Critical Reaction: a novel

by Todd M. Johnson

After decades of turning out plutonium for the arms race, the Hanford Nuclear Facility has long been shuttered, though its deadly legacy cannot be fully contained. The men who guard the facility from sabotage or monitor its buildings for radiation leaks are told the risks are under control. They believe it, until the worst happens: a thunderous explosion in the dead of night.

Two workers, lifer Poppy Martin and new hire Kieran Mullaney, believe themselves lucky to survive the blast. But as the debris is cleared, they discover their safety is not assured. Dead ends and closed doors halt their efforts to discover what really happened--and what radiation may have poisoned them. When stalling and threats force them into the hands of experienced trial lawyer Ryan Hart, they learn that theirs is no ordinary lawsuit. There is something still hidden in the desert of eastern Washington, and someone is willing to go to extreme lengths to make sure it never sees the light of day.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Suspense, Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Christian, Contemporary

384 pages, Paperback

First published November 15, 2013

About the author

Todd M. Johnson has been a practicing attorney for over 30 years. Todd's passion for writing blends well with his legal career, and his novels are drawn closely from his personal experiences as a trial lawyer.

A graduate of Princeton University and the University of Minnesota Law School, Todd taught for two years as an adjunct professor of International Law, and has served as a US diplomat in Hong Kong.

The Deposit Slip, Johnson's first novel, debuted in 2012. His second novel, Critical Reaction, was released in October 2013.

A third novel, Fatal Trust, is set in Todd's hometown of Minneapolis, and released in early summer 2017.

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy legal thrillers, but there aren't many authors writing them on the Christian market, so its nice to see a new Christian legal thriller author come along.

I read Johnson's first book, The Deposit Slip, and was impressed, so when this one came along, I snagged one for review, and in my opinion, he has gotten better with his second novel. This one was based on an actual court case he worked on as a lawyer, so not all of the story is fictional.

The book did have a great plot, characters, and setting. It is one of those books that once I started it, I didn't want to put it down. One problem I have had with some legal thrillers I have read, is some of the court and legal stuff can get a bit laborious, but Johnson did a great job of keeping it interesting and in terms people that aren't legal experts could understand.

Speaking of the author, I participated in a chat on Facebook with him and several other readers, and he seems like a very nice down to earth guy who wants to write books that stay true to his faith.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and though I found the ending to be a bit abrupt and thought a few more pages and details would have tied the book up better, it is a great book that I'd recommend to suspense and legal thriller readers.

[AJourneyWithoutMap · Rating 5 out of 5]

Critical Reaction by Todd M. Johnson is a refreshing new legal thriller that is tight, taut and terrific. If you believe in the art of storytelling, then this is for you.

It’s October 16, 2013 and Kieran Mullaney, a new hire at the shuttered Hanford Nuclear Facility, is working the night shift. Also inside the facility is Poppy Martin, an old hand, a lifer, marked by loyalty. His father had worked for the company before him. He feels that he is one among the owners. The plant is supposed to be non-active, just being guarded and maintained until it is cleaned up and closed for good. Nothing seems to be amiss until three loud explosions shook the facility.

Eight months later, Emily Hart is at work in the Public Defender’s Office, King County Courthouse, Seattle, Washington, when she received a voicemail from Kieran Mullaney, a friend from whom she have not heard in four years. He’s anxious and desperate, needing a lawyer. He tells her that he’s dosed out at Hanford with radiation. When he approached the company they are unwilling to help. His health is destroyed, his questions are unanswered, and the explosion officially didn’t happen. He filed a lawsuit against the company but his lawyer withdraws from the case just before the trial. He asks her to help him out in suing Hanford.

Ryan Hart is a successful lawyer, and he is the father of Emily. But he’s estranged from his daughter, and things have been going from bad to worse after the death of Emily’s mother. When his daughter asks him to help Kieran, he couldn’t say no and decides to step in as this could be a blessing in disguise. He hopes that as he works on the case he could mend fences with his daughter, and start a fresh chapter in their family life.

With the people at Hanford in denial and cover-up mode, will Ryan and Emily be able to expose the truth? What really happened at the facility that October night? Is the facility harboring any secrets? Will there be any hope for Kieran if he is really exposed to radiation?

