The China Gambit

The nation is crumbling from within, and one agent is the last line of defense.A sting operation in Tampa to capture the elusive Chinese operative known as "Leopard" ends in chaos, forcing FBI Agent Nathan Burke and his boss, Meili Chan, to pursue a volatile lead to Macau. There, in the maze of glittering casinos and dark corners of China's southern coast, an enigmatic intelligence source delivers a chilling revelation: the Ministry of State Security's Second Bureau has embedded itself in the very fabric of American society-compromising politics, law enforcement, and beyond.The situation turns explosive when a presidential nominee is assassinated, plunging Washington into turmoil and setting the stage for an unprecedented political crisis. As the country teeters on the edge, Ming Zhao, the ruthless director of the Second Bureau, accelerates his campaign of disintegration warfare. His strategy is as bold as it is deadly-arming radicals with weaponized opioids and fueling chaos across the United States.But Zhao's ambitions come with a lethal cost. His operatives close in, targeting everyone Nathan cares about. With assassins lurking at every turn and trust becoming a scarce commodity, Nathan uncovers the terrifying scope of a conspiracy years in the making. As the clock ticks down, every step forward brings new risks-not just to Nathan and Meili, but to the nation itself.In this explosive new installment, bestselling author Jeffrey James Higgins-whose first Nathan Burke thriller was named one of Library Journal's Best Books of 2025-delivers a relentless tale of danger, betrayal, and high-stakes action that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Fans of David Baldacci and Michael Connelly will not want to miss this pulse-pounding thriller.