Book Review - Plague Maker by Tim Downs
Category Book Reviews
I was recently sent a review copy of Plague Maker by Tim Downs. I've read his earlier Nick Polchak novels and really enjoyed them. This is a different set of characters than the Polchak series, but it's just as enjoyable...
Nathan Donovan is an FBI agent who is investigating a murder case where one of the clues involve a strange infestation of fleas at the crime scene. The full impact of what this clue might mean is not understood until Donovan is contacted by an elderly Asian man named Li. Li claims that this crime scene bears the marks of a Japanese scientist who specialized in bioweapons during World War 2, specifically the use of fleas to spread bubonic plague. Li has spent 60 years trying to track down this elusive person in order to confront him over the death of his wife. Now he has to convince Donovan and various legal agencies that the scientist is a real person, and that he is looking to use his plague fleas to unleash an attack on America. And it's not enough that he be stopped, but Li wants to meet him face to face, the reason of which is *his* secret and mission...
Unlike a number of my recreational reads of late, this book didn't last long. I quickly got drawn into the story early on, and putting the book down didn't appear to be an option. The attitude of Li and the dialog between him and Donovan was an absolute pleasure to read, and Li became a very real person instead of just a prop to advance the story. The ending was also not quite what I expected, which made it all the better... If you haven't read a Downs novel, this is a good place to start. Just be sure you also carve out some time to catch up on his two earlier books. You'll end up liking them just as well...
I was recently sent a review copy of Plague Maker by Tim Downs. I've read his earlier Nick Polchak novels and really enjoyed them. This is a different set of characters than the Polchak series, but it's just as enjoyable...
Nathan Donovan is an FBI agent who is investigating a murder case where one of the clues involve a strange infestation of fleas at the crime scene. The full impact of what this clue might mean is not understood until Donovan is contacted by an elderly Asian man named Li. Li claims that this crime scene bears the marks of a Japanese scientist who specialized in bioweapons during World War 2, specifically the use of fleas to spread bubonic plague. Li has spent 60 years trying to track down this elusive person in order to confront him over the death of his wife. Now he has to convince Donovan and various legal agencies that the scientist is a real person, and that he is looking to use his plague fleas to unleash an attack on America. And it's not enough that he be stopped, but Li wants to meet him face to face, the reason of which is *his* secret and mission...
Unlike a number of my recreational reads of late, this book didn't last long. I quickly got drawn into the story early on, and putting the book down didn't appear to be an option. The attitude of Li and the dialog between him and Donovan was an absolute pleasure to read, and Li became a very real person instead of just a prop to advance the story. The ending was also not quite what I expected, which made it all the better... If you haven't read a Downs novel, this is a good place to start. Just be sure you also carve out some time to catch up on his two earlier books. You'll end up liking them just as well...
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