The novel “Crossfire” by Lee Gimenez was published for the first time in 2019. It’s part of the J.T. Ryan series.
When the president of the most important social network is killed, a high-profile investigation begins. FBI Assistant Director Erin Welch calls J.T. Ryan but he’s on vacation and doesn’t want to interrupt it. The Pentagon has an interest in the case and General Keating has the investigator taken, reinstates him in the army, and force him to investigate the case.
Other people linked to the world of social media are killed, and recent cases considered accidents are reassessed. Behind the scenes, economic maneuvers have begun that aim to take control of online information. The situation concerns national security as well, also because the presidential elections are approaching.
It’s not the first time that Lee Gimenez deals with the world of the media, their power to influence public opinion, and consequently the risks that could arise if they ended up in criminal hands. Some might object that this wouldn’t change the current situation much but the issue is truly delicate.
“Crossfire” tackles the very current issue of the influence that social media can have also by choosing which news from various sources to highlight and which ones to hide. Lee Gimenez has barely changed the names of the real social media platforms to emphasize how close the problem is to reality.
The novel is a little different from the previous ones in this series because J.T. Ryan is forced to investigate as part of military intelligence. He can still use his unorthodox methods, at least to a certain extent, but he always has General Keating breathing down his neck, also because he has assigned Colonel O’Shea to work with him in his investigations to make sure he follows at least certain rules.
In fact, J.T. Ryan likes to take some recreational breaks, so to speak, but he always gets results by working his own way. The situation is far from ideal for him, as he had left the army precisely because his character clashed with those of his rule-abiding superiors. Seeing the actions of General Keating, it makes you think that if the good guys are like him, there’s no need for villains!
As is typical in these novels, J.T. Ryan often risks his life when he finds someone involved in the criminal plan or the people behind the plan try to eliminate him. The case involves the world of social media, so part of the investigation is conducted through computers but action remains central to the plot. Lee Gimenez mixes the various elements well avoiding unnecessary techno-babble, also taking advantage of the fact that the protagonist is old school and requires explanations in simple terms. In this way, the plot maintains a fast pace with increasing tension.
“Crossfire” is told like the previous novels in the J.T. Ryan series with the dry style typical of Lee Gimenez and is excellent for readers who love action-packed thrillers with a very fast pace and plots with many twists. It has an autonomous story that doesn’t require having read the previous novels in the series and a real ending, so you can read it and then decide if and when to continue with the novels in this series the author wrote in the following years. I recommend it especially to readers interested in stories focused on social media and their influence with various ramifications at an economic and especially political level. It’s available on Amazon USA, UK, and Canada.
