Another Author to Revisit
Last night I had a sports doubleheader — first the Eagles–Chiefs game, then the Phillies game all the way to the top of the tenth inning. Somewhere in between, I also managed to finish Book #30 for the year: The Rook by Steven James.
The Rook is the second book in James’ Patrick Bowers series. Patrick is a special consultant to the FBI who uses geospatial investigation — analyzing the where and when of crimes alongside motives — to track down serial offenders.
In this installment, Patrick and his colleague Lien-hua Jiang are called to San Diego to investigate a series of arsons. Patrick brings along his stepdaughter Tessa, still grieving the loss of her mother and navigating a sometimes rocky relationship with Patrick.
Meanwhile, other story threads emerge:
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Creighton Melice – a violent criminal out on bail, relocated to San Diego by a mysterious figure named Shade so he can continue his deadly obsession.
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Victor Drake – a billionaire defense contractor being pressured by the government to hand over a classified prototype.
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A bizarre homeless man’s suicide — just blocks from a fire scene — pulls Patrick and Lien-hua deeper into a tangled investigation.
The case soon weaves together Melice, Drake and his Sherrod Aquarium, the elusive Shade, the prototype device, and even Sebastian Taylor from the first book. At the same time, Patrick is juggling his feelings for Lien-hua and his responsibilities to Tessa.
James delivers what I’ve come to expect from him — tight plotting, sharp suspense, and characters with enough depth to keep me invested. Patrick, Tessa, Lien-hua, and Ralph make a strong ensemble, and the balance between high-stakes action and personal subplots works well.
I gave The Rook 4 out of 5 stars, maybe even a 5. James keeps the pages turning right up to the last line.
“Once again, James has given us a rip-snorting thriller with a beating heart, a calculating cat-and-mouse game of chess, and a satisfying ending.” – Eric Wilson, New York Times bestselling author
Postscript Update
When I first wrote this, I said I was going to read The Knight, the next book in the Patrick Bowers series. Well… I never did. In fact, I haven’t picked up another in the series since The Rook. Like some other series I’ve drifted away from, it might be time to circle back.
In the meantime, Steven James has launched a new series featuring Travis Brock, a high-level Pentagon redactor with an eidetic memory. The premise sounds right up my alley — maybe I’ll start there and see if it pulls me back into his earlier work.
