Minute Zero

Judd Ryker #2

by Todd Moss

An extraordinary international thriller by the former deputy assistant secretary of state and author of the national bestseller The Golden Hour.

In the life of every country, at a moment of extreme national disruption, there is a brief period of breakdown, when everything is uncertain, events can turn on a dime. That is the moment to act, to shape events how you want them to go. That is Minute Zero.

Fresh off the harrowing events of The Golden Hour , State Department crisis manager Judd Ryker is suddenly thrown into a quickly developing emergency in Zimbabwe, where a longtime strongman is being challenged for the presidency. Rumors are flying furiously: armed gangs, military crackdowns, shady outside money pouring in, and, most disturbing for the United States, reports of highly enriched uranium leaking into the market.

And that’s all before Ryker even lands in the country. It gets much worse after that. If he can’t get control, shape his Minute Zero, a lot of people are going to die—not least of all himself.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Africa, Suspense, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Political Thriller

368 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 2015

About the author

Todd Moss, formerly the top American diplomat in West Africa, draws on his real-world experiences inside the U.S. Government to bring to life the exhilaration—and frustrations—of modern-day diplomacy. His first novel, THE GOLDEN HOUR (Putnam/Penguin), was originally inspired by the August 2008 coup d’état in Mauritania. Todd was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State at the time and was dispatched by Secretary Condoleezza Rice to negotiate with the junta leader General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.

Just weeks after Todd completed the first draft of THE GOLDEN HOUR about an army takeover in Mali, the real President of that country was overthrown in a coup. Within days, the northern half of the country was overrun by Tuareg separatists and Islamist extremists, a threat to Africa and the world that was only ended by a French military invasion in early 2013.

The sequel, MINUTE ZERO (Putnam/Penguin), about an election in Zimbabwe that goes awry, was released Sept 2015.

Todd is also the author of several non-fiction books on African development and economics. He currently works as Senior Fellow and Chief Operating Officer at the Center for Global Development, a think-tank in Washington DC and lives in Maryland with his family. He is also an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and has taught at the London School of Economics (LSE) and at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). He holds a PhD from SOAS and a BA from Tufts University.

Reviews

[L.A. Starks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although there is one coincidence too far at the end, generally this is a superb novel written by a diplomat who knows his way around Africa (Zimbabwe especially) and the hidden nooks of US involvement in African politics. No one can match Moss' insider expertise, which gives Minute Zero an engagingly different setting and plotline.

A/AA & Orion Team readers: There is less gunplay than traditional military thrillers but just as much intrigue.

Highly recommended for thriller readers.

[David Lucero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast-paced, well-written, and highly plausible story of what may happen in countries struggling with democracy and freedom.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

What appealed to me about "Minute Zero" was the idea that the story combines political diplomacy with national security.

With current events and the presidential election debate, a book about election would be of interest even if the nation is Zimbabwe.

State Department crisis manager Judd Ryker is sent to Zimbabwe to attempt to quell a developing emergency. Ryker is to stop an emergency and provide a solution before the situation gets out of hand.

In the 1980s thousands of civilians in Zimbabwe died during an operation and no one was held accountable.

Now President Winston Tinotenda known as Tino is set to have another term as president in an election that he has rigged. He as a corrupt security adviser and gets money from illegal diamond mines and elsewhere.

Ryker brings in the CIA and some old friends to stop the bleeding and allow to elected president to assume her rightful office. How he does this and what he must overcome is the basis of the story.

I enjoyed the story and compared the situation to what is going on in certain countries today and it also gives the reader the idea that it might have been useful if Ryker had done his magic to prevent other countries from going to rebels or illegal dictators.

[Ben · Rating 1 out of 5]

A thriller set in Zimbabwe, with a CIA and State Department special operation. It sounded great.

But no. The characters are two-dimensional. For a thriller, that's sometimes okay, action can make the difference.

