I think Doctor Lucas Page and his family might be my new favourite thriller family. It has to be said that there is a significant resemblance to the Lucas in the John Sandford series that will confuse you at first, my advice is just go with it. Dr Page's skills are kind of ridiculous but the story carries you through. I read the first book in the series to prepare for this one and will eagerly await the next installment.

All the stars and more for this magnificent follow up to City of windows featuring the brilliant Lucas Page. So how do you review a book that you just can’t fault I can’t find the words to praise it enough and after loving the first book so much this was always going to be a read that was a hard act to follow but it did the job and il loved it just as much as the first if not more !! The story begins with a bang and that is quite literally one hell of a bang as there is a massive explosion at Guggenheim Museum in New York City leaving horrific scenes of carnage and killing 702 people. From then on we are taken on a thrill a minute ride as Lucas Page is reluctantly brought in to assist in helping and things just go from bad to worse when more explosions start to happen with no real reason to connect them. What I have loved about both of these books by Robert Pobi is not only are they completely absorbing I also learn so much and go from reading some laugh of loud dialogue to some facts that I find so interesting I have to bore the life out anyone who will listen ! Genius writing by Mr Pobi hats off again to you for creating the character of Lucas Page who is in the top ten of my favourite characters but also all the other people who are in the book all completely believable as is the fabulous plot line. I again now hope that we will hear more from this excellent series. My thanks to NetGalley and Hoddor & Stoughton for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Under Pressure is the second book in the Lucas Page series by Canadian author, Robert Pobi. When an explosion at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum incinerates over seven hundred people, while leaving the building largely intact, Dr Lucas Page is unsure what he can offer to the investigation. But FBI Special Agent in Charge of Manhattan, Brett Kehoe, wants his expertise with numbers. “No system— and that includes a series of crimes— is intrinsically random; the observer just has an imperfect understanding of how said system operates. If you see something that appears to be random, you’re missing data. And hidden inside larger seemingly organized structures, you can find smaller ones that look like they’re nothing—statistical noise— but they’re not. They’re just part of a different pattern.” The device is apparently highly sophisticated and its design, ensuring maximum cruelty, zero survivors and the destruction of artwork worth a billion dollars, suggests several possible motives. A warning email sent to a CNN journalist, which denounces humanity’s reliance on technology, leaves Lucas unconvinced even when the next target, an internet hub, fits this motive. Lucas firmly believes they need to look for the money: who would benefit? But is that the right question? Further explosions and victims don’t clarify the issue of motive, but are all linked to the high-profile company whose gala IPO launch at the Guggenheim was bombed. Horizon Dynamics is a company using nano-technology and AI driven solutions for rejuvenation and repair of eco-systems, and its directors are linked to each event on several levels. As more bombs explode and more people die, some of them potential suspects, initial theories are challenged, but the sadistic aspect of the bombs leads Lucas to conclude there is a personal element. Lucas enlists the help of his post-grad students to analyse a mountain of data that has stumped the FBI, reasoning that: “The bureau’s people were fettered by both protocol and lack of vision.” Not so his clever students. Another excellent dose of Lucas Page and Alice Whitaker that features land mines, a puppy, a confetti bomb, sniffer rats, an opportune pair of handcuffs, and a very large body count. Once again, Pobi’s plot is clever, with lots of excellent deductive work, twists, red herrings, plenty of tension and a heart-stopping climax. Entertaining dialogue is another hallmark of this series. Will Lucas work with the FBI again? While he enjoys the stimulation it offers his mind, his wife and family certainly don’t appreciate that it takes him away from them and potentially puts his life (and theirs) at risk. Nor is this the first occasion that his involvement seems to be associated with unfortunate consequences for the Special Agent In Charge of the case. It will be interesting to see if Pobi gives fans further instalments of Lucas Page. Excellent crime fiction. This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and St Martins Press

