I’ll admit to having some mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand it is a a nicely-written thriller. The pacing is a bit on the slow side, but I prefer that to the breathless gallop that too many authors use in place of plot. The plot features some fascinating scientific details, and a quick Internet search proved that they are horrifyingly real. As the title suggests there are some nasty insects involved, and that added some shivers for me as I’ve spent time in areas where ticks were an issue. The protagonist has some interesting skills, and some unique personal obstacles to overcome. Any character that uses data analysis to solve a mystery gets high marks from me. The antagonist is a sympathetic one, with an interesting skill set of his own.
On the other hand the overall plot, while interesting and nicely done, seemed somewhat “formula” to me. The characters are adequate to the task, but didn’t really pop out as fully-developed people. My biggest rough spot is the antagonist. Although a sympathetic character, and nicely developed, the depth of his skills simply didn’t ring true for me and that took the edge off the suspense.
Overall, this is an enjoyable book I’d recommend for beach or travel reading. It is entertaining and undemanding.
Why 3 stars? To me, 3 stars indicates something worth reading, 4 stars indicates that a book that has something special going for it in addition to being a good read, and 5 stars is reserved for books with a richness and depth that totally blow me away (eg. "Dune" or "Lord of the Rings").
DISCLAIMER : I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review as part of Mystery Thriller Week. ( )