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The Hidden Vector
CONFRONTING THE ENEMY WITHIN
When a troubled virologist flees Russia with a manufactured virus, he hopes to bring his cure to the world. But terrorists hijack his flight and fake his death in a jetliner explosion over the Black Sea. Now, his captors want the bioweapon from his blood.
Enter Ethan Pierce, a sharp-eyed but over-confident targeting officer for the CIA. He investigates the hijackers. Within days, a colleague is dead because of his recklessness. And he gets close to another officer who isn’t what she seems.
Ethan matches wits against an enemy that destroys the CIA from inside so it can unleash the deadly virus. As Ethan races to stop the conspiracy, he learns the terrorists’ first target is revenge for his efforts. They aim to kill his ex-wife, whom he still loves.
Paul Corso, Ethan’s trusted supervisor, discovers the conspiracy from inside CIA headquarters. Happily married, Paul learns the severe cost of confronting the conspirators when they threaten his family and discredit his CIA career.
Now each man faces an impossible choice: Stop a deadly
catastrophe or lose the people they love most.
When a troubled virologist flees Russia with a manufactured virus, he hopes to bring his cure to the world. But terrorists hijack his flight and fake his death in a jetliner explosion over the Black Sea. Now, his captors want the bioweapon from his blood.
Enter Ethan Pierce, a sharp-eyed but over-confident targeting officer for the CIA. He investigates the hijackers. Within days, a colleague is dead because of his recklessness. And he gets close to another officer who isn’t what she seems.
Ethan matches wits against an enemy that destroys the CIA from inside so it can unleash the deadly virus. As Ethan races to stop the conspiracy, he learns the terrorists’ first target is revenge for his efforts. They aim to kill his ex-wife, whom he still loves.
Paul Corso, Ethan’s trusted supervisor, discovers the conspiracy from inside CIA headquarters. Happily married, Paul learns the severe cost of confronting the conspirators when they threaten his family and discredit his CIA career.
Now each man faces an impossible choice: Stop a deadly
catastrophe or lose the people they love most.
312 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2020
8 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 23, 2020
One of the best espionage thrillers I've read—full stop. "The Hidden Vector" delivers the vivid detail of le Carre, the action and pacing of Ludlum, and the crisp dialogue and punchy prose of Forsyth. The storyline itself—bioterrorism and a looming pandemic brought on by a designer virus—is especially haunting during the era of COVID19. Looking forward to reading more of Snyder's work.
October 23, 2021
The only regret I have about reading Mathew Snyder's debut novel, The Hidden Vector, is that I waited so long to read it.
Without getting too deep into the plot, Ethan Pierce works for the CIA. An assignment to track down terrorists responsible for a massive bloodbath rapidly escalates into something far more nefarious than he could have ever imagined, with consequences that will strike horrifically close to home.
I did dock one star, and it has nothing to do with realism or research details. The only reason why this isn't a five-star novel (and honestly, I wish I could do half-star ratings or have a 10-star system, because this would easily be a 4.5 or 9 star book) is that I felt the ending was slightly rushed. There were so many ways I thought the ending would play out, but the way it did was...hmm. Not enough to ruin the book, but enough to merit mention.
Now we get to talk about the good. Bear with me; this is going to be a bit of a round-about comment.
In this genre, many readers place a high premium on precise realism. With all of the resources available in the Information Age, folks who step into the world of the intelligence community and special operations are expected to do their research. Failing to do that is a quick way to be eviscerated in the reviews.
There are a few errors on that basis I spotted here and there where I would have docked Snyder. The thing is, I noted these items...and I didn't mind, because the book was that entertaining. Snyder did a magnificent job of creating compelling characters in whom it is easy to invest, as well as a global conspiracy that simultaneously reminds one of a Bond villain (in an entertaining way, for the record) and yet manages to be within the realm of possibility, giving the reader pause for thought as to the house of cards that is our society and how easily one with the villain's resources and warped sense of morality could collapse.
In this fashion, Snyder's book reminds me of Robert Ludlum's work, particularly The Matarese Circle and The Janson Directive. Globe-spanning chases to stop high-end evil conspiracies are what I grew up on with Ludlum, and reading The Hidden Vector felt like a return to an old friend.
It is a fine spy thriller and definitely one that belongs on any aficionado's bookshelf. Very highly recommended.