If you love action, suspense, intrigue, conspiracy and courtroom drama, you’ll enjoy this book. Recent I reviewed John Grisham’s Sycamore Row and James Patterson’s Cross My Heart, and I’m sure fans of the two authors will love Todd’s style of writing.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strong 4 star. This is a first-time author for me and I can definitely see reading more of his books. I learned some new things about nuclear plants and did a little research on the Hanford Nuclear site in Washington State. This is a clean read meaning no foul language and no use of deity.

I found the story engaging, suspenseful, and well thought out. This book is about an explosion that occurred at the nuclear site that caused some health issues for a couple of the employees. There is a dad/daughter lawyer team that takes on the high-stakes case for one of the injured employees.

Rating: PG -some violence
Language: clean read
Recommend: yes

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

An empty plutonium plant lies on the desert reservation land of the Yakima Indians, but townspeople are told that the plant is being used for a new secret project. But when one dark night, an explosion occurs with a strange cloud that soon dissipates and one of the guards files suit because he thinks he has been exposed to radioactive matter; will lawyers Emily Hart and her father, Ryan, be able to pick up Kieran Mullaney's lawsuit? Or will this lawsuit be more than they can handle?

Slow building suspense that is very appropriate for todays' times and events.

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took a while to get engaged in this story, but I ultimately did. The second half of the book I was full in, flipping pages to see what would happen next.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hanford Nuclear Facility had been known for its production of plutonium during the Cold War. When that ended, so did the large demand for the plutonium and the facility shut down. But what of the residue left inside? Could it be dangerous? Then, there was an explosion.....

Kieran was not killed in that explosion, but he was road blocked as he tried to find out what happened. A night guard named Poppy has a story that doesn't match the official account. Someone isn't telling the truth, someone is covering up the truth, and people are coming up missing. So, what is Kieran's next step? It is a legal one and involves an old friend, Emily Hart, who is a lawyer, and her father, Ryan. Can they uncover the truth about the Hanford Facility, or will they never learn what happened? This story will keep readers interested from beginning to end wondering what happened at Hanford and how it will be resolved.

Mr. Johnson can certainly tell a story well. His characters and story line are realistic and compelling. I found myself drawn into the story from the beginning and really wanted to know how it would all be resolved. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good legal thriller. You won't be disappointed. I received my review copy from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

[Jalynn Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Review:

Kieran Mullaney is a substitute for LB5, he's job isn't the best but that's what he has and he will deal with it no matter the circumstances. He heads for his shift with aching feet, making it to his corridor he sets about his work.Before he knows it the windows start to rattle, he looks around not knowing whats going on. So he starts to run, but the building explodes before he got completely out.

Emily Hart is startled back to reality by her boss. He seems to know she isn't really listening and quickly dismisses her back to her office. She goes to her desk and listens to a message which causes a great shock and that's when she has to call her dad.

Kieran Mullaney is one of the few people that survived the explosion. Which is good, but that means he's been exposed to radiation. Big uh-oh. He calls his old friend Emily, the lawyer in training.His lawyer just had to bail on him the moment he needed him most. But at least it seems Emily is in with him all the way to the end. But the end is what they least expected.



**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from CFBA.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a child living in Washington state, the Hanford Nuclear Reactor was always a reminder of the reality of the Cold War. It was fun to read about the site now, shut down but being maintained by contractors under the DOE. Except that in this novel, the contractor has a rogue project going on that it wants kept secret, not matter the cost. An explosion and a hurt worker bring it all to light. Most of the action in this novel takes place in the second half. The first half is a little slow. But it is worth the read as it is a good legal/courtroom thriller. I think the end was a little abrupt and unrealistic. See my complete review at http://bit.ly/1d2IBf4.

[Kathleen (Kat) Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kieran Mullaney wasn't even supposed to be working at LB5 but with the shortage of staff recently, he was one of two employees that were assigned clean up in the Hanford Nuclear Facility. As long as the radiation sensors remained green, the environment was considered clean. When walking past a door that seemed to register some abnormal heat levels, Kieran pushed past the security doors to investigate. He found the the containers inside the room were literally on the verge of exploding and he had just enough time to warn his partner. Now racing against time and the sensors that were now changing to red indicating a radiation leak was spreading fast. If only he could get out in time.