But no. The main character does almost nothing until the last ten pages. Until then he is mostly sitting in the embassy watching the television news. Since he rarely leaves, the setting in Zimbabwe is almost incidental.

On the bright side, it is a quick read. The writing is bad—utterly bland throughout—but not horrible. The villains are dumb, but not ridiculous—no Illuminati conspiracy here.

[Janell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting through this book, like it took me two weeks to read it which is very unusual for me. The pace was very slow and the scenarios in this book was really unbelievable. A lot of backroom politics which didn't make sense. Backroom deals and favors handed out and just totally unbelievable things like that ruined the book for me with no accountability by the characters. The characters are very thin and weak and never really developed. I know a lot of readers gave this book high marks. I just didn't see where they thought this book was so great.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I attempted to read Mr. Moss's first book, the Golden Hour. I say attempt because I only got about a third of the way into the book and I put it down for good. The only thing that I did like about the book and Mr. Moss's writing is how authentic the story and events were. Yet, I was not feeling the character development and the story itself did not intrigue me.

I decided to give Mr. Moss another chance. Thank goodness that I did. His latest book made me did a complete one eighty turn. I could not stop reading this book. I instantly was pulled into the story and the characters. Dr. Judd Ryker is a complex character that brings lots of layers to the story. Which the first half of the book was good and did help build up to the action and fast pace of the second half of the story.

Warning: The "f" word is used in the book. I was not offended by the language but that is because it was used tastefully in context to the story.

[Bent Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Todd Moss knows Africa, the State Department bureaucracy, the intelligence community and how to develop an exciting and believable plot involving these elements. "Minute Zero" is the sequel to last year's very entertaining The Golden Hour. The plot lines in both books are quite similar, but Moss has found a winning formula with Judd Ryker and his entrepreneurial wife working behind the scenes as a soccer mom. I can't wait for Moss's next books and highly recommend his first two novels to fans of books involving international politics, diplomacy and intelligence operations.
[An advance readers copy of the book was generously provided through the First to Read program]

[Scott Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher for providing this novel as a part of Goodreads Giveaways. I love winning new books.

This is a followup to Golden Hour, which I did not read. This is a story that takes place in Zimbabwe. It is a political suspense novel, and the author Todd Moss has did his research on Zimbabwe, and Africa in general. He understands the culture, and the political atmosphere, and political relationships that Africa has with other countries. It is written in a way that helps you speed through the story, and you will finish it in a couple of sittings. It is suspenseful, and told in an intelligent method.

This is a great book and I look forward to the next in the series.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! Read this in just over a day. Couldn't put it down.

[Michael Martz · Rating 3 out of 5]

By all rights, I should've loved Todd Moss' "Minute Zero". It's in my favorite genre, there are spies, foreign intrigue, exotic locales, and the plot has some relevance to our upcoming 2020 elections. However, mediocre writing, poor dialogue, and an unrealistic conclusion soured it for me. It's an interesting read and it definitely piqued my interest in election manipulation but its weaknesses overcame the positives.

Judd Stryker, star of the series, is a State Department guy who runs a department specializing in data driven problem solving. At the novel's beginning, he's making the rounds 'selling' his most recent concept of 'Minute Zero', the crucial time for a nation following a catastrophic event where everything is 'up in the air' and major change can occur. He's pulled into an unusual situation in an African nation that's holding a contentious presidential election pitting the aging long-term incumbent strongman versus a younger progressive woman. All sorts of shenanigans are rumored to be happening and when Stryker begins to peel the layers back he rapidly discovers he's only scratching the surface. He's fighting internal battles at the same time he tries to make sense out of the developing situation, since literally no one other than his boss wants him there. And, since it's Africa, there's a large helping of corruption involved, along with various war crimes and violence. Against all odds, Stryker figures out what's going on by leveraging his sources and the ending is, in a word, explosive.

Again, a readable thriller but Moss' writing, especially with dialogue, needs improvement.

