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China’s newest stealth J-31 jet fighter goes missing. A C-130 Hercules transport plane lies shattered in the heart of America’s Top Secret military airbase — Groom Lake in the Nevada Test and Training Range.
A supersonic drone flies Black Ops missions from the most secure hangar in the nation.
The CIA, the military, and the National Reconnaissance Office are all locked in a power struggle.
One woman is trapped in the middle. Miranda Chase, lead crash investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board, becomes a pawn in a very dangerous game. Burdened with a new team, she must connect the pieces to stay alive. And she must do it before the wreckage of her past crashes down upon her.
A supersonic drone flies Black Ops missions from the most secure hangar in the nation.
The CIA, the military, and the National Reconnaissance Office are all locked in a power struggle.
One woman is trapped in the middle. Miranda Chase, lead crash investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board, becomes a pawn in a very dangerous game. Burdened with a new team, she must connect the pieces to stay alive. And she must do it before the wreckage of her past crashes down upon her.
363 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 19, 2019
209 people are currently reading
152 people want to read
About the author
M.L. Buchman
322 books613 followersUSA Today and Amazon #1 Bestseller M. L. “Matt” Buchman started writing on a flight south from Japan to ride his bicycle across the Australian Outback. Just part of a solo around-the-world trip that ultimately launched his writing career.
From the very beginning, his powerful female heroines insisted on putting character first, then a great adventure. He’s since written over 60 action-adventure thrillers and military romantic suspense novels. And just for the fun of it: 100 short stories, and a fast-growing pile of read-by-author audiobooks.
Booklist says: 3x “Top 10 of the Year.” PW says: “Tom Clancy fans open to a strong female lead will clamor for more.” His fans say: “I want more now…of everything.” That his characters are even more insistent than his fans is a hoot.
As a 30-year project manager with a geophysics degree who has designed and built houses, flown and jumped out of planes, and solo-sailed a 50’ ketch, he is awed by what is possible. More at: www.mlbuchman.com.
From the very beginning, his powerful female heroines insisted on putting character first, then a great adventure. He’s since written over 60 action-adventure thrillers and military romantic suspense novels. And just for the fun of it: 100 short stories, and a fast-growing pile of read-by-author audiobooks.
Booklist says: 3x “Top 10 of the Year.” PW says: “Tom Clancy fans open to a strong female lead will clamor for more.” His fans say: “I want more now…of everything.” That his characters are even more insistent than his fans is a hoot.
As a 30-year project manager with a geophysics degree who has designed and built houses, flown and jumped out of planes, and solo-sailed a 50’ ketch, he is awed by what is possible. More at: www.mlbuchman.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
January 30, 2020
This is my first experience reading a book by M. L. Buchman. The book is well written and mostly believable. The pace is fast and the plot twists and turns. I was not sure what the story was going to be like. Our protagonist works for the National Transportation Safety Bureau and investigates plane crashes. With all the technology and action, it reminds me of a Tom Clancy or Clive Cussler book. I like to read books that have a strong female lead and between Miranda and Holly certainly qualify. Miranda focused and brilliant, and Holly is an ex-SAS soldier from Australia, and an expert in all types of self- defense as well as an airplane structural engineer. The book is hard to put down and makes a good get-away-from-it -all book.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is ten hours and twenty-eight minutes. M. L. Buchman does a good job narrating his own book.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is ten hours and twenty-eight minutes. M. L. Buchman does a good job narrating his own book.
July 24, 2021
Best book by M.L. Buchman so far.
He dares to create a heroine -an action heroine at that- that is clearly on the spectrum and not portrait her as many cliches and cartoonish characters you find around do. Loved her and how each character finds his/her way in the dynamics of this group of investigators (kind of a CSI of aviation). No romance so far, which works great here.
Really, go get the book, is excellent.
He dares to create a heroine -an action heroine at that- that is clearly on the spectrum and not portrait her as many cliches and cartoonish characters you find around do. Loved her and how each character finds his/her way in the dynamics of this group of investigators (kind of a CSI of aviation). No romance so far, which works great here.
Really, go get the book, is excellent.
