Pederson delivers an irresistible thriller centered on Madison Maxwell, the fresh-faced recruit at Know Inc. replacing a deceased ex-employee who met a tragic end in a hit-and-run incident. Hailing from Boston, Madison relocates to California to outrun her guilt and the haunting specter of her father’s demise in the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center—but destiny has other plans. Enter T.J. Khan, the company's enigmatic vice president, whose first encounter with Madison sparks not just a sense of déjà vu, but a palpable sense of danger. Unbeknownst to her, the secrets embedded in her recurring dreams may hold the key to avenging her father's death.

Every chapter races in this fleet-footed debut, teeming with twists and last-minute developments that will shock readers. Even as she slogs through the grief from her father’s death, Madison discovers something sinister behind the hit-and-run—and finds she’s caught in the crosshairs of the FBI’s manhunt for America’s most wanted, embroiled in the center of a national crisis. Pederson delivers an ostensibly overwhelming array of characters—terrorists, FBI agents, CIA operatives, corporate bigwigs—while masterfully anchoring the narrative in shared trauma, humanizing the political and wartime stakes. Even the typically stoic FBI becomes engaging, with Agent Niles poignantly reflecting on his 9/11 experiences: "Suddenly the trumpet wasn’t the most important thing in the world to me—not with all that evil, that darkness, attacking, coming right at us, threatening all of us, our way of life."

Though the portrayal of terrorists might feel one-dimensional at times, Pederson skillfully splices information across various viewpoints, encouraging readers to form their own opinions on the events of 9/11. Reflecting that the fallout from the attacks lingers long after the dust has settled, Pederson takes a stand: instead of hatred and revenge that create a vicious cycle of violence, choose forgiveness and life.

Takeaway: Knockout espionage novel exploring trauma, vengeance, and self-forgiveness

Comparable Titles: Jason Matthews’s Red Sparrow, Brad Thor's The Athena Project.

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