With vivid international backdrops and a survival story pulsing with compelling mystery, McKenzie’s debut novel grabs from the start and never lets go. A year after her fiancé Kyle’s sudden death, globe-traveling tech executive Tess Bennett suffers in silence and in noise, frequenting punk shows but not facing her feelings. But then, north of Vancouver, she’s caught up in a terrorist attack. “I kill people, and you’re my paycheck for this week. Do you understand me, Ms. Bennett?” asks her kidnapper. Facing a quick execution, Tess must rely on new acquaintance Dr. Mark Nygaard to escape, and from there the mystery deepens, possibly connecting back to her own painful recent past. With almost no one to trust and her life yet again on the line, Tess, with the help of Mark, must find answers, chasing clues left by the last person she ever expected to hold secrets.A tight, urgent plot and convincing, well-written characters are the foundation for this powerhouse thriller, which is powered by strong tension, crisp bursts of action, relatable feeling, and a welcome touch of romance. With painstaking attention to detail as the story and heroes race to surprising locales, McKenzie hauls readers along on a memorable, unpredictable adventure whose stakes always feel personal. McKenzie deftly seeds clues, puzzles, and satisfying revelations and twists throughout, never sacrificing forward momentum while bringing readers up to speed—and often upending expectations. Watching Tess and Mike unravel clues involving London dragons and ‘80s pop hits is a pleasure.
“Everything’s a puzzle for you techies. Why can’t you meet at a coffee shop like normal people?” Mark asks, as Tess begins to unravel one of The Unexpected Hostage’s many coded messages. That bantering spirit and the thrill of the chase lift Tess, just as it will readers who relish thrillers with smart characters, take-charge women, and more swords than you might expect in a story about tech companies and coverups. More, please.
Takeaway: Gripping thriller finds a tech exec on the run—and on the hunt.
Comparable Titles: Laura Dave’s The Last Thing He Told Me, Rebecca Zanetti.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
An American tech exec is caught up in international terrorism as she also battles personal demons in McKenzie’s thriller.
Tess Bennett is having a bad week, trying to chase away some of the demons of her past at a sketchy punk club in London. But things only get worse for the American tech executive, who, while filling in for her boss and CEO at a conference, is taken hostage by terrorists determined to steal an encryption computer code called Firefly that was developed by Tess’ company. Tess is held hostage with Mark Nygaard, a widowed Norwegian doctor dealing with his own grief. They plot a thrilling escape and strike up a romance that plays out against a backdrop of terrorism and computer espionage. After Tess and Mark get away, the extortionists go after her boss, David Kingsley, CEO of Kingsley Tech, and the new couple fight to save him and keep the software out of the wrong hands. The software isn’t just the lucrative product of the company Tess works for; it was developed by Kyle, her fiance, who was killed in a car wreck a year before. What seemed like an accident proves to be murder, and Tess and Mark work to bring the killers to justice, helped by clues Kyle left for Tess. The investigation takes Tess to the dark web and headfirst into the world of cyberterrorism and blackmail. In her debut novel, the author writes with a sure touch, creating thrill-a-minute adventure scenes while also excelling at the tender, romantic moments. The plot is intricate without being convoluted, and the characters, especially Tess and Mark, are layered and memorable. Tess is a character you want to know more about (“Danger Dad taught her countless precautions throughout her childhood. Hypervigilant but teetering on paranoid, he required she study martial arts and master basic weaponry, even fencing”), and her romance with Mark, which could have been just a convenient plot device, comes off as real and organic. Hopefully Tess and Mark will return in future volumes for more intrigue.
Riveting adventure and romance power this forceful first novel.
The official release date is 9/6/2023, but pre-orders are live on Amazon.com, BN.com, AppleBooks, and BookBub.
