Critical Reaction by Todd M. Johnson

I am rather new to the whole legal thriller book genre.  I was first introduced to one a few years ago and ever since then, I've been keeping my ears out for those lawyers-turned-authors who write from experience.  When this one came up with the biography of Todd M. Johnson, I knew this was one I had to review.  I haven't read his first book, yet, but I did download it after reading this one.  I've even recommended it to several of my friends who like these kind of books and have trouble finding them in the Christian bookstores.

The plot is very solid and the characters are built into the story well.  I'll admit that I don't do suspense well, even though I like it.  I did find myself turning to the end to make sure certain characters were okay.  I hate liking a character so much and then something happening to them!  

I learned a lot about the nuclear field.  I have had a lot of questions concerning the nuclear plants and have had a hard time understanding certain things about them.  I appreciated the explanations on a simple, but not demeaning, level.  The courtroom scenes were intense and very interesting.  I am always fascinated on what goes on in the courtroom...just plan to never be in there for a reason other than jury duty!  

I can't wait for another book to come out by Johnson.  Since one came out last year and another this year, I'm really hoping he has another one set to release next year!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Todd M. Johnson has practiced as an attorney for over 30 years, specializing as a trial lawyer. Todd's career experience blends with his passion for writing in his novels published through Bethany House. 

A graduate of Princeton University and the University of Minnesota Law School, he also taught for two years as an adjunct professor of International Law, and served as a US diplomat in Hong Kong. 

The Deposit Slip, Mr. Johnson's first novel, debuted in 2012. Todd's second novel, Critical Reaction, will be released in November 2013. 

Todd lives outside Minneapolis, Minnesota, with his wife Cathy and children Ian and Libby. 

ABOUT THE BOOK 

After decades of turning out plutonium for the arms race, the Hanford Nuclear Facility has long been shuttered, though its deadly legacy cannot be fully contained. The men who guard the facility from sabotage or monitor its buildings for radiation leaks are told the risks are under control. They believe it, until the worst happens: a thunderous explosion in the dead of night. 

Two workers, lifer Poppy Martin and new hire Kieran Mullaney, believe themselves lucky to survive the blast. But as the debris is cleared, they discover their safety is not assured. Dead ends and closed doors halt their efforts to discover what really happened--and what radiation may have poisoned them. When stalling and threats force them into the hands of experienced trial lawyer Ryan Hart, they learn that theirs is no ordinary lawsuit. There is something still hidden in the desert of eastern Washington, and someone is willing to go to extreme lengths to make sure it never sees the light of day. 

If you would like to read the first chapter of Critical Reaction, go HERE. 

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I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers and CFBA in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.