Thankfully Kieran survived the nuclear blast but not without side effects. Plagued with chronic headaches and deep violent coughs every couple of days. They seem to build up. Yet it seems that Hanford Nuclear Facility is harboring more secrets than what Kieran has been told. Being told he wasn't exposed to any radiation despite what he saw just before the explosion with the radiation sensors, he has no choice but to sue Covington Nuclear which operates the Hanford Nuclear Facility. He doesn't want what happened to his father to be the same outcome for him. Only when his attorney pulls out at the last moment, Kieran contacts Emily Hart, an old friend of his who has recently practiced law. It's really her father that offers his only hope but lately Ryan has more on his mind than practicing law.

He's struggling to find a connection with his daughter Emily, now since losing his wife. He only hopes that despite the odds stacked against him of winning this case with Emily, that they can find a way to heal the rift that has only grown between them. It seems however that Hanford may be truly hiding evidence that would prove Kieran's case but until they can find the right witnesses and evidence that is literally disappearing before their eyes at every bend, Hanford may in fact win.

I received Critical Reaction by Todd M. Johnson compliments of Bethany House Publishers and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed are strictly my own. The beginning of the novel is a bit confusing and I found myself struggling to get my bearings to continue. Having LOVED Todd's previous novel, The Deposit Slip, I was hoping it was just a rough beginning. I am glad I dug deep and persevered. There are a few storylines that open the book and once those are sorted out, you start rolling right along with the mystery and intrigue Todd was going for. This conveys the scary details you have to consider after the recent nuclear power plant meltdown in Japan recently. But once again Todd puts a unique spin on this one. I rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars and look forward to more novels like this one. A must read for fans of John Grisham and James Patterson.

[Gina Burgess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Courtroom suspense combined with a tightly woven action/thriller storyline makes for an excellent page-turner (or as in my case, a fast-paced-thumber on my Kindle). I found myself reading far into the night, which doesn't happen very often for me anymore.

All things considered, the story is very interesting, and gripping. Johnson does an excellent job of painting realistic scenes of corporate management, courtroom drama, and blue collar worker motivations in small town America. Quite ingenious how he weaves these nuances into motivations. I'll be looking for more from this author.


Critical Reaction is written from several points of view. Although head jumping is not one of my favorite storyline ploys, there is no head-hopping within a single scene, praise the Lord! The writing is excellent and draws you into this very believable story.

Ryan The Attorney whose daughter, Emily, is also an attorney. Ryan lost his wife and was devastated to the point of basically losing his practice if not his reputation. He was so decimated by his wife's death, he almost completely alienated his daughter. He is extraordinarily perceptive, so much so that you wonder how he could have allowed his relationship with his daughter fall so far into the pits.

Kierney who is on temporary duty at the Hanford plutonium, supposedly now defunct, factory finds himself in terrible straits after his first chapter harrowing experience. He calls his friend Emily who talks her dad into representing him.

Poppy is another security guard at Hanford. You follow his experiences after the first chapter explosion trying to juggle life, wife, family, and a search for his friend Lew who disappeared after the first chapter.

Another mid-management person whose name I have forgotten. This character proves to be crucial to the whole story, but I found his character development rather 2-dimensional. We are privy mostly to his thoughts and they don't seem to develop and then expose his motivations, except Greed. For all the nuances of this novel, the motivation is just too obvious. You know at the very first of his villainous personality traits but they don't become apparent until well into the book.

There is quite a bit of rehash. Three or four times we get Ryan's background about his wife and daughter. Enough already. The character I liked the most is Poppy. He is the most believable and direct. It is almost like an initial story centered around him, then was later expanded to include background stories of the rest of the characters.

I won't spoil the ending for anyone, but frankly I felt a bit ripped-off. Investing all my time in reading this story I wanted very much to have that satisfaction of Ryan and Emily wiping the courtroom floor with Hanford. Not. So don't get your hopes up. They do get just desserts, but just not in the courtroom... sigh.

[Iola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Attorney Emily Hart is surprised to receive a telephone call from an old college friend requesting her help on a case against his employer. It’s more than she can manage, so she asks her father to assist. Ryan Hart is an experienced courtroom attorney who has lost his will to fight since the death of his wife while Emily was in college.

Kieran Mullaney is an employee at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, a site that manufactured plutonium in the days of the cold war. It is now closed, with the only employees involved in monitoring the site and the buildings to ensure they are safe before the entire complex is demolished. But there have been a series of ‘accidents’ at the plant, and it seems there is something more going on…

Critical Reaction is a combination of Karen Silkwood and Erin Brockovich written in the style of John Grisham, with a slight Christian flavour. It’s well-plotted with a (mostly) good cast of characters, and reinforces why I’m glad to live in a country where our natural geography means we don’t need nuclear power plants.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Si...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erin_Bro...

