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Harvey Bennett #1
The Enigma Strain
When a bomb goes off at Yellowstone National Park, the reclusive park ranger Harvey "Ben" Bennett is startled to realize that the blast wasn't the only threat: the bomb released some sort of virus into the air, and it's beginning to infect and kill more and more people.
It's a race against time as Ben teams up with a woman from the CDC to figure who's behind the attacks, and how to stop the next one.
It's a race against time as Ben teams up with a woman from the CDC to figure who's behind the attacks, and how to stop the next one.
350 pages, Paperback
First published November 27, 2014
5580 people are currently reading
2780 people want to read
About the author
Nick Thacker
108 books438 followersNick Thacker is a thriller author from Texas who lives in Hawaii. In his free time, he enjoys reading in a hammock on the beach, skiing, drinking whiskey, and hanging out with his beautiful wife, two dogs, and two daughters.
For more information, visit Nick online at www.nickthacker.com
In addition to his fiction work, Nick is the founder and lead of Sonata & Scribe, the only music studio focused on producing “soundtracks” for books and series. Find out more at www.SonataAndScribe.com.
In addition to his fiction work, Nick is the founder and lead of Sonata & Scribe, the only music studio focused on producing “soundtracks” for books and series. Find out more at www.SonataAndScribe.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 542 reviews
March 24, 2016
Again the chase was more important than the actual facts. The concept of a bacteria within a virus is like stuffing a human inside a mouse. This with things like how did the professor end up as a janitor? How was he able to run and escape after 6 months of being in a coma? The reason why Ben thought the virus would be in the coolers was not adequately explained. Also the bomb being that powerful and yet fit in a 100lb keg makes no sense. What was the point of SARA or for that matter Livingstone? If he was beaten up and then shot how did they conclude that it was a suicide? Story was just too sloppy.
April 2, 2016
Picture this! The year is 1704 and a Russian exploration expedition of twenty-five men, is headed by Nikolai Alexei, a tenaciously ambitious young man. The party was deep in the wilderness of the northwest territory of Canada and the freezing winter cold was soon approaching. This didn’t really concern Nikolai as he was used to bitter cold and all the hardships brought with it. He was determined to find something, anything that would be worth his time and the expense of this long and tedious journey.
As they were setting up camp for the night, Nikolai explored the immediate area and soon discovered a cave, going deep into the mountainside. Upon entering the cavern, he found a series of bones, perfectly laid out in neat rows. The bones were old and could have very well been here for hundreds of years. Scattered among the skeletons were large, covered baskets. With difficulty he removed the lid of the first basket and, after waving away the dust that suddenly erupted around him, he gleaned the contents. The basket was filled with strange silver coins with the portrait of a diabolical looking man on either side. Upon further inspection, more, but not all of the baskets were similarly filled. Excited, he called for his men and they proceeded to collect the coins and put them into leather bags.
By dawn the next day, all were dead.
This is the prelude to a mystery that lay dormant for centuries. The story itself is an enigma as a multitude of various characters are paraded before the readers eyes but don’t stay long enough to either add or subtract from the story as a whole, as almost all of them were soon dead. Fortunately, for the story, a duo of characters served as mainstays and manages to stay one step ahead of ultimate demise. Park Ranger Harvey “Ben” Bennett, Dr, Juliette Alexandra Richardson, of the CDC, with the help of Dr. Malcolm Fischer, a university professor. They ban together to discover the secret of the white dust known as the Enigma Strain, who is trying to foil their efforts and who sees it as a weapon of mass destruction and plan to use it as such against the United States. A budding romance simmers in the background, making all the points for success complete. Their arch-rival and nemesis, the stygian Francis Valere, is someone you will just love to hate.
The Enigma Strain is the first book in the (planned) Harvey Bennett Thriller series. If you like James Patterson’s work this may something for you. The chapters are relatively short and the story flows from the pages effortlessly. This is a fast-paced techno-thriller that is sure to sate the appetite of any reader. I recommend it highly to all.
As they were setting up camp for the night, Nikolai explored the immediate area and soon discovered a cave, going deep into the mountainside. Upon entering the cavern, he found a series of bones, perfectly laid out in neat rows. The bones were old and could have very well been here for hundreds of years. Scattered among the skeletons were large, covered baskets. With difficulty he removed the lid of the first basket and, after waving away the dust that suddenly erupted around him, he gleaned the contents. The basket was filled with strange silver coins with the portrait of a diabolical looking man on either side. Upon further inspection, more, but not all of the baskets were similarly filled. Excited, he called for his men and they proceeded to collect the coins and put them into leather bags.
By dawn the next day, all were dead.
This is the prelude to a mystery that lay dormant for centuries. The story itself is an enigma as a multitude of various characters are paraded before the readers eyes but don’t stay long enough to either add or subtract from the story as a whole, as almost all of them were soon dead. Fortunately, for the story, a duo of characters served as mainstays and manages to stay one step ahead of ultimate demise. Park Ranger Harvey “Ben” Bennett, Dr, Juliette Alexandra Richardson, of the CDC, with the help of Dr. Malcolm Fischer, a university professor. They ban together to discover the secret of the white dust known as the Enigma Strain, who is trying to foil their efforts and who sees it as a weapon of mass destruction and plan to use it as such against the United States. A budding romance simmers in the background, making all the points for success complete. Their arch-rival and nemesis, the stygian Francis Valere, is someone you will just love to hate.
