BOOK REVIEW: Critical Reaction

 

I have not read Todd M. Johnson’s first book, but after enjoying “Critical Reaction”, I’ll be looking for it!  Although not a legal thriller per se, the courtroom plays a significant role, as the causes and effects of an explosion in a shuttered nuclear facility are gradually revealed.  Kieren Mullaney survived that blast, but both his family history and current poor health make him determined to pursue a lawsuit against the facility in order to discover whether or not he was exposed to radiation.  After encountering a number of roadblocks, including personal threats, uncooperative witnesses, and a last minute withdrawal by his lawyer, he calls an old friend to help him out; she persuades her estranged father to join the fight, knowing that they need his courtroom experience.   The team must work together in order to determine who is really telling the truth, who is using them for their own ends, and ultimately, who is responsible for what happened.

This book abounds with conspiracies and cover-ups; there are plenty of twists and turns as the investigation proceeds.   I enjoyed the sub-plot of the father-daughter relationship, and how it evolved during the book, as well as the father’s re-evaluation of his own involvement in the legal profession.  The additional storylines of others affected by the explosion add interest, particularly as they  play a role in the final discovery.

The only downfall, in my eyes, is that Johnson seemed to run out of steam at the end, which was almost anti-climactic after the drama of the investigation itself.  His denouement covered the basics, but – in my estimation – fell short of the standard of writing in the rest of the book, and left me asking myself, “That’s it?”  Overall, though, a great read! 

I received this book free of charge from Bethany House publishing, and was not required to write a positive review.