Book Review: "The Informationist"

The Informationist (forthcoming from Crown) is, simply put, one of the best fiction debuts I've read in a very long time. Taylor Stevens has crafted a thriller that will keep you guessing until the last page, populated with a cast of unforgettable characters. The major one (and the one I'm guessing we'll see again soon) is Vanessa Michael Munroe, known for her take-no-prisoners style and her ability to get the job done, whatever it happens to be.

Stevens' book offers a well-crafted plot, in which Munroe is sent off into the wilds of equatorial West Africa to find out what happened to a Texas oilman's missing daughter, only to find herself the hunted rather than the hunter. Betrayed by those closest to her, but determined to find out the truth behind the girl's disappearance, Munroe (joined by her former drug- and gun-smuggling mentor Francisco Beyard and Houston security consultant Miles Bradford) dives back into the mystery. The rest, you'll have to read for yourself.

Good stuff - I suspect we'll be hearing quite a bit about The Informationist, and I'll be watching closely for the next Vanessa Munroe tale.