelligence. Pakistan’s threatened deployment of its nuclear weapon arsenal against India raises the urgency to frantic levels. The countdown has begun to prevent the world’s first act of nuclear terrorism as Palmer and Green risk life and limb to uncover the Chameleon and thwart his plans.

Ron McManus delivers an international action and adventure thriller, masterfully researched and crafted for an exhilarating ride. His ongoing character from previous award-winning works, Jake Palmer, guides us through a compelling world of espionage and danger. Managing to weave a love story and personal conflict into the heart-stopping action, McManus proves himself a master of the genre. Jake Palmer and Alona Green are carried along in brilliantly detailed situations with no clouding of the overarching plot. Step by step, the drama intensifies with every chapter, and the reader appreciates the short chapters for a respite and chance to draw a breath. This is the hallmark of a brilliant reading experience. The Chameleon is a book you want to place high on your list of thrillers and suspense experiences. I stand in awe of Ron McManus's writing and I thank him for making my reading of The Chameleon a pure pleasure.

The Chameleon is the second novel in the Jake Palmer series by Ron McManus. Jake Palmer used to be a US Navy SEAL, but now he works for the US Joint Special Operations Command or JSOC. Nothing surprised Jake anymore, but when he was told that his next assignment was in Islamabad, Pakistan Jake was speechless. Jake would be joined by his new partner Alona Green to do the impossible. As Pakistan and India were gearing up to start a war over the Kashmir dispute, there was a threat of a nuclear weapon being used in the chaos. However, the biggest worry for Jake came in the form of a mysterious man called the Chameleon. The Chameleon wanted to use the nuclear warhead as a terrorist weapon and shoot it somewhere else to do more damage. Jake was in a race against time to find out who the Chameleon was and stop him before he unleashed a terrible weapon.

The Chameleon is packed with action and mystery. Ron McManus did a good job with Jake’s character. Jake was still the stoic, simple yet very jaded man who had seen far too much in his life. Jake wanted to give one hundred percent to the job, but he had no idea things would escalate that quickly. The mystery behind the Chameleon was handled incredibly well, and the author made sure to keep his identity hidden until the very last moment. Alona’s character was truly one of my favorites. She was smart, a little bit vulnerable at times, but she was a fighter. The dialogues between her and Jake were very interesting, but nothing could have prepared me for her ending dialogues with Aaliyah. Aaliyah's character had potential, and I hope the author brings her into future novels as well. Of course, the descriptions and narrative were perfect for the story. I have high expectations from Ron McManus, and he always delivers!