Booklife Review

In the assured and engrossing third mystery, investigative reporter Nik Byron finds himself on the trail of murder and bioterrorism. Nik and his team discover mysterious deaths among key employees of Xion, a biotechnology company. In a parallel plot line, former Xion staffer Puck Hall finds herself stalked by a killer as she takes a rural retreat. Meanwhile, mysterious presidential aide Dr. Lance Craine has become obsessed with the idea that China is preparing to wage war with deadly viruses, and is working to get the president to react. Can the intrepid, but troubled, journalists uncover a conspiracy in time?

Pawlosky does a fine job keeping all the balls in the air and interesting, guaranteeing readers are fully invested in each story as they all eventually converge. A former journalist, he does a pitch-perfect job portraying a newsroom, with its mix of fast-paced work and professional jealousies. Even better are the adventure scenes with Puck and Cliff, a hermit-trapper who saves her from assassins. We're in Ken Follett territory here, and Pawlosky stages nail-biting fight scenes that are unusually imaginative. Readers do have to pay close attention, as Pawlosky deftly plants surprises and red herrings, and each of the sometimes seemingly unrelated plot lines develops memorably.

Although the focus is on the brisk plot, Pawlosky does not neglect his characters. In particular, he has made Nik more than a two-dimensional crusading reporter by giving him a rich personal life: even as he tries to save the world, he's coping with a newborn child whose mother—his girlfriend—has a demanding career as well. Indeed, the personal pressures keep him from always bringing his A-game to his job, and this human element ups the stakes. Nik's fans will be happy to see him in action again, and those meeting him for the first time will be eager to catch up with the earlier adventures.

Takeaway: Fast-paced investigative thriller pitting journalists against a conspiracy.

Comparable Titles: Bruce DeSilva’s Liam Mulligan series, Chris Brookmyre’s Jack Parlabane series.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: B+