The Enigma Strain is the first book in the (planned) Harvey Bennett Thriller series. If you like James Patterson’s work this may something for you. The chapters are relatively short and the story flows from the pages effortlessly. This is a fast-paced techno-thriller that is sure to sate the appetite of any reader. I recommend it highly to all.
October 15, 2015
ABR's original The Enigma Strain audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
In 1704 a Russina mapping team in North America discovers a cave filled with human bones. Within a day the Russian team are all dead.
Present day, a bomb explodes in Yellowstone Park, within days many of the park employes are sick. Harvey “Ben” Bennett is a park ranger at Yellowstone National Park.He is 32 and mostly a loner. He heard the explosion and was in the earth tremor that followed. His partner was killed by the quake.
Julie Richardson from CDC, BTR (Biological Threat Research), is interviewing Ben in the cafeteria when excited personnel rush in with a sick man. Julie and Ben leave by the back door and head to her truck. Julie knows the sick man could be contagious. She’s right.
Introverted Ben and extroverted Julie make for an unusual team. I really liked the way they played off each other. Glimpses into Ben’s past explain why he is the way he is. When the chips are down he comes through.
This is one thrilling book. The back stories that give insight into the origin of the virus are right on. It’s not hard to believe Russian explorers were here in the early days or that their remains were found by students and taken by a big Drug Corp. I already knew that Yellowstone was a volcano. I’ve been there and seen it. Not hard to imagine what would happen if a bomb really did explode there.
The tension builds throughout the story until the very end and it is an adrenaline rush. I want more of Ben, but it will be hard to come up with something to beat this novel for suspense, action, and thrills.
Mike Vendetti is the narrator and he did a splendid job of it. His reading was clear and concise, very well done. I could listen to him for hours, in fact I did. Production was perfect. No jumps, skips, or static. A perfect rendition.
The book cover was colorful and well done. Symbolic.
Audiobook provided for review by the author.
In 1704 a Russina mapping team in North America discovers a cave filled with human bones. Within a day the Russian team are all dead.
Present day, a bomb explodes in Yellowstone Park, within days many of the park employes are sick. Harvey “Ben” Bennett is a park ranger at Yellowstone National Park.He is 32 and mostly a loner. He heard the explosion and was in the earth tremor that followed. His partner was killed by the quake.
Julie Richardson from CDC, BTR (Biological Threat Research), is interviewing Ben in the cafeteria when excited personnel rush in with a sick man. Julie and Ben leave by the back door and head to her truck. Julie knows the sick man could be contagious. She’s right.
Introverted Ben and extroverted Julie make for an unusual team. I really liked the way they played off each other. Glimpses into Ben’s past explain why he is the way he is. When the chips are down he comes through.
This is one thrilling book. The back stories that give insight into the origin of the virus are right on. It’s not hard to believe Russian explorers were here in the early days or that their remains were found by students and taken by a big Drug Corp. I already knew that Yellowstone was a volcano. I’ve been there and seen it. Not hard to imagine what would happen if a bomb really did explode there.
The tension builds throughout the story until the very end and it is an adrenaline rush. I want more of Ben, but it will be hard to come up with something to beat this novel for suspense, action, and thrills.
Mike Vendetti is the narrator and he did a splendid job of it. His reading was clear and concise, very well done. I could listen to him for hours, in fact I did. Production was perfect. No jumps, skips, or static. A perfect rendition.
The book cover was colorful and well done. Symbolic.
Audiobook provided for review by the author.
September 26, 2019
“We know we cannot underestimate the importance of emergency planning in our region, nor can we assume we'll have ample warning time. If an earthquake or terrorist attack hits, we won't necessarily have advance alerts or opportunities to double- and triple-check our plans”. - Ellen Tauscher
“The purpose of terrorism lies not just in the violent act itself. It is in producing terror. It sets out to inflame, to divide, to produce consequences which they then use to justify further terror.” - Tony Blair
“This country values freedom, but you and I both know that ‘freedom’ is a joke. We’re somewhere between a third-world country with a corrupt government and an overbearing corporation on the scale of how free we really are. Americans now hold on to every scrap of ‘freedom’ they can find, including their own individuality –“ Nick Thacker, The Enigma Strain
Harvey “Ben” Bennett, Yellowstone Ranger, has had a crummy day. First, the worst kind of campers created a huge mess at their campsite – then are all bent out of shape when Mo the Grizzly shows up. Good ol’ Mo, he knows where the easy goodies are. Stupid, messy, complaining psudo-campers, ruining the sanctity of the ecosystem. Bah. Now, Ben has to haul Mo up to the northern end of the park, far away from the campsite areas, and ignorant tourists. This is Mo’s third strike – if he wanders back to populated areas, he winds up on death row. All because tourists can’t keep from treating the park like Disneyland, complete with throwing their trash on the ground.
But when Ben and Carlos Rivera haul Mo north, they run into more than they expected. A monstrous explosion, complete with mushroom cloud, causes an earthquake that drops Carlos into a chasm in the Earth. Now, a red dust cloud hangs over Yellowstone – a cloud of death. As people begin to die, Ben finds himself partnered with Julie Richardson, a specialist with the Biological Threat Research Division of the Centers for Disease Control as they chase the origin of what appears to be a synthetic, airborne virus. A virus that, if released across the US, could cause near total destruction. But that isn’t the only terrorist action that is planned. For the explosion in Yellowstone may only be the first – and if the caldera under Yellowstone blows, the United States will turn into a wasteland.
