Apocalypse

Apocalypse by Dean Crawford

Touchstone: 3/18/2014
Hardcover, 416 pages
ISBN-13: 9781451659498
www.deancrawfordbooks.com

In the notorious Bermuda Triangle, a private jet vanishes without a trace, taking with it scientists working for the world-famous philanthropist Joaquin Abell. Meanwhile, Captain Kyle Sears is called to a murder scene in Miami. A woman and her daughter have both been shot through the head. But within moments of arriving, Sears receives a phone call from the woman’s husband, physicist Charles Purcell.

“I did not kill my wife and child,” he says. “In less than twenty-four hours I will be murdered and I know the man who will kill me. My murderer does not yet know that he will commit the act.” With uncanny accuracy, Purcell goes on to predict the immediate future just as it unfolds around Sears, and leaves clues for a man he’s never met, former war correspondent Ethan Warner.

The hunt is on to find Purcell, and Warner is summoned by the Defense Intelligence Agency to lead the search. But this is no ordinary case, as Warner and his partner, Nicola Lopez, are about to discover. The future has changed its course, and timing is everything. The end is just beginning . . .

Relentlessly fast-paced and action-packed, Apocalypse combines realistic science, suspense, and intrigue to create an ingenious blockbuster thriller.

My Thoughts:

Apocalypse by Dean Crawford is a recommended action adventure thriller with science fiction overtones.

This is the third book by Crawford to feature private investigators Ethan Warner and Nicola Lopez. They are called in to look at the murder of scientist Charles Purcell's family in Miami. Purcell, who was spotted leaving the scene, is the main suspect, but it is clear that more is going on than a case of deadly domestic violence. Purcell contacts the police and tells them that he himself will be killed in less than 24 hours. He then tells the police to analyze the bullets found in the house for a compound known as Rubidium-82. After that they are to contact Ethan Warner.

Charles Purcell is a physicist who worked for fifteen years at NASA. The central focus of his work was the study of time. Purcell is an expert on the nature of time and had recently been working for wealthy philanthropist, Joaquin Abell. Additionally, a plane goes down in the Bermuda Triangle that seemingly ties into the case. As Warner and Lopez investigate, Purcell leaves them clues to follow in a race against time to solve the case while more and more dark deeds are being uncovered and leading them to some fantastic conclusions and an ultimate final scene.

Apocalypse does provide some thrilling action scenes and several twists and turns along the way. Crawford does a credible job with the writing too. While he basically keeps the action moving at a brisk pace, there are a few slowdowns in the plot development. I haven't read the first two books in this series and had no problem following this book.  In the end it was some of the plot points and the one-note villain that made Apocalypse a less than perfect thriller for me. This one is an airplane book - a great way to pass the time but you won't regret leaving it if you should happen to lose it at the airport.

Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of Touchstone for review purposes.