November 24, 2019
Originally published at Reading Reality
Drone was nothing like I expected – and that turned out to be an excellent thing. (I’m also thinking that there’s a pun in here somewhere, as a drone was nothing that anyone in the story expected – excellent or otherwise.)
Instead of the military romance or romantic suspense that this author is well-known for – and deservedly so – Drone is much more like a spy thriller. And it feels a whole lot closer to Tom Clancy’s Patriot Games than M.L. Buchman’s The Night is Mine. Or it would if Jack Ryan were more than a bit like Temperance Brennan in Bones.
I’m not mixing metaphors, I promise. And I’ll explain in a bit.
The main story in Drone, the part that leads to the spy thriller aspects, mixes the seemingly mundane with the possibly outre – as exemplified by the location, Groom Lake Nevada, otherwise known as Area 51 – at least in part.
There’s been a plane crash. When there’s a civilian plane crash, the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) is called in to determine the reason for the crash. While there the potential element of searching for who to blame, the true purpose is to discover if the crash was preventable and make necessary changes so that it doesn’t happen again – at least not in the same way. But this isn’t a civilian crash.
This particular crash is just weird, as it seems like this military helicopter has crashed in the midst of a secure installation it had no business being in. Jurisdiction has the potential to get very confused – and it does. Along with the usual fighting over turf.
NTSB agent Miranda Chase finds herself diverted from her trip home in order to take charge of the investigation, along with a new team of agents that she has never even met before. Only to find herself facing the business end of a military revolver as the commander of the base does not want her, the NTSB, or anyone else poking around his base.
He has good reason. Figuring out just what that reason is becomes the heart of this book. And it nearly rips out the heart of the investigator, as well as the brains of more than a few pilots along the way.
And it’s the start of what looks to be a fascinating series.
Escape Rating A-: I’ll admit that at first I wasn’t too sure what direction this story was going to take. I mean that in the sense that all of the previous books by this author that I have read (and there have been LOTS) all have a romantic element. So I was expecting that and when it didn’t manifest I wondered whether I was in the right place – so to speak. Once I realized that this was all suspense and no romance, it flew me away at supersonic speeds.
The story rests on the character of Miranda Chase, and she’s certainly an interesting choice for point of view. At the top, I likened Chase to Temperance Brennan (as portrayed in the TV series Bones and not the Kathy Reichs’ books) Like Brennan, Miranda Chase is extremely intelligent, laser-focused, detail-oriented and generally not cognizant of human dynamics in any way. To the point where both women seem to be neuro-atypical, although in what way is never defined. But it makes Miranda an unconventional heroine – and I liked her a lot.
As the first book in the series, Drone also has a strong element of putting the team together. Miranda can’t do it alone – and even if she could, she shouldn’t. At the same time, she has a difficult time bonding with people – or even figuring out why people would want to bond. So the team that coalesces around her, who begin as strangers to her and to each other, need time to gel and find their places. That’s a process that has definitely begun by the end of Drone but still has a long way to go and should provide interesting viewpoints as the series progresses.
But the case that Miranda and her team find themselves in the middle of felt to me as if it came straight out of some of Tom Clancy’s less convoluted – and less long-winded – Jack Ryan stories.
When Miranda and her team arrive at Groom Lake, it’s already clear that something isn’t quite kosher about the crash. Not because it doesn’t look right – although that’s certainly true – but because the base commander is behaving strangely and the military version of NTSB is not investigating the crash site. It’s obvious that there’s a whole lot being hidden, but Miranda only sees the anomalies in the crash itself – which are plenty anomalous. Along with the fact that neither she nor her team have any idea who got them called into investigating this mess – or why.
Even when she figures out how the plane crashed – she still doesn‘t know what made the plane crash. Then she goes to DC to consult with a friend and mentor. And discovers that whatever physically made the plane crash it looks a whole lot like politics was the real cause.
That and the CIA left hand making sure that the Joint Chiefs of Staff right hand did not know what the CIA was doing with military assets and military personnel. This isn’t just a turf war – it’s a turf war with a coverup on top. A coverup that the CIA wants to bury Miranda Chase under – literally if necessary.
