Today I’m taking a break from my focus on historical and fantasy fiction (at least of the medieval variety) to mention a new novel by one of my author friends, E. Kendrick Smith, titled Defeating Operation Hydra. It’s available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, among other booksellers, in e-book, paperback and hard copy. Here’s my take on it after this picture of the cover.
I’m not an avid reader of thrillers, but this book kept me turning the pages all the way to its riveting end. Despite its title, this novel is foremost a legal thriller with a heavy dose of international intrigue and military thriller mixed in.
The story’s protagonist is Sharon Weinstock, a brilliant but neurotic assistant New York D.A. with South Georgia roots. When Sharon loses a high profile murder case that seemed like a lock, she suffers an early career crisis and takes an impulsive vacation to Aruba, only to encounter the man she just prosecuted. From there, the story takes a dark and unexpected turn into a web of deceit and murder tied to Colombian drug lords and international terrorism. Soon, Sharon finds herself facing her own trial for a murder she didn’t commit. Without her courtroom skills to aid her, she must help an old friend (and former opponent) prove her innocence and stop the real killers before they can kill thousands more.
The courtroom scenes are captivating, but the novel is equally exciting when it veers toward a military thriller, raising the stakes quite high, but always keeping a focus on Sharon and her plight. I really enjoyed Defeating Operation Hydra and suspect others will too.