Without getting too deep into the plot, Ethan Pierce works for the CIA. An assignment to track down terrorists responsible for a massive bloodbath rapidly escalates into something far more nefarious than he could have ever imagined, with consequences that will strike horrifically close to home.
I did dock one star, and it has nothing to do with realism or research details. The only reason why this isn't a five-star novel (and honestly, I wish I could do half-star ratings or have a 10-star system, because this would easily be a 4.5 or 9 star book) is that I felt the ending was slightly rushed. There were so many ways I thought the ending would play out, but the way it did was...hmm. Not enough to ruin the book, but enough to merit mention.
Now we get to talk about the good. Bear with me; this is going to be a bit of a round-about comment.
In this genre, many readers place a high premium on precise realism. With all of the resources available in the Information Age, folks who step into the world of the intelligence community and special operations are expected to do their research. Failing to do that is a quick way to be eviscerated in the reviews.
There are a few errors on that basis I spotted here and there where I would have docked Snyder. The thing is, I noted these items...and I didn't mind, because the book was that entertaining. Snyder did a magnificent job of creating compelling characters in whom it is easy to invest, as well as a global conspiracy that simultaneously reminds one of a Bond villain (in an entertaining way, for the record) and yet manages to be within the realm of possibility, giving the reader pause for thought as to the house of cards that is our society and how easily one with the villain's resources and warped sense of morality could collapse.
In this fashion, Snyder's book reminds me of Robert Ludlum's work, particularly The Matarese Circle and The Janson Directive. Globe-spanning chases to stop high-end evil conspiracies are what I grew up on with Ludlum, and reading The Hidden Vector felt like a return to an old friend.
It is a fine spy thriller and definitely one that belongs on any aficionado's bookshelf. Very highly recommended.
November 8, 2020
Mathew Snyder graciously supplied me with an ARC. I like the discovery of new authors, and this novel, THE HIDDEN VECTOR is just superb. I was stunned to hit the intensity of the plot from the first opening pages. And this edge of the seat read was maintained till the very end.Although plugged into the newer thriller authors, I have read and perused the style of those that started the pathway of this genre. This read like a Jason Bourne movie, hard packed gritty action and carried the intensity of a LeCarre novel, with a smooth flow for narration. Although it moved between the locales with vignettes, you quickly saw how they intertwined and moved the character portrayed into the plot and the relationship with the protagonist.
I found this book to be a rarity in that the chief protagonist and secondary characters were all CIA employees, some in the field, others in the counterterrorist center. The enemy? Dangerous, radical Islamics bent on wreaking revenge on the spoiled West. Their weapon of choice? A bioweapon in the family of hemorrhagics, Marburg, think along lines of Ebola. Both extremely deadly.
The tale opens with an Iranian scientist fleeing Moscow, carrying a deadly virus in his blood. While boarding a plane in Georgia he finds himself profiled and kidnapped by Chechen radicals who realize what their prize carries. They have other plans for him. A mid-air explosion brings US Intell services into play as there is rumored to be a scientist with a bioweapon on board. Enter seasoned CIA operative Ethan Pierce and his partner, experienced Marine sniper Wade Dixon, to ascertain why 183 lives were snuffed out midair.
Competitive conflict soon raises its ugly head with the local station chief flexing muscle in what becomes a non-stop battle to stay ahead of Death. It soon is apparent that there is a mole, someone with clout, overseeing their actions in the field. An unknown player(s) who is one step ahead killing colleagues, important foreign contacts, even going after family of senior administrator Paul Corso at Langley. It becomes a deadly game of cat and mouse and the stakes are high. One searches for the treasonous mole at headquarters, while Ethan Pierce seeks a walking time bomb ready to infect Westerners with one of deadliest diseases known to man.
You will find everything one reads a thriller for- a worthy mission, intrigue, espionage, assassination and loss of loved ones, firefights, and a car chase scene resembling that of Matthew Reilly’s Scarecrow. It is a hunt for betrayers a world apart. And the price to pay is high.
This is a fantastic thriller read with a high intensity plot, likable, well developed characters that carries you on the edge of your seat until the last page is turned. Prices are paid for dancing on the edge of the abyss.
