Nine Minutes Eleven Seconds by L.V. Pederson

Nine Minutes Eleven Seconds explodes off the page with cinematic action and a clever, tech-terror driven plot. L.V. Pederson’s immersive thriller features a diabolical mastermind with connections to the attacks on the twin towers, and an unsuspecting heroine who must find the strength to overcome personal trauma and help stop him. Readers of Tom Clancy and James Patterson will be thrilled to find the most enthralling elements of these iconic novelists, employed by a new literary voice. Pederson, an experienced screenwriter, demonstrates aptitude for the cinematic arts, combined with uncanny ability to develop engrossing, realistic characters that come to life. Not only does this story deliver edge of your seat action, but touches on concurrent questions surrounding surveillance, conspiracy theory and the use of artificial intelligence by malevolent parties.

A New Reckoning of Terror

Madison Maxwell’s life has been irreversibly altered by the loss of her father at a very young age. Trauma, grief and survivor’s guilt have crippled her for the last two decades. She’s even tormented in her sleep by a recurring nightmare of the man who perpetrated the most infamous terror attack in recent history, murdering her father in the process. An unexpected job offer on the other side of the country seems to be the perfect opportunity for Maddie to escape her past and have a fresh start. On the first day in her new position at Know, Inc., she notes that her coworkers are all smartly dressed, attractive, young women; like Maddie. Her new boss, the dynamic tech genius T.J. Khan, has a reputation for being unabashed, both in the business world and in taking liberties with female members of his staff.

“Someday, you will tell your grandkids about working for the great T.J. Khan.” He surveyed the room, full of impassive faces. “Am I right, ladies, or am I right?”

After cautiously navigating Khan’s initial flirtations, Maddie is troubled by something much more disturbing than his improper overtures. Something in his smile makes her stomach turn, and she can’t help but imagine that she’s seen that face before.

The ensuing story of international espionage, covert operations, and conspiracy theory develops quickly. Readers of Nine Minutes Eleven Seconds will find themselves in the trenches with FBI special agent Niles; charged with investigating and taking down an impenetrable secret network of terrorists operating on American soil. An organization led by one of the primary perpetrators of the attacks on the Twin Towers in 2001 is back, with a new plot of unimaginable scope. If Niles and his team can’t find a break in this case and take down the group, their violent actions threaten to leave an indelible mark on the nation.

Made for Cinematic Adaptation

Beyond the exciting plot of Nine Minutes Eleven Seconds, it’s apparent from the first pages that this novel is crafted by a writer with a penchant and remarkable ability to develop a vivid, cinematic scene. L.V. Pederson chooses each setting carefully, then brings that environment to life with details that enhance and complement the action that takes place therein. The book opens with a brutal murder that takes place outside, in the dark, with bright lights from a vehicle flashing across the desperate, disoriented victim. The initial character development in the novel takes place in an ostentatious office building in the tech capital of Silicon Valley. It soon becomes apparent that the polished image hides something murky and insidious beneath the surface.

From there, Pederson sets his characters in motion in a variety of locales across the country. A tech conference at a large convention center, with a grand theater is the site for the convergence of the brightest minds in the world, but also provides an arena for the malevolent operators to blend in and assemble undetected. In the exciting climax of this novel, readers can feel the rushing air and sprays of water as a getaway boat speeds along a section of the Mississippi River near New Orleans. The last desperate attempts of Maddie, Niles, and team to stop the attacks of a massive terrorist network seem as futile as struggling against the overwhelming current of the immense river.

A thrilling plot, endearing characters and clever twists and turns make Nine Minutes Eleven Seconds a novel that readers will enjoy and want to read more than once, like watching a favorite action film over and over. L.V. Pederson has crafted a story that will be loved both by fans of classic spy thrillers as well as a new generation of readers intrigued by the dark purposes that cutting-edge technology might serve if it falls into the wrong hands.