This review is based on an advanced review copy, gently given by Sean Black to the members of his facebook group in exchange for an honest review.For starters, I see a lot of authors compared to Lee Child and characters compared to Jack Reacher. Sean Black's Ryan Lock is one of the few that does justice to such comparison. I've read a good part of Black's books and they're top not thrillers and action novels.That said, les go to Red Tiger.Ryan Lock's 9th adventure starts focusing on the cousins Emily and Charlie yan, two "parachute kids", sons of Chinese millionaires sent to the U.S. for education that live on high class neighborhoods, safe from the world.On the way out of a party, Charlie's Lamborghini malfunctions and attracts the attention of a pair of Latin tattooed men that want to steal the vehicle. An altercation occurs, motivated by Charlie's big mouth that doesn't escalates only because of the police's apparition.Next day, Li Yeng, the assistant of Emily's parents goes to the cousins' house and find the doors wide open, the cars nowhere to be seen and no sign of the cousins.Yeng calls Lock and Ty investigate the disappearance, emphasizing that Emily's father doesn't want the police involved. Soon the pair of bodyguards discovers the authors of the kidnapping and of the previous altercation - members of the MS-13 gang, a Salvadorean criminal group known for extreme brutality and ruthlessness.Trying to keep the situation at it most like a business transaction, aiming to bring both youngsters back, Lock sees himself involved on the world of Latin gangsters.To make matters worse, there's another element involved: An Asian hit man that answers by the alias of Red Tiger, extremely skillful and able to commit even bigger violence than the made by the MS-13 members.Red Tiger seems to have a personal interest on the youngsters and Emily's father , Chow Yen, seems to know much more than he should about the killer, whose interference may transform this already volatile situation in a bloodbath.OpinionI liked a lot of the story's rhythm, alternating several perspectives. I've appreciated, as always, the access that Sean Black giver the reader to the tools and methods that someone like Lock uses, what brings a lot of veracity to the novel. I also liked the dynamic and humor of the pair, this last part most caused by Ty.Some SpoilerI've really appreciated the behavior of Lock as a professional of his trade. Unlike some examples on movies and novel of action/thriller genre, which the protagonist is a buffoon that wants to solve everything with force, Locks tries at his most to negotiate with the kidnappers.His focus is the victim's safety, even if it means the perpetrators doesn't get the punishment the deserve. But this discernment doesn't mean passivity or lack of will to employ force. As Ryan says he and Ty aren't the police. They're much worse.End of SpoilerIn short, it's a terrific novel, top notch thriller. If the reader appreciates the genre is an excellent choice and a gift that will certainly bring joy to a fan's Christmas.