Foreign agent" by Brad Thor

"Foreign agent" by  Brad Thor - Wasted potential. 

This book is published by  Simon & Schuster India in 2016 and has 352 pages. This is Book 15 of Scott Harvath series. 

An operation in Syria,  based on intel acquired by Scott Harvath, goes horribly wrong. US secretary of defence is assassinated in Turkey. A Russian,  posing as ISIS commander, is behind it. Harvath is assigned the charge. Senator Wells (Chairman of Senate intelligence committee) dreams to be the next President of America. 

How did the mission go wrong? Why is the Russian posing as ISIS commander? What is Russia's plot? Can Harvath save the day? Does he have a chance with Laura?

Book starts with a bang. It is followed up with more bangs. The reader is hooked. Once this much is done author only has to maintain the tempo and meet the expectations to keep the graph climbing. However,  this is exactly where the author falters. 

The second half of book,  though good in general,  falls short of expectations. The big show down between Scott Harvath & Sasha Basayev turns out to be a non event. Readers expect a lot but nothing happens. 

Senator Wells & Rebecca also create anticipation but it too turns out to be a non event. Rebecca's character has promise all along but becomes an absurd one in the end. If author had kept her in contention, she could have been a formidable adversary for next book. 

Alexandra Ivanova, who appeared in one of the previous book,  makes a guest appearance for no reason and disappears for no reason. 

In short author has created potential in story and characterization but falls short of finish line. 

Why did I read this book? Brad Thor.  

What I didn't like? Culmination.    

What did I like? Build up.

Not a must read.