There is action aplenty in The Enigma Strain. Ben and Julie are realistic characters, well developed and designed, and the people they run up against, from self-centered management personnel to soulless terrorists and guns for hire are also well rendered, though tend towards ‘over-the-top’. As with my review of Thacker’s The Depths, I find myself disappointed with the obvious continuity issues. Editorial issues are not as bad as in The Depths, but I find continuity issues to be tremendously aggravating – especially when it changes the character of the actors, their mental, intellectual and psychological actions and capabilities. Hard right turns in intellectual levels are infuriating.
The ideas are on the edge, but frighteningly believable in these days of worldwide terrorism. It was a fun read overall, and worth the time spent. The infusion of historical events gave the book the extra 'kick' it needed to encourage the excitement level.
I receive this book from the publisher in exchange for a realistic review. All thoughts are my own.
“The purpose of terrorism lies not just in the violent act itself. It is in producing terror. It sets out to inflame, to divide, to produce consequences which they then use to justify further terror.” - Tony Blair
“This country values freedom, but you and I both know that ‘freedom’ is a joke. We’re somewhere between a third-world country with a corrupt government and an overbearing corporation on the scale of how free we really are. Americans now hold on to every scrap of ‘freedom’ they can find, including their own individuality –“ Nick Thacker, The Enigma Strain
Harvey “Ben” Bennett, Yellowstone Ranger, has had a crummy day. First, the worst kind of campers created a huge mess at their campsite – then are all bent out of shape when Mo the Grizzly shows up. Good ol’ Mo, he knows where the easy goodies are. Stupid, messy, complaining psudo-campers, ruining the sanctity of the ecosystem. Bah. Now, Ben has to haul Mo up to the northern end of the park, far away from the campsite areas, and ignorant tourists. This is Mo’s third strike – if he wanders back to populated areas, he winds up on death row. All because tourists can’t keep from treating the park like Disneyland, complete with throwing their trash on the ground.
But when Ben and Carlos Rivera haul Mo north, they run into more than they expected. A monstrous explosion, complete with mushroom cloud, causes an earthquake that drops Carlos into a chasm in the Earth. Now, a red dust cloud hangs over Yellowstone – a cloud of death. As people begin to die, Ben finds himself partnered with Julie Richardson, a specialist with the Biological Threat Research Division of the Centers for Disease Control as they chase the origin of what appears to be a synthetic, airborne virus. A virus that, if released across the US, could cause near total destruction. But that isn’t the only terrorist action that is planned. For the explosion in Yellowstone may only be the first – and if the caldera under Yellowstone blows, the United States will turn into a wasteland.
There is action aplenty in The Enigma Strain. Ben and Julie are realistic characters, well developed and designed, and the people they run up against, from self-centered management personnel to soulless terrorists and guns for hire are also well rendered, though tend towards ‘over-the-top’. As with my review of Thacker’s The Depths, I find myself disappointed with the obvious continuity issues. Editorial issues are not as bad as in The Depths, but I find continuity issues to be tremendously aggravating – especially when it changes the character of the actors, their mental, intellectual and psychological actions and capabilities. Hard right turns in intellectual levels are infuriating.
The ideas are on the edge, but frighteningly believable in these days of worldwide terrorism. It was a fun read overall, and worth the time spent. The infusion of historical events gave the book the extra 'kick' it needed to encourage the excitement level.
I receive this book from the publisher in exchange for a realistic review. All thoughts are my own.
May 2, 2015
3.5* - Entertaining read with some technical errors.
Yellowstone Ranger, Harvey “Ben” Bennett and Julie Richardson from the Centers for Disease Control must find a way to develop a vaccine for a synthetic virus and prevent an epic volcano eruption that will annihilate the US.
Ben is an unlikely hero and Julie’s opposite personality creates synergism, which in turn creates interesting characters. The antagonists feel stereotypical but some of the secondary characters, such as Randy, are pleasant surprises. The technology side doesn’t deflect from the main plot and nicely supports the storyline.
The POV is confusing in this novel. One character’s inner thoughts pop up in a sentence written from the other person’s POV. Combined with continuity issues and typos, these technical problems do decrease readability in places.
Overall Thacker does a good job describing his settings and ties the past to the present smoothly. Ben’s backstory with his mother deserves more attention, because it’s an integral part of his character delineation.
Thacker’s research is well done and the plot is believability and unique. Rather than sticking with a straight-line approach, adding the risk of a natural disaster mixed with a bio-medical factor was intriguing. The Enigma Strain is an entertaining read, and Ben and Julie are characters worth following. A solid round of editing would smooth out the technical errors.
Yellowstone Ranger, Harvey “Ben” Bennett and Julie Richardson from the Centers for Disease Control must find a way to develop a vaccine for a synthetic virus and prevent an epic volcano eruption that will annihilate the US.
Ben is an unlikely hero and Julie’s opposite personality creates synergism, which in turn creates interesting characters. The antagonists feel stereotypical but some of the secondary characters, such as Randy, are pleasant surprises. The technology side doesn’t deflect from the main plot and nicely supports the storyline.
The POV is confusing in this novel. One character’s inner thoughts pop up in a sentence written from the other person’s POV. Combined with continuity issues and typos, these technical problems do decrease readability in places.
Overall Thacker does a good job describing his settings and ties the past to the present smoothly. Ben’s backstory with his mother deserves more attention, because it’s an integral part of his character delineation.
