After a blackout hits Manhattan, FBI Special Agent Jessica Blackwood is tasked with finding and rescuing Dr. Theo Cray. She locates and retrieves him from a prison in Myanmar and gets him out using some forged documents and a bit of plane stealing. They join forces in order to figure out what dastardly plan the mastermind Michael Haywood has set in motion this time. Dealing with government interagency squabbles and territoriality, Jessica and Theo, a computational biologist, must use every type of intelligence trick in the book to outmaneuver The Warlock. NO SPOILERS.
This reads like a made-for-TV movie or James Bond pilot. Both of these characters have been featured in other series, but this is my first exposure to either of them so had to hit the ground running without any backstory. The narrative fills in the important gaps and I don't feel that I need to go catch up to appreciate this first installment. Jessica is described in the stereotypical female FBI Agent manner, but Theo was definitely a different breed with his analytic mind and moral compass. The pair works so well together, but oh no, save us from a romance between them!
The plot is a typical "save the world" trope with the heroes managing to avert world disaster with some outlandish tricks and other mind games. I enjoyed Theo's non sequiturs and the humorous bantering between the dynamic duo. The science was interesting, if a bit unbelievable, and the whole story was entertaining. I will look forward to another book in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this e-book ARC to read and review.
This is the first in a new series though each character has been featured in their own stories previously.
Genre - technothriller
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