The Final Twist

Colter Shaw, a skilled tracker and survivalist, hunts missing persons for reward money, often working at the edge of the law. Dubbed "the restless man" by his father, Ashton Shaw, the work doesn't pay much but suits his adventurous lifestyle. In this third book of the series, while searching for a missing Latino woman, Colter Shaw is drawn into a deeper confrontation with BlackBridge Corporate Solutions, the shadowy firm responsible for his father's death. The hunt for the woman soon becomes secondary as Colter uncovers BlackBridge's dangerous reach, pulling him into a tangled web of corporate espionage and personal vendetta. Haunted by his father's legacy and driven by a need for justice, Colter must balance his quest for answers with show more his commitment to helping those in need, all while navigating the fine line between the law and his own code of honor.

Using the map his father, Ashton Shaw, left in a cave on Echo Ridge near the Shaw compound, Colter has been following clues to find evidence of BlackBridge's latest despicable operation called Urban Improvement Plan (UIP), which floods targeted neighborhoods with free and cheap opioids, fentanyl, and meth. After addiction soars, developers sweep in and buy up the land for next to nothing. While operating from one of Ashton's safe houses in San Francisco, Shaw is cornered by BlackBridge's operatives, Ebbitt Droon and Braxton, who are prepared to torture him to find out what he knows when Colter's brother, Russell, turns up out of the blue and intervenes, saving his life.

Russell, who went missing from the Compound before their father's death, now seems to be a part of a special ops group with endless resources, so the brothers team up to take BlackBridge down while mending their tenuous relationship.

The action keeps readers hooked, especially in scenes like the one when Colter and Russell are ambushed by BlackBridge operatives, forcing them to improvise an escape and outwit their pursuers. The author's decision to leave readers in the dark during these conflicts—revealing Colter's and Russell's strategies only in the following chapters—effectively builds suspense and encourages readers to keep turning the pages. I particularly appreciated how this installment delves deeper into Shaw's background, such as uncovering the significance of the map Ashton Shaw left behind and exploring the strained dynamics between Colter and Russell, which adds emotional depth to the story and helps readers understand the motivations behind their quest. show less

The Final Twist by Jeffery Deaver is a highly recommended thriller and the third novel featuring Colter Shaw.

Colter, a professional seeker of missing people for the reward money, finds himself in San Francisco. He is following clues his father left in his search for the missing courier bag containing evidence that will bring down BlackBridge Corporate Solutions, a firm responsible for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of deaths. While searching he knows he is being followed by operatives that are Blackbridge enforcers who are out to kill him. Shockingly a figure from his past surfaces, his estranged older brother, Russell, who has a team of his own. They work together to take down Blackbridge and save a family who is slated to die. If that show more isn't enough, Colter also begins searching for missing person Tessy Vasquez for her mother, Maria.

The first two novels featuring Colter Shaw are The Never Game and The Goodbye Man. Unfortunately, I haven't read either of these novels but that didn't curtail my enjoyment of The Final Twist. There is enough background information provided that you can follow the action and have all the background information you need. The action is non-stop and there are plenty of deceiving clues and twists to keep you glued to the pages in order to keep track of everything going on and try to figure out what exactly is going on. This is a complicated thriller full of action, mystery, and danger. It is a well-written thriller that you will be hard press to put down.

Colter is a well-developed character. Even without reading the first two books, I felt I had a good handle on who he is, his background, and what is important to him. Throughout the novel are words of wisdom his father imparted to his children. Some of these lessons and admonitions are surprising, but not in relationship to Colter's upbringing and they had a profound effect on his character and how he thinks and views the world.

All in all this is good escapism and an exciting thriller that will make the time fly by while reading.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Penguin Random House in exchange for my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2021/04/the-final-twist.html
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3966143163 show less

Twist After Twist
Review of the G.P Putnam's Sons eBook edition (May 11, 2021) released simultaneously with the hardcover and audiobook.

But Shaw believed there was another reason, a more important one, that Ashton had brought the eagle to San Francisco. It was the clearest message yet that Father wanted Colter, of all his children, to carry on his mission.

In a way this novel marks the conclusion of a Colter Shaw trilogy. Both of the preceding two novels had flashbacks and early clues towards the unsolved death and likely murder of Colter's father Ashton Shaw. With A Final Twist, that storyline comes to a conclusion.

The clues now lead Shaw to San Francisco and the search for a hidden object which is also being sought by a conspiracy of show more corporate culprits and their hired thugs. I can't get very spoilery about that but the object is something which would have a dramatic effect on politics and business in California. There are so many opposing forces in this one, that Colter needs allies and several surprises do appear, again of whom it would be spoilery to say anything further.

If anything, this book was kind of over the top with the number of trapped situations, sudden escapes, near-death reveals, surprise resurrections, sleight-of-hand deceptions etc. which were used. Sometimes in media res situations gave us flash-forwards for which the background and the context was only explained a chapter or even half a book later. For example, a character named "Nita" appears late in the book out of nowhere, and I had to stop and think "Who is Nita?". A Kindle word search revealed that she was the woman at the immediate beginning of the book whom Colter had been in the process of rescuing.

In any case, this was a satisfactory conclusion to the trilogy and I think it was fortunate that I read the 3 novels right after each other, rather than a year apart. So many of the background characters were more easily memorable this way.

I've been reading the Colter Shaw series after being introduced to the character in the recent Tracker TV series. I have already read (listened to) the 4th novel Hunting Time (2022) through an Audible Sale, so currently there are no further books in the pipeline. I can't imagine Deaver has retired the character though, given the likelihood of increased popular interest from the TV adaptation.

