This is a fast-paced thriller about scientist Jack Bright's race to prevent the release of a cure to treat a fast-growing illness amongst users of a street drug. Fuelled by his suspicion that the cure is flawed after a clinical trial ends tragically, he has to act fast and furiously. Framed, arrested, pursued, threatened, he has more than a few obstacles to surmount.
This is a well-written debut page turner with some strong characters and a good mix of goodies and baddies. And gosh, a couple of baddies, are bad, bad, bad. It keeps you guessing…not quite to the end, as I had a fairly early inkling who Jack's nemesis was. However, the unfurling is exciting and nail-biting. I was slightly irritated by the thirty instances of dialogue being 'snarled'. Apart from the over-repetition, how does one snarl a sentence? You can say it and then snarl, but doing them both together is impossible…I tried.
Some reviewers have likened this story to our current covid situation. But I couldn't disagree more. The illness ("the Itch") only affects users of a certain drug. All that said to me was that this was a story endorsing what we well know: taking recreational drugs usually ends badly.
There are a couple of little loose threads at the end. This isn't a criticism, however: it leaves the door very, very slightly ajar for us to enjoy Jack Bright in a new adventure. And there is a couple of characters who haven't quite finished with him. Satisfyingly tantalising!
This is an impressive debut, and I'm certainly keen to read more by this author.
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