Genre: Crime Thriller
Length: 400 Pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Release date: August 4, 2020
Synopsis: A series of deadly explosions rock the city of New York and with too many victims and no known motive, the F.B.I. turns once again to Dr. Lucas Page in Robert Pobi’s Under Pressure.
On a beautiful October evening, New York City’s iconic Guggenheim Museum is closed for a tech company’s private gala. Until an explosion rocks the night, instantly killing 702 people, including every single attendee—yet the damage to the building itself was minimal.
An explosion of that precision was no accident and, in response, the FBI mobilizes its entire team — but the sheer number of victims strains their resources. Were all 702 victims in the wrong place at the wrong time, or was there only one target and 701 unlucky bystanders? That many victim files is a staggering amount of data to sort through and Brett Kehoe, Special Agent in Charge of Manhattan, decides that he can’t do this without more computational power.
Dr. Lucas Page, astrophysicist, university professor, and former FBI agent, is uniquely gifted for the task at hand—he can visualize a crime scene as if he was a bystander and can break down any set of data at a glance. Even though Page wants nothing to do with the FBI, with his city under attack and his family at risk, he steps in to find a killer in a haystack before they strike again.
Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review
When I read City of Windows, last year, it was without a doubt one of the best mystery, suspense thrillers I’ve read. I loved Dr. Page from square one, and the complexity of the mystery he was tasked with solving. Under Pressure also falls under that same umbrella, top notch writing with great characters. As the story unfolds, we catch up on what’s been happening in Dr. Page’s world and it’s not all good.
Under Pressure is exceptional, start to finish. The mystery is intricate and multi-layered with someone blowing up buildings across New York City. The story is filled with a lot of characters that nearly requires a flowchart to follow. Personally, I love the wide array of characters and intricate plot. It pulls you in and keeps you wondering who and why. There is no lack of action here and some highly entertaining dialog. Dr. Page’s internal, as he puzzles out the problem, and the dialog between himself and his partner, Agent Whittaker.
Dr. Page is easy to love, hate, root for and connect with. This is a character that made me laugh on several occasions. We also get to know him better as the story takes a deep dive into his life while growing up with the family who adopted him. I’d highly recommended this book, and City of Windows to anyone who loves an excellent mystery. One that makes you think, and doesn’t give anything away. It’s smart, tight, and well-polished.
Link to purchase Under Pressure
Robert Pobi, Biography-
ROBERT POBI has fished for great whites off Montauk, chased coyotes with a dune buggy in the Mojave, and spelunked caves in the former Yugoslavia. He is a renowned expert in English period furniture and makes a mean coq au vin. He spends most of his time in Montreal, Canada.
The Scary Reviews 