Bloodborne - Gregg Luke

Summary:  One ordinary afternoon, research specialists Dr. Erin Cross steps into a local deli to get some lunch and nearly takes a bullet instead.  Thanks to timely intervention form a former Marine, she walks away from the seemingly freak incident.  But when she returns to find her lab under security lockdown and her apartment ransacked, she realizes the attack was anything but random.  Erin can't make sense of the threat, given her low profile after a disastrous H1N1 vaccine trial.  She doesn't know that her former colleague has used the virus to develop a potent bio weapon or that her recent research holds a key to his success.  And she doesn't know that his collaborators want her dead before she blows the whistle. 

Fleeing for safety with her research in hand, Erin unravels the threats with help form the timely Marine, former Special Ops agent Sean Flannery.  But the closer they come to finding answers, the more questionable Sean's behavior becomes.  His erratic moods and suspicious communications are more fitting for an enemy than a friend.  And as the crisis comes to a head, Erin can't be sure who harbors more secrets -- the bio terrorists pursuing her or the one man who can give her protection.  (Summary from book - Image from goodreads.com  - Book given free for an honest review )

My Review:  When my mother saw this book sitting on my counter she said, “Oooh, Gregg Luke!  I’ve read a couple of his books, but they are too tense for me!”  Oh really?  Darn.  That’s right up my alley.  I started reading it that very day.

Bloodborne  doesn’t waste time on pleasantries and dives right into the action.  It begins just as Erin Cross receives a text message telling her "You are about to die," moments before the deli she is in is sprayed with gunfire.  She is saved by the quick actions of Sean Flannery, a former Special Ops Marine turned author.  Erin and Sean spend the next several days trying to escape from a secret society's evil henchman and uncover the secret behind a potentially deadly virus. 

As with most LDS fiction, this novel is free from sexual situations, excessive violence, and profanity.  The closest Erin comes to swearing is the term “Jerk face” and the closest they come to the bedroom is a kiss on the cheek.  It has a few LDS references, but no so many that a non-LDS reader would feel lost or uncomfortable. 

Bloodborne is fast-paced, but occasionally feels contrived, especially in regards to characters, dialog, and certain plot points.  I'm trying to vague this up a bit, because I don't want to spoil things, but several of these areas lacked adequate explanation, background detail, and/or depth.  I really liked the structure of the story, the overall outline of the plot, but felt that the writing could have been better.  Fans of LDS fiction are more likely to enjoy this novel than those who regularly read literary fiction.

My Rating: 3 Stars

For the sensitive reader:  If you’re offended by the term “Jerk face” then this book is not for you.

Sum it up:  A book with unreached potential.

If you're interested, visit Gregg Luke's website or purchase your own copy of Bloodborne.