Thacker’s research is well done and the plot is believability and unique. Rather than sticking with a straight-line approach, adding the risk of a natural disaster mixed with a bio-medical factor was intriguing. The Enigma Strain is an entertaining read, and Ben and Julie are characters worth following. A solid round of editing would smooth out the technical errors.
February 2, 2021
I found the main character of Ben lacking. He is kinda lame and boring. The dialogue seemed cliché. Dr. Fischer was a stronger character. The story had a slow start and did have a couple parts that were somewhat gripping like the undercover janitor. The ending wasn't bad, but the story should have been more riveting, considering the terrorism angle. The author is on the right track. It's not the premise, but how he develops the story to make it gripping and believable that needs work.
July 19, 2017
An excellent read, a good idea well written, although I thought the ending nodded to a daft edge.
Would def look forward to the next one.
Would def look forward to the next one.
December 12, 2021
Full of excitement, action, suspense. A viral adrenaline-rush!
I have received a review copy from the author at no cost and with no obligations toward the author.
I have received a review copy from the author at no cost and with no obligations toward the author.
November 11, 2015
One of the best thrillers I've read in 2015 is Nick Thacker's "The Enigma Strain" which combines science fiction, murder and a deadly conspiracy with a dash of romance that begins in 1704 when a Russian team of cartographers in the Canadian Northwest Territories stumble across a lethal secret hidden in a cave with a pile of skeletons.
The plot then fast forwards to Yellowstone National Park where Park Ranger Harvey "Ben" Bennett and his partner are taking an old rogue bear far from a camping area where it's been scavenging for food. A blast underground not only rocks their truck but sends a mushroom cloud high into the sky and triggers an earthquake that unleashes an infectious, killer virus. Working with Juliette Richardson from the Biological Threat Research Wing of the Disease Control Center (CDC) Ben races against time to unravel clues to the terrorist attack and find a antidote for the virus, but the two soon discover that their worst nightmare is about to erupt in the park; one that could destroy America.
The pace never slows in an action-packed plot that heats up with the murder of Dr. Diane Torres and her assistant who Ben has sent a sample of the virus to be analysed. As the story progresses and the murders continue tension mounts especially when Julia and Ben learn of a second unexploded bomb in Yellowstone Park buried in a cave over a magma chamber. In a thrilling tale that's all too realistic in our modern world, the suspense escalates as Ben and Julia draw closer to the truth and to the threat of danger. Even after an intense and explosive climax there's an ironic twist to the plot that leaves room for another Bennett thriller.
In this story Nick Thacker has created characters who are not only genuine in their actions and dialogue but are unforgettable as they struggle against the sinister plan of a covert multi-million dollar organization. The hero of the story is an introvert and loner who avoids revealing any information about himself or making friends. Haunted by a family tragedy Harvey "Ben" Bennett struggles with the emotional ups and downs of his growing attachment to Julia, preferring to walk away from any sensitive conversations. Yet for all his insecurity he's brave, determined and clever. Julia Richardson is the intelligent and persistent CDC field agent who stubbornly pursues information about the virus. With danger following and not knowing who to trust she quickly falls for the trustworthy and sensible Ben. Dr. David Livingston is Julia's rude, cold-hearted and paranoid boss who unscrupulously finds a way to monitor her progress and keep a close eye on the investigation. And when you think you know who the murderer, schemers and the conspirators are, Nick Thacker provides a surprising twist.
I thoroughly enjoyed "The Enigma Strain" with its exciting and captivating plot, and complex personalities. A page turner from beginning to the end, I look forward to Harvey Bennett's next exploit.
The plot then fast forwards to Yellowstone National Park where Park Ranger Harvey "Ben" Bennett and his partner are taking an old rogue bear far from a camping area where it's been scavenging for food. A blast underground not only rocks their truck but sends a mushroom cloud high into the sky and triggers an earthquake that unleashes an infectious, killer virus. Working with Juliette Richardson from the Biological Threat Research Wing of the Disease Control Center (CDC) Ben races against time to unravel clues to the terrorist attack and find a antidote for the virus, but the two soon discover that their worst nightmare is about to erupt in the park; one that could destroy America.
The pace never slows in an action-packed plot that heats up with the murder of Dr. Diane Torres and her assistant who Ben has sent a sample of the virus to be analysed. As the story progresses and the murders continue tension mounts especially when Julia and Ben learn of a second unexploded bomb in Yellowstone Park buried in a cave over a magma chamber. In a thrilling tale that's all too realistic in our modern world, the suspense escalates as Ben and Julia draw closer to the truth and to the threat of danger. Even after an intense and explosive climax there's an ironic twist to the plot that leaves room for another Bennett thriller.
In this story Nick Thacker has created characters who are not only genuine in their actions and dialogue but are unforgettable as they struggle against the sinister plan of a covert multi-million dollar organization. The hero of the story is an introvert and loner who avoids revealing any information about himself or making friends. Haunted by a family tragedy Harvey "Ben" Bennett struggles with the emotional ups and downs of his growing attachment to Julia, preferring to walk away from any sensitive conversations. Yet for all his insecurity he's brave, determined and clever. Julia Richardson is the intelligent and persistent CDC field agent who stubbornly pursues information about the virus. With danger following and not knowing who to trust she quickly falls for the trustworthy and sensible Ben. Dr. David Livingston is Julia's rude, cold-hearted and paranoid boss who unscrupulously finds a way to monitor her progress and keep a close eye on the investigation. And when you think you know who the murderer, schemers and the conspirators are, Nick Thacker provides a surprising twist.
