Pandora's Gift

by A.J. Blanc, Christel Hall (Editor)

Hal Dune gets in over his head when the burned remains of a colleague were found at the scene of a mysterious fire in a residential area adjacent to a military base. After navigating a dodgy jurisdictional tug-of-war between three federal agencies, the trail leads to a deep-rooted conspiracy that threatens to shake the foundations of the country. It’s a race against time to secure a piece of technology that once ended a war but could start a new one if it were to fall into the wrong hands. Trust becomes a risk no one can take for granted as Hal is tested to the limits when thousands of lives are placed in his hands.

244 pages, Paperback

Published May 16, 2025

About the author

I read a lot, have watched a lot of movies/TV shows, and I write... not as much as I would prefer. I'm a veteran, have worked a variety of other jobs, and have been to over forty states and a dozen countries. I don't have a formal education in writing but between my life experiences and a master's in forensic psychology I'd like to think I have something to share that people will enjoy to read about. I still have much to learn about writing and look forward to honing that part of my life more. Cheers

Reviews

[Jeff Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conspiracy thrillers are my all-time favorite genre to read partly because I’m a conspiracy thriller writer and partly because I just like a well thought-out, twisty, conspiracy. AJ Blanc delivers. In Pandora’s Gift, several government intelligence agencies are trying to take the lead in the investigation into the death of an American intelligence operative. No, it’s not just another unsupported rivalry between agencies. The operative worked for each agency, on the same project, but from different perspectives. The urgency stems from the possibility of releasing ‘Skynet’s’ evil big brother (look it up). The order: destroy everything immediately, if you can find it.
The rivalry was imminently believable. The characters were as solid and real as any I’ve met in my reading. The premise of Pandora’s Gift was so contemporary that the whole subject matter seems to be in the news every day. Lastly, AJ Blanc’s novel seems to ask the question, “What could go wrong?’ Way to take events out of today’s news and craft a superb thriller.
I highly recommend AJ Blanc and all his thrillers. I’m on to another one. Five stars.