Chrysalis (Jeremy Logan #6) by Lincoln Child
Amy Caudill‘s review
This sixth book in the series by Lincoln Child features a virtual reality company being attacked through corporate sabotage, murder, and mayhem.
While the technology in the world of Chrysalis is dazzling, the main plot of the novel lies outside in the “real” world, where inside sources seek to undermine the release of a new system that allows subscribers to experience shopping, sightseeing, etc., in a virtual format from the safety of their own home. Unfortunately, if Jeremy Logan and the Chrysalis security team cannot find the saboteur, or deliver the ransom he/she/they are demanding, logging into the system just may prove deadly in real life.
Jeremy Logan calls himself an enigmaologist, someone who investigates incidents, coincidences, and events that cannot be easily explained. Sometimes Jeremy finds a little bit of supernatural activity contributing to the subject of his cases, but often the solution lies in someone, or multiple persons, who have simply used unusually clever means to disguise their actions.
In this case, the reader is inundated with clues that point to a possible antagonist who has done something to the hardware, or software of the virtual world. Intensive investigation proves these to be red herrings, and the culprit is much closer at hand than thought possible. Jeremy races the clock to find the suspects before the ransom is due, only to discover they keep dropping dead, sometimes in front of the investigators.
Someone is cleaning house, and the odds of finding the truth before the saboteurs release their killing machine is next to impossible. Their only chance is a hail liberty journey into unexplored parts of the virtual system to track down compromised data before the deadline.
This book is an action-packed thriller that shows protagonist Jeremy Logan and author Lincoln Child doing what they do best, delving into the depths of the human mind to understand what motivates a murderer, a conspirator, or simply a devious plot. I award this book five stars, and hope there will be more in the future. Meanwhile, Lincoln Child is teaming up with frequent partner Douglas Preston in a new release of their joint series, The Cabinet of Dr. Leng, which I would love to get for Christmas!