I thoroughly enjoyed "The Enigma Strain" with its exciting and captivating plot, and complex personalities. A page turner from beginning to the end, I look forward to Harvey Bennett's next exploit.
November 3, 2018
This is one of those men's action technology stories that I suspect are like romance novels, a little formulaic, a little hackneyed and fairly predictable.
The book has a prologue, the prologue has chapters. The prologue is pretty interesting a band of Russian explorers in the early 18th century who are exploring Canada. There they uncover a cave with skeletons and treasure and with in hours they are dead. These are also very futuristic explorers because they are measuring in Kilometers which wasn't even introduced until 1790 and the Russian's used English measures.
We then jump to today and a ranger at Yellowstone Park 'Ben' Harvey Bennett who is getting ready to tranc a wandering bear. things quickly go pear shaped when an explosion and earthquake rip through the park. Things quickly escalate there is an outbreak of a mysterious illness, there is a young attractive CDC employee who teams up with 'Ben' which these involves them driving all over Idaho in her nifty truck. There are layers of baddies, there are secret relationships, and more twists and turns than a corn maze. And there is driving and more driving and implausible escapes and inconceivable encounters and driving. And Ben telling his side kick she needs to save herself.
It kind of reminded me of those Eastern European monster of the week movies they used to show on the SyFy channel.
The book has a prologue, the prologue has chapters. The prologue is pretty interesting a band of Russian explorers in the early 18th century who are exploring Canada. There they uncover a cave with skeletons and treasure and with in hours they are dead. These are also very futuristic explorers because they are measuring in Kilometers which wasn't even introduced until 1790 and the Russian's used English measures.
We then jump to today and a ranger at Yellowstone Park 'Ben' Harvey Bennett who is getting ready to tranc a wandering bear. things quickly go pear shaped when an explosion and earthquake rip through the park. Things quickly escalate there is an outbreak of a mysterious illness, there is a young attractive CDC employee who teams up with 'Ben' which these involves them driving all over Idaho in her nifty truck. There are layers of baddies, there are secret relationships, and more twists and turns than a corn maze. And there is driving and more driving and implausible escapes and inconceivable encounters and driving. And Ben telling his side kick she needs to save herself.
It kind of reminded me of those Eastern European monster of the week movies they used to show on the SyFy channel.
April 16, 2025
I'm a total sucker for disaster reads. "The Enigma Strain" was a pretty good book. Overall, the flow was nice, the characters were well-rounded and well-written, and the world building was such that it was easy to envision the story as it unfolded.
Once piece of constructive criticism, though, is that this is a disaster book, yet the author never managed to completely immerse me into the story because he never SHOWED me the affects of a nation ravaged by a horrible virus.
He frequently TOLD us of a nation in mayhem, but he never drew us into the heat of the viral outbreak. He frequently TOLD us how the virus killed millions of people, but we never saw it. He TOLD us how riots and looting broke out all over the nation, but we never witnessed it.
Especially in books like this, readers want to be in the driver's seat with the characters as they experience the fear and chaos, but it's hard to feel all the feels when the author tells you everything instead of building it into the story so readers can experience the pressures and heart-pounding action along with the characters.
While it wasn't the best disaster book I've read, I still found it entertaining despite all the telling instead of showing. If you like disaster books, I recommend giving it a try.
Once piece of constructive criticism, though, is that this is a disaster book, yet the author never managed to completely immerse me into the story because he never SHOWED me the affects of a nation ravaged by a horrible virus.
He frequently TOLD us of a nation in mayhem, but he never drew us into the heat of the viral outbreak. He frequently TOLD us how the virus killed millions of people, but we never saw it. He TOLD us how riots and looting broke out all over the nation, but we never witnessed it.
Especially in books like this, readers want to be in the driver's seat with the characters as they experience the fear and chaos, but it's hard to feel all the feels when the author tells you everything instead of building it into the story so readers can experience the pressures and heart-pounding action along with the characters.
While it wasn't the best disaster book I've read, I still found it entertaining despite all the telling instead of showing. If you like disaster books, I recommend giving it a try.
July 13, 2021
Interesting concept but didn’t love the execution of it or the characters
September 30, 2024
Easy read and okay story but mostly not plausible. I really wanted to like this book, but there was too much I had trouble believing which kept me from buying into the story.
February 22, 2025
Brb... going to read this author's backlog 🫠
July 23, 2015
With Post Apocalyptic fiction being one of my favourite genres this appealed to me from the start and I was delighted to get the chance to listen to it.
In this we follow Ben, A Yellowstone ranger and Julie, who is from the CDC. First off Ben is returning a wayward Grizzly back to where he belongs when an earthquake happens. His partner is sucked into the earth when a fissure appears and Ben is left hanging on for his life. When he gets back to the park it's to find that a bomb caused the earthquake and the place has to be evacuated. Ben finds out that at the site of the blast, an airborne virus was released and all who were there died. He partners up with Julie to see can they create an antidote for what looks like a terrorist made virus.
This was such a fast paced and intense listen. I found myself on the edge of my seat a lot waiting to see what would happen. Ben and Julie were both great characters and were easily likable. The plot flowed along and was quite scary because it could happen. We all have fear that a virus could be released so it was scary reading this.
The setting is another plus, for me anyway. I've always loved reading books set in Yellowstone both because of the stunning scenery it portrays and the fact that there is a super volcano there. It made the scenario that much more believable.