[Susan B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced, felt as if you were right there during the crisis. Judd Ryker assembles a team to go to to Zimbabwe in the last few days of their election to prevent a takeover of their long standing president . FRom corruption within the presidents office to a cover up of a uranium mine and annihilation of whole towns to , Judd is able to find the damaging proof of war crimes. Is he also a being used by the dept. of state ?

[Comrade_Bazarov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lot better effort than the first one - appears that Moss is finally finding his voice. Judd Ryker isn't as clueless as the first one (although for a relatively senior diplomat he still is shockingly naive). Main plot (shenanigans in Zimabwe, based on the author's own firsthand knowledge and experience) is deliciously complex, juicy, and fast-paced. Numerous plot twists and enough surprises make this an engrossing read.

[Delta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting through this book. The pace seemed too slow for a thriller and it was difficult for me to stay engaged. The political aspect seemed very detailed and accurate so I will definitely give Moss credit for that.

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

[tong huang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook. Very interesting story, full of suspense. Though it is a novel, it does provide me an insight into some of the politics of some African countries. It also provides me an insight into how US ambassador in foreign countries and department of state interact with other countries. I enjoyed the book a lot.

[Brooke · Rating 2 out of 5]

An entertaining diplomatic thriller set in Africa. Lots of stereotypes deployed and not a lot of depth to the multitude of characters. But, I enjoyed this book as with the first Judd Ryker book because of the author’s insider perspective of the inner workings of the State Dept and diplomacy.

[Jon Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice to have a thriller based in Africa for a change. Beyond that the plot was Ok but a bit too straightforward for me.

[Jose Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Judd Ryker series! The characters are rich and vibrant and there is a mix of intrigue and humanity that makes it compelling.

[Natassia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great 2nd novel. Gives a lot more background for Jessica and delves into another neat Ryker idea.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok read. Inexperienced writer but good story.

[Leiah Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

International political thriller with teeth “For every African state, like Ghana, where democratic institutions seem secure, there is a Mali, a Cote d'Ivoire, and a Zimbabwe, where democracy is in trouble.” -- Michael Ignatieff
 
“During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” ― Nelson Mandela
 
Zimbabwe. Like so many African countries, and honestly so many countries across the world, “Zimbabwe was poisoning itself with a toxic cocktail of greed, dictatorship, and fear.” This is the Zimbabwe the American is concerned with, as he stands upon the bridge spanning Mosi-oa-Tunya, “the Smoke That Thunders,” the breathtaking expanse of Victoria Falls. And it is from here that he plunges to his death, a victim of all that is hidden in Zimbabwe.
 
“Minute Zero.” That time, even more urgent than the “Golden Hour” – as Dr. Judd Ryker, head of the State Department Critical Response Unit, describes it, “In analyzing cases of major political shock . . . Immediately after an upheaval, there can be a very short period of breakdown. A window of chaos . . . (when) the entire political system, even one that seems highly stable, is suddenly up for grabs.” The minute in time when chaos sits on the edge of the blade, when the edge turns one way to political stability, the other to war.
Zimbabwe sits on that edge – the edge where continuing dictatorship, murder, genocide and military control is faced by the hope of democracy in the form of Gugu Mutonga, the candidate for the opposition Democracy Union of Zimbabwe. The US has a chance here – a chance to help the Zimbabwean people to move out from under the thumb of the dictator who has drained the economy and the lives of the people for the past thirty years under President Tinotenda. It can happen.
 
Except.
 
As always, as with so much that makes America a joke in the international community - and for the same reason 9/11 was so easily carried out - “The Boys” can’t seem to play well together. The Secretary of State, the Zimbabwean counsel, the various and sundry Department Heads. Nobody wants to share their toys. And in this case? It isn’t just the political scene that is a cluster. There is a new variant of uranium hitting the world market. And that uranium has unusually high levels of the U-235 isotope. Of course, “The Boys” still don’t want to share their toys, their political flag waving and ladder climbing, their chance of impressing the next person up the ladder - their intel about the isotope and its mining in the backwaters of the world, even between their own agencies, not to mention the countries where the danger is perilously high.
 
