The Sniper

Book excerpt: Jason Bourne meets John McClane in this electrifying thriller about a special-forces sniper and a seasoned homicide detective who get caught up in a criminal conspiracy that involves the highest levels of power. Twelve days before retirement, Taipei police detective Wu is handed a curious case: a naval officer has been found dead in his hotel room. While it is immediately apparent to Wu that the officer has been murdered, the military insist it was suicide and want the case closed with no questions asked. Soon, however, more high-ranking officers turn up dead, and Wu realizes he has a full-blown conspiracy on his hands. Meanwhile in Italy, Alex, a young Taiwanese sniper, ex-Marine, ex–French Foreign Legion, and currently a fried-rice chef in Manarola, is called back into service. Ordered by his handler to assassinate a high-level Taiwanese government advisor in Rome, he soon finds himself on the run, hunted across Europe by his old brothers-in-arms.