Brad Meltzer has been busy over the last decade, writing fiction and non-fiction and hosting multiple different television shows. His devotion to providing incredible content is second to none and his writing is always outperforming the field. In this latest Zig and Nola adventure, The Lightning Rod, Meltzer leaves no twist or turn behind and creates one of the most satisfying reads I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading.
Archie Mint is a former military investigator with personal flaws that are known by a select few. Mint is brutally murdered in one of the best opening scenes I have enjoyed. After the actions of a struggling steakhouse valet turns Mint’s world upside down, we start the journey of finding out what lead to his demise. Insert Jim ‘Zig’ Zigarowski, a long tenured mortician who used to work at Dover Air Force base, ensuring fallen heroes of Americas military are peacefully and delicately prepared for burial. Zig is mysteriously asked for an encore to help prepare Archie Mint for his funeral when he sees unfriendly faces and one important person he hasn’t seen in quite some time. Nola brown, an amazing artist, and former Air Force artist-in-residence with a torturous background, shows her face briefly at Mint’s funeral and starts the march for truth and justice.
What transpires is a race to find the group that once was on the scene of one of the United States most secretive and valuable collections. While Zig attempts to figure out why Nola was at the funeral, a whole host of bad actors come into play. The trail follows Nola’s family’s past, an uneasy finding for Zig about his daughter, the Mint family’s unstable atmosphere, and the actions of the team that found the smoking gun at Grandma’s Pantry years ago. Not only do things not come easily for Zig and Nola, but a deadly kill team known simply as ‘The Reds’ are on the hunt for answers but more importantly, blood. When the dust settles and the story ends, no one is left unscathed.
The cast list is long but easily managed through Meltzer’s detailed storytelling. There is no shortage of intrigue as the plot follows many angles and provides readers many suspects to consider. You’ll be absolutely stunned by the amazing substory that follows Zig and his family, as well as the bomb shell that has followed Nola to this day. Meltzer writes the perfect story about imperfect people and will test the limits of your imagination.
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Purchase The Lightning Rod
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