An expert in chemical and nuclear engineering himself, Hewitt excels at depicting the shoe-leather work of discovering a problem at a nuclear processing facility, tracking how material could be stolen and shipped, and gaming out the uses to which it could be put. Scenes of Essie piecing things together and discovering exploitable weak points in the systems that run our world are exciting, illuminating, and persuasive—this material rings true. More fanciful elements, such as assassination attempts or the string-pulling of an organization of the elitest of elites called the Stewards, are more standard thriller stuff, and Essie’s personal life, including her potential romance with a man from the first book in the series, is less convincing, lacking telling detail.
Essie’s a memorable protagonist, though, both a touch naïve about government work but also savvy enough to recognize that she’s being set up—and to take immediate steps to deal with it. Hewitt shows readers the work it takes to be a step ahead, telling the story through compelling action and, at its best, detail that makes it all feel frighteningly real.
Takeaway: A smart, compelling heroine faces stolen plutonium.
Comparable Titles: Fiona Erskine, Stephen Hunter’s The Day Before Midnight.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A
