False Flag

Evidence: Under Fire, Book 4

By: Rachel Grant

Narrated by: Nicol Zanzarella, Greg Tremblay

An archaeologist risks everything to stop a disinformation podcaster from using his influence to incite violence in the latest thrilling installment in USA Today Bestselling author Rachel Grant’s Evidence: Under Fire series.

Staci Allen has finally landed the job that will help her finish her dissertation, but it comes with a major hitch: her new boss is a famous pseudoarchaeology podcaster, and she intends to use the upcoming Pacific Northwest expedition to debunk his theories and end his grift. But first, she has a pre-wedding celebration to attend, where she crosses paths with Navy SEAL Jake Burns—a huge fan of the podcaster. Jake might be on her team in the paintball war, but he’s definitely the enemy. She can enjoy his pretty face and even the dangerous attraction he triggers with his cocky attitude, but when the weekend-long party is over, she will step into a world that places them firmly on opposite sides.

The job proves to be more dangerous than Staci prepared for. Surrounded by a hostile expedition team and trapped on a private island with a podcaster who will do anything to convince his followers his fake history is real, she remains determined to see the job through. Still, nothing prepares her for coming face-to-face with the SEAL she’s trying to forget. As the only man who could infiltrate the team, he could be her unasked-for backup. But the question remains, whose side is Jake really on?

©2026 Rachel Grant (P)2026 Rachel Grant

Very relatable to current events

And I love all the information about archeology and the importance of the scientific method - with a splash of Navy Seal ;-)

When Fiction Mimics Reality

I had no idea pseudoarchaeology was even a thing before this book, and I really enjoyed the way Rachel Grant used Staci to introduce some of the realities of archaeology. I found that aspect of the story both interesting and informative without feeling like I was being given a lecture.

The one thing that frustrated me was that old relationship trope that always seems to get me: miscommunication. Although, in this case, I'm not even sure I can completely call it miscommunication because Staci never actually started the conversation about why Jake's presence at that initial dinner bothered her so much. Jake knew something had gone wrong, but he didn't really understand why she wanted nothing to do with him. He assumed he'd said something stupid, while Staci was operating with information and misconceptions he didn't even know existed. Since she was the only one who understood the larger issue, there really wasn't any way for them to resolve it.

That made their interactions frustrating at times, especially because her misconceptions and his own inability to communicate effectively guided their relationship for a significant portion of the book. Thankfully, it didn't take away much from my overall enjoyment, and once they finally moved beyond that lack of communication, I thought they made a dynamic couple.

I love a strong, independent, intelligent heroine, and Staci definitely fit that description. Even when she was almost overwhelmed by fear, she still tried to think her way through the situation rather than simply reacting to it. I also appreciated seeing her paired with an equally strong and intelligent man like Jake, especially because he respected both her abilities and her boundaries. He also have no issue with showing his vulnerabilities, especially where his brother was concerned.

The book also felt incredibly relevant to current events. Its focus on disinformation—or, as I would rather call it, lying for the benefit of an individual or group—brought up a surprising number of emotions for me: anger, frustration, fear, and even some sadness over how easily people can be manipulated. Because those issues feel so familiar in real life, I think they made the danger in the story feel even more intense. In real life, we don't necessarily know how or when situations like these will be resolved. In Rachel Grant's fictional world, at least we get the opportunity to hope for a satisfying conclusion.

Staci did surprise me with some of the risks she took. Showing her hand during the podcast felt like she was openly courting danger, and there were several other moments when she seemed to walk directly toward danger rather than away from it. Considering how intelligent and cautious she could be in other situations, those choices definitely stood out to me.

The sense of danger and suspense really didn't let up until the very end. I also thought the narration was excellent and only enhanced the story. Somewhere along the way I realized I'd accidentally skipped a book in the series, and after listening to this one, I'll definitely be going back to catch the one I missed.

Rated 4.5 Stars

False Flag was truly a great read that dealt with some very interesting and intriguing subject matter. I loved it. There was suspense, mystery, action, danger and romance. What I loved about it most was that it dealt current events of disinformation, white supremacy and rewriting of history through the lens of archaeology. I had no idea that pseudo archaeology was a thing until I read this book. It was an eye opener for sure to what’s going with archaeology and reiterated just how far some are willing to go to push their agenda of disinformation in every sphere of society. The narrators Nicol Zanzarella and Greg Tremblay brought their A-game to this narration. They really did a good job of capturing the essence of these characters and translating through their performances. I absolutely enjoyed listening to them bring Staci and Jake and their story to life. I definitely recommend it.

Awesome Listen!

False Flag pulled me in from the beginning. I so enjoyed how this story flowed. The imagery was incredible, the details painted a vivid scene in my mind, and I got swept away with the book. Both narrators were fantastic and added a lot to the book. I hope the author continues this series!

Wonderful Narrators

This review is for the ebook and Audible version of "False Flag."

Another excellent book by Rachel Grant. I love that this one starts with a reunion of some of the characters from the authors former novels. The characters of Staci Allen and Jake Burn are very interesting. I love their back stories and how their characters were developed. What an intense plot. I found myself getting really caught up in the storyline, almost like I was there. The Audible was wonderful. Great narrators.

I highly recommend not only this book but all of her books. Can't wait for the next book in 2028😐😐

I received an ARC from the author of the ebook. I purchase bot the ebook as well as the Audible when they became available. My review is honest and voluntary.