An act of sabotage gives a teenage girl some remarkable new abilities in this debut SF novel.

Diana Dunphy is a normal 16-year-old girl whose parents’ work is anything but ordinary. Her divorced parents, Rita and Aaron Dunphy, are scientists collaborating on a project called the Tachyon Chamber, affectionately nicknamed the “Crock Pot.” Designed to tackle the twin problems of oil scarcity and waste disposal, the Tachyon Chamber sends discarded materials back in time, where they will become oil for present-day use. But on the night of the project’s demonstration, terrorists posing as high school friends of Diana’s attack the attendees in an effort to download the software that makes the chamber possible. Diana tries to intervene, but she is pushed into the chamber. Her parents rescue her; then, her father is killed trying to dispose of a bomb left by the terrorists. While recovering in a hospital, Diana notices something is different about her. She craves rare meat and uses her tongue to smell. Her mother tests her DNA and discovers similarities with a Tyrannosaurus rex’s genetic material. Diana must keep her new powers and instincts under control as she returns to high school, but her efforts are complicated by her desire to seek revenge against the terrorists responsible for her condition and her father’s death. Gleisser’s novel is a fast-paced SF thriller bolstered by a dynamic heroine and well-staged action scenes. The narrative is anchored by Diana, whose world is turned upside down when her DNA is spliced with that of a dinosaur. She is surrounded by a strong supporting cast, including her mother and Chuck Leadingham, a classmate who eventually develops a romantic interest in Diana. The investigation into the sabotage that led to Diana’s transformation leads to some of the tale’s most intense action sequences, particularly her use of her sense of smell to uncover the location of the terrorists. That said, there are a few minor editing inconsistencies. For example, the name of the institute supporting the Dunphys’ research is spelled both “Gotelle” and “Gottelle.”

An engaging and unconventional thriller with a vibrant heroine.