Unveiled

Nick Polchak is a forensic entomologist who understands one thing well … bugs. Everything else about life and people, not so much. And that is what has made Dr. Polchak such an interesting character in all of the novels in Tim Down’s, Bug Man series (Shoo Fly Pie, Chop Shop, First the Dead, and Less Than Dead). In this installment, Nick faces terrorists, possible global disaster, and most frightening of all, the attention of two women demanding he make a choice between them.

In Ends of the Earth, Tim Downs does a good job of telling a big story in a very personal way. Eco-terrorism is something that is a very real threat and Downs paints the picture of its possibilities with frightening clarity. Few of us realize how fragile our agricultural system is and what the ramifications are if it should collapse. That story is told on a global scale. And, Nick is up to the task to finally identify the threat and help stop it.

It’s the personal side of this story that leaves Nick stymied. Two women from his past are intricately involved in Nick’s investigation. One is vulnerable (recently widowed and about to lose her farm) while the other is tough as nails. The question is, can Nick see beyond his thick-as-lead glasses and read his own heart. That is a asking a lot from a guy who in seeking to compliment a friend’s wife said she had the mystery and beauty of a dung beetle.

Give Nick a chance and read Ends of the Earth. The plot is tight, the action intense yet believable, and the characters memorable. In the end, this is a fun read that leaves you thinking about some things you may not have before.