So here’s the deal. I need to write this fast because once again, this author has run me ragged & I’m in desperate need of a nap. This is book #2 of the Lucas Page series & as with “City of Windows” you’re in for a wild ride full of mystery, suspense & black humour. The story begins with a literal bang after a massive explosion at NYC’s iconic Guggenheim Museum. The casualty list reads like a who’s who of millionaires & every level of law enforcement is left pondering the same question. What kind of bomb reduces 702 bodies to ashes but leaves the building upright? One of those scratching his head is Brett Kehoe, the FBI’s special agent in charge of Manhattan. His first thought is who was the target….one of the victims or all of them? The logistics of investigating over 700 lives is overwhelming & Kehoe quickly realizes he needs someone who can absorb a million facts & spit out an answer. He needs a human computer. Good thing he knows one. Meanwhile, Dr. Lucas Page has just learned a hard lesson. Never let your daughter experiment with hair dye. On you. He, wife Erin & their herd of kids are enjoying a break at the cottage. Or they were until Kehoe landed a chopper on the lawn. He knows getting Lucas to join the investigation will be a tough sell but has 2 secret weapons. An irresistibly intricate puzzle to solve & special agent Angela Whitaker. She’s the one colleague Lucas can tolerate & the only one who finds his antisocial behaviour amusing. It’s supposed to be a quick 2 day assignment. But then another bomb goes off. And another. Grab a comfie chair, peeps, because you’re not going to be moving for a few hours. Pobi knows how to tell a story that grips you from the start. The plot is complex & perfect for readers who love to ride shotgun with an investigation. What elevates it above your garden variety thriller are the characters. Lucas is an original & complicated MC. His unique brain took him from foster kid to astrophysicist. Then an horrific accident left him with 2 prosthetic limbs. But his sunny personality…..just kidding. He pretty much hates everyone. Blunt sarcasm is his preferred style of communication but it’s also the source of much of the black humour found throughout. Matching him shot for shot is Whitaker, an intelligent young woman with little time for fools. Their relationship is such an enjoyable part of this series & provides comic relief when we need a breather from the hair-raising action. The dialogue in general is economical but conversations between these two have a dry, edgy humour that adds to the story. But as much as I enjoy the returning characters I must confess I have a new favourite. That would be Binky. He’s the strong, silent type who never loses his cool. Sure, he’s a bit hairier than his partner but he gets the job done. All he asks is you throw a few olives his way. Total scene-stealer. The author also takes shots at our increasing dependence on & addiction to smart phones & social media. I don’t want to give too much away as it’s integral to the plot but there’s a hilarious irony to several scenes featuring public demonstrations. And (sadly) they are completely believable. It’s not long before we identify the target but figuring out the “who” in who-dun-it might take you until the last few pages. At a time when we’re all looking for a little escapism, this book provides a smart, entertaining remedy for the stay at home blahs. I’d love to tag along with these characters again so hopefully book #3 is in the works. Fingers crossed it includes Binky.

This is the second book featuring Dr Lucas Page and while certain events from book one are important to the story they are brought out by the author and allow the reader to understand those that are germane to the present novel. Dr page was working as an agent for the FBI when he became involved in a horrific accident. He lost the sight of one eye and required a prosthetist for his leg. But the accident did not rob him of a very peculiar talent that he had and retains. He can visualize a crime scene as if he were a bystander and break down any set of data at a glance. Due to his disability he no longer works full time for the FBI but apparently he will become available if needed to help with certain crimes. The opening of the novel finds Lucas, his wife and children enjoying the seashore at a location far out on long island. The famed Guggenheim museum becomes the site of a bomb placed which does major damage to the building and kills a large amount of people. The museum had been closed to the public while hosting a leading tech company's private gala hosting a large group celebrating a forthcoming issue of stock. Other explosions, also caused, go off, and the FBI launches a full court investigation . In addition, Lucas Page is called to come in and help in the investigation using his special skills. The action is structured like any normal detective story, although featuring descriptions of the enormous amount of fatalities coupled with gruesome looks at victims literally blown apart with their bodies in many areas. Lucas is shown using his not inconsiderable talents to solve the case with the help of a lady agent. He also calls on students he teaches at the university to help his efforts. It is probable that Mr. Pobi plans additional novels undoubtedly centered on more horrific crimes with Page leading the charge of his own small group of assistants. The novel is entertaining, although, possibly more than a little difficult to take with the vivid descriptions of horrible deaths as part and parcel of the action.