Deep Rough by Ray Keating

Whether it’s dodging bullets, doling out wisdom or dragging a bag of clubs around the links, Pastor Grant continues to be one of the most entertaining heroes in the political thrillers and suspense genre.

In Deep Rough, author Ray Keating drops his Swiss Army Knife in human form, Pastor Grant, into another nearly unbelievable mission. He is tasked with protecting the son of a controversial pastor in China; the only problem is that the son is an international golf star whose career is on the rise. With Chinese secret police and a whole cast of unsavory characters gunning for Xin Chen, Grant will have to rely on his bottomless well of skills to get the job done and keep the golf phenom safe. With occasional pop-ins from fan-favorite recurring characters, this book fits in perfectly with the rest of the series – quirky, tightly woven, and difficult to put down.

Keating manages to keep his writing fresh and surprising with every new Pastor Grant book, perhaps something that can be chalked up to Pastor Grant himself. He is a compelling, flawed, and multifaceted hero like so many others, but also one with wisdom and insight and intellectual complexity often lacking in a leading man. The writing never loses its gritty edge, but also avoids the common pitfalls of lazy language and knockoff noir narration. The plot is spun out patiently, as always, giving readers time to acclimate to the newest setting for their intrepid protagonist, but the pacing doesn’t lag or lose one’s interest.

The added complexity of Asian geopolitics and Keating’s attempt to make a larger social commentary gives this book even more weight, and will leave readers with important global issues to consider after the final page. This series satisfies yet again, finding unique ways to entertain and enlighten along the way.