Anyway, this was awesome and I can't wait for more from these characters. It grabbed me from the start and kept my attention the whole way through. I thoroughly enjoyed the read!!
Mike Vendetti was amazing. He drew the tension of the book out and made it come alive. He had a lot of characters to portray and did a great job of distinguishing each. It came across that he enjoyed recording the story and it showed. I will definitely check out more by him.
* I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review from Audio Book Blast. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
In this we follow Ben, A Yellowstone ranger and Julie, who is from the CDC. First off Ben is returning a wayward Grizzly back to where he belongs when an earthquake happens. His partner is sucked into the earth when a fissure appears and Ben is left hanging on for his life. When he gets back to the park it's to find that a bomb caused the earthquake and the place has to be evacuated. Ben finds out that at the site of the blast, an airborne virus was released and all who were there died. He partners up with Julie to see can they create an antidote for what looks like a terrorist made virus.
This was such a fast paced and intense listen. I found myself on the edge of my seat a lot waiting to see what would happen. Ben and Julie were both great characters and were easily likable. The plot flowed along and was quite scary because it could happen. We all have fear that a virus could be released so it was scary reading this.
The setting is another plus, for me anyway. I've always loved reading books set in Yellowstone both because of the stunning scenery it portrays and the fact that there is a super volcano there. It made the scenario that much more believable.
Anyway, this was awesome and I can't wait for more from these characters. It grabbed me from the start and kept my attention the whole way through. I thoroughly enjoyed the read!!
Mike Vendetti was amazing. He drew the tension of the book out and made it come alive. He had a lot of characters to portray and did a great job of distinguishing each. It came across that he enjoyed recording the story and it showed. I will definitely check out more by him.
* I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review from Audio Book Blast. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
January 21, 2021
The story was a little sloppy but entertaining. The editor should be fired. There were so many grammatical errors I almost couldn’t read the book.
March 25, 2018
The basic formula for a thriller is as follows: one loner, one love-interest, and lots of running. The Enigma Strain is your cookie-cutter thriller, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The premise is somewhat entertaining, if not downright ridiculous and unrealistic. The pacing is certainly fast enough to keep the characters moving and racing against the clock of destruction (at times even literally). In the end, there were no surprises as the day is saved and the loner opens up enough to attract the love interest. The fact that the ending was predictable just meant that it delivered on the thriller formula.
One of the weaknesses of The Enigma Strain is the sense of space and time. There was plenty of driving around to different locations, which made them seem like they were quite close together. However, the love-interest kept talking about flying, which made me wonder how far away these places were. If it took a long time to drive between them, there was a lot of time these two characters were in the car together that wasn’t necessarily alluded to. I know I can get irritable after a long time in the car, and the fact these two strangers weren’t at each other’s throats after a collective eight hours (or more) of driving felt strange.
While The Enigma Strain had all the trappings and accouterments of a standard thriller, it also contained many of the “wait, why?” faults that separate a lot of thrillers from actual reality. Some of these questions were answered (like why the main character is a loner), but others were frequently touched upon but never fully explained (like why the main character is afraid of flying). In the end, if you want a fun escape from reality, a good thriller like The Enigma Strain can probably fit that bill.
A standard thriller that follows the thriller formula, I give The Enigma Strain 3.0 stars out of 5.
For more reviews of books and movies like this, please visit www.benjamin-m-weilert.com
One of the weaknesses of The Enigma Strain is the sense of space and time. There was plenty of driving around to different locations, which made them seem like they were quite close together. However, the love-interest kept talking about flying, which made me wonder how far away these places were. If it took a long time to drive between them, there was a lot of time these two characters were in the car together that wasn’t necessarily alluded to. I know I can get irritable after a long time in the car, and the fact these two strangers weren’t at each other’s throats after a collective eight hours (or more) of driving felt strange.
While The Enigma Strain had all the trappings and accouterments of a standard thriller, it also contained many of the “wait, why?” faults that separate a lot of thrillers from actual reality. Some of these questions were answered (like why the main character is a loner), but others were frequently touched upon but never fully explained (like why the main character is afraid of flying). In the end, if you want a fun escape from reality, a good thriller like The Enigma Strain can probably fit that bill.
A standard thriller that follows the thriller formula, I give The Enigma Strain 3.0 stars out of 5.
For more reviews of books and movies like this, please visit www.benjamin-m-weilert.com
May 14, 2025
An einigen Stellen zu langatmig, aber insgesamt ein überraschend interessantes Buch. Es ist schon sehr Amerikanisch und daher teilweise nicht zu 100% nachvollziehbar oder schlicht völlig übertrieben. Es hatte einen guten Female Sidekick und die Action war spannend genug, auch wenn mich die Gegenspieler leider gar nicht überzeugt haben.
August 20, 2022
Boring. I thought by the write-up that it was going to be a good, exciting book. It was much slower and more cumbersome than I thought it would be. A bomb is released in Yellowstone and it's carrying a virus so people are getting sick. One bright CDC analyst is determined to stop it.
August 11, 2022
This was such a terrific read. I loved the terror, excitement, and thrills that took place from start to finish. I can't wait to read more of this series.
February 7, 2025
Harvey Bennett is a unique character for a park ranger very dedicated and I love his relationship with Julie throughout the book.
May 4, 2022
As someone who has actually worked on a project loosely related to the book's central premise, I found this story intriguing. It was also a welcome relief from the typical thriller that involves nonstop blood and guts. The characters and their motivations are well-crafted and believable, with just enough mystery surrounding the perpetrators of what appears to be an unstoppable epidemic to keep the reader wondering just who is really behind the plot.
