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BEYOND REDEMPTION by Richard I. Levine

BEYOND REDEMPTION

by Richard I. Levine

Pub Date: Feb. 10th, 2013
ISBN: 978-1481216746
Publisher: CreateSpace

A mild-mannered chiropractor must solve the mystery of his brother’s disappearance and unravel a vast government conspiracy in Levine’s sequel to Eye of the Redeemer (2012).

Ray Silver, a chiropractor residing in Hawaii with his new wife and twin daughters, thought he had made peace with his past and the disappearance of his brother, Frank. However, the past soon comes back to haunt Ray, starting him on the path to discovering what really happened to Frank. Called to testify before a government committee investigating possible misconduct by CIA operatives, Ray is interrogated at length about his involvement in a CIA operation in the Philippines by Francine Manetti, a ruthlessly ambitious congresswoman fixated on the fate of Frank—and a package of politically sensitive documents in his possession. His curiosity piqued, Ray asks a young news reporter named Jenna Grant to help him investigate his brother’s disappearance and the documents Manetti is intent on retrieving. Ray and Jenna’s investigation sets off a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the congresswoman, who’s willing to stop at nothing to safeguard her political secrets. Levine deftly marshals an almost impenetrably dense plot into a tense, gripping narrative. The conspiracy uncovered by Ray has more tentacles than an octopus, and at times, readers may need a chart—like the charts used by Jenna Grant during the investigation—to keep track of all the characters and plot twists. This task is complicated by frequent references to characters and events in Levine’s previous book; however, Levine includes enough back story to provide adequate context while tying together the events in both books. Ray is an amiable hero who anchors the action and gives the narrative momentum. He’s assisted by a well-developed supporting cast of characters, including his family and the clinic’s staff. Although Francine Manetti comes across as a one-dimensional villain, a surprising twist provides a better understanding of her motivations.

A solid, entertaining political thriller, but readers should start with the prequel.