In Staley’s thriller, groups from around the globe are willing to kill to get their hands on a mysterious DNA code.Renowned geneticist Dr. Alex Bishop’s newest project at a Washington, D.C., lab is top secret: The military is technologically capable of rewriting DNA to change human behavior, and it wants him to perfect it, allowing the tech to make these changes instantaneous.

One night, while alone in the lab, Alex makes a startling discovery—a specific genetic code that could shake the entire world. He confides in FBI Special Agent Gabby Morgane, a loyal friend. That doesn’t stop a rival geneticist from attacking him to get the code, which he’s stored on a flash drive in his pocket.

Meanwhile, Karesh Harrison, a former Royal Marine Commando, accompanies a man named Aaron Bashir to the United States to deliver an ancient book. Mercenaries and assassins, all tied to a millennia-old prophecy, enter the mix, though only a few fully understand what’s going on.

The narrative thrives on ambiguity. Though the code on Alex’s flash drive provides some illumination, the story is largely puzzling—even to many of the characters—until late in the story. Still, it’s engrossing throughout. The author introduces riveting characters like the capable and resilient Gabby and Alex, whose vivid dreams feature silhouetted creatures and bloody assaults.

Tension builds as killers strike and the prophesied “greatest evil ever to walk the earth” gradually comes to light. Not all of the groups involved are after the same thing, a fact that ignites a handful of exhilarating action sequences featuring explosions, bullets zipping past, and flying bodies.

This novel reads like a series opener, leaving myriad questions unanswered, from certain characters’ true identities to mysterious objects that remain enigmas.