Usually a book of this length would take me a little more time to read, but it was engaging enough to keep me turning the pages. Nick Thacker does an excellent job of keeping you engaged. I found myself constantly thinking, Just one more chapter before going to bed. Thanks for keeping me up late, Nick. But it was well worth it.
Usually a book of this length would take me a little more time to read, but it was engaging enough to keep me turning the pages. Nick Thacker does an excellent job of keeping you engaged. I found myself constantly thinking, Just one more chapter before going to bed. Thanks for keeping me up late, Nick. But it was well worth it.
March 16, 2024
I enjoyed the audiobook, accurate or not it’s a good fast-paced thriller.
December 20, 2020
I actually started reading this author's work later on with the Jo Bennett books. They were awesome. So I have gone back to pick up this series. It is just as well plotted and action packed as his later books.
This book was perfect reading for the end of 2020!
This book was perfect reading for the end of 2020!
January 16, 2016
A gripping bio-thriller that has Crichton written all over it
Harvey "Ben" Bennett is a park ranger at Yellowstone National Park. While out on a seemingly routine re-home of a bear that got a little too close for comfort, a bomb goes off in the park, killing his partner on the job. Bennett is soon thrust into an ongoing investigation into a new "bug" that is causing massive boils and rashes to form and quickly spread across its victims. He joins forces with CDC investigator Juliette Richardson as they try to figure out what is going on in Yellowstone and what is causing people to break out into these rashes, and then die.
Enigma Strain was narrated by Mike Vendetti. I wasn't sure if I was going to like his narration at first, but he quickly grew on me. Vendetti has a natural machismo that I think Bennett's character would have (maybe slightly more subtly). Vendetti seems to be a master at his craft and allowed for the quick pacing of this book to just flow off of his tongue.
I haven't written many reviews of the Michael Crichton books I've read, but let me tell you that if Orwell was the first book I ever read. Jurassic Park and/or The Andromeda Strain by Crichton was the first book I ever fell in love with. This book has all the pacing, writing style, and love that I always felt in Crichton works.
With that being said, I love a good bio-thriller. Anything where they dive deep into what the virus, or bacteria, or what-have-you and does it justice is usually a high rater in my book. Engima Stain just cruised up into 5 stars, the background of the disease was super interesting and I haven't read too many books that were about a similar idea.
The first thing I did when I finished this book was call up my dad and tell him I had just gifted him a copy for his Kindle. He's a fast-paced thriller fan, and I knew that he was going to love this. Bennett's character was just, interesting. I found myself spending time trying to figure him out, what makes him tick, why is he afraid of flying "he just doesn't like it."
The relationship between Ben and Juliette was a nice addition for me, it didn't feel forced or unnatural at all. Their characters, while seemingly quiet and stand-offish, were better when they were together.
There were some twists in this that I didn't expect, and when a book can do that, I'm always impressed. The relationships (both growth and history) were really nice additions without making this book super long.
Overall, Thacker has done it again. Blending the pacing and science of Crichton with his own unique twists, this book is sure to please many fans over many genres.
I honestly think that was the first book that I ever looked at from Thacker, but for some reason never read it. I have since read many of his short stories and I am currently reading The Depths, and enjoying that thoroughly.
More review of books by Nick Thacker and others can be found at Brian's Book Blog
Harvey "Ben" Bennett is a park ranger at Yellowstone National Park. While out on a seemingly routine re-home of a bear that got a little too close for comfort, a bomb goes off in the park, killing his partner on the job. Bennett is soon thrust into an ongoing investigation into a new "bug" that is causing massive boils and rashes to form and quickly spread across its victims. He joins forces with CDC investigator Juliette Richardson as they try to figure out what is going on in Yellowstone and what is causing people to break out into these rashes, and then die.
Enigma Strain was narrated by Mike Vendetti. I wasn't sure if I was going to like his narration at first, but he quickly grew on me. Vendetti has a natural machismo that I think Bennett's character would have (maybe slightly more subtly). Vendetti seems to be a master at his craft and allowed for the quick pacing of this book to just flow off of his tongue.
I haven't written many reviews of the Michael Crichton books I've read, but let me tell you that if Orwell was the first book I ever read. Jurassic Park and/or The Andromeda Strain by Crichton was the first book I ever fell in love with. This book has all the pacing, writing style, and love that I always felt in Crichton works.
With that being said, I love a good bio-thriller. Anything where they dive deep into what the virus, or bacteria, or what-have-you and does it justice is usually a high rater in my book. Engima Stain just cruised up into 5 stars, the background of the disease was super interesting and I haven't read too many books that were about a similar idea.
The first thing I did when I finished this book was call up my dad and tell him I had just gifted him a copy for his Kindle. He's a fast-paced thriller fan, and I knew that he was going to love this. Bennett's character was just, interesting. I found myself spending time trying to figure him out, what makes him tick, why is he afraid of flying "he just doesn't like it."
The relationship between Ben and Juliette was a nice addition for me, it didn't feel forced or unnatural at all. Their characters, while seemingly quiet and stand-offish, were better when they were together.
There were some twists in this that I didn't expect, and when a book can do that, I'm always impressed. The relationships (both growth and history) were really nice additions without making this book super long.
Overall, Thacker has done it again. Blending the pacing and science of Crichton with his own unique twists, this book is sure to please many fans over many genres.