And that was the bug for me in Critical Reaction. There’s a secret project going on at Hanford, and the author took great pains to point out that the person within the plant managing the secret project was a New Zealander. This didn’t ring true on several levels (and I’m not just saying that because I’m a Kiwi), and that took away from the suspense.

I don’t understand why a Kiwi would go to America for university when a US college education is so much more expensive than here. I don’t understand how he was allowed to study in America, let alone get a job—it’s hard enough to get an American study visa, let alone a work permit.

And no matter how estranged he was from his family, I don’t understand why he’s not in contact with his family when it’s made clear they lived in one of the areas of Christchurch most affected by the 2011 earthquakes (at the time of writing, Manchester Street, where he supposedly grew up, has only just been reopened). It made it difficult for me to take the character seriously.

But if I ignored that, Critical Reaction is a solid legal thriller set in the nuclear industry, underpinned by some good suspense in the form of a secret project the company wants to ensure stays a secret. No matter what.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

An explosion. A lawsuit. A coverup? Young lawyer, Emily Hart agrees to take her college friend's case - the lawsuit he is bringing against Covington Nuclear. Kieran insists that Covington is covering up extent and the type of radiation that he was exposed to when he was in an explosion. As Emily and her father, Ryan, get further and further into the case, they discover that things at Covington aren't what they seem. The more that they dig, the more startling facts they find. Will they be able to prove that Covington is responsible?

This is literally an explosive book. I don't usually read legal thrillers, or thrillers in general, so this was a branch out for me. I'd read the author's first book, Deposit Slip, and enjoyed his writing style. This one kept me interested from the first page to the last. I loved loved loved both Ryan and Poppy. I thought that Ryan's determination in the courtroom made for some tense moments. And Poppy, I loved how he knew that what he was being asked to do was wrong and he stands his ground. I wasn't expecting it to be as fast paced as it was. I'll certainly be keeping an eye out for more by this author.

I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommend to fans of Dan Brown, Tom Clancy, John Grissom, Robert Whitlock, legal thrillers.

Rating - 4 stars

[Gail Welborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

***a multi-faceted tale of suspense and intrigue you won't soon forget***

Todd Johnson's new book, Critical Reaction releases November 19th with a suspense that validates all the promise this author showed in his debut conspiracy, The Deposit Slip. This time the story is set in Washington State at the now contaminated and shuttered, Hanford Nuclear Facility.

From his authentic characterizations, to his multi-tiered, greed driven plot wrapped in a father-daughter’s edgy relationship, Critical Reaction‘s complexity and intrigue keep pages turning and readers guessing.

The story opens at 2:46 a.m., when twenty-five-year-old Kieran Mullaney signs in to enter what is called the “dark side” of lab building 5 where they routinely test air radiation levels. It was Kieran and his partner Taylor’s “last night” substituting for the “regular LB5 sampling crew.”

The soft green glow of radiation detectors “comforted” and reassured the young men that the long corridor ahead was safe until Kieran felt an air “brush of heat on his right ear.” He checked the lights were still green, red signaled dangerous radiation levels, and then moved toward the bulging steel doors to his right. ..Full Review: www.examiner.com/list/critical-reacti...

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since I grew up in Richland, WA, the real town built to house the workers at the Hanford, WA nuclear facility (Sherman is a no-longer-existing town that was too far away from Hanford for this to actually take place) I was intrigued with the setting of this book. My Dad actually worked out at Hanford.

I enjoyed the book. It was fun to read about my home-town area. I liked the set-up and follow-through of the plot. It was engaging enough that I wanted to keep reading. And kudos, seriously, real kudos to Mr. Johnson for keeping it clean. I didn't realize when I started it that it was published by Bethany House, I would then have expected the higher standards.