So.
 
What happens next is a cluster of the highest order as “The Boys” spend their time pissing into a high wind, the world sits on the edge of the knife, and a small group of people, including Dr. Ryker, attempt to dance along the brink of catastrophe. Todd Moss has a tight grasp on the idiocy of the political machine, the manipulations and missed chances, the stunted growth and stunted capabilities of the military industrial complex, and the horrors inherent in so many countries – not just Africa, but the rest of the world as well.
 
If you like military/political intrigue, give Todd Moss’s “Minute Zero” a chance. It will be released on September 15, 2015 by Penguin. I received this book from Penguin in exchange for a realistic review. All thoughts are my own.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you missed Todd Moss’s dramatic 2013 debut with The Golden Hour, catch up with his protagonist Judd Ryker in his second thriller set in an unstable Africa, the recently released Minute Zero for more political chicanery, assassination, theft and corruption at the most brazen level.
Ryker is an academic working in the uneasy surroundings of the U.S. State Department. The careerists don’t trust him, his brief—as head of the department’s new Crisis Reaction Unit—puts him outside the bureaucracy’s normal chain of command, and in many ways he’s in over his head. What landed him there was his theory that in every international crisis there is a short period—the golden hour—in which events can be successfully directed toward a positive conclusion. Once a situation settles, that opportunity is lost.
This novel elaborates that idea, with the proposition that at times of extreme national disruption, there is an even briefer period of breakdown, when outcomes are uncertain and dramatic change is possible. For U.S. diplomats, Ryker counsels, that “zero minute” offers a unique opportunity.
Moss places this thriller in Zimbabwe, under the long-time leadership of fictional President Winston Tinotenda, a man in his 90s (clearly modeled on IRL president Robert Mugabe), aided by his considerably younger national security advisor, General Simba Chimurenga. This pair did not retain power for decades without a hefty dose of corruption, violence, and heavy-handed political tactics. Now the country faces an election pitting Tinotenda against a formidable challenger, a woman lawyer, Gugu Mutonga.
In this situation, U.S. goals are clear and limited, says the State Department’s Africa lead, Bill Rogerson: a safe, peaceful vote and stability into the post-election period, translated as “no bodies in the streets.” Tinotenda’s hold on the office look like a certainty, but Mutonga has strong support among the country’s youth and in its southern region, and Ryker isn’t so sure the president can hold on. Disruption is in the air.
The Secretary of State asks Ryker to fly to Zimbabwe and demonstrate definitively that his crisis reaction analytics can work. But Rogerson considers Ryker a thorn in his side and is anxious to expel him from the body diplomatique. To thwart Ryker’s efforts, Rogerson colludes with the U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe—a rather dim political appointee counting the minutes until he can take up a new posting in London. Ryker’s wife Jessica is an agronomist working on African water purification projects. She provides helpful counsel to him as he negotiates these treacherous bureaucratic waters. Only over time does the reader begin to suspect Jessica has her own dangerous agenda.
The political and diplomatic chess game Ryker undertakes to protect American interests and the integrity of the vote is just as cutthroat as an assassination and its outcome can be just as fatal (at least to careers).
Moss is uniquely qualified to write his thrillers, having been the deputy assistant secretary of state covering 16 countries in West Africa. Currently, he’s chief operating officer and senior fellow at the Center for Global Development in Washington, D.C. He’s also the author of four nonfiction books on international economic affairs and has taught at Georgetown University and the London School of Economics. Luckily for his readers, in addition to his solid background and experience, he knows how to tell a compelling story!

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Similar to the first book. A fun summer vacation read. Also, places that I am already or was soon to be connected with (Zimbabwe and Ethiopia).

