Threshold by Kevin Barry O'Connor
Key Murphy and team must stop a sophisticated team of assassins that threatens to upend democracy by taking out the vice president of the United States and setting off a global conflict. Threshold, the second installment in the Key Murphy Thriller series by Kevin Barry O’Connor is a modern thriller that crosses genres and defies expectations.
Action, international intrigue, and suspense may be the most prominent aspects of this story, but the author punctuates the experience with historical significance, elements of the unexplainable, and ambitious themes of global unification and self-sacrifice.
A New Challenge for International Adventurers
The opening pages of Threshold pick up immediately after the events of The Key to Kells, the first book in the Key Murphy Thriller series. While the story expands on characters introduced in the initial installment, reading the first book is not a prerequisite. Within the first chapters of Threshold, O’Connor provides a quick summary and important cliff notes on each character from the previous episode, allowing the reader to jump right into this new adventure.
International adventurers Key Murphy and Arin Murphy are taking in some well-deserved rest and relaxation when their services are required on an urgent case; working with the CIA to uncover the details of a suspected assassination plot. A rare genetic mutation that allows Key to access memories and clues from his ancestors has turned up in another gifted individual and generated a credible threat to the life of the US vice president.
Decorated Marine Corps Captain Cat Fahey has recently experienced the phenomenon termed the Ancestral Memory Gene, leading her to predict that the strike will be carried out in Philadelphia. Key and Arin meet with Fahey to confirm her suspicions and help her unlock the power of this unique ability.
While the team pursues a string of elusive clues that they hope will prevent the high-profile murder, the reader is allowed a glimpse of the intricate inner workings of the devious society, and their nefarious plans beyond the assassination. It quickly becomes apparent that their plotting and planning reach a level of sophistication that would be unstoppable by conventional means of counter-terrorism.
Fear and Foreboding That Resonate in Real Life
In this work of fiction, O’Connor paints a complex and troubling picture of outcomes that seem credible based on our current political strife. The dissents and fear in this tale resonate with foreboding in today’s world. The prescient Captain Fahey reflects on a particularly troubling encounter in the novel that could very well be pulled from the real world.
Yesterday a former marine told me he joined the military to get trained to fight on American soil… He proclaimed that a new civil war was coming and that I would need to choose sides.
Threshold matches the fast pace and excitement of Robert Ludlum’s Bourne Identity thrillers and the clever plotting of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series. However, the extraordinary writing of Kevin Barry O’Connor elevates his work well above the generic structure of most thrillers. O’Connor incorporates robust backstory and historical significance in this novel that makes it stand out from the pack.
Through the memories experienced by Captain Cat Fahey, the reader is given a profound rendering of the early abolition work pursued by Frederick Douglass and his associates. The level of knowledge and research dedicated to a lesser-known chapter in the life of this historical figure is one of the most exciting surprises to be found in the pages of Threshold. O’Connor demonstrates not only his depth of understanding on this subject, but also outstanding skill as a writer in weaving these pages of history into a gripping action novel without slowing down the pace in the least.
Threshold is a work of notable literary merit and significance that will also keep readers on the edge of their seats. The story ventures into many unexpected and intriguing avenues, incorporating accounts of extraordinary historical figures, unabashed oppression, and brief references to modern atrocities. While the book is driven by a quick pulse of action and mystery, readers will find great depth and meaningful themes in these pages.
About Kevin Barry O’Connor:
Kevin has been a storyteller most of his life. From living room productions as a child to studying mime, circus arts, acting, dance, and writing for the stage. He co-founded a comedy theater company that toured the US for over a decade. His passion for story led him to become a global sales trainer and motivational speaker, taking him to 90 countries on six continents.
Kevin has dual US/Irish citizenship and a passion for history. He lived and ran a business in Jamaica in the nineties. His novels blend the history of the Irish and African diasporas set in contemporary thrillers. Kevin’s traveling life will continue to be displayed in this series as he takes you to the far corners of the world, where exotic locales become the setting for fast-paced action and adventure.
Kevin published The Key to Kells on his 70th birthday to celebrate aging as an adventure to be met with fun, creativity, and passion.
