Critical Reaction by Todd Johnson

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Critical Reaction Bethany House Publishers (November 19, 2013) by Todd M. Johnson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Todd M. Johnson has practiced as an attorney for over 30 years, specializing as a trial lawyer. Todd's career experience blends with his passion for writing in his novels published through Bethany House.

A graduate of Princeton University and the University of Minnesota Law School, he also taught for two years as an adjunct professor of International Law, and served as a US diplomat in Hong Kong.

The Deposit Slip, Mr. Johnson's first novel, debuted in 2012. Todd's second novel, Critical Reaction, will be released in November 2013.

Todd lives outside Minneapolis, Minnesota, with his wife Cathy and children Ian and Libby.

ABOUT THE BOOK

After decades of turning out plutonium for the arms race, the Hanford Nuclear Facility has long been shuttered, though its deadly legacy cannot be fully contained. The men who guard the facility from sabotage or monitor its buildings for radiation leaks are told the risks are under control. They believe it, until the worst happens: a thunderous explosion in the dead of night.

Two workers, lifer Poppy Martin and new hire Kieran Mullaney, believe themselves lucky to survive the blast. But as the debris is cleared, they discover their safety is not assured. Dead ends and closed doors halt their efforts to discover what really happened--and what radiation may have poisoned them. When stalling and threats force them into the hands of experienced trial lawyer Ryan Hart, they learn that theirs is no ordinary lawsuit. There is something still hidden in the desert of eastern Washington, and someone is willing to go to extreme lengths to make sure it never sees the light of day.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Critical Reaction, go HERE.

My review:
  I enjoy legal thrillers, but there aren't many authors writing them on the Christian market, so its nice to see a new Christian legal thriller author come along.

  I read Johnson's first book, The Deposit Slip, and was impressed, so when this one came along, I snagged one for review, and in my opinion, he has gotten better with his second novel. This one was based on an actual court case he worked on as a lawyer, so not all of the story is fictional.

  The book did have a great plot, characters, and setting. It is one of those books that once I started it, I didn't want to put it down. One problem I have had with some legal thrillers I have read, is some of the court and legal stuff can get a bit laborious, but Johnson did a great job of keeping it interesting and in terms people that aren't legal experts could understand.

  Speaking of the author, I participated in a chat on Facebook with him and several other readers, and he seems like a very nice down to earth guy who wants to write books that stay true to his faith.

  I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and though I found the ending to be a bit abrupt and thought a few more pages and details would have tied the book up better, it is a great book that I'd recommend to suspense and legal thriller readers.