That the wheels within wheels turn out to include some truly epic spy games is just icing on a very tasty cake. And does a fantastic job of whetting the reader’s appetite for more books in this series.
I’m very glad that the second book of Miranda Chase’s adventures, Thunderbolt, is coming next month!
Drone was nothing like I expected – and that turned out to be an excellent thing. (I’m also thinking that there’s a pun in here somewhere, as a drone was nothing that anyone in the story expected – excellent or otherwise.)
Instead of the military romance or romantic suspense that this author is well-known for – and deservedly so – Drone is much more like a spy thriller. And it feels a whole lot closer to Tom Clancy’s Patriot Games than M.L. Buchman’s The Night is Mine. Or it would if Jack Ryan were more than a bit like Temperance Brennan in Bones.
I’m not mixing metaphors, I promise. And I’ll explain in a bit.
The main story in Drone, the part that leads to the spy thriller aspects, mixes the seemingly mundane with the possibly outre – as exemplified by the location, Groom Lake Nevada, otherwise known as Area 51 – at least in part.
There’s been a plane crash. When there’s a civilian plane crash, the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) is called in to determine the reason for the crash. While there the potential element of searching for who to blame, the true purpose is to discover if the crash was preventable and make necessary changes so that it doesn’t happen again – at least not in the same way. But this isn’t a civilian crash.
This particular crash is just weird, as it seems like this military helicopter has crashed in the midst of a secure installation it had no business being in. Jurisdiction has the potential to get very confused – and it does. Along with the usual fighting over turf.
NTSB agent Miranda Chase finds herself diverted from her trip home in order to take charge of the investigation, along with a new team of agents that she has never even met before. Only to find herself facing the business end of a military revolver as the commander of the base does not want her, the NTSB, or anyone else poking around his base.
He has good reason. Figuring out just what that reason is becomes the heart of this book. And it nearly rips out the heart of the investigator, as well as the brains of more than a few pilots along the way.
And it’s the start of what looks to be a fascinating series.
Escape Rating A-: I’ll admit that at first I wasn’t too sure what direction this story was going to take. I mean that in the sense that all of the previous books by this author that I have read (and there have been LOTS) all have a romantic element. So I was expecting that and when it didn’t manifest I wondered whether I was in the right place – so to speak. Once I realized that this was all suspense and no romance, it flew me away at supersonic speeds.
The story rests on the character of Miranda Chase, and she’s certainly an interesting choice for point of view. At the top, I likened Chase to Temperance Brennan (as portrayed in the TV series Bones and not the Kathy Reichs’ books) Like Brennan, Miranda Chase is extremely intelligent, laser-focused, detail-oriented and generally not cognizant of human dynamics in any way. To the point where both women seem to be neuro-atypical, although in what way is never defined. But it makes Miranda an unconventional heroine – and I liked her a lot.
As the first book in the series, Drone also has a strong element of putting the team together. Miranda can’t do it alone – and even if she could, she shouldn’t. At the same time, she has a difficult time bonding with people – or even figuring out why people would want to bond. So the team that coalesces around her, who begin as strangers to her and to each other, need time to gel and find their places. That’s a process that has definitely begun by the end of Drone but still has a long way to go and should provide interesting viewpoints as the series progresses.
But the case that Miranda and her team find themselves in the middle of felt to me as if it came straight out of some of Tom Clancy’s less convoluted – and less long-winded – Jack Ryan stories.
When Miranda and her team arrive at Groom Lake, it’s already clear that something isn’t quite kosher about the crash. Not because it doesn’t look right – although that’s certainly true – but because the base commander is behaving strangely and the military version of NTSB is not investigating the crash site. It’s obvious that there’s a whole lot being hidden, but Miranda only sees the anomalies in the crash itself – which are plenty anomalous. Along with the fact that neither she nor her team have any idea who got them called into investigating this mess – or why.
Even when she figures out how the plane crashed – she still doesn‘t know what made the plane crash. Then she goes to DC to consult with a friend and mentor. And discovers that whatever physically made the plane crash it looks a whole lot like politics was the real cause.