[Viviane Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Judd Ryker has given up the life of an academic and become a State Department troubleshooter. He’s come up with a theory of action called Minute Zero, which is a plan to take action quickly in the moments of a country’s chaotic crisis. It’s a plan which gives control to American policy and mandates immediate action. While that theory and its subsequent program worked well previously (see The Golden Hour by the same author), times have changed. America’s State Department is now reacting to a diminishing economy and is looking to make budget cuts. Judd is told he has forty-eight hours to prove his theory and program again or his program will be cut. His wife and other colleagues are supportive, even insistent that he take on this new challenge which involves elections in Zimbabwe in forty-eight hours, even less by the time he gets there!
Winston Tinotenda has ruled Zimbabwe through six elections. Now he is running against a woman lawyer, Gugu Mutonga, but it’s far from a fair election. Indeed Tinotenda has child and adult soldiers who literally walk into the election booth to ensure that the people vote for him. Violence against the opposition is the norm but ironically there is no proof by which he can be incriminated by foreign governments or the United Nations. Money is funneled to both candidates from powerful groups inside and outside Zimbabwe. Judd’s wife is not the agricultural water researcher and mother she claims to be, and the gradual revelation of her more important role is stunning!
Judd’s job is to monitor and report on fair elections but he is rather simplistic in thinking it’s so easy. He really doesn’t even seem sure his own theories about Minute Zero will work here so entrenched is the corruption and military muscle running the government and elections in Zimbabwe. Add to the mix a mysterious massacre occurring years ago and a diplomat who believes it has something to do with a secret mine.
One has a hard time knowing who is honest and who is deceptive. Little by little Judd brings together a team who will relentlessly expose all hidden agendas and put broken pieces of the puzzle together, but not before much violence, threats and false promises are made to the people of Zimbabwe, America and even England.
Minute Zero… is a nail-biting, tension ridden novel that will delight all who love the political and international thriller genres. The plot is finely constructed and contains many elements of reality as well. What a movie this would make! Nicely crafted, Todd Moss!

[Charlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps 4.5 stars.

This second Judd Ryker [professor turned State Dept. diplomat] story lives up to the promise of Moss's first book, THE GOLDEN HOUR. Moss himself is a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, and his fiction books pull back blankets from some of the kinds of international situations that ring true from his diplomatic experience.

In this book, Judd is called to Zimbabwe on the eve of the national election, in which the president is expecting to win an unprecedented (eighth?) term of office. Where the opponent is a woman favored in the countryside regions, and where the final tally will be decided by young urban electors, the possibility of electoral subterfuge and tampering is high.

Other sub-themes include the instance of a former corrupt leader of another country who has lived in luxury with the president's blessing, corruption at the highest levels, international crimes, the questionable politics of the US ambassadorship in Zimbabwe and the upwardly-mobile reward systems thereof, and the financial support by outsiders to influence the outcome of the election.

In my review of the previous book, I noted a cliff hanger related to Ryker's wife: her behind-the-scenes occupation is revealed to some extent as being more than a soccer/t-ball mom to their two sons. It is once again refreshing to note that the Rykers do not succumb to marital infidelity!

I highly recommend this book. Although it could be read independently, I think it would better follow a reading of the first.

[David Ketelsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Todd Moss' novel Minute Zero is a great new entry into the political suspense genre and a wonderful follow-up to his bestseller last year, Golden Hour. This time Judd Ryker, head of an experimental office at the State Department, and his wife Jessica are working on a crisis in Zimbabwe. The stakes are high with the future of the Crisis Reaction Unit (S/CRU) in the balance and the potential of weapons grade Uranium being dumped on the international market. To make matters more complicated, Judd has to watch over the Zimbabwean national election while juggling ineffective career diplomats, expatriate fixers, and the vicious maneuvers of the election itself.

