BLACKOUT RIDGE

A Luke Ryder Novel

By: J. Benedict

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Some enemies don’t disappear. They regroup.

Luke Ryder walked away from the world of covert warfare, trading black ops for mountain air, silence, and the woman he loves. Nestled deep in the Idaho wilderness, he’s building a new life—until the past finds him again.

When remnants of a mission gone dark resurface in the form of a brutal cartel hit squad, Luke and his closest friends are ambushed at his secluded home. As bullets tear through the forest and bodies hit the ground, Luke is forced back into the fight—this time on his own soil.

What begins as a desperate defense spirals into a high-stakes manhunt that stretches from the high ridgelines of the Pacific Northwest to the cartel-infested badlands of northern Mexico. But Luke isn’t chasing revenge. He’s hunting answers.

Because someone—deep in the shadows—is pulling the strings.

From the author of Shadow Front and Dark Extraction, Blackout Ridge is a pulse-pounding thriller that blends raw emotion, cutting-edge tactics, and unforgiving landscapes. When the line between sanctuary and battlefield vanishes, survival isn't just about firepower—it's about who you trust when the lights go out.

Ok but slow start

This is a short listen so a slow start is really noticeable. There was a lot of just we are tough guys who have a private plane, cabin in the woods and drink wine and IPAs eyerollingly cliche set up for maybe the first hour and a half. Then things pick up but the conclusion comes swift. AI narration is average. Not the best but not the worst.