Are you tired of authors treating you like an infant reading a board book? Have you ever rolled your eyes at the pages of a novel because the author has assumed you can’t make a single connection on your own? Do you just want to be involved in a mystery without resorting to “Make Your Own Adventure” books? I have often felt those feelings and lamented a lack of trust by authors for their readership, but The Storm Protocol redeemed my faith in creative authors who are willing to give their readers a taste of intrigue and room for discovery.
The Storm Protocol by Iain Cosgrove introduces Thomas Eugene O’Neill, also known as The Street, an Irish immigrant mob enforcer who has split from his long-time Italian-American bosses after a change in mindset and the acquisition of a binder of extremely important information. Besides his mob bosses, a Louisiana detective named Charles Roussel, a DEA agent named Dale Foster, and an Irish mobster named the Black Swan are also searching for Thomas to settle old and new accounts. All tips lead to the birthplace of Thomas—Cork, Ireland—and a mysterious new drug that could kill thousands of innocent people.
Besides not spelling out exactly the motivations of each character and ramifications of the drug called The Storm, Cosgrove also tests the intelligence of his readers by utilizing an unique technique: he begins each chapter without revealing the character. Gradually, the reader discovers the perspective by piecing together clues, which makes almost each chapter a small mystery. The only negative is the large amount of jaded, white males with generic names; I recommend keeping a running record of characters unless you have a better memory than me. I definitely recommend The Storm Protocol to anyone who loves a good challenge.