That and the CIA left hand making sure that the Joint Chiefs of Staff right hand did not know what the CIA was doing with military assets and military personnel. This isn’t just a turf war – it’s a turf war with a coverup on top. A coverup that the CIA wants to bury Miranda Chase under – literally if necessary.
That the wheels within wheels turn out to include some truly epic spy games is just icing on a very tasty cake. And does a fantastic job of whetting the reader’s appetite for more books in this series.
I’m very glad that the second book of Miranda Chase’s adventures, Thunderbolt, is coming next month!
April 8, 2020
This was a pleasant surprise. Free from Apple Books. Miranda Chase and her team are a nice new collection of characters. This story was techno thriller fun as well as a solid mystery. Always fun to find a good new series. I had never heard of M.L. Buchman but he looks to be rather prolific. Hopefully his other works are as good as this one. Seems a lot of his stuff is romance, but the Drone series seems to be techno thriller.
November 25, 2019
I didn’t expect this one to be as technical as it was. I liked Miranda, even if at times she came off a bit cold. I think part of that is due to her being in her head so much. The crash she was expected to investigate was unusual and ended up going in places she never thought, putting her in situations that were a bit crazy! But through it all Miranda figured things out, even helped find a way to cover up things that needed to be covered up, found some peace about her family’s ending and found some new friends. All in all it was good for Miranda. It will be fun to read about her and her team going forward.
Read
January 10, 2020Miranda Chase is peculiar without being a caricature. She's complicated and brilliant. Her quirky new team members are just what she needs. With a totally different vibe than the Nightstalker stories and their offshoots, Drone offers readers more interesting scientific tidbits, interpersonal political intrigue, and broader overall story arcs that remain unresolved for each of the featured characters.
Bring on Thunderbolt!
Bring on Thunderbolt!
March 13, 2020
Too many side characters thinking about sex or having sex. None of it in a romantic way, as most of it was either adulterous and/or abusive. If I could cut those bits entirely out of the story, it would have gotten a higher rating from me. I quite enjoyed the rest of it, as Miranda is an interesting character and I really enjoyed her and her team, as well as the other decent side characters.
December 15, 2019
4.25 stars
“Drone” by M.L. Buchman is an intense thriller that introduces Miranda Chase in the debut novel for her series. A mysterious aircraft crash in a very restricted area is Miranda’s newest assignment, but not only is she stymied at every turn in her quest to perform her duties, she is also saddled with a new team. There are mysteries underlying the mysteries, but careful analysis may be the clue to uncovering a shocking revelation that will reverberate around the world.
I will start by offering a trigger warning. Those who are sensitive to scenes of sexual abuse should be aware that there are multiple references sprinkled through the story. Personally, I had to step away from the book a couple of times, but I AM glad that I finished the story because it is an entertaining and compelling tale, and I like Miranda and would like to read more of the series. I was disturbed by the initial allusions of abuse that set up the background for a couple of the women, and although I understood that some of this was to lay the groundwork for motivation…I was sickened by the multiple descriptions of power inequity.
Fortunately, I did continue. As usual, this author introduces complex characters who are adept at confounding and fascinating both one another and the reader. There are multiple points of view, with a glimpse of the power games that nations play, and a thought-provoking demonstration of the price that many pay for machinations that may be part of a very long game. There is a nicely contained mystery that unfolds even as we come to know the major players in this particular story but there are also dangling threads that undoubtedly will come into play in subsequent stories. Those who enjoy intricate and intense spy thrillers as well as wonderfully competent and insightful heroines should definitely give this book a try and get pulled into an entertaining new series.
A copy was provided for review
“Drone” by M.L. Buchman is an intense thriller that introduces Miranda Chase in the debut novel for her series. A mysterious aircraft crash in a very restricted area is Miranda’s newest assignment, but not only is she stymied at every turn in her quest to perform her duties, she is also saddled with a new team. There are mysteries underlying the mysteries, but careful analysis may be the clue to uncovering a shocking revelation that will reverberate around the world.
