Peter Clines New Supernatural Thriller is Action-Packed Start to Finish
A model of how to write a book you can’t put down
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I was thrilled to pick up an early copy of Peter Clines, The Broken Room. Peter is one of my favorite authors, and I jumped at the opportunity to read his latest book.
It starts with Hector Ramirez sitting at his local bar, deciding if he will get a little or a lot drunk. We surmise that he is an ex-special forces operative working daily through a bottle of anything to escape his past.
As he contemplates ordering that next drink, a little girl walks into the bar. She approaches Hector, introduces herself as Natalie, and informs him she fled a secret government facility called The Project with the help of his old partner.
The partner then led Natalie to find Hector, to call in an old favor. The same partner who subsequently has been dead for seven years. Unfortunately, Hector has little time to contemplate the girl or her situation when two suited FBI types enter and attempt to take Natalie into custody.
Hector quickly has to make a decision. Let the men take this frantic girl and continue drinking his life away or step back into a world he has been trying desperately to escape. He makes his choice, dispatches the men, and takes charge of Natalie.
Now on the run, Natalie tells Hector about the experiments conducted on her and the other children. It becomes clear there is only one course of action, The Project must be stopped.
What follows is one action scene after another, with Hector pushing his training to the limits — trying his best to keep Natalie safe. The Project reacts by sending out more specialized operatives to control the situation. Culminating in an ending battle that could alter the world as we know it.
Clines’s adrenaline-pumping style of writing is entertaining and engaging. The book never has a lull in action or suspense. Be warned; there are some grotesque and creepy parts in the story. Those of you with a queasy stomach, watch out.
Overall the book was a fun time from start to finish. If you are familiar with Clines and his body of work, this new novel will fit right into your expectations. Fans will get some shout-outs to past events, with ties into the Threshold Universe, his ongoing supernatural-based book series.
But don’t let that deter you if you are a first-time reader. The book easily stands on its own and won’t detract from your enjoyment of it. Instead, it may be a great introduction to the author’s world.
I’m giving a shout-out to Carmen Ballesteros for writing stories that bring me a smile and add joy to my day. Check her story out, I dare you not to click on this one!
