Many people are happy and relieved once they retire, but for Molly Halloran, retirement is monotonous and boring. Sure, she and her husband have the house of their dreams in Arizona and their three children are all grown and successful, but Molly longs for something to relieve her doldrums. Unfortunately, she gets her wish when her husband goes missing while on a business trip to the Middle East.
When the news gets out, her three lifelong friends are there for her. Within days, she and her companions, along with her son and his potential new boyfriend, are flying to Dubai, Saudi Arabia, per the demands of a kidnapper. Once they land, things become more complicated. She and her son soon discover the kidnapper’s motives are far more diabolical than they imagined.
E. William Podojil’s The Poseidon Project is more than a mystery story. There’s breathtaking adventure, unexpected plot twists, and even a bit of exotic romance. Podojil also includes some sincere family dynamics, showing how relationships between parents and children can change and evolve.
It’s a dense story, with many threads weaving together towards an exhilarating conclusion. Podojil does a fantastic job of making the settings real and the tension palatable. He starts the story slowly, introducing characters and plot elements, and once the pieces are all in place things begin to take off.
I appreciate how well he built his characters, giving them faults, making them misinterpret intentions, and having them say the wrong thing at the wrong time. And I thought it was interesting that while the novel is subtitled “The Herb Society Mysteries, Book One”, the bulk of the story is told from outside the group looking in.
Of course, the fact this has “Book One” in the title alludes to there being more stories in the future. “The Poseidon Project” wraps up cleanly, but the characters seem poised for another adventure once again to break up the monotony of their cozy lives.
I recommend this book to lovers of a good adventure/mystery and stories with interesting and unexpected twists. It’s a satisfying tale that keeps readers engaged until the last page.
This review was originally posted at Reader Views. For more book reviews and recommendations, check out my Reading List page.
RB
Great review, Richard. Sounds like a good read in a fascinating location.
Thank you!
Very intriguing review. Looks like a good read.
Thank you! Yes, it was an entertaining story.