"Critical Reaction" by Todd M. Johnson

Critical Reaction (Nov. 19, 2013) by Todd M. Johnson.*

Things are not always as they appear. Kieran Mullaney survived a blast at Hanford Nuclear Reservation. In its days of operation, Hanford Nuclear was used for plutonium production. It was shut down by the Department of Energy and is currently under the eye of Covington Nuclear, where workers like Kieran routinely monitor and test for radiation in the air. So why would a place that’s supposed to be shut down rock from explosions? Kieran was on the “dark side” of Lab Building 5 (a.k.a. LB5) when it happened. Before losing consciousness, he saw the hallway’s monitors switch from green to red, indicating radiation in the air. (Covington denies that any radiation was detected.) Now concerned about the amount of radiation he may have been exposed to, he’s tried to get answers only to be ignored.

            Young lawyer Emily Hart answers Kieran’s call as a concerned friend. Kieran contacts her, desperate for representation, after his own lawyer backs out on him. Emily knows she’s in over her head on the case. In the two-to-three years since she passed her bar, she’s worked in a Public Defender’s office, taking small cases. This is her first civil suit in federal court. Her dad has the courtroom experience their team needs, but they’re not close. Will Ryan Hart agree to help?

            Eight months after the Hanford explosion, and Poppy Martin’s coughing fits haven’t stopped. Was he exposed to a large dose of radiation? He’s sent multiple e-mails to Covington’s head of Human Resources, only to be ignored. When he finally gets contact from them, it isn’t what he expected.

            Hanford is hiding something. Something very big and probably very dangerous. These characters all want to find the truth of what’s going on, but their searching for answers doesn’t go unnoticed. There are threats. If they keep searching, will their lives be in danger from more than potential radiation poisoning?

            I don’t read a lot of legal thrillers, and this was the first time I’ve read a Christian legal thriller. But the Christian aspect is so understated that it was hard to notice it save for mention of a person praying once or twice. I was pleasantly surprised by the quick pace of Johnson’s writing and the winding plot. There is legal jargon to give this legal thriller credence, but not so much that your brain goes on information-overload. “Critical Reaction” is smart, and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys a well-written legal thriller.

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”