Book Review: The Forgotten War by Don Bentley

Matt Drake tackles a case with personal ramifications in Bentley’s latest. Drake has always had his buddy Frodo by his side, whether in Afghanistan or on dangerous missions worldwide. When Frodo is taken into custody by the military police for murder, Drake doesn’t believe it for a second. Frodo declares his guilt and tells Drake to stay out of it, which his best friend ignores. Something happened a decade ago while they were in Afghanistan, and now they must face the consequences of those actions. If Frodo is innocent, then why does he want to plead guilty?

To make matters worse for Drake, his wife starts to experience medical issues with her pregnancy. The Drake novels are unique in the world of covert-op stories due to Bentley’s ability to mix humor and humanity with action and chaos. He effortlessly drops the reader into the battles and keeps it understandable for readers with and without a military background. He even takes time to explore how soldiers feel and the guilt they carry long after deployment, and his military experience only adds to the story’s authenticity.

Forgotten War is the best Matt Drake thriller to date. With Bentley writing Tom Clancy novels, taking over the Mitch Rapp series from Kyle Mills, and readers wanting more Matt Drake adventures, Bentley is at the top of his game.