The Hacker By Daniel Scanlan

The Hacker is a dangerously dark and magnificent look into the future of law enforcement and crime without veering off into the science fiction genre. Packed with realistic tidbits of crime-solving in the age of cyberspace and meta verse, it’s one of the most engaging and intelligent thrillers of the year.

FBI Special Agent Ericka Blackwood spends her days and nights engrossed in the glow of computer screens as she exposes cyber criminals who use the dark web to peddle depraved sexual acts to other dark web users. Fueled by a tragic past, she channels her rage into catching the most deranged and vile criminals. When she comes across a new breed of cyber criminals that uses cutting edge VR technology to embolden criminals to commit more heinous acts, she sets off on her last mission of bringing him to justice as she finally meets her match. 

For software geeks like me, this thriller hits the bullseye. Just as tactical authenticity elevates the reading experience in action thrillers, the genuine tech lingo and cyberspace tactics make the narrative all the more plausible and exciting to sift through with a fine-tooth comb for research topics later on. The virtual interactions and cat-and-mouse chases between Ericka and her nemesis give you pause with how scary, intimate, and awe-striking they feel as rendered in vivid descriptions by Daniel Scanlan. There’s no dull moment as the heat of the chase simmers until the inevitable climax that explodes in a fury of action and twists that leave you shook and battered as much as the characters. 

If you’re aching for a brainy thriller that deviates from the generic storylines, you’re going to love The Hacker. From the unconventional protagonist in her unhindered mission towards catching her prey all the way to the emphasis on realistic cyberspace depiction with a haunting insight into its usage for evil, The Hacker is a spectacular stand-out read. 


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