Publishers Weekly
07/22/2019
Laurence’s unimpressive debut features yet another FBI agent on the trail of a complex conspiracy. Special agent James Mason and his partner, Spencer Kane, serve on an interagency task force whose responsibilities include investigating human trafficking. When an Arizona border patrol agent notices signs of smugglers, Mason and Kane follow up and find a lot of dead birds and evidence that “an unidentified group has gained access to potentially inexhaustible reservoirs of a virus similar to the bird flu,” raising the prospect of a massive bioterror attack. Their investigation soon proves costly. Kane and the members of a SWAT team are killed, along with Mason’s IRS agent wife. A year later, Mason gets a lead on the man responsible, who calls himself the Hoyl, after a bird with phoenix-like properties from Jewish legend. To stop the Hoyl, Mason teams with unlikely allies, including childhood friend Ramses Donovan, a criminal who “followed a civilized code reminiscent of the early mafiosi.” Neither the prose nor characterizations compensates for the familiar plot. Readers will struggle to suspend their disbelief. Agent: Alex Slater, Trident Media Group. (Aug.)
From the Publisher
"An exciting page-turner that will keep a fan awake long past bedtime." —New York Journal of Books
"With a hero facing enough twists and turns to make James Bond look like a piker....A nail-biting thriller." —The Denver Post
"The mixture of science, history, and conspiracy echoes the work of James Rollins and Steve Berry. The pacing never lets up." —Booklist
"Think The X-Files by way of Michael Connelly...a refreshing switch from the usual, tried-and-true run-and-gun, non-stop action formula thrillers of this type tend to go for. Instead, The Extinction Agenda relies more on intelligently twisted machinations and a smart conspiracy that slowly unravels over the evolution of Mason’s investigation." —High Fever Books
"The character of James Mason joins all the other bad asses out there like Bond, Jason Bourne, Jack Ryan and Jack Reacher....The story is full of twists and turns and is non-stop action. I for one cannot wait for the next chapter with Mason and company." —Red Carpet Crash
“Michael Laurence’s The Extinction Agenda blew me away. Not only is the story riveting and engrossing, but imagine Jack Reacher falling into a plot written by Dan Brown, and you might get some hint at the rollercoaster of a ride found in this book. Don’t miss the start of what I hope will be a long series featuring Special Agent James Mason.” —James Rollins, New York Times bestselling author
"Michael Lawrence’s blistering debut, The Extinction Agenda, is an exciting, bold, and dynamic thriller! The stakes are impossibly high, the action and suspense is non-stop, and the characters are vibrant and memorable. Michael Lawrence is a new name to watch in the genre." —Mark Greaney #1 New York Times bestselling author of Mission Critical
"The Extinction Agenda is a pedal-to-the-floor thriller. Michael Laurence writes in the high-concept, high-action spirit of Crichton by way of Clancy but in a style all his own. Clean, crisp prose and a great visual eye make this one sizzle." —Michael Koryta, New York Times bestselling author
“Michael Laurence explodes into the world of weird science thrillers with The Extinction Agenda. Devious, dangerous and full of twists. Highly recommended!” —Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author
"Michael Laurence not only writes the sort of books I want to read, he writes the sort of books I want to write. They're incredible — in scope, in development, in pacing. Characters you love and love to hate, scenes that are so vivid, so real, you'll feel as though you're right there with Mason and his team!" — Nick Thacker, USA Today bestselling author
"An engrossing and thrilling read!" —Michael Marshall, New York Times bestselling author of The Straw Men
"If you love conspiracy theories (and who doesn't?), The Extinction Agenda revolves around a doozy. Michael Laurence has concocted a mind-bending thriller that chills to the bone because it's all too plausible." —F. Paul Wilson, New York Times bestselling author
“Federal investigators, SWAT teams, mysterious entities, and catastrophic biological agents on the loose—The Extinction Agenda has it all! A roller coaster of nail-biting suspense, breathless action and dark intrigue, Michael Laurence has crafted a gem of a thrill ride!”—Richard Chizmar, New York Times bestselling author (with Stephen King) of Gwendy's Button Box
"If Michael Crichton and Tom Clancy had collaborated on a globe-trotting thriller about a shadowy conspiracy the book would look like this. I can't wait to read more of James Mason's adventures, and I believe this series will have a long, entertaining run." —David Bell, USA Today bestselling author of Somebody's Daughter
