Review: A Familiar Plot Line With A Quirky Twist
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 07 29, 2013
As I've learned from reading Ketkar's other book, Killing Matt Cooper (under a pen name), don't expect a typical and average storyline to be included, which is one of the things I liked about this book. Staged Fright is a suspense thriller about bioterrorism, with a splash of CSI and some quirkiness sprinkled in. All these parts combine to create a funny, entertaining read.As much of a serious topic as terrorism (biological or otherwise), considering the current climate, Ketkar manages to infuse some humor, wit and a little extra that you wouldn't find in other books with the same storyline. The story has a dramatic "race against time" vibe, but it stands apart with the variable cast of characters that are involved. They are the ones that add the fun in this book. The Callahan clan is not your typical affluent family. Larkin and Tigh are not your prototypical scientists (which you can say the same about their colleagues at the C.D.C). What I find interesting is that amongst the non-typical people in the book, Neil turns out to be most relatable character there is with his feelings of inadequacy and being an outcast (among his school and family). And I know Jack is a musical prodigy, but it was hard for me to take him seriously with him in his "prison garb" and acting thuggish.I appreciated the detail involved in explaining the science behind identifying biological elements and such. You can tell much time and work (whether through personal knowledge or research) was put into the explanation. However, it got to be a little much for me. It took me out of the flow of the story and made it a little hard for me to get through those passages. Maybe if it was a little more condensed, it may not have slowed down the story and kept my interest. But I do appreciate the detailed narration of those scenes.In the end, Staged Fright was a humorous, quirky, suspense thriller that made for a great read. Ketkar took a familiar plot line and made it into his own. The one thing you can count on from his books is that it's never going to be what you expected.