I will start by offering a trigger warning. Those who are sensitive to scenes of sexual abuse should be aware that there are multiple references sprinkled through the story. Personally, I had to step away from the book a couple of times, but I AM glad that I finished the story because it is an entertaining and compelling tale, and I like Miranda and would like to read more of the series. I was disturbed by the initial allusions of abuse that set up the background for a couple of the women, and although I understood that some of this was to lay the groundwork for motivation…I was sickened by the multiple descriptions of power inequity.
Fortunately, I did continue. As usual, this author introduces complex characters who are adept at confounding and fascinating both one another and the reader. There are multiple points of view, with a glimpse of the power games that nations play, and a thought-provoking demonstration of the price that many pay for machinations that may be part of a very long game. There is a nicely contained mystery that unfolds even as we come to know the major players in this particular story but there are also dangling threads that undoubtedly will come into play in subsequent stories. Those who enjoy intricate and intense spy thrillers as well as wonderfully competent and insightful heroines should definitely give this book a try and get pulled into an entertaining new series.
A copy was provided for review
December 9, 2019
Very intriguing book with unusual characters. Miranda is leader of a NTSB section and perhaps has autism, perhaps Aspergers--which makes her socially a hundred miles east of introvert and probably 100 miles north of Einstein on the IQ scale. Her brand new team includes a female Aussie who is part interpreter for Miranda, part protection detail. The two males on the team are a techno-wizard who understands and translates the geek for Miranda, and Mike who interfaces with all bureaucrats. This has all the hallmarks of a wonderful series.
This first book is thick with plots that Buchman plies skillfully into a very satisfying fast-paced adventure that moves through the US, Washington DC, and China. Unique and wonderful. Can't wait for more books in this series.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This first book is thick with plots that Buchman plies skillfully into a very satisfying fast-paced adventure that moves through the US, Washington DC, and China. Unique and wonderful. Can't wait for more books in this series.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 21, 2019
This was an intense story. It started kind of lighthearted. Getting to know the various characters in the story but once we got down to the heart of the story everything just pulled you in. I love the camaraderie between the characters. How some of them thought they were alone but find out others they have the same thing in common. I love reading his the mystery unfolded. I look forward to reading the next story in the series.
I received a free copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review.
I received a free copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review.
July 22, 2021
This turned out to be a better, more substantial book than I expected. It addresses a military crisis and personal crises in a subtle, if somewhat predictable manner. Listening to the ebook was a good way to take it in. A major flaw is the author’s insistence in the first half of using objectionable and objectifying language about women. Though perhaps common in the military, the language is a distraction that adds nothing useful to the story and diminishes the male characters.
April 4, 2020
Escapism mixed with technical knowledge and skilful development of genuinely interesting characters. I really couldn't fault this book. I look forward to reading more about Miranda Chase and her team.
October 29, 2020
Amazing details
New author to me, great story and characters, loved the details and the characters interactions. Really liked the drone and it's details. Will most certainly read more. Thanks for sharing your story and giving me a great escape in these strange times
New author to me, great story and characters, loved the details and the characters interactions. Really liked the drone and it's details. Will most certainly read more. Thanks for sharing your story and giving me a great escape in these strange times
November 22, 2019
Addictive series debut
Lots of likeable qwirky characters with just enough military techno jargon to suck you in. Can't wait for Miranda's team to solve the next case.
Lots of likeable qwirky characters with just enough military techno jargon to suck you in. Can't wait for Miranda's team to solve the next case.
January 25, 2020
Great beginning for this series! Lots of suspense! Loved all the players!
April 27, 2020
Drone grabs you from the first page and doesn't let go till you're finished, breathless, two days later.
March 3, 2021
Fantastic
Good science, great characters, exciting plot. A tale beyond your or mine imagination. I'm buying the second book in this series now.
Good science, great characters, exciting plot. A tale beyond your or mine imagination. I'm buying the second book in this series now.
October 15, 2022
I thought that this was a great read. I found the story to be engaging from the first chapter, it had a good pace, plenty of intrigue, and was entertaining.
December 12, 2023
An unique main character and an unlikly team, a total page turner!
