The second book in Petrie’s Peter Ash series, about a vet returned from the Sandbox on the run from PTSD-induced claustrophobia, which is why he’s out hiking in northern California, which is where he stumbles across a grizzly, which is why he climbs a redwood, on top of which he finds June, an investigative reporter on the run from hulking men in black SUVs who are extremely well armed. Finding out who these men are, who is paying them and how to thwart them makes this more of a gallop than a plot, but what a ride. Peter is that guy, the one you want in your corner when you’re in real trouble, June is a marvelous match for him, and Lewis is back from the first book, which makes me very happy. Petrie’s craft is such that even the cameo roles are memorable, like the ER doc

The doc gave him a look. Even with the electroshock hair, it was a pretty good look. Peter figured it took some stones to work the night shift at the ER.

and Jerome at Nordstrom’s

When Jerome came back from the tailor with Peter’s new suit, [Peter] put everything on again and did the little turn his fashion consultants kept insisting on.
“My goodness,” said June.
Jerome looked a little wistful.
Peter put his hands on his hips. “Is that all I am to you?” he asked. “Just meat?”
“Oh no,” June said. “Never just meat.”
And she and Jerome erupted in peals of laughter.

and people we don’t even meet

You could always tell new tech money. They knew so much about some obscure little fucking thing, but were naïve as hell about everything else. Half of them felt they didn’t deserve the money, the other half thought they deserved twice as much, and they all loved to write those checks. Proving to themselves and everyone else that they’d made it.

Although that last may have more to do with Chip the Asshole than the tech guys. Recommended, and publishing tomorrow.

Book Review Monday Chatter Uncategorized Burning Bright Nicholas Petrie Peter Ash