Truthfully, Eric Wilson can’t write a bad book. You wouldn’t know it from the small number of his books you can find in the local bookstore, but it’s true. The man has a gift, one that has been honed and sharpened diligently with years of sweat and tears.
2 Seconds Late takes a supporting character from 1 Step Away, Natalie Flynn, and develops her into an unlikely heroine. Because of a kidnapping she has suffered through, she becomes an advocate of microchip tagging. He new friend Representative Reuben King is more hesitant to endorse the practice, and other parties are staunchly against it. As time passes, Natalie becomes a target once again, and the stakes raise even higher.
I’ll admit that I so want to give a totally positive review, but as always, I have to be honest. The story started a little slow, some of the characters felt forced, and one event near the ending seemed a little abrupt. That said, Wilson’s beautiful writing never fails the reader, and a wonderful twist thrown in is always a good thing.
Wilson’s thematic material is adequately presented and processed. This story loosely echoes the story of Esther in the bible, who used the influence she had gained to steer the course of a nation. Natalie has an opportunity to do something similar. She also has to fight her own demons. Wilson excellently stirs politics and cutting-edge technology into the mixture (never leaving out Russian history, of course). To the delight of fans of the Aramis Black mysteries, Aramis and Detective Meade help out with the case.
As always in his books, there is much to think about after the last page has been turned.
All in all, I don’t think readers should miss any of Eric’s books. I know I haven’t and I’m not going to start now.
