A family joins the fight against corruption and environmental harm wrought by the U.S. government and big business in Howen’s novel.

In this sequel to The Inherent Dangers in Digging Up the Family Tree (2015), Mason Worthy returns to his wife and their grown daughters in Seattle after surviving a harrowing hostage ordeal. The wounded man now finds it hard to handle his job as assistant grocery manager, so he eyes a new career for himself in alternative energy. Six years later, Mason’s youngest daughter, 24-year-old Kat, becomes an environmental activist, and she zeroes in on an unscrupulous congressman who allows companies to dump toxic waste in streams and drainage outlets. Kat wants to expose such misconduct, just like her older sister Paige, a journalist with the means to deliver their environmentally positive message to countless people. The sisters soon run into another group on the same side whose members stay anonymous, using names like Rocks and Mama. Their fight is much more violent, as they pack guns and use explosives to sabotage certain projects. Powerful businessmen and government officials vow to stop them, and the Worthy sisters are their first targets. Howen’s story doesn’t compromise, as it condemns such real-world entities as Big Oil. Kat and Paige, as champions for the environment, are likable, and their new allies, who take a frighteningly violent approach, are well developed and generally trustworthy. This narrative boasts intriguing mysteries, including one involving The Rooster, the ostensible environmentalist leader few people seem to know, as well as shocking turns, including a couple of characters’ deaths. Nevertheless, some of its deeply felt messages are expressed heavy-handedly, and the excessive use of ellipses in dialogue, usually for vocal pauses, becomes increasingly vexing. Still, there’s room for a third installment, which readers will welcome.

An often-absorbing eco-thriller with a solid cast and an earnest message.