*** - Mostly what was wrong with this book was the marketing. It's pushed as a thriller based on Freemason secrets, but there's not really any of that in the novel. There's a snippet of lore here and there, but nothing that really ties into the plot. As a straight up thriller, it was fine - fast-paced and interesting. An airplane read.
Wes Holloway was once an ambitious aide to the President of the United States. When an assassin's bullet permanently disfigures Wes and kills one of the President's closest friends Boyle, Wes is wracked with guilt. But when Boyle turns up, seemingly unscathed, eight years later, Wes is determined to uncover what really happened.
I like a good twisty airplane thriller just as much as the next person, and this novel had some incredibly interesting bits and pieces - a conspiracy between members of various intelligence agencies, a crazed assassin on the loose, a code hidden among doodles on a crossword puzzle. Added to that, I loved the fact that Wes was not one of your typical strong, cocky heroes. In fact, he's incredibly emotionally vulnerable after the incident, and his mental health is largely supported by his devotion to the former President. I loved watching him wrestle with the idea that his 'rock' could be involved in this kind of plot - and that he might be responsible for everything. Wes' vulnerability both increases the stakes and sets this apart from many thrillers.
On the other hand, there was a lot here that didn't really seem to fit. The entire Masonic undertones that the marketing played up were barely there - shuffled off in a monologue or two about the city plan of Washington, D.C. and then never mentioned again. Not that I needed a far-fetched conspiracy involving the Freemasons - but when that sort of thing features so prominently on the cover & jacket copy... well, WHERE are my Freemasons?
What it boils down to is, if you're looking for something Da Vinci Code-like with artifacts and secret societies, this isn't your book despite the marketing. If you want a thriller more along the lines of The Manchurian Candidate with presidential assassins and lots of betrayal? You should pick this one up. It's fast-paced and certainly an interesting read.
Interested in other opinions?
The Website (with book trailer)
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