A review of “Soft Target (Major Crimes Unit Book 1)” by Iain Rob Wright

Full disclosure – I was provided an advanced reader’s copy of this book by the author or their representative but have voluntarily provided a review.

Scars of the past, Demons of the present

Sarah Stone has an ax to grind with the United Kingdom. A once decorated Captain serving in the Middle East, Sarah was respected and devoted to fighting the “good fight” against terrorism. The daughter of a beloved Major and the only woman to pass the SAS entrance exam, Stone was a force to be reckoned with.  But after an ambush takes out her entire team and leaves her at the mercy of the enemy, Sarah returns home an empty, broken shell of the woman she once was. When she gets an unexpected opportunity to join a secret government operation she initially refuses. Why would she want to continue to help a country that left her for dead?  But as the terror comes to her home soil, perpetrated by the most unlikely of persons alongside whispers of a name she thought she left behind in the deserts of Afghanistan, Sarah finds herself once again drawn into the fray.  For better or for worse and with vengeance on her mind, Sarah immerses herself back into the world she never wanted to see again to fight against a very real enemy and protect the country she calls home.

I first read Soft Target about 5 years ago; back when my only motivation was to read a good story and escape from the tedium of my office job. Rereading it again so many years later has really proven how great of a series this is. While the events of 911 are long over, the memory is still very raw for many people. Wright does an amazing job of harnessing the fear, uncertainty, and chaos of that time. Sarah is both a character that you love and hate. A product of her environment, Sarah has only known loss and pain. The daughter of a decorated SAS officer, Sarah is never good enough to live up to the expectations of Major Stone. The MCU is a brilliant imagining of a secret government facility known to some but hidden from all. Wright’s description of “The Earthworm” was so vivid, it was very easy to imagine myself walking along those secret corridors.

While not a new story or even a new concept, Soft Target is a story with staying power. What impresses me most about this series is that Iain Rob Wright is primarily known for his horror stories, but with Soft Target, he has proven just how diverse he is. If you are looking for a faced paced story with compelling characters and a familiar setting that will have you glued to the pages, I highly recommend Soft Target.