Invasion of Privacy: A Novel
By: Christopher Reich
Rating: 5 of 5
Invasion of Privacy” is the first book I have read by Christopher Reich. It was a really good read and definitely makes me want to go back and read some of his previous books. It was a very suspenseful thriller – with lots of action and plot twists throughout the book. I read it in one day because, frankly, I found that I could not put it down. The book is set in the Hill Country around Austin, TX, where I lived for a number of years and it was fairly accurate in its portrayal of the area and the individuals who would call that area home.
Joe Grant is an FBI agent who is killed while trying to obtain information from his Confidential Informant. The Bureau tries sweeping his death under the carpet but his wife finds too many inconsistencies between the FBI tale and what Joe’s doctor has informed her of Joe’s fatal wounds. Mary is determined to discover the truth of what happened and why her husband was killed – no matter what the cost to her. Mary is aided in her search by ex-journalist Tank Potter. He also has found inconsistencies but his editor discounts his story because Tank is a drunk. Together they work to find out the truth.
The US Government is on the point of buying a supercomputer system from Ian Prince which will allow them to decrypt pretty much all information gathered anywhere in the world in real time. Ian is banking on their need for this information to advance his own agenda. Standing in his way are not only Mary and Tank but also Mary’s computer hacker genius daughter Jessie.
The story has many twists and turns – one moment you are up and then the next you are down. It was a thrilling read but there was also a serious undercurrent that warns about how little “privacy” citizens really have. While some of the tale is perhaps slightly in advance of technology today, it is certainly within grasp in the near future. There are already instances where companies have been able to spy into private homes via internet connected devices – turning on cameras and microphones as well as tracking not only web sites visited but down to keystrokes typed. It gives one pause to think of how little we can keep to ourselves and the book gives examples of how our information can be used against us.
I enjoyed reading the book and look forward to more by the author. I would love to see some of these characters again in future books, if that is possible. I recommend the book to anyone who enjoys a fast-paced suspense thriller.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via the publisher.
Invasion of Privacy” is the first book I have read by Christopher Reich. It was a really good read and definitely makes me want to go back and read some of his previous books. It was a very suspenseful thriller – with lots of action and plot twists throughout the book. I read it in one day because, frankly, I found that I could not put it down. The book is set in the Hill Country around Austin, TX, where I lived for a number of years and it was fairly accurate in its portrayal of the area and the individuals who would call that area home.