I have read "The Deposit Slip" and also enjoyed it, look forward to Mr. Johnson's next book.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like Critical Reaction as much as Johnson's first book, The Deposit Slip, but it was still enjoyable and well-written. Probably really 3 1/2 stars, but not quite what I consider a 4 star book. I think I just wasn't able to get into the characters as much as I did with his first book. I didn't feel much connection with the main characters, but I did like some of the minor characters who worked at the lab. I found the first part of the book to be a bit slow moving, but he definitely picked up the pace in the last half of the book and I got more interested in it. The premise of the story was really pretty scary and I would be interested to find out if something like this has ever actually happened.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!!! Maybe because I worked in a law office so enjoy stories about trials. But the case with Kieran had lots of twists and turns. Poppy joining them as a witness in the trial was a good addition to the story. Then when Covington's men but the dead crows with radiation in them upside down in Poppy's back yard, I wondered if Covington would do more to silence him because he just sent his wife off to her sister-in-law's house and he stayed home with his gun. When Covington produced the mini explosion while Ryan, Emily, Dr. Tran and the Judge were on the tour I wondered how they were going to get over that hurdle. But the climax of the story - when Emily is captured and handcuffed to the train with the dead bodies around her - that was intense. Would Ryan make it there in time to save his daughter? Fantastic ending!!

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Explosive story

Critical Reaction involves a father and daughter, lawyers, who team up to sue the huge non-governmental company which they believe is attempting to produce a chemical nuclear trigger which could be used on a missile. With the current news, I couldn't help but think, "They sold it to North Korea!" The story moves along at a fast pace and characters are believable yet could have used more development. A good proofreader would have caught the reference to the wrong judge during the trial, and that the judge, a woman, was referred to as "he/him". A good read, though.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first 75% of the book was good but it fell into the same ridiculousness as other novels - dad becomes a super hero and saves the day. They talked about his daughter seeking psych help from her ordeal but dad shooting someone to death would be much worse for the typical person. And, what a spoiled brat the daughter is throughout the novel. Can you blame dad for wanting to be by his dying wife's side? His daughter seemed to have a problem with it. He should have left her hanging with that case.

[Afton Rorvik · Rating 4 out of 5]

This plot-driven novel revolves around plutonium, the shuttered Hanford Nuclear plant, a group of ruthless people seeking power, and a young female lawyer estranged from her father. After an explosion at the plant, Kieran fears he has been exposed to deadly radiation, but he can’t get straight answers from anyone. He hires a lawyer and former college friend, Emily, who ultimately pulls in her estranged lawyer father, Ryan. Lots of intrigue here as the bad guys try to cover their tracks and intimidate everyone in their path. Also a bit of romance and reconciliation.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Johnson’s books are really well written and very suspenseful. You can tell that he is very knowledgeable about his subjects either from experience or from research. The characters are well developed. My only problem is that while they are very clean suspense and published by a Christian publisher, they don’t reaver much Christian reference. In this case it was more demonstrated through the father daughter relationship. Highly recommend his books.

[Ntebogeng Archer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow boil suspense

This was enjoyable. Reminded me of John Grisham. The story unfolds slowly, but not so slow as to loose your interest. There was enough tension and mystique, and things around the case unfolded at a good pace.

I like the different POVs except that I would have liked to have seen Emily and Kieran's POVs through the story. Ultimately this didn't completely detract from the story.

I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Michael Ann Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was slow getting going. I expected some reference to God by someone in the story, but none was there. It was a good story of how some people do what they want for money reguardless of laws. It was good enough to recommed to friends that like to read, like me. I have read other books by Todd Johnson and have liked them.

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, fabulous read!

I love court room drama. Todd Johnson does it so well and putting all the pieces together to a climatic ending. The courtroom proceedings and examination of witnesses kept the reader on his seat! I just wish he had written a series with the same characters.

[Georgann · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, I thought it'd be just another "down-and-out lawyer vs The Company with all the money" and while it was that, it was better than that. While it is marked as a Christian book, I'm not sure why. Anyone could read it and enjoy it, as it is simply a clean read. Glad I read it!

[Tom Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, plotted, shared

After a somewhat slow start, Critical Reaction begins to thunder through our hearts, minds, and intellects. Mr. Johnson spins a believable tale of security and cover up.

[Alison Dehaan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. I was pleased with how the characters were developed and their interactions. It wasn't what I had predicted and I really appreciated the way the writer played this part of the book. It had good intrigue with some surprises.

[David Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome, authentic courtroom drama!

[Helen Pickering · Rating 5 out of 5]

Critical reaction

Loved the book interesting read couldn't put it down I could see this happening greed and power seems to push some to do unspeakable things

[Dawn Traylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good

This was little more technical than I'm used to instead of character and relationship development, but it was still a good read.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun to read a book written by a neighbor!!