NSTB-Military Technothriller published by Buchman Bookworks 23 Jun 20
I am thoroughly enjoying Miranda Chase and her team as they crack open every plane crash case they receive, whether through the NSTB or the military. M.L. Buchman’s knowledge is quite extensive and he weaves complex and intriguing stories every time. In this book we get to know Miranda a bit more, over and above that she’s a high-functioning autistic whose focus, commitment, and chronological way of working through crash mysteries is legendary.
At first it seems the team may be getting a bit of a break when there are no pending cases for them to sink their teeth into. But then they are all headed to the Colorado Rockies, and it doesn’t take long for them to figure out what happened to the Ghostrider that went down there, which is the opposite of those behind the crash hoped for, so their nefarious mission can be carried out.
It seems I’ve skipped over Book 3, Condor (which I didn’t mean to do!), so I don’t know if Jon is introduced there or not. Doesn’t matter, because the relationship between him and Miranda is wonderfully done, with Jon’s patience in figuring out how to navigate the mind of his lover a huge reason I so like his character. Jon is a military crash investigator and the nephew of Drake Nason, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who, besides Miranda, is my favorite character in the series.
Just as the team is wrapping up this site, they get a call to San Diego where another Ghostrider has gone down in as spectacular fashion as the first. It is here we learn much more for the reasons behind why these plans have been “procured” and the plans for them, all of which are heartbreaking, and you feel for those involved. But when two of Miranda’s team, Mike and Jeremy, get caught up much too close to those in charge, again the plans, as well as outlooks, change in unexpected ways. While there is a bit more emphasis on relationships in this book, it’s the crashes themselves that keep you riveted. There is definitely a lot of technical verbiage when it comes to those events, but it’s done on a level that only a small amount may go over the reader’s head.
At this point, I’m kind of glad I did skip over Condor – I get more time with all of these characters, without having to wait too long. The added bit of romance here makes these stories even that much more appealing. I do hope there are several more books,at least, planned in this series. If you’re looking for a bit of a change in your reading, ending a slump, whatever, Miranda and her team could be just what you’re looking for.
Grade: A
Summary:
An AC-130J “Ghostrider”—the latest variant of America’s most lethal aerial gunship—goes down hard in the Colorado Rockies. Except the data doesn’t match the airframe.
Air-crash genius, and high-functioning autistic, Miranda Chase leads her NTSB team in to investigate. But what they uncover reveals a far greater threat—sabotage.
If she can’t solve the crash in time, a new type of war will erupt. One far too close to home which threatens to shatter her team.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
