Leave No Trace by A.J. Landau
What's It About?
An explosion rocks and topples the Statue of Liberty. As a radical domestic terrorist group threatens further attacks against America's cultural symbols, powerful forces within the government are misleading the investigation to further their own radical agenda.Leave No Trace (Minotaur Books) by A.J. Landau — pseudonym for the writing duo of internationally bestselling author Jon Land and Jeff Ayers — immediately plunges readers into the action with a brutal act of terrorism. An explosion rocks and topples the Statue of Liberty.
Destroying America’s beloved symbol of freedom is certainly enough to get the attention of the newly developed Joint Terrorism Task Force, but as Special Agent Michael Walker and Gina Delgado of the FBI soon learn, this is only the beginning. A second attack is imminent.
The Task Force quickly discovers the emergence of a radical domestic terrorist group led by a shadowy figure known only by the name Jeremiah, a group intent on turning America’s cultural symbols and national parks into battlegrounds.
Propulsive Action Meets Well-Developed Characters
Fans of Land’s extensive body of work will be familiar with his propulsive narrative style — from the first page, the reader is hurtled through the story with a seamless blend of action and danger. This alone would propel you to the end, but the use of multiple points of view allows for a breath in the pacing, giving you deep insight into the cast of well-developed characters.
Walker and Delgado are likable and complex — their dialogue crisp, their partnership rife with conflict alongside their resilience to get the job done. They are more than mere placeholders, but rather the kind of characters you want to invest in. Their backstories, complemented by several gripping side plots, do an excellent job of fleshing out Leave No Trace, the first book in the National Parks Thriller series, while leaving enough unresolved threads to tease the second installment.
Authenticity, Research and a Compelling Setting
Of course, Leave No Trace is first and foremost a thrilling read, but true to the genre’s MO, it’s also a gateway to learning more about the country’s National Parks, the location details expertly woven into the plot. The research never feels heavy, but rather, just enough is peppered in to add an additional layer of authenticity. Despite what could seem like a far-fetched narrative, this kind of attention to detail creates a portrayal of a terrorist threat that feels uncomfortably real.
The stakes ratchet even higher when the Task Force suspects that powerful forces within the government are manipulating the investigation for their own agenda, providing a stark reminder to readers of the fragility of national security.
Gritty, relentless, and masterfully crafted, Leave No Trace is a compelling debut for Land and Ayers, and a must-read for fans who love their thrillers grounded in a touch of realism. As the first book in the series, it lays a strong foundation for what promises to be an exhilarating exploration of crime, terrorism, and the enduring spirit of those who protect the nation’s treasures.
About A.J. Landau:
A.J. Landau is the pseudonym for two authors, Jon Land, the award-winning, bestselling author and co-author of more than fifty books, and Jeff Ayers, reviewer, former-librarian, and author. Land lives in Providence, Rhode Island, and Jeff Ayers lives in Seattle, Washington.
