Hard Rain

By David Rollins

Book Overview

Thought process

Colonel Emmet Portman doesn't just die in his Istanbul apartment - he's arranged there. Bones missing, body staged like a message meant to be read. When U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations agent Vin Cooper gets the call, he's still nursing a fiberglass cast and a mouth that's gotten him in more trouble than it's gotten him out of. His new partner is Special Agent Anna Masters - the woman he used to love, now assigned to keep him in line. Neither of them is thrilled about the arrangement.

Then a second body turns up, missing bones of its own, and Istanbul police are quick to call it the work of a serial killer working the diplomatic quarter. Cooper isn't buying it. Serial killers don't leave calling cards this deliberate. Someone wants this investigation pointed in exactly the wrong direction.

Cooper and Masters pull the thread anyway, and it unravels fast - into gunrunners moving weapons through the Bosphorus, a cache of stolen military explosives nobody wants found, and a boat that went down in the strait taking its crew with it, no distress call, no survivors, no clean explanation. Every lead they chase peels back another layer of cover-up, and every layer gets more radioactive - literally. Because underneath the murders, underneath the staged crime scenes and the bureaucratic stonewalling, is the real nightmare: American nuclear material is leaking into the water within reach of the Iranian border, and somebody is willing to kill anyone who gets close to proving it.

The clock isn't ticking toward an explosion. It's ticking toward something worse - the kind of leak that doesn't announce itself until it's already too late, in a place where the wrong government finding out first could set off a chain reaction with no off switch.

Cooper's got the wisecracks and the scars from a dozen fights he shouldn't have survived, and this time he's got nothing left to lose. Between him and Masters - and whatever's still unresolved between them - this is the case that will decide whether "acceptable losses" includes both of them.

Hard Rain is Vin Cooper at his sharpest: a body count that keeps climbing, a conspiracy with global stakes, and a hero who won't stop digging even when everyone around him wants the hole covered back up.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1764736087
• ISBN13: 9781764736084
• Release Date: July 2026
• Publisher: Source Marketing Pty Ltd
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 1.11 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A thoroughly entertaining suspense thriller.

A thoroughly entertaining suspense thriller. David Rollins' Hard Rain is a well crafted suspense thriller that will keep the reader engaged from the opening chapter to the closing paragraph. Lots of action but not at the expense of the intricate plot. Mr. Rollins keeps the story moving at warp speed with more twists and turns than a roller coaster. The genius of a David Rollins story is he keeps the reader guessing as to just where the complex tale is going, but he does it in such an entertaining way. He also uses skillful character interaction to give the story depth. Life is more than a story, it is people and how they interact to situations and with each other. This is what makes a David Rollins novel fun. The basic thesis of Hard Rain revolves around a series of grisly deaths. Why did these people die and more to the point WHO killed them. Wisecracking OSI Special Agent Vin Cooper is once again joined with gorgeous fellow agent Anna Masters in Turkey to try and figure out who is killing American military and civilian contract personnel. The deaths are brutal and seemingly unconnected. Slowly Cooper and Masters begin to put together what the heck is going on; and the truth is beyond shocking. In fact, it is unbelievable if true. Still the dynamic duo press on only to meet with horrific violence, false leads, strange psychopaths, traitors, and interesting local characters. The book will leave the reader breathless as Mr. Rollins weaves a terrific story from start to finish. Unlike many novels of this genre there is a satisfactory conclusion which should leave the reader sated. Some very graphic violence and sex but germane to the overall character of the novel. No gratuitous language. Outstanding character development on all levels. I liked how Mr. Rollins introduced many peripheral characters and successfully wove them into the complex storyline. He did a superb job of fleshing out all the characters he introduced. His knack for this is very refreshing. The interaction between Cooper and Masters screams for more stories with them but the ending was ambivalent on this point. Hopefully, Mr. Rollins will keep the duo together for a few more tales. Strong recommend. David Rollins is one of the rising stars in the suspense mystery genre. He writes with force and depth with strong intricate plots. Sadly, the price of hardback books today is in many ways cost prohibitive so check out your local library for a copy or wait for the expensive paperback. That's what I do.

This guy is great!

This is the third novel I have read from Rollins. He's great. What really distinguishes his writing is how he wraps a great tale with doeses of sly humor. Now don't get me wrong--if I were to read this comment without knowing anything about Rollins writing, I'd say I am looking for adventure, etc....not a bunch of jokes. But somehow Rollins is able to create a tense page-turner that ever so often gets your smiling. To be truthful I loved his first book and I loved this one The one in between was a little over the top in terms of realism. I am glad Rollins is a little more grounded in this volume. You won't be disappointed buying and reading this book.

Awesome Read

Right on the money for how the OSI works, surely he was there as he wrote!! Every bit as good as his first two novels and David Rollins is now on my list of favorite authors.

Great Thriller

When first introduced to "Hard Rain"--the latest installment to the Vin Cooper series--I had no idea what to expect. Assuming that the book was going to be a typical military thriller was a huge mistake on my part. I never imagined that from the first few pages I would become glued to the book, racing along with Cooper and his partner as they met one disastrous situation after another. When the US attaché to Turkey is murdered in gruesome fashion, Air Force Special Agent Vin Cooper and his partner--and ex-lover--Special Agent Anna Masters are tasked with solving the crime. In a foreign country, with little to go on and clear communication barriers, Vin and Masters do their best to keep the trail from drying up. The discovery of another body with ties to the US attaché seems to be a hopeful step in solving the crimes. However, as Vin and Masters soon discover nothing is straightforward in this case and trusting anyone could be life-changing mistake. Overflowing with quick wit, sharp sarcasm and unanticipated jokes had me often stifling the giggles as the marriage between comedy and danger blend perfectly. With a staggering ending, even a reading warrior couldn't have anticipated, Rollins has produced an international gem. This book is proof positive that you should never judge one by its cover. [...]

Exciting

Investigating the murder of a U.S. attaché to Turkey, 34 year old Vin Cooper, a wise-cracking and humorous Special Agent, teams up with former lover, Anna Masters, to uncover a shadowy organization dedicated to toppling certain powers in the Middle East. This is actually the first David Rollins novel I've read and found it to be both exciting and entertaining. Some of the situations that Vin Cooper and Anna Masters put themselves in seemed a bit ignorant, but they always seemed to get out of it. It's a little over the top but it's still a great ride. I liked the writing style and the humor. This author will go on my list.