Identity Theory
Plausibly detailing how easy it is for rogue elements to track a fleeing target across our nearly completed surveillance society, this gritty international thriller will make readers feel less safe at home. When his bodyguard gig goes bad, ex-mercenary Con Niemand finds a tape possibly showing American forces erasing an unarmed African village from the map. Meanwhile, ex-journalist John Anselm manages a shadowy information-retrieval firm in Germany while he copes with post-traumatic stress from his days as a hostage in Lebanon. After Niemand leaves Africa to sell his story to a tabloid journalist in England, Anselm is hired to sign Niemand's digital death warrant. In addition to crafting a trip-wire-taut thriller, Temple makes some interesting moves with the story. For one, he forces readers to sort through several jobs' worth of raw "sig-int" alongside Anselm. But slowly revealing the connections between and implications of the intercepts actually heightens the narrative tension. And Temple offers a fascinating take on what happens to a hostage reporter after the headlines fade, how difficult it can be finally to tear off the mental blindfold and reengage with the world.Frank SennettCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.