Book Review: Collateral Damage By Sam Cogley

I am very excited to be welcoming Sam Cogley to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for his book, Collateral Damage.

Winter came for the pancakes. Hollowvale fed him the dead.

Dane Winter is unemployed and on a lonely road to nowhere. Riding his motorcycle west from New York, he spots a sign on the Interstate: Hollowvale, Pennsylvania. A place he hasn’t visited since his Redwind Security days. Back then, the town was known for its coal mines and the best pancakes he ever tasted.

A chance encounter with a distraught local woman pulls him into investigating her friend’s disappearance. When Jacob Rhodes’ body is found at the bottom of an abandoned mine shaft, the local authorities are quick to label it an accident. Winter isn’t convinced…

Between the death of Jacob and the unexplained illnesses spreading through the local population, it’s clear that nothing is as it seems in the town of Hollowvale. Worse still, Winter thinks it might have something to do with his time there two years earlier.

What starts as a quest for answers becomes a fight to expose a conspiracy that reaches far beyond the small town.

But Winter is never one to give up, and he’s willing to burn it all down in order to uncover the horrific truth.

*****

Dane Winter had planned on only passing through the small town of Hollowvale. However, when a local teacher goes missing, he finds himself in the middle of a mystery that has the potential to change the small town and the lives of its residents forever. 

This type of thriller is not always one I will necessarily choose. When invited onto this tour and then having read the blurb for this book, something about it piqued my interest.  Having not read any of Sam Cogley’s previous novels, I didn’t quite know what to expect but I was eager to get stuck into the second novel in the Dane Winter series.

If, like me, this will be your introduction to Dane, it can be read as a standalone. The first novel, Hostile Asset has been added to my TBR pile. Books like this are why I love running Novel Kicks. I find stories I enjoy that I may have overlooked and discover authors I had not previously known about. 

Right, now I need to review Collateral Damage without giving too much away. 

This book hits the ground running as we are introduced to the town of Hollowvale, Pennsylvania. From page one, there is an immediate sense of danger, one that simmers just below the surface the entire way through. A mystery arises and continues to grow until the adrenaline filled and surprising finale. I know this is something that is said a lot – I could not stop reading this book. It gripped me from start to finish. 

Told from the point of view of multiple characters, the environment, morality, justice, possible corruption and truth are just some of the themes explored within this novel. The author did such a good job at making me empathise with the general population of this town. 

Speaking of which, the characters all felt believable. Dane was someone I could really get behind. Like me, when he gets a thought in his head, he can’t let it go. I also liked Amanda and had sympathy for what she goes through as the story progresses. She and Dane made a great team – one I hoped would progress beyond the book. I am staying tight lipped as to whether it does. 

I always hope that the morally corrupt people depicted in this book don’t exist. I’m not naive, I just hope for a better world. Another thing that Sam Cogley does well is using these characters to make you feel like you’re there, in this story, in this setting. I felt it was written very well and the peril the characters face seemed very real. 

I could see it all playing out in my head so vividly. It would translate into a great movie. 

Collateral Damage is a belter of a thriller. It is an unflinching, dynamic story that had me enthralled from beginning to end. Dane Winter has a new fan, as does Sam Cogley. If you love the Jack Ryan or Jack Reacher novels or simply love an exciting thriller with twists and turns galore, this book is perfect for you. Bring on book three. Happy publication day, Sam. 

(Thank you to Boldwood Books, Netgalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review). 

About Sam Cogley –

Sam Cogley is the author of popular action thrillers, melding suspense-laden espionage plots with the mesmerising world of high-tech innovations. He writes the high-octane Dane Winter thrillers for Boldwood Books.

Sam lives in Victoria, Australia with his wife and children.

Say hello to Sam on Facebook and Bookbub. Click here to sign up to his newsletter.

Collateral Damage is book two in the Dane Winter series. It was released on 24th March 2026 by Boldwood Books. Click to buy on Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble and Waterstones. 

by

Laura

I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.