Paperback, 400 pages
Publisher: Pinnacle (July 7, 2009)
ISBN-10: 0786020873
ISBN-13: 978-0786020874
$6.99
Reviewed by Larry W. Chavis
Known only as Scorpion to his clients, Jonathan “Digger” Grave and his crew at Security Solutions represent the epitome of anonymous, private rescue services. Generously funded by an inheritance, backed by the finest in combat and communications equipment, confident with years of training and experience in the Unit, a covert-ops force, Jonathan and his associates provide what distraught families of kidnap victims most need – a focus solely on the rescue and safe return of their loved ones, rather than on the subsequent conviction of the perpetrators. Having connections at the highest levels of government, who are often his satisfied clients, Jonathan Grave specializes in swift and jarring assaults that bring the victim away alive, and leave no trace evidence behind.
As the story begins, the rescue of an Indiana college student goes bad, resulting in a firefight that leaves the bodies of three kidnappers in a bloody scene. Completing his delivery of the “precious cargo,” Grave is unaware that the local sheriff investigating the apparent triple-murder is not the typical small-town sheriff. With a doctorate in criminal justice and years of FBI experience, Gail Bonneville has not only the drive but the investigative skills necessary to track down the killer. As she and her top deputy read the scene and begin their pursuit, other, darker forces also pick up Scorpion’s trail, and the end result is a tale that seizes the reader and doesn’t let go for the whole ride.
A thrill-ride it is, too, with all the action, snappy dialog, and high-tech toys one might wish. As the hero Grave is, in his own mind at least, on the side of the angels and untroubled by his extra-legal escapades. The reader buys into his mind-set through Jonathan’s own actions and those of his fiercely loyal associates, laying off any moral qualms about his work by seeing, as Grave sees, beyond the system to the flesh-and-blood persons affected by evil. Jonathan Grave is a hero for whom one can root, even though in real life he’d probably wind up the target of some determined SWAT team somewhere. Justice in his world is relatively uncomplicated. In the book, the villains are villainous, the good guys virtuous, and moral ambiguities are, for the most part, left for another day. Sheriff Bonneville comes closest to grappling with these issues as she seeks the perpetrator of the initial killings.
That the characters are somewhat reminiscent of 1950s westerns (Jonathan even thinks of himself as Lone Ranger-like at one point) does not at all take away from the pleasure of an exciting tale well-told. The plot, while not particularly complex, is expertly executed, and keeps the suspense high. The climactic clash at the end is satisfyingly boisterous, enough so for most any thriller fan. All in all, this book is great fun. Look for it.
Copyright ©2009 Larry W. Chavis