Close and Destroy - by Tom Marshall (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"The
mission...is to locate, close with, and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver,
or repel the enemy's assault by fire and close combat." - Excerpt from Marine Corps Reference Publication 3-10A.4

Windsor Kraft Strategies is a shadow empire in the murky world of private intelligence and corporatized warfare. Their "Special Mission Troops," staffed by former military operators and intelligence specialists, are able to discreetly deliver surgical force around the globe, making them a silent partner in American foreign policy.

In the failing nation-state of Daristan, NATO's long-running counterinsurgency campaign begins to falter when the country's fundamentalist spiritual leader returns from exile with an army of devout fighters - and covert support from foreign agents looking to upset the balance of world power.

A token force of international peacekeepers, propped up by the Special Mission Troops and their local guerilla units, try to hold the line as coalition governments scramble to shore up exit plans amid the shockwave of violence.

Windsor Kraft's team must begin evacuating their clients while attempting to stall the newly energized insurgent offensive. But with the clock ticking, the country collapsing, and a hidden enemy hunting them behind the scenes, they must choose between mission accomplishment and self-preservation, or risk being abandoned behind enemy lines by the government that hired them.

Review Quotes

"In Close and Destroy, Tom delivers a thrilling read that sensitizes the reader to geopolitical complications that permeate war. From radical religious zealots, many sponsored by state governments, to international powers such as the Chinese, Iranians and the Russians who utilize "militias" to carry out their wars with 'plausible deniability, ' there are people and factions that demand our understanding. My hope is that Tom's inaugural novel helps shine a light on such complicated interactions." - Ric Prado, Bestselling author of Black Ops: The Life of a CIA Shadow Warrior

"Tom is a military and contractor veteran who is writing about the world he knows and lived. Check this book out, folks. You won't be disappointed!" - Dave Spaulding, Handgun Combatives

"I'm a fan of hard mil fiction and this checks all the boxes. Plausible, realistic and familiar settings without an overly complicated premise. Tom has really nailed the balance between personality and utility in his people. If you want a good, believable page turner that doesn't ask you to do a lot of homework...this is a great book." - Aaron Cowan, Sage Dynamics

"Tom Marshall's freshman novel doesn't read like the work of a new guy. Which makes sense, given his background in writing and in the noble profession of arms." - David Reeder, Author at Inside Safariland

"Tom's first novel leverages his experience to create an operational environment which will be familiar to many." - Eric Graves, SoldierSystems.net