Soundtrack
There was only the briefest of mentions about Colter Shaw's interest in guitar players which said: "Shaw’s own personal favorite guitarist was the Australian Tommy Emmanuel, who seemed to pry an entire orchestra from his git-fiddle." I had never heard of that musician previously, so had to look him up. It really is very stunning acoustic guitar playing. You can hear extended samples of his playing on YouTube here or on Spotify here.

Trivia and Links
Watch the extended trailer for the Colter Shaw Tracker TV series on YouTube here. The series has been renewed for a Season 2 after the shortened 13-episode Season 1. It is actually filmed in British Columbia, Canada although it is an American TV series on the CBS network. show less

I loved Colter and his brother Russell. I love all the twists and turns in this fantastic thriller. I could not put this book down.

My thanks to the Author publisher's and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
Quality writing and entertainment as you would expect from this master storyteller. This is the third book in this series and while there are numerous references to previous adventures this in no way spoilt my enjoyment of this excellent read. Almost nonstop action with plenty of clever twists and surprises along the way.
Completely recommended.

The Final Twist is the third outing in the Coulter Shaw series by Jeffery Deaver which was first published in 2021. With this book we see more of Shaw and his family, as he continues to look into the reasons why his father was murdered.

Coulter Shaw has found his father’s San Fransico safe house and as he explore the house he sets off an IED. Which does not really come as a surprise because that was very much his father’s way. Shaw is back on the hunt for his father’s murderers and knows that he has to find out what BlackBridge want and being in San Fransico he is inside the lion’s mouth.

Shaw also has realised that he is being followed by more than one person. But he knows he must visit a library to find the clues it says that show more are there. What he does not realise that this is nothing more than a BlackBridge front until it is too late. He is fortunately enough to escape the library and run for his life until he is blocked off in an alley with two of BlackBridge operatives who are intent on killing him. Then all of a sudden one of the operatives has been shot and chaos ensues. From the chaos his long-lost brother appears.

The two brothers eventually work together as they know it is the only way that they will be able to bring down BlackBridge and whoever has employed them to do the dirty work. It has surprising consequences, but they do find out who had been funding the operations against the Shaw family. Even more so they find out the reason why Ashton’s conspiracy theories had never been far from the truth.

With plenty of people coming at the Shaw brothers they have to protect their family on the compound while digging into State and Corporate affairs. While at the same time Coulter has a job to find someone who has been taken.

Like all Deaver thrillers there are plenty of twists and turns which keep the reader on edge as you really do not know how it will end. A brilliant read. show less

My review of The Final Twist is available on Mystery and Suspense magazine at this link...
https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/the-final-twist/

Jeffery Deaver does it again! The master of action-packed thrillers serves up yet another winner with The Final Twist—the eagerly awaited third outing of his latest protagonist, the extremely resourceful reward seeker, Colter Shaw.

Shaw, after his adventures in the Silicon Valley and the jungles of Washington, is now in San Francisco, finally on his way to fulfilling his dead father’s mission of bringing down the shady, sinister corporate espionage firm called BlackBridge Corporate Solution. BlackBridge carries out all sorts of evil tasks to help its clients become richer and more powerful, and show more is responsible for several murders—including that of Ashton Shaw, Colter’s father—and the destruction of numerous lives. Following the clues left by his father, Shaw is on the hunt for certain documents hidden by an ex-employee of BlackBridge—also killed by his employer for trying to blow the whistle on its criminal operations.

Despite the odds stacked heavily against him, Shaw takes on the mighty BlackBridge on its own turf, but is captured early in the game. Facing the prospect of torture and death at the hands of a skilled, sadistic mercenary, he is miraculously rescued by a person from his past—one whom he is not sure is even alive. When it becomes known that the success of Shaw’s quest holds the key to saving an unidentified family from their death scheduled two days hence, his saviour—who seems to be better equipped to take on the likes of BlackBridge—decides to aid him. Racing against the ticking clock, Shaw and his ally uncover something far bigger than the crimes of BlackBridge—a long-brewing conspiracy concocted by the firm’s biggest client that could put the future of the entire state of California in jeopardy. Meanwhile, Shaw’s conscience forces him to take up the low-paying job of finding the missing daughter of an illegal immigrant—a job that may or may not be a trap set by BlackBridge and its power-hungry client, and there is only one way to find out.

Thus, The Final Twist races away from the get-go, with nonstop action on multiple fronts, moves and countermoves by the villains and the heroes, and clever, unexpected twists all along. Colter Shaw’s character is one of the unique ones that I have come across lately, and Deaver has done a splendid job bringing him to life. The other characters, especially those on the good side, are well fleshed out too, and are quite likeable. Shaw’s backstory dealing with his relationship with his father and the estranged elder brother lends a lot of delectable meat to the plot. Shaw’s relaxed relationship with Victoria Lesston, the former Delta Force officer who became his partner in his previous adventure, is amusing to read about. Shaw’s new ally brings along quite some muscle and cutting-edge resources that even the odds against BlackBridge and its dangerous client. On the downside though, the appearance of this ally diminishes Shaw’s role a bit, unlike The Goodbye Man, which was Shaw’s show all the way. Also, the multiple threads of The Final Twist make it somewhat less intense than its predecessor, in my opinion.

To sum up, The Final Twist lives up to the expectations created by the two previous novels in the series and I had a fantastic time reading it! Though this book seems to be the concluding part of the series, Colter Shaw’s character has tremendous potential to endure for a long time and I do hope Deaver takes him through many more adventures in the future.

I am thankful to the author & the publishers of The Final Twist for the review copy through NetGalley in return for my unbiased opinion!! show less