Author: A. J. Landau
Series: National Parks Thriller #1
Published by: Minotaur Books on Feb. 27, 2024
Genres: Mystery/Thriller
Pages: 352
Format: ARC, Paperback
Source: Minotaur Books
Book Rating: 8.5/10
In a daring, brutal act of terrorism, an explosion rocks and topples the Statue of Liberty. Special Agent Michael Walker of the National Park Service is awakened by his boss with that news and sent to New York as the agent-in-charge. Not long after he lands, he learns two things – one that Gina Delgado of the FBI has been placed in charge of the investigation as the lead of the Joint Terrorism Task Force and two, that threats of a second terrorism attack are already being called into the media. While barred from the meetings of the Joint Task Force for his lack of security clearance, Walker finds a young boy among the survivors with a critical piece of information – a video linking the attackers to the assault.
As a radical domestic terrorist group, led by a shadowy figure known only as Jebediah, threatens further attacks against America’s cultural symbols, powerful forces within the government are misleading the investigation to further their own radical agenda.
Review:
Propulsive, twisty, and intense!
Leave No Trace is a sinister, action-packed thrill ride featuring the tenacious FBI ASAC Gina Delgado and the steadfast National Park Service ISB agent Michael Walker as they join forces to hunt down a group of cold, calculating mercenaries who are driven by vengeance, have their own deadly agenda, and are intent on causing as much destruction and devastation as they possibly can.
The writing is tight and crisp. The characters are astute, tenacious, and persistent. And the plot, with its short, intense chapters, keeps you on the edge of your seat as it immerses you, page after page, into a world full of terrorism, politics, revenge, corruption, coercion, military operations, and domestic terrorist drama.
Overall, Leave No Trace is a meticulous, compelling, intricate mystery by this creative writing duo that kept me highly entertained from the very first page and left me more than a little eager to read what Walker and Delgado manage to get mixed up in next.
This novel is available now.
Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Press for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.