BLOG TOUR AND REVIEW OF THE 19TH ELEMENT BY J.L. BETCHER

In The 19th Element: A James Becker Nuclear Thriller, Al Qaeda plans to attack Minnesota’s Prairie River Nuclear Power Plant as a means to return the down-trodden terrorist organization to international prominence.

In addition to their own devoted forces, the terrorists enlist some homegrown anarchists, and a Three Mile Island survivor with a pathological vendetta against the nuclear establishment, to assist in the assault.

James “Beck” Becker is a former elite U.S. government intelligence operative who has retired to his childhood hometown of Red Wing, Minnesota – just six miles down the Mississippi from the Prairie River nuclear facility.

Possessing wisdom born of experience, Beck suspects the terrorists’ intentions as soon as the body of a university professor turns up on the Mississippi shore – the clear victim of foul play.

He recognizes connections between seemingly unrelated incidents – the murdered agronomy professor, a missing lab assistant, an international cell call, a stolen fertilizer truck – but can’t piece it together in enough detail to convince government authorities that a larger threat exists.  Only his American Indian friend, “Bull,” will help Beck defuse the threat.

So it’s Beck and Bull versus international terror.

My Thoughts-

The book started out slowly and then picked up speed rather quickly. There were some chapters that provided me too much technical information and I felt that I was reading a chemistry textbook. This is a great psychological thriller and I was able to finish the book in one afternoon. It was scary and I felt like I was right there with Beck stopping the terrorists. The characters were well developed and believable. I look forward to reading the next book in the series and his newest book A Higher Court, One Man's Search for the Truth of God's Existence.


About the Author-

The author holds a Bachelor's Degree, cum laude, in English from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Minnesota Law School in Minneapolis. He has practiced law for more than twenty-five years in the Mississippi River community of Red Wing, Minnesota. He has also been a long-time supporter and coach of youth volleyball there. Mr. Betcher has published three feature articles in COACHING VOLLEYBALL, the Journal of the American Volleyball Coaches Association. His most recent article was the cover story for the April/May, 2009 Issue. 

Author's Website

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest review and I was not compensated for this review.