Review of Waterworks

[Magdalyne chebet]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Waterworks" by Jack Winnick.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Eddie, a lab assistant at the Los Angeles Aqueduct filtration plant, which is part of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, spotted dead fish floating belly up in a sink, which was definitely out of the ordinary. Trombley, a scientist, drank the water to show that it was safe with no contaminants. However, he suffered severe internal organ damage and unfortunately passed away. Suspicion arose that the water might be poisoned by a radioactive material called polonium. A sock is found in the water plant, sent to the lab for analysis, and determined to have been manufactured in Iran, which was quite strange.

Lara Edmond and her husband, Uri Levin, go undercover in Tehran to uncover the truth. But before they can even set foot in the city, they must completely change their appearance and take on new identities. Their history in Iran is too dangerous—if anyone recognizes them, they’ll be caught instantly. Lara will go in as a cryptologist and Uri as a computer analyst. Will they find the information they're looking for? How did Iran get the polonium if only Russia was the place able to manufacture polonium? Get a copy of Waterworks by Jack Winnick.

This book kept me hooked for hours. It was interesting how the characters were well-developed, with everyone perfect for their roles. My favorite characters were Tom, Lara, and Uri. The connection among these characters was solid. Despite being far away from each other, they kept connected as their professionalism demanded. On a personal level, they all cared for each other, especially when Uri's cover was blown. I liked how Tom, being Lara's and Uri's boss, trusted them to carry out the task.

Waterworks shows the difficulties undercover agents go through in their efforts to protect their countries. Lara's and Uri’s experiences really bring this struggle to life. Despite their personal interest in going on vacation, they choose to sacrifice that to save many lives. I liked how events and places were described. Minimal descriptions were used to enhance the readers' understanding.

The book had one shortcoming. The author reveals a lot about the terrorists' plot upfront, which takes away some of the suspense. I would have preferred if the big revelation about the water plant attack had been saved for later in the story, keeping the suspense high until the very end. The book portrays Muslims as terrorists, which may be offensive to Muslim readers as well as those of Russian and Iranian nationalities. This portrayal limits its appeal to more readers and could have been handled more thoughtfully.

The book was well-edited, as I found no grammatical errors or typos while reading. I rate the book 4 out of 5 stars. I have deducted a star because I felt the author left so many spoilers at the beginning of the book, which affected the book's suspense. I found myself guessing the ending early on, which took away some of the excitement. I recommend the book to crime thriller fans, bearing in mind the faith-related aspects. I'm sure they'll find the book interesting.

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Waterworks
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[Gerry Steen]

I read and enjoyed this book. It was easy to read and follow. The plot had me riveted to the story.

[Stephen Christopher 1]

I was really underwhelmed by the first book in the series, so I wasn't sure I would continue. You've got me keen to read this one, though. Despite its early spoilers, I like the plot.