Leave No Trace by A J Landau Book Review

About the Book:

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 Jeremiah, threatens further attacks against America's cultural symbols, powerful forces within the government are misleading the investigation to further their own radical agenda.

My Review:

I like this thriller set in the context of attacks on national parks. It involves militia type groups coming together under a leader determined to take over the country. The January 2021 Capitol overrun was perhaps just a dress rehearsal. Identifying and stopping the domestic terrorists is difficult because high levels of government have been infiltrated.

There is nearly continuous action in this thriller. The action comes at a good pace, balanced with information about national parks. I liked the park settings and prolific background information and description. I also liked the unique bomb techniques, many I have never heard of before.

This is a good thriller with likable characters and lots of action. It will appeal to readers who enjoyed novels like the series featuring Anna Pigeon by Nevada Barr.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

A. J. LANDAU is the pseudonym for two authors, Jon Land, the award-winning, bestselling author and co-author of more than fifty books, and Jeff Ayers, reviewer, former-librarian, and author. Land lives in Providence, Rhode Island, and Jeff Ayers lives in Seattle, Washington.

Minotaur Books, 352 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the Publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)