EVOL

A dedicated father searches for his missing child and uncovers an international child-pornography ring.

When the Evol Corporation messed around with John Hawkins—decorated war veteran, ex-Special Forces, possessor of a dogged tenacity and unwavering love for his family—it made a serious error. When John’s twin children are abducted in his hometown of Camden, Ala., he goes on a rampage against the kidnappers, destroying the town and half the police force trying to recover his kids. Unfortunately, John Jr. is killed in the escapade, and little Rebecca is stolen away. John and his wife Beth are heartbroken, and their marriage subsequently crumbles in an avalanche of guilt and pain medications. John devotes himself to finding his living child, but cannot realize the immensity of the force he is fighting. Evol—love, spelled backward—is an insidious cabal that has infiltrated the highest levels of government and makes many billions of dollars a year in the pornography business. After a whirlwind few years that takes Beth and John through daytime-TV shows and even to the Oval Office, but no closer to finding Rebecca, John disappears into the gutter of society. He awakens several years later and a private investigator takes John under his wing. Memories of his past life, numbed by years of ill health and isolation, resurface, and together with new comrades, he undertakes one last mission to rescue his daughter. Despite some predictable plot turns and the utter implausibility of the Evol Corporation’s day-to-day operations (most notably the location of their high-level meetings), John’s story is powerful and hooks the reader from the first page. The pacing is extraordinary throughout, especially in the run up to the dramatic conclusion. However, numerous grammatical errors mar the text, and the prologue is bewildering. But that won’t stop even the most stringent of readers from devouring John’s excruciating journey in one or two sittings. Missteps and all, the suspense far outweighs the inconsistencies.

A fun read from an author with a lot of promise.