The experience that Moss brings to the table really makes this book stand out from the crowd. There's more political action here than actual violence which reflects the real world. In one scene, when a house blows up and a US operative is watching--instead of rushing in like in the movies, she quickly drives away knowing that to be caught there would create an international incident. The book bristles with clashes between career bureaucrats and young activists that desperately want to see change take place. It's very real and I definitely recommend this book. It hits bookstores on September 15.

[Tom Tischler · Rating 5 out of 5]

In every country at a moment of extreme national disruption there is a brief period of
breakdown when everything is uncertain and events can turn on a dime. This is the
moment that you have got to shape events the way that you want them to go. This is
minute zero. Judd Ryker the State Department crisis manager is thrown into a quickly developing
emergency in Zimbabwe when a longtime strongman is being challenged f0r the Presidency.
Rumors are flying, armed gangs are roaming around, there are military crackdowns , shady
money is pouring into the market and most disturbing to the U.S. are reports of highly
enriched uranium leaking in. All this is before Ryker even lands in the country and it only
gets worse after he lands. This is not the type of book I usually read and I didn't think that I was
going to like it. Once you start reading though it picks up and it is quite good. This all takes
place in Africa and could almost be a true story. I guess you could call it a political thriller
and I gave it a 5.

[Viva · Rating 1 out of 5]

A rating of 1 star appears low but according to Good Reads, that's what I don't like it is. The book starts out fairly promising but for some reason the characters didn't stick for me, they just didn't make much of an impression for me and didn't feel real enough.

But the biggest problem was Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is a real nation but the author (Moss) populated it with fake characters. When the real characters of the nation are larger than life and quite prominent, it's hard to imagine someone else in their place. Not only that, I did not feel that the depicted events bore much resemblance to real Zimbabwean politics. I thought it would have been much better off had Moss invented a fake country (e.g. like Ruritania).

Apart from the above, the writing just wasn't tight enough, meandered and didn't keep me interested. Based on the level of writing, I would have given it 3/5 but according to the GR rating scheme, I didn't like it, so 1 star. I got this book free as a review copy.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Todd Moss's Minute Zero, the 2nd installment of the Judd Ryker International political thriller series, the country of Zimbabwe took central stage in this thriller. When an American tourist was killed in Victorian Falls, that was the start of this gripping thriller, when it edged closer to their Election Day. And that's when Judd Ryker was sent down to oversee the Zimbabwean elections for any conflict, and if his Minute Zero proposal plan would be needed. At the edge of your seat, from Washington D.C. to Africa, there's scandals, violence, and a potential uprising, when there was a blackout, and two assassinated politicians at the cutthroat of political turmoil, when Judd witnessed it all. Back home, his wife Jessica had harbored a deep secret about her past that would blow you away in the shocking climax with the final time-tomb.

[Pattyh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Minute Zero is the follow up to Todd Moss' international novel The Golden Hour. This is my first novel by this author, and that being said, Minute Zero is a stand alone thriller. The reader is thrown into international intrigue, suspense and uncertainty as our lead character Judd Ryker is sent to Zimbabwe to represent the United States in a international crisis situation. This is a busy novel with lots of moving parts so you must stay attuned to what is happening as there is a complicated governmental plot, as well as, other storylines. The good thing is that they do come together and provide a strong entertaining book that will keep you on your toes till the end. Todd Moss' is certainly an expert in this genre and I found this book very entertaining. Read More

[Mary Ann Olsztyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Political Intrigue in Zimbabwe. Hum....When I first started reading this story I thought...what was I thinking. I'm basically a mystery, suspense reader. Political intrigue...so not my genre. But I was pleasantly surprised. I liked this story and the authors style and presentation. I liked the characters and the story. The further I read...the more I was drawn into this tale. I would give this a solid four stars. I loved how the author used short chapters to move from one part of the story to another. I will definitely look into this author's previous novel and look forward to any subsequent tales to come. Good job and a big thumbs up.