Redemption
Lee Jackson
St. Martin's, Oct 28 2007, $24.95
ISBN 9780312363444
Under the guise of stopping terrorists at home, Homeland Security uses a humongous net to incarcerate citizens. Former English Professor Ben Trinity knows first hand the torture to force confessions as you disappear in the ooze beneath the judicial system with no rights. After losing everything and never charged with any crime, Homeland Security agents release Ben under a stipulation that he understands they will bring him again if they feel like it; they plan to monitor his activity with a fine tooth comb as they hope he leads them to capturing bigger fish.
Ben hitchhikes to Redemption, Montana hoping to not just start anew, but to be as far away from the use of force first HSD agents as he can be while also doing their bidding. However, he is unwelcome by the townsfolk even before they learn he is an HSD stooge as outsiders mean trouble to the close knit community. Ben realizes if he to escape the shackles of the shadow government of HSD, he needs to prove his innocence of what the agents claimed he did although he also knows his handlers will not allow him to investigate.
This futuristic cautionary tale stars an interesting victim of excess homeland torture under the guise of security. Ben is fascinating as his choices are limited leading to depression while the support cast add to the gloomy outlook as mobs accept strangers are terrorists and dealt with accordingly; and then there is the sexy deadly voice of handler Mrs. Clarice McGraff. Although the background used to affirm the future feels off kilter, thriller fans will appreciate the HSD style “recruitment” of Ben Trinity.
Harriet Klausner
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