THE PRONGHORN CONSPIRACY

A small-town Texas lawyer unexpectedly becomes a negotiator when terrorists kidnap the U.S. president in this fifth installment of a series.

Donnie Ray Cuinn has no desire to attend President Salmon Roe’s upcoming speech at the Evergreen Plant in Velda, Texas. After all, the Texas attorney didn’t vote for the man he deems “the World’s Biggest Hypocrite.” Joseph Jones, however, is on high alert; he’s leading the Islamic State in the Americas, a terrorist faction, in a plot to abduct Roe. The president will be announcing the Extreme Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator, or X-Bomb, which will begin production at Evergreen. Meanwhile, the first lady tries pushing her husband toward more peaceful goals: renounce the bomb and, instead, fight to end hunger with the intent of achieving peace in the Middle East. But her plans go sideways when the ISA takes control of the plant and holds President Roe hostage. That’s when Donnie suddenly finds himself involved; Joseph informs the FBI that he’ll only talk to Donnie. The Secret Service already had eyes on Donnie, as apparently Joseph, whose ISA affiliation is well known, had scoured the internet for information on him. Though Donnie has no idea who this man is, he heads into Evergreen to begin an impromptu negotiation with Joseph. As the ISA’s purpose becomes clearer, Donnie learns of a startling link between the lead terrorist and himself. He can only hope that negotiations end without anyone dying.

As in preceding installments of Taylor’s series, Donnie shares the spotlight with a motley cast. For example, Roe, an insufferable buffoon and homophobe, adds humor; when he’s not immediately certain the abduction is legit, he simply continues eating his lunch. Other characters are much more likable and often come with their own engrossing subplots. These include Ethan Gahli, an unlucky Secret Service agent kidnapped alongside Roe, as well as Donnie’s friend Eugene Pervoy, who has a potential windfall when POTUS seems keen on buying his ranch. Such an extensive cast helps the story maintain momentum, though it’s quite some time before the terrorists’ plot finally unfolds. Donnie is a well-developed protagonist whose hang-up on a lost love causes a rift in his current marriage. It’s also gratifying to see how Donnie handles himself when out of his element. Taylor excels at establishing scenes, particularly once the chaos starts: “In the large departure lounge, tables had been pushed together. Men, some in uniform, some in dress shirts, some wearing Homeland Security vests, sat around the table. Behind each were their aides, balancing laptop computers on their knees. Several phone conversations were going on at once.” The eventual reveal of Donnie and Joseph’s connection, though an effective turn, opens up a host of possible avenues that the narrative doesn’t fully explore. Nevertheless, other surprises crop up in the final act while the ending offers resolution across the board, accommodating each of the story’s myriad characters and subplots.

An energetic thriller with a memorable protagonist and superb characterization.