Monday 27 June 2022

Run - Andrew Grant

Invisible
Paul McGrath Book 1
aka Andrew Child
ISBN 9780345540737
eISBN 9780345540744
ASIN B00JNQKR8C


This is the sixth volume from Andrew Grant that I have read. I believe it is his only stand along work. I have read two he co-wrote with his brother, Lee Child, under the name Andrew Child, and also the first in each of his three series. When I started reading his works I was not sure if I would read each series sequentially or in parallel. It has worked out that I am reading them in parallel, and tucked this one in as the sole stand alone work. He has not published any book under this name in the last 2 years since he started co-authoring the Jack Reacher books. Grant has contributions to two anthologies. He has also contributed to one anthology as Andrew Child. I picked a few of his books after reading Even. This one is fairly different than most of his other works.

The description of this book is:

“Marc Bowman, a highly successful computer consultant and software designer, walks into his job at a major tech company one morning only to find himself fired on the spot, stonewalled by his boss, and ushered out of the building. Then things get worse: An explosive argument drives his wife away and a robbery threatens to yank a million-dollar idea—and his whole future—out from under him. In a matter of hours, Marc has gone from having it all to being sucker-punched by fate. But it’s only Monday, and before the week is over, he’ll be stalked, ambushed, wiretapped, arrested, duped, double- and triple-crossed—until he can’t tell enemies from allies.

Suddenly, the only thing standing between him and the wrath of everyone from the FBI to Homeland Security to his desperate ex-bosses is a flash drive full of data that might just be the holy grail of high-tech secrets—and a holy terror in the wrong hands. Now, as the gloves come off and the guns come out, turning back is hopeless and giving up is madness. The only person left for Marc to trust is himself. And the only thing left to do is keep running—or end up a dead man walking.”

I had not read the description before starting the book. An author friend calls me a ‘completionist’ in that when I find authors I like I tend to read everything they have publish. For example I read the first 23 Reacher novels in under a year, after reading the first. Grant’s writing is excellent and this one has quite a few surprises and twists. The story is really fun. As someone who works in IT I greatly enjoyed the Cyber elements in the story. I have had several co-workers that or reflected in Marc Bowman. In personality, heads down focus, and trying to solve the problem no matter the cost. And also Marc’s fascination with an lesser known artist. Marc is stuck between a rock and a hard place, several hard places to be exact, Homeland Security, Local Law Enforcement, Fake Homeland, Thugs. And to make matters worse his wife seems to be choosing her boss and company over him. But maybe he is looking through everything with the wrong lenses. And his assumptions about who is who and the reason for their actions might all be wrong. 

This story was a race from start to finish. And it hammers home the message of never push a man who has nothing to lose. Some of the twists were magnificently written. The action was high octane. The story was a very fun read. In some ways there are echoes of the movie Hackers. But with much higher risk and maybe rewards. And the ending it was hilarious, pure gold! 

I read this book over a few sittings over two days it was very hard to put down. It is another excellent read from the masterful pen of Andrew Grant. If you love a good crime, suspense, thriller with great action this is a book for you. I am certain fans of Reacher, Bourne, Jack Ryan could all appreciate Bowman and how he gets the job done. It is a great read from Grant’s pen! 

Books by Andrew Grant:

David Trevellyan Series:

Detective Cooper Devereaux Series:

Paul McGrath Series:

As Andrew Child with Lee Child:
Jack Reacher Series:

Books Andrew Grant Contributed To:
In the Company of Sherlock Holmes
Murder and Mayhem in Muskego






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