“Evil Always Finds A Way: The Phoenix Series Book 8” by Ted Tayler

The eighth book in the vigilante series revolving around Phoenix and the Olympus team lives up to the standards set in the earlier book. Evil Always Finds A Way by Ted Tayler picks up where book seven leaves off, providing a smooth transition to the continued battle against The Grid, led by Hugo Hanigan.

Beginning with the kidnapping and torture of Dawn Prentice, who had recently been considered for a leadership position within the Olympus project, Tayler sets the tone for the vicious action that follows. Followers of Hanigan are as expendable as his enemies and the Irish born crime czar shows no mercy when it comes to writing off his cohort. As Hanigan continues to move forward with his goal of uniting all criminal gangs under the banner of the Grid, he leaves those who have fallen by the wayside to fend for themselves.

As drug dealers, human traffickers, and assorted other criminals are eliminated by Phoenix, Rusty, and other members of the organization, Hanigan accelerates his activities by arranging a gathering of gang leaders in London. As always, Phoenix and Athena working with their efficient group of vigilantes, are able to throw a monkey wrench into Hanigan’s plans. Moving around England the group skillfully eradicates various criminals, decimating gangs and reducing the financial income of Hanigan’s bank. Although the crime boss is suspicious, he can’t identify precisely who or what is negatively affecting his plans.

Meanwhile, Hanigan’s right hand man Tommy O’Riordan is wasting away in Belmarsh Prison while his wife Colleen prepares for the life of an independently wealthy woman. Colleen’s brother Sean steps into his place, although his ill-fitted for the role. When plans to move high-level prisoners from one prison to another are revealed, Colleen demands Sean arrange an escape for Tommy before shipping off far from England.

Tayler brilliantly intersperses the vigilante and criminal activities with the personal lives of the characters. Warm scenes of Phoenix and Athena with their baby Hope, Henry Case’s infatuation with Athena’s college friend, Reverend Sarah Gough, and Rusty’s long term relationship with Artemis provide moments of normalcy amid the madness, reminding us these are real people with lives and families. Even the deaths of Olympus operatives reveal the risks these citizens take, putting their lives on the line with no recognition from an unknowing public.

I’m eagerly looking forward the next book in the series. Hanigan is proving to be a formidable enemy and Phoenix is getting up in years. Tayler has kept me enthralled and I expect he will continue to do so in the future.