I honestly think that was the first book that I ever looked at from Thacker, but for some reason never read it. I have since read many of his short stories and I am currently reading The Depths, and enjoying that thoroughly.
More review of books by Nick Thacker and others can be found at Brian's Book Blog
June 29, 2017
When a bomb goes off at Yellowstone National Park, the reclusive park ranger Harvey "Ben" Bennett is startled to realize that the blast wasn't the only threat: the bomb released some sort of virus into the air, and it's beginning to infect and kill more and more people.
It's a race against time as Ben teams up with a woman from the CDC to figure who's behind the attacks, and how to stop the next one.
What did I think of it:
five stars
First off this this the first time I've ever read anything by Nick Thacker and I have to say that I'm so glade that I picked it up , its a hole lot better then I thought it would be, I have to say that there is something about his writing style or at lest in this book that reminds me of two authors who I love to read one is Michael Crichton and other is one of my 2 all time favorite authors James Rollins, in which case they both have a way of making you think while your reading their books as well as having a way of pulling you into the story and holding your attention and not letting go until the last page, this book well having you setting on the edge of your set or bed, while there is a slight romance going on between the 2 main characters , it doesn't take anything away form the story, and like I said before it has away of making you think, about how everyday there are discovers and how those discovers are used either to help or to hinder us, and how no matter what we think we know about virus there is always someone who is thinking of ways of using it and not for the good of mankind. This book brings to mind that even though its just a story , that what happenings in it could actual happing in real life, it a must read.
February 18, 2025
This wasn't bad, but I felt the execution could have been better. It does look like this one of the author's earliest books, so maybe that explains it. I'm willing to give the series more reads, but I hope things like this are fleshed out a bit more in later books.
I thought it was a bit weird the closeness of the two leads - Ben and Julie. They were written like old friends reconnecting, rather than the strangers they are. They were strangers, hardly spoke to each other (as Julie was sleeping during the long drives) and she's later asking him pretty personal questions and making comments about his life that I felt were too much for a stranger/new acquaintance situation. I mean, maybe things were supposed to be progressing "off screen" but as far as "on screen" it seemed very insta-relationship like. I don't know. Just seemed off to me.
I also didn't understand why, once they showed signs of the infection, they continued to drive around, go to public establishments, etc. At that time, they didn't know the details of the illness and could very well have been spreading it to others, potentially killing people. I thought that was weird, especially of Julie as she works for the CDC is some capacity.
Also thought it was weird that Julie didn't seem to suffer any effects from being nearly strangled to death. No bruising mentioned, no issues speaking or pain. Apart from crying after briefly it never came up. I just thought that came off as unrealistic.
I thought it was a bit weird the closeness of the two leads - Ben and Julie. They were written like old friends reconnecting, rather than the strangers they are. They were strangers, hardly spoke to each other (as Julie was sleeping during the long drives) and she's later asking him pretty personal questions and making comments about his life that I felt were too much for a stranger/new acquaintance situation. I mean, maybe things were supposed to be progressing "off screen" but as far as "on screen" it seemed very insta-relationship like. I don't know. Just seemed off to me.
I also didn't understand why, once they showed signs of the infection, they continued to drive around, go to public establishments, etc. At that time, they didn't know the details of the illness and could very well have been spreading it to others, potentially killing people. I thought that was weird, especially of Julie as she works for the CDC is some capacity.
Also thought it was weird that Julie didn't seem to suffer any effects from being nearly strangled to death. No bruising mentioned, no issues speaking or pain. Apart from crying after briefly it never came up. I just thought that came off as unrealistic.
May 12, 2020
The premise sounded interesting and I was waiting for library holds to come in so I started reading this. I should also say up front, I wasn't expecting anything fantastic or mind-blowing. Just a fun, quick read. This quickly turned into what could have been the script for a fifth sequel to what was a mediocre blockbuster to begin with. If my Kindle was watching me, it would have recorded MANY eye rolls. The characters and dialogue were terrible. Whatever there was supposed to be in the way of character development was completely unearned. If the plot was well executed, I could have forgiven the terrible characters. However, the plot was increasingly unbelievable and the final conclusion unsatisfying. What seemed like a fun, quick read quickly turned into a book which entertained me by not accomplishing anything it was clearly trying to do. I gave it two stars because I was entertained by how it kept getting worse.
March 5, 2015
From years ago, a natural poison has been rediscovered and weaponized. Can a "lowly" park ranger (Ben) and a CDC agent low on the totem pole (Julie) figure out how to combat this? And what happens when they begin showing signs of the tell-tale rash and fever?
Note: I received this book free from the author because I had downloaded another book via Noisetrade and was on his mailing list. Fun!
I liked the book/story, very entertaining. I have no major complaints. The good guys were relatable, but I wish I had learned a little more about them. The same goes for the bad guys, too, at least for learning a bit more about them. I feel like there was a little bit more story-wise than we were given, something missing that I can't quite put my finger on. Perhaps future volumes will fill the void.
This is a solid 3.5, so 4 for rounding and encouragement :)
Note: I received this book free from the author because I had downloaded another book via Noisetrade and was on his mailing list. Fun!
I liked the book/story, very entertaining. I have no major complaints. The good guys were relatable, but I wish I had learned a little more about them. The same goes for the bad guys, too, at least for learning a bit more about them. I feel like there was a little bit more story-wise than we were given, something missing that I can't quite put my finger on. Perhaps future volumes will fill the void.
This is a solid 3.5, so 4 for rounding and encouragement :)
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