May 31, 2025
High level (w a very high security rating) NTSB investigator Miranda Cross’s commercial airline flight (w 300 passengers aboard) is diverted from its route to deliver Miranda to a crash scene at Groom Lake (AKA Area 51.) She is whisked off to the crash site and then accosted by the base commander in no uncertain terms until he receives a message from the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) demanding his assistance. At that point, he ungraciously cooperates. Miranda’s team, all new to her, arrive and begin the investigation. Everything is wrong and has nothing to do with aliens.
A top secret project run by the CIA is operating in and out of the U.S. Miranda’s autism (?) allows her to focus to an extraordinary degree. She can read a crash site with incredible skill and speed but not the people working with and around her. She is used to working solo but gradually begins to trust her team.
The solution to the crash and the problems involves the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the President, members of the Chinese government, the CIA, the FBI, the NRO (National Reconnaissance Office), and Miranda’s team. Buchman includes enough detail to keep techies happy but not enough to discourage those who read for plot and character. Buchman creates great, strong, intelligent characters with very human scope. The tension intensifies; the facts multiply. This is the first in the series. I’m looking forward to more. Very, very highly recommended.
Readalikes:
Any of Buckman’s series; Bella Andre’s Hot Shots; Lindsay McKenna’s Operation Shadow Warriors; Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooters; Julie Ann Walkers military romances; Tara Janzen; Tonya Burrows;
Pace: Fast paced; Intensifying
Characterization: Neurodivergent lead, Miranda is probably high functioning autistic
Identities: Highly skilled men and women in the military and NTSB;
Storyline: Intricately plotted; Character driven
Writing style: Richly detailed; Engaging; Banter; Action packed
Tone: Cautiously optimistic; Action packed
Mood: Suspenseful; Light humor
Frame: New Mexico, Central China, Washington D.C., Tacoma WA; Contemporary
Themes: Solving the puzzle; Surviving the puzzle
Red flags/Trigger warning: Airplane crashes
A top secret project run by the CIA is operating in and out of the U.S. Miranda’s autism (?) allows her to focus to an extraordinary degree. She can read a crash site with incredible skill and speed but not the people working with and around her. She is used to working solo but gradually begins to trust her team.
The solution to the crash and the problems involves the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the President, members of the Chinese government, the CIA, the FBI, the NRO (National Reconnaissance Office), and Miranda’s team. Buchman includes enough detail to keep techies happy but not enough to discourage those who read for plot and character. Buchman creates great, strong, intelligent characters with very human scope. The tension intensifies; the facts multiply. This is the first in the series. I’m looking forward to more. Very, very highly recommended.
Readalikes:
Any of Buckman’s series; Bella Andre’s Hot Shots; Lindsay McKenna’s Operation Shadow Warriors; Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooters; Julie Ann Walkers military romances; Tara Janzen; Tonya Burrows;
Pace: Fast paced; Intensifying
Characterization: Neurodivergent lead, Miranda is probably high functioning autistic
Identities: Highly skilled men and women in the military and NTSB;
Storyline: Intricately plotted; Character driven
Writing style: Richly detailed; Engaging; Banter; Action packed
Tone: Cautiously optimistic; Action packed
Mood: Suspenseful; Light humor
Frame: New Mexico, Central China, Washington D.C., Tacoma WA; Contemporary
Themes: Solving the puzzle; Surviving the puzzle
Red flags/Trigger warning: Airplane crashes
January 31, 2025
DNF ~30%.
I was hoping to read essentially a fictionalized version of an episode of Air Disasters, but this is much more focused on the characters of the investigators (which is fine and expected, though not particularly well done) and various military personnel getting in their way (not very interesting). The author clearly knows enough about aviation to describe the investigation well, but those chapters were less common than the other topics.
The first third of the book also has an incredible amount of creepy sex scenes, antagonists thinking about sex and cheating on their wives, and a specific antagonist thinking about her father repeatedly raping her as a child. It may be partially because the latter hits too close to home, but I did not enjoy these at all or find them interesting storytelling; instead they made me reluctant to keep reading. The rest of the scenes were not interesting enough to make up for it, so I decided to drop the book.
