Guest Review: Pacific Burn

Summary: “Pacific Burn is a page-turning, globe-spanning tale of murder, suspense, and intrigue that grabs and holds your attention from beginning to end. Barry Lancet is truly a gifted author, and his character of Jim Brodie is unlike any private investigator you’ve ever encountered in literature.” —Nelson DeMille, New York Times bestselling author of Radiant Angel

In the third book in “what will likely be a long and successful series” (San Francisco Magazine), Japanese antiques dealer and PI Jim Brodie goes up against the CIA, FBI, Department of Homeland Security—and a killer operating on both sides of the Pacific.

In recognition for his role in solving the Japantown murders in San Francisco, antiques dealer and sometime-PI Jim Brodie has just been brought on as the liaison for the mayor’s new Pacific Rim Friendship Program. Brodie in turn recruits his friend, the renowned Japanese artist Ken Nobuki, and after a promising meeting with city officials and a picture-perfect photo op, Brodie and Nobuki leave City Hall for a waiting limo.

But as soon as they exit the building, a sniper attacks them from the roof of the Asian Art Museum. Quick thinking allows Brodie to escape, but Nobuki ends up hospitalized and in a coma. Brodie soon realizes that, with the suspicious and untimely death of Nobuki’s oldest son a week earlier in Napa Valley, someone may be targeting his friend’s family—and killing them off one by one.

Suspects are nearly too numerous to name—and could be in the United States or anywhere along the Pacific Rim. The quest for answers takes Brodie from his beloved San Francisco to Washington, DC, in a confrontation with the DHS, the CIA, and the FBI; then on to Tokyo, Kyoto, and beyond, in search of what his Japanese sources tell him is a legendary killer in both senses of the word—said to be more rumor than real, but deadlier than anything else they’ve ever encountered if the whispers are true. -- Simon & Schuster

My dad seems to enjoy the Jim Brodie series by Barry Lancet because he keeps coming back for more. PACIFIC BURN, which is out next week February 9th, is the third book in this series; and it seems like it was another winner. Here are Booking Pap Pap's thoughts:

PACIFIC BURN is author Barry Lancet’s third novel featuring antique dealer/investigator Jim Brodie as the main character. In this latest story Brodie still sells Japanese fine antiques, still runs the Tokyo based investigation agency he inherited from his father and still has to deal with his young daughter as a single parent.

The story begins in San Francisco with the murder of the son of a famous Japanese artist, Ken Nobuki. Only days later, after a meeting with Brodie and the mayor of San Francisco concerning an art exchange program, there is an assassination attempt on Nobuki which leaves him in a coma. Meanwhile Brodie heads off to Washington D.C. where Nobuki’s daughter, Naomi, an anti-nuclear power crusader, is under investigation by the CIA, DHS and the FBI for possible nuclear threats. It appears that the entire Nobuki family is in danger so after calming the nuclear issues, Brodie heads off to Japan to make sure the rest of the Nobuki family is under protection by his agency. There is long list of suspects which include those in Japan and America opposed to the art exchange and those opposed to Naomi’s anti-nuclear stand.

Through his channels in Japan, Brodie discovers he also has been targeted for death. Brodie’s investigation delivers a high level of action including additional murders, a kidnapping, a scenic chase through a legendary volcanic part of Japan and a near death confrontation for him and his police officer girlfriend. Author Barry Lancet does a great job of exposing the reader to the Japanese culture and to the antique art world Brodie works in. He also shares through the relationship with Brodie and his daughter the difficulties of being a single parent when one’s work involves significant travel and danger. Lancet brings into the novel an interesting group of characters from business, the art world and the Japanese underworld and blends them into an exciting story with plenty of twists and turns and an ending that will definitely surprise the reader.

PACIFIC BURN is a great read for those who like a fast paced, quick read thriller.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book and to Booking Pap Pap for his review.