Tyranny of Secrets

by John Statton

"Short but impressive actioner featuring dynamic characters and a memorable open ending." - Kirkus Reviews

National elections stolen by elite hackers. A conspiracy to put a puppet President in the White House.

Gifted computer scientist Mariana McAllister is recruited into the shadowy side of a computer security company. Manipulated by the CEO, she leads a team to hack the British national election, at the personal cost of a shattered relationship. Years later she discovers the code she created being used to hijack the US Presidential contest and start a mass-surveillance state.

"...the action sequences are superbly crafted nail biters." - The BookLife Prize

With her former lover, attorney Sander Bonham, in the cross-hairs of an assassin intent on keeping him from exposing the conspiracy, Mariana struggles to find the truth. