In Conspiracy of Silence (The Tox Files #1), Ronie Kendig crafts a suspenseful, fast-paced tale that combines archeology, the military, medieval history, politics, Biblical history, bioterrorism, and a dash of romance.
Conspiracy of Silence continues the story of Cole “Tox” Russell, which began in the prequel/novella The Warrior’s Seal. While readers do not need to read The Warrior’s Seal first, they may well be drawn to do so after reading Conspiracy of Silence.
Exiled and disgraced, Russell is called upon by the President of the United States, Russell’s own brother, to eliminate an assassin. Russell reassembles his old black ops team and immediately finds himself pressured into adding Kasey Cortes to the unit. Cortes, the younger sister of one of Russell’s former girlfriends, has harbored a crush on Russell since she was twelve; she is now an expert in deception detection who has been working tirelessly to clear Russell’s name. The squad, now including Cortes, quickly gets to work and travels across the globe in an effort to stop a terrorist from releasing a deadly toxin that originated in Biblical times.
Kendig’s characters are well-drawn, complex, and realistic. Russell is a hero who selflessly and courageously strives to protect his country even after it has turned its back on him; at the same time, he is a complicated, dangerous man. His team members are an interesting mix of characters as well. Each one makes great sacrifices for their country; each one deals with their own very real and realistic flaws. The author also avoids the common trap of creating stereotypical, cardboard-character villains. Just as the characters are realistic, the dialogue is authentic and “natural”.
In Conspiracy of Silence, Kendig constructs an amazingly fast-paced plot captures the reader’s attention from the very beginning to the closing page. The author smoothly weaves multiple subplots and numerous characters, and she moves the reader smoothly and believably from Jordan to India to England and on, integrating historical elements into the present-day tale of bioterrorism.
Published in December 2016 by Bethany House Publishers, Conspiracy of Silence, deftly explores issues of good and evil, redemption, the cost of heroism, and our society’s struggle to combat terrorism. Readers will, no doubt, find themselves up far past their bedtime, unwilling to put down this newest offering from best-selling, award-winning author Ronie Kendig.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Conspiracy-Silence-Files-Ronie-Kendig/dp/0764217658
Book Review by Patti Miinch: Patti Miinch, a widow and mother of two adult children, lives in Southeast Missouri. Her lifelong passion — as both a writer and a reader
— for the written word led her to pursue a career as an English professor. Her hobbies include watching college and professional sports, spending time with her family, knitting, spending time outdoors, and traveling.
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