The Valley of Shadows

By: Mark Terry
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Publication Date: June 2011
ISBN: 978-1-933515-94-6
Reviewed by: Mary Lignor
Review Date: May 2011

The author's fourth book in the Derek Stillwater Series is a thriller that will make the reader's heart race. A first rate novel, well written that does not let up until the last page; and then, only for a little while as we all wait for the fifth installment.

There are many stories out there right now about terrorism but, this one is fantastic. Our hero, Derek Stillwater, is a troubleshooter for the Department of Homeland Security and is on call with the Director of Homeland Security to be at the ready wherever and whenever there is a threat to the United States. The tale begins when there is a raid by US forces on an Al-Qaeda group in Pakistan. During the raid they confiscate two laptops. These laptops have been booby-trapped with bombs that will blow up in the soldiers' faces when opened. When the bombs are diffused and the laptops checked out, it is found that there are plans to carry out terrorist attacks in five major U.S. cities (Washington, DC, New York City, Dallas, Chicago and Los Angeles). These attacks could involve dirty bombs, biological weapons and maybe even a nuclear attack on Election Day.

Derek is assigned to a Special Terrorism Activity Response Team (START) to find the weapons and the people who are bent on using them in Los Angeles, and stop the attack. His team has two days to accomplish this. As Derek and his team look for their targets things start to get interesting. There are multiple characters, doing many things that bewilder the team and distract their attention away from the real target of the terrorists.

This is a fascinating novel with many characters who will captivate the reader at once. Readers may compare this book to the early novels written by Clive Cussler in which his main character (Dirk Pitt) gets into many scrapes and, as soon as he is out of them, he's back into something else with a vengeance. This author has that knack and it makes the book very exciting. This book has very cleverly pictured the personalities of the people threatening the U.S. with acts of terrorism. The result, for the readers, is a one-day read because you will find it very hard to put down. Readers will definitely be looking forward to volume five of the Derek Stillwater Series.

Quill Says: This narrative takes off like a rocket ship and does not come to a full stop, even at the end. Don't miss it!!