Publisher: Shaling Press
Publication Date: October 11, 2023
Length: 344 pages
I received this book from the author, Shaun Loftus, and Book Whisperer.
Why would an American citizen want to harm his country? How could a seemingly loyal citizen become a bombmaker intent on hurting America? Emma Ripley is tasked with answering this question. She is assigned to interrogate Georges Subdallah, the most valued bombmaker of terrorists. Her first meeting with Subdallah shocks her as she views what he has become, not the man he was in his prime. Subdallah doesn’t seem full of hatred or anger. His quiet nature is either a mask or possibly the result of his actions. As a trained interrogator, Emma knows to be successful she needs to earn his trust and understand his motivation. Innocuous conversations build understanding. Emma must tread carefully to get the answers the government needs. Who did Subdallah work with? Can further bloodshed be avoided with the discovery of his co-conspirators? Emma has to balance the slow building of trust with the urgency of stopping a terror attack.
Emma is a mother. How does the work of an interrogator balance with the role of motherhood? Emma struggles with maternal feelings, responsibilities, and establishing a relationship with her child. She is divorced and still coming to terms with life. She doesn’t have girlfriends to talk with, and her need for guidance is apparent. Is it safe for her to be involved with counter-terrorism while being a mother? As she digs into the life that Subdallah lived, does she become a target?
Daniel J Davies character of Emma is a complex and intriguing woman. Balancing her role as a mother with being an interrogator seems difficult. Emma lacks maternal skills yearning to know her child better. The work/private life conflict is very realistic and most working women can relate to Emma’s quandary. The working relationships of the interrogators felt unrealistic. They did not collaborate, or share information. I would like to have had a better understanding of how the job of interrogator worked. Emma was directed to extract information from Subdallah yet took her time establishing a relationship with Subdallah. She failed to feel the urgency of the situation and the tacit acceptance of her methods is confusing. If your boss urged you to work faster, wouldn’t you? The slowly revealed story of Georges Subdallah was interesting. Seeing how a person could turn against their country was fascinating. Sadly, I feel that they missed the boat with the interrogator role. I needed more information about the job. How do they operate? I was left puzzled by the behaviors of these people.
The book is good. It will be entertaining for many fans of thrillers. Bombmaker is the perfect story for fans of David Baldacci, Robert Ludlum, T J Newman and other terrorism-based thrillers. Thank you Book Whisperer, Shaun Loftus, and Daniel J Davies.
My Rating: 🌻🌻🌻🌻/5