And as this story so clearly points out there is sometimes a deadly price paid by the innocent. This was just a superb novel of espionage and intrigue, it’s hard to believe it is Mathew Snyder’s first. I guarantee you will become a fan of his writing. It is extraordinary all the way to the last page turned. Newly released, check with your favored book vendor. 5* read all the way. Well done, Mathew!
I found this book to be a rarity in that the chief protagonist and secondary characters were all CIA employees, some in the field, others in the counterterrorist center. The enemy? Dangerous, radical Islamics bent on wreaking revenge on the spoiled West. Their weapon of choice? A bioweapon in the family of hemorrhagics, Marburg, think along lines of Ebola. Both extremely deadly.
The tale opens with an Iranian scientist fleeing Moscow, carrying a deadly virus in his blood. While boarding a plane in Georgia he finds himself profiled and kidnapped by Chechen radicals who realize what their prize carries. They have other plans for him. A mid-air explosion brings US Intell services into play as there is rumored to be a scientist with a bioweapon on board. Enter seasoned CIA operative Ethan Pierce and his partner, experienced Marine sniper Wade Dixon, to ascertain why 183 lives were snuffed out midair.
Competitive conflict soon raises its ugly head with the local station chief flexing muscle in what becomes a non-stop battle to stay ahead of Death. It soon is apparent that there is a mole, someone with clout, overseeing their actions in the field. An unknown player(s) who is one step ahead killing colleagues, important foreign contacts, even going after family of senior administrator Paul Corso at Langley. It becomes a deadly game of cat and mouse and the stakes are high. One searches for the treasonous mole at headquarters, while Ethan Pierce seeks a walking time bomb ready to infect Westerners with one of deadliest diseases known to man.
You will find everything one reads a thriller for- a worthy mission, intrigue, espionage, assassination and loss of loved ones, firefights, and a car chase scene resembling that of Matthew Reilly’s Scarecrow. It is a hunt for betrayers a world apart. And the price to pay is high.
This is a fantastic thriller read with a high intensity plot, likable, well developed characters that carries you on the edge of your seat until the last page is turned. Prices are paid for dancing on the edge of the abyss.
And as this story so clearly points out there is sometimes a deadly price paid by the innocent. This was just a superb novel of espionage and intrigue, it’s hard to believe it is Mathew Snyder’s first. I guarantee you will become a fan of his writing. It is extraordinary all the way to the last page turned. Newly released, check with your favored book vendor. 5* read all the way. Well done, Mathew!
October 23, 2020
Mathew Snyder's debut novel doesn't enter the thriller genre meekly, but blows the entire door off the hinges instead.
An Iranian virologist is on the run while harboring a terrifying secret in his blood stream. When he's kidnapped at 30,000 feet, a deadly virus falls into the wrong hands.
Enter Ethan Pierce, our newest and possibly craftiest protagonist. Snyder has created a phenomenal character, leading Pierce through a series of gut wrenching turns and clever epiphanies.
Pierce's starts on the wrong foot while losing a partner and gaining an ally with unclear motives. Fortunately for Pierce, Paul Corso is in his corner and is in his own battle for the safety of his family.
The Hidden Vector serves as a phenomenal launching point for Snyder. With such a solid base, Ethan Pierce could become a premier character in the thriller genre for years to come.
An Iranian virologist is on the run while harboring a terrifying secret in his blood stream. When he's kidnapped at 30,000 feet, a deadly virus falls into the wrong hands.
Enter Ethan Pierce, our newest and possibly craftiest protagonist. Snyder has created a phenomenal character, leading Pierce through a series of gut wrenching turns and clever epiphanies.
Pierce's starts on the wrong foot while losing a partner and gaining an ally with unclear motives. Fortunately for Pierce, Paul Corso is in his corner and is in his own battle for the safety of his family.
The Hidden Vector serves as a phenomenal launching point for Snyder. With such a solid base, Ethan Pierce could become a premier character in the thriller genre for years to come.
November 2, 2020
Not sure who recommended this book, but it turned out to be a disappointment. The idea of the hidden vector was interesting but the rest of the book was long and how and why the CIA got involved is still a mystery. I was not able to get into the book. I kept putting it down trying or hoping it would pick up and it never did.
September 6, 2021
Another thriller about arabs plotting evil against the USA. This time it's a virus seized by a Russian who escaped his homeland. Nothing much new or different in this book but good for when there's nothing else to do.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews