Deadlock (A John Hutchinson Novel) by Robert Liparulo

Hutch's survival skills and ingenuity saved him once in the deep woods. Can they save him this time in the city?

John Hutchinson thinks it's no coincidence that Brendan Page runs this modern Praetorian Guard, and that the billionaire military industrialist must have had something to do with the atrocities his son Declan committed in Canada. The Canadian and U.S. Justice departments disagree, but Hutch has been digging for dirt ever since.

When Hutch discovers the secret of Page's success, Page decides to teach him a lesson. But the operation goes terribly wrong, and Hutch's son is kidnapped. While a lone man stands little chance against the best black op soldiers ever issued M-16s, Hutch manages to survive longer than Page anticipated.

As far as Hutch is concerned, high-tech helmets, machine guns, and hand grenades are nothing compared to a man determined to save his son. It's a lesson he sets out to teach Page, and one that he can only hope works as well in the real world as it does in his heart.

My Review:
Video games, virtual reality, and tactical simulations are on steroids in this science fiction novel. Reality blurs with fantasy; lines are obscured as young boys train to become assassins. "Are you real?" one confused boy asks a family.

I did not read the first in this series, Deadfall, but the author did such a fine job of writing that I had no difficulty jumping in. Pages were rapidly turning with this compelling novel.

Having once visited Casa Bonita, a huge Denver restaurant, I enjoyed experiencing it again through the author's description. I was reminded of the three-story cliff divers and an artist who drew a caricature of my husband. It's a perfect setting for this story.

This action-packed thriller would make a movie that my husband would love. Do ya hear that Hollywood?

If you would like to read the first chapter, click here.

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