It’s not unusual for Jack to get a call from his on-and-off-again lover, Stella. After all, the two are peas in a pod. They share not only computer skills but also a strong desire to solve mysteries. This time, Stella needs more than just a favor. This time, Stella briefly mentions that his assistance is urgently required as she throws in a quick reference to three deaths. Assuming these are accidental deaths in Stella’s facility, Jack is more than surprised to find that the authorities are not quite so sure these deaths are accidents after all.

Scam at Five Mile Road is another riveting entry in author Mike MacKay’s crime thriller series centered around main character, Jack Rhodes. In this installment, Jack is given inside information about three mysterious deaths from Stella. Stella’s abilities as a hacker come in handy when she accesses footage to see for herself how these deaths occurred. Jack and Stella, again, make the perfect crime-fighting team. MacKay’s characters are well-drawn and have wonderful relatable elements that make them all memorable and easy to read.

MacKay has mastered the action-packed introduction, and that continues to be one of the things that draws me into his novels. Right out of the gate, MacKay hits hard with an intense fight scene on Jack’s flight–a scene that showcases both Jack’s intelligence and his physical strength. Action and drama permeate MacKay’s work and make for a fantastic read.

Another appealing aspect of MacKay’s writing in the Jack Rhodes series is the focus on highly technical language and computer skills. As the mother of two computer geeks, I find MacKay’s choice to give his main character this particular skillset a fantastic choice that will pull in a new generation of readers. Jack makes his career look and feel exciting from all angles and tech-savvy readers will love that.

I’ve read some mystery novels recently that had the potential to be great reads but fell short due to one thing–dialogue. MacKay has nothing to worry about in that department. There is an ideal mix of narrative and dialogue in Jack Rhodes’s stories. Readers are treated to revealing back-and-forths between Jack and Stella and quips here and there between Jack and secondary characters that make for a read that is not only engaging but fun.

Mystery buffs will appreciate the effort MacKay has put into developing both the storyline and his relatable cast of characters. Scam at Five Mile Road will appeal to readers across genres due to its action, suspense, romance, and mystery.

Pages: 354 | ASIN: B09L81MBN6