Reviewed by Karen Chisholm
Flu season is in full swing, surrounded by germs and illness, SSA Ellie Iverson reacts like any new mom, with hand sanitizer at the ready and a desire to keep away from anti-vaxers. Her newly hatched germaphobia escalates when Delta A is asked to investigate animal rights activists and a missing laboratory monkey.
An incident in Lexington, Virginia leaves the Director of the FBI fighting for her life.
A sudden violent death of a colleague in Washington, the discovery of a spate of deaths linked to the Intelligence Community, herald the arrival of an old friend from the UK with news of a potential global disaster. With biker gangs, drugs, grudges, and a plethora of ‘accidental’ deaths in the mix, this is no ordinary flu season.
QUBYTE is the 10th in the "Byte" series from New Zealand author Cat Connor, featuring FBI Agent Ellie Iverson. A series that probably would be best read in order, and is definitely one for readers who enjoy a spot of supernatural goings on with their crime fiction.
This is a series that I've dipped into and out of over the previous nine books, with some of those I have read working better than others. Ellie is a strong character, with paranormal visions, she's got a good strong team around her and these books are nothing if not action packed.
In QUBYTE the action is complicated by Ellie's recent family expansion, which means that when she and her team take to a remote hideaway to consider the outcomes of a bad flu season, a life-threatened FBI Director, animal rights activists, a missing laboratory monkey and the portent that brings with it, they do so with Ellie's family in tow.
Into that scenario you insert a spate of deaths linked to the Intelligence Community, a possible global disaster, bikies, drugs, accidental deaths, and that whole flu season on steroids thing, and you've got the requisite action packed adventure that comes with a book in this series. Although this time out the action didn't quite compensate for what felt like a somewhat confused, kitchen sink-ish style plot, and a bit of reliance of good old coincidence which, for this reader, watered down the threat that should have inspired all that action.
The strength of this series is undoubtedly in the character interactions and the team that surrounds Ellie Iverson. As mentioned earlier, if you like a bit of thriller-styled action, with that supernatural/paranormal thing thrown in, and you're looking for something on the good fun, cliff hanger side then the "byte" series could fit your requirements neatly.
Karen Chisholm is one of Australia's leading crime reviewers. She created Aust Crime Fiction in 2006, a terrific resource - please check it out. Karen also reviews for Newtown Review of Books, and is a Judge of the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Novel. She kindly shares her reviews of crime and thriller novels written by New Zealanders on Crime Watch as well as on Aust Crime Fiction.
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