Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In Thriller Award finalist Mayne's riveting sequel to 2021's Mastermind, billionaire Thomas T. Theismann, who has spent years searching for extraterrestrial intelligent life, believes he may have found it after detecting a radio signal from a region near Neptune. In New Mexico, he gathers a group of "astronomers, linguists, mathematicians, and physicists," as well as computer expert Theo Cray, to confirm the signal's bona fides before sharing his discovery. When FBI agent Jessica Blackwood, Theo's girlfriend, learns that David Ikeda, whose field is computational biology, blew his brains out during a conference held by a company connected to Theismann, she senses something amiss. The mysterious death of one of David's friends, who likewise worked for a Theismann company, heightens Jessica's concern for Theo. Theo and Jessica work together to determine whether the signal is alien and, if not, what is going on and why. The lively banter between Jessica and Theo provides counterpoint to the dangers they often face. Science fiction fans will want to check this one out. Agent: Erica Silverman, Trident Media. (Sept.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A strange signal in outer space leads a pair of investigators into a murderous, labyrinthine probe. It begins with an unusual autopsy in Atlanta. Computer expert Dr. Theo Cray observes a team of scientists led by the laconic Dr. Radu as they examine mu2, a robot that's attacked one of its creators, leaving the man in a coma. Wry maverick Cray, who used to work for the Department of Defense, now serves as a freelance adviser. He's soon lured to New Mexico for a fascinating, top-secret gig. A group of scientists, working at Field Research Station Alpha to study possible communication with aliens, has recently been in contact with someone on the planet Neptune. Or is it a hoax? The suspicious suicide of a scientist prompts Theo to contact FBI agent Jessica Blackwood, currently in Virginia tracking the mythical Tree Man--or, more accurately, two girls who've gone missing in search of him. The duo has collaborated before, and Jessica, remembering Theo's expertise and compassion, agrees to use her resources to help him. Mayne alternates Theo's puckish first-person narrative with Jessica's starchier one to great effect. The more they learn about the financial underpinnings of the New Mexico research, the larger the possibility of fraud looms. A handful of unsolved deaths turns this science-fiction thriller into a whodunit. The main plot roams through several sets of suspicious characters and twists, but Mayne's snappy dialogue and crisply drawn characters keep the roller coaster from turning into a runaway train. A lively genre-hopping thriller written with panache. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