I was hoping to read essentially a fictionalized version of an episode of Air Disasters, but this is much more focused on the characters of the investigators (which is fine and expected, though not particularly well done) and various military personnel getting in their way (not very interesting). The author clearly knows enough about aviation to describe the investigation well, but those chapters were less common than the other topics.
The first third of the book also has an incredible amount of creepy sex scenes, antagonists thinking about sex and cheating on their wives, and a specific antagonist thinking about her father repeatedly raping her as a child. It may be partially because the latter hits too close to home, but I did not enjoy these at all or find them interesting storytelling; instead they made me reluctant to keep reading. The rest of the scenes were not interesting enough to make up for it, so I decided to drop the book.
January 18, 2021
I read Drone (Miranda Chase #1) by ML Buchman. I really liked it.
It's a military thriller (not a romance)
A plane has crashed at Area 51 and the military calls in a National Transportation Safety Board team to investigate the crash. Only they don't really want them to find out what happened...
This book kept me guessing. I liked all of the characters.
The main character Miranda Chase is socially awkward and a genius when it comes to plane crashes.
I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 stars because of a disgusting incest scene involving a flashback with a secondary character. It was unnecessary, did nothing to advance the plot and was disgusting.
It's a military thriller (not a romance)
A plane has crashed at Area 51 and the military calls in a National Transportation Safety Board team to investigate the crash. Only they don't really want them to find out what happened...
This book kept me guessing. I liked all of the characters.
The main character Miranda Chase is socially awkward and a genius when it comes to plane crashes.
I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 stars because of a disgusting incest scene involving a flashback with a secondary character. It was unnecessary, did nothing to advance the plot and was disgusting.
June 7, 2020
I ended up liking this book, but it took 60% for me to engage, for reasons.
1. Two characters have childhood sexual trauma. It kept being mentioned or referred to, and, in one case, it didn't seem relevant to the motivation for the character.
2. There is buckets of technical aviation (and some military) jargon.
3. There are kazillions of points of view.
At somewhere around 60%, the plot started to move enough to keep me reading. It's definitely more of a thriller than a romance. I'll be curious what happens with Miranda and her team, and it would be good to hear from Jeremy.
1. Two characters have childhood sexual trauma. It kept being mentioned or referred to, and, in one case, it didn't seem relevant to the motivation for the character.
2. There is buckets of technical aviation (and some military) jargon.
3. There are kazillions of points of view.
At somewhere around 60%, the plot started to move enough to keep me reading. It's definitely more of a thriller than a romance. I'll be curious what happens with Miranda and her team, and it would be good to hear from Jeremy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2024
Riveting, but…
I enjoyed the main character very much; it was an excellent choice. The pace was quickening throughout. I didn’t want to stop reading. But, i found all the details about sex between the Chinese characters, the CIA characters and anyone else a total distraction from the story and truly unnecessary. Lurid details. I’ll try one more book, but if this is a pattern the author keeps using, I won’t be continuing with this series.
I enjoyed the main character very much; it was an excellent choice. The pace was quickening throughout. I didn’t want to stop reading. But, i found all the details about sex between the Chinese characters, the CIA characters and anyone else a total distraction from the story and truly unnecessary. Lurid details. I’ll try one more book, but if this is a pattern the author keeps using, I won’t be continuing with this series.
June 16, 2021
I enjoy reading Aviation stories and one about a crash investigator was a different approach as usually I like my planes flying. So I as not sure about this book ,having read it I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed the story line and the found characters enjoyable . I can only say buy and enjoy have already got the next two in the series
March 15, 2023
I liked it. The documentary series Mayday (aka Air Disasters aka Air Crash Investigation) is actually one of my favorite shows. So, reading a book that incorporates air crashes and the investigation of them is always on my interest list. I liked the characters enough and plan to read the next book in the series.
July 24, 2021
Started with a sexual situation and it gets worse. Slogged thru hoping it’d get on with it but stopped at 1/2 of 1st novel. Just couldn’t accept punishment for not committing a crime. Main interest is an autistic main character, who acts more like Asberger dx.
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January 15, 2021Love the characters
April 23, 2021
Couldn't get into it? Stopped at 3rd chapter
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