Matt McAvoy Book Review

This mystery thriller might leave you with a few more questions than answers by the end, as there is rather a sense that its main objective is more firmly about setting up its sequel, and perhaps a series, rather than establishing itself as a standalone narrative; I don’t intend to spoil the book by any means, but looking at the formula and the way the heroine is portrayed would suggest this is very likely.  I would hope so, otherwise you may find yourself somewhat non-plussed by the loose ends left hanging.

It is nicely written and easy enough to follow, although to expand on that I will admit I was a little confused at times, due to the notable absence of scene breaks when they would have helped the flow.  But the pacing is good.  Berlin is a hardworking jobbing author, you can tell, and her research is meticulously grafted.  She takes her work seriously, and furthermore makes it look effortless; it doesn’t feel like in-depth information for its own sake, but rather naturally imparted and easy to digest, such as the jet training flight procedures, etc.  Or maybe the author flies jets; who knows?  The backstory is perhaps something of a fantastical one in nature, and the whole thing definitely appears to be veering more toward the far-fetched than plausible grittiness, putting it closer to the young adult age group in terms of its most suited audience.  Additionally, too, that particular readership might be more fond and forgiving of its sassy heroine, but if I’m honest, I found her to be somewhat insufferable – and I know that doesn’t really go down well with authors, so my apologies; I’m sure Berlin loves her protagonist, but if I’m brutally honest, during the middle scenes of the book, I was rooting for the bad guy and cursing him for not just shooting her. 

It's okay, pretty entertaining and definitely one to read if you’re into those books about a reluctant yet cocksure contemporary hero, facing off against what is appearing to be a clandestine organization of power-hungry megalomaniacs.  I know this is a popular genre at the moment, and I’ve read far worse, for sure.  I get the impression this series will grow into itself, and suspect there is a lot more and better to come.  However, my advice would be to prepare yourself for the long haul, as there may be recurring investment required if you want answers to those questions set up in this instalment.