Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Book Review - Divine Fury by Robert B. Lowe



Divine Fury
by Robert B. Lowe
An Enzo Lee Mystery Thriller

Publisher: Robert B. Lowe
Release Date: November 7, 2012

ISBN:978-0988644816
ASIN: B00A42ADKG

Buy Links:

Amazon Print    Kindle     


Book Description:

Candidate Andrew Harper was a college basketball star, a crusading prosecutor and a beloved Congressman. He is also openly gay. When the San Francisco politician gets the inside track to become California’s next governor, it sends shock waves through the political and religious establishment.

Reporter Enzo Lee is cajoled into leaving his comfortable niche covering fluffy features for the San Francisco News to cover the historic campaign. A series of campaign events are mysteriously and dangerously disrupted. A key endorsement is scuttled at the last minute. An earlier murder takes on new significance when it is linked to a Watergate-style break-in involving computer spying.

But, finding the culprits behind political sabotage and high-tech hacking take a back seat when it’s discovered that a troubled war veteran armed with guns and explosives has begun a violent journey from small-town Montana to the City by the Bay.

When Lee becomes a target himself he must dodge attempts on his own life while trying to expose the conspiracy and, with the help of police allies, foil an assassination plot.

Divine Fury is the newly released second book in the Enzo Lee series from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Robert B. Lowe. The series was kicked off by the best-selling Project Moses, the bioterroism thriller that made the Amazon Top 20 Mysteries list and was a finalist in the Best Indie Books of 2012 competition.

Divine Fury is a page-turning thriller with suspense, action, romance and enough twists to keep the reader guessing. It also focuses on a timely theme as the issues of same-sex marriage and gay rights become a major cultural battleground in America. 



My Review 


One damaged war veteran, a religious leader bent on political and moral control and a gay politician determined to become the next governor of California take center stage in Robert B. Lowe's political thriller, Divine Fury.  The second Enzo Lee story, Divine Fury's focus on the powerful topic of gay rights, features a rapidly paced plot with more than a handful of characters.  Set in the San Francisco area, Mr. Lowe did a good job of blending the city's background, ethnic makeup and cultural landscape into the story.

Focusing on human interest stories for the last couple of years, reporter Enzo Lee is still struggling with the fall out from his last large investigation.  Determined to keep to the light and somewhat fluffy stories he's been covering on the front page, Enzo warily agrees to cover a local murder when the city crime beat reporter is overwhelmed one morning.  Running into a cop who's a personal friend, Enzo has no idea this case is a precursor for coming events.

When Andrew Harper, an openly gay politician, decides to run for the governor's office, he believes he's prepared to face the opposition.  Forming a secret group determined to keep Harper, and any other morally bankrupt political wannabee out of office, a religious leader, a disenchanted and delusional veteran, and a conservative congressional aid, begin planning a political attack.  An attack which soon takes on terrorist ideology and determination to win at any cost.

While the battle between "between good and evil" heats up, Enzo and his associates will find themselves trying to solve the clues left behind.  Mr. Lowe does a good job of keeping Enzo busy with both his personal life and his professional life at the same time.  While Enzo and his friends work to stay one step ahead of the the homegrown terrorists, Enzo's grandmother makes an attempt to set him up with a blind date.  Enzo even discovers he's attracted to his female boss.  While Mr. Lowe could have focused only on the terrorists, their plans and Enzo's investigation, he gives us a chance to see Enzo as a real human with all of the emotional and social entanglements we juggle daily.

Will  Andrew Harper and the citizens of San Francisco make it to election day or will the terrorists succeed with their plans?  Will Enzo and his friends be able to uncover all of the clues in time to make a difference?  You'll have to read Divine Fury to find out.  While this is the second story in the Enzo Lee Mystery series, I was able to read this book on its own, though I do plan to read Project Moses before the next book is released.

My Rating:  4 out of 5 Crowns

FTC Disclosure:  I received a complimentary copy of this book as a part of a book tour in exchange for a fair and honest review. 


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