Major Vincent "Vin" Cooper, a Special Agent in the US Air Force, has been called in to investigate the death of a four-star general. Cooper doesn't know why he, of all people, has been assigned this case -- he's not had the best run of luck lately. He also has a hangover and one hell of a toothache, but he goes to Germany to head up the investigation certain of only one thing -- if he screws up this inquiry, his career is over.

When Cooper gets to Germany, he discovers that he isn't the only person in charge of the investigation -- he has to share that duty with Special Agent Anna Masters. While their relationship starts out rocky, they soon find they have to rely on each other if they're going to survive the investigation. They quickly discover that the general's death wasn't an accident, and as they delve deeper into the case, they find that someone very high up seems to be involved, if not the person responsible. As they slowly unravel the plot, Cooper and Masters discover they're uncovering something huge that may very well lead to the White House. It's a tough road to the truth but one they're determined to see to the end, even if the truth brings down the world around them.

Vin Cooper is a flawed and often arrogant protagonist, but as you read the story from his perspective, you learn that it's mostly a facade. While he is often kind of a jerk, you grow to like him. David Rollins has crafted a believable character in Vin Cooper. Hailing from Australia, this is the first novel Rollins has had published in the United States. Some of the differences in spelling between the U.S. and Australia sometimes threw me off, "smelt" instead of "smelled" for example, but otherwise the story flows seamlessly. The conspiracy theory in THE DEATH TRUST is very believable and to the credit of the author, I didn't have it figured out until it was revealed. The action in the story is well-written and the banter between Cooper and Masters seems genuine. The story has the right amount of humor, is action-packed and keeps your attention. A very enjoyable and enthralling read.