Skip tracer Sarah Keller is experienced and efficient at locating individuals seeking to hide from the law, and she is adept at serving subpoenas. The techniques she employs in her job (and many that she has learned along the way as she pursues those attempting to stay off the grid) are crucial to her ability to protect her daughter Zoe.
For five years, Sarah has been living off grid in order to protect Zoe, who is actually her sister Bethany's daughter. When Beth is murdered shortly after Zoe's birth, Sarah has to remain untraceable to protect Zoe from the group that murdered her birth mother.
But a combination of circumstances leads to the destruction of Sarah's carefully composed life when, after a school bus accident, a microchip is discovered that identifies Zoe. Now Sarah must abandon everything and go on the run using every technique she has had in reserve for such an occasion.
The rest of the novel is pretty much the chase, Sarah's attempts to stay ahead of the group that would kill her and take Zoe. While the chase and the villains are implausible, the tension remains high.
Interesting that there are so many strong female characters; Gardiner seems to have an affinity for strong women. Usually the important female characters are far outnumbered by males--not so in this novel. The courage and commitment of Sarah, Danisha, and Theresa provide an interesting element. The male protagonist almost feels like a concession. There are plenty of male bad guys, but only one strong good guy.
Action-packed and fast-paced. The information about how to stay off-grid when our society provides so much information so willingly and the government is intent on finding out even more--that was the best part of the novel. The idea of the plot was great, but all the action of the chase was more in line of a film and lost realism. Didn't stop me from turning the pages, though.
An ARC from Jamie McDonald and U.S. Penguin Group
Thriller/Suspense. 2013. 368 pages.
- ISBN-10: 9780525953227