The Sleepwalker Legacy
by Christopher Hepworth
(Sam Jardine Crime Thrillers Book 1)
"In 1814, Britain’s foremost scientist, George
Napier witnesses a drug-fuelled massacre on a US battlefield. The drug,
Berserker, has a deadly side effect known as the Sleepwalker Legacy, which
destroys the life of his Native American lover. After the War, Napier dedicates
himself to the eradication of Berserker.
Two hundred years later, Napier’s global
pharmaceutical company has fallen into the hands of the ruthless Beckett
family. They are determined to produce and leverage Berserker for profit, as
the US government seeks to exploit the drug for military advantage.
Sam Jardine is a direct descendant of Napier. When
he discovers that Berserker could change the nature of humanity forever, he
sets out to fulfil his ancestor’s destiny by destroying the drug from within,
using his extraordinary powers of negotiation. Sam finds himself battling
demons from his past as he becomes entangled in a dangerous game of corporate
espionage and a battle of wits with the beautiful heiress, Rachael Beckett. He
resolves to help his lover, Cassie, who inherited the Sleepwalker Legacy and is
becoming increasingly unstable. But Sam is in a race against time…"
5
out of 5*
This
engaging and enthralling globe-trotting thriller takes its reader from China to
England, Scotland and the United States.
It is set between the early 19th and 21st
centuries, and revolves around the lead character of Sam Jardine and his
predecessors. The
writer has taken much of the true events of the Sand Creek Massacre in November
1864, (http://www.legendsofamerica.com/na-sandcreek.html) with a few elements altered to
fit the storyline, and woven a modern thriller with historic depth around
them.
It
deals with moral, cultural, and political issues, conspiracies and government
subterfuge, and the often cut throat world of pharmaceutical industry giants, all
sprinkled liberally with personal and romantic elements. Mental health issues and treatments are an important
element of the story, but it neither glorifies nor glosses over what are often
ignored or stigmatised conditions and illnesses. Rather it looks at how “weaknesses” can be
abused by unscrupulous people in positions of power to further their own ends.
It
also looks at actions and consequences, big and small, unintended and
deliberate.
Danger
is never far from Sam and those he comes into contact with. The characters are written clearly yet in
such a way as to keep the reader guessing about who are the “good” and “bad”
guys. The details of the illnesses,
drugs and treatments are complex and full yet simple and well described by the
author Christopher Hepworth so those of us with limited previous knowledge in
this area (that would be me!) can keep up yet learn at the same time.
Overall,
I rate this book as Excellent and highly deserving of a 5* rating!
Mr Hepworth has taken two areas which were
unfamiliar to me (history of the Indian Wars and pharmaceutical big business) and
made me curious to find out more about both.
He has written a tale which engages and intrigues, twists and turns in
the way of a truly well written thriller.
It is romantic and personal yet global and impersonal at the same
time. It deals with issues and threats
that can affect us all. I look forward
to more of Christopher Hepworth’s books.
No comments:
Post a Comment