Verdict: If the story feels unsatisfying it is because of how Desh outsmarts the central villain. While it’s true that using the enhancement pill to come up with brilliant insights is consistent with the narrative, it negates all of Desh’s smarts and experience, making the reader feel as if the author has taken a shortcut.

Former Special Ops member David Desh suffered a horrible experience in Iran and is haunted by the memory.  He is called out of retirement to track down a dangerous molecular biologist, Kira Miller, who may have discovered how to double the human lifespan.

The government believes Miller is also working with terrorists to develop a synthetic Ebola virus that could be inserted into chromosomes and kill millions. It is also believed that she is responsible for the deaths of a private investigator, her own brother, two of her teachers, her parents and her current boss at a pharmaceutical company.

As the narrative proceeds, Desh and Miller confront each other, but because of a pill she created that enhances her intelligence far beyond normal, she is always one step ahead of him.  Once under its influence, any altruistic feelings are sacrificed to a craving for power.
The story features all sorts of double crosses, twists, traps and false clues. Eventually, Desh decides to trust Miller, realizing that she’s been falsely accused. The real villain appears late in the story, and to Richards’ credit, is someone unexpected.

If the story feels unsatisfying it is because of how Desh, the hero, outsmarts the central villain. While it’s true that using the enhancement pill to come up with brilliant insights is consistent with the narrative, it negates all of Desh’s smarts and experience, making the reader feel as if the author has taken a shortcut.

Reviewed by Joe Del Priore