Countdown to Midnight: Nick Flynn #2    by Dale Brown Order:  USA  Can William Morrow, 2022 (2022) Hardcover, e-Book      Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Countdown to Midnight follows Arctic Storm Rising as the second in Dale Brown's action packed, over the top military thriller series starring Nick Flynn. Previously a U.S. Air Force intelligence officer, Nick has been recruited by a worldwide intelligence organization that works entirely in the shadows. As this episode opens, readers watch a Russian aboard an Iranian warship, observing an unannounced missile launch that deliberately fails - why? It's all part of a bigger plan, codenamed MIDNIGHT 'to overturn the world's existing balance of power.' It will now proceed as agreed between the two governments, neither of which fully trusts the other. Next, Nick's first assignment almost does him in. He meets an Iranian dissident on a ski slope in the Austrian Alps. The man tells him of senseless modifications being made to an enormous oil tanker, and strong security measures around the project. When the man is shot, Nick skis for his life. Then he and fellow operative Laura Van Horn flee by car, bad guys in hot pursuit. Turns out the mastermind behind MIDNIGHT is Russian oligarch Pavel Voronin, who has close ties to Russia's president and a private Raven Syndicate army at his disposal. Nick, Laura and associates come up against them in Vienna, deep inside Afghanistan and Iran, and finally aboard the oil tanker. Of course they do foil the plot (though Langley takes the credit), but the journey to do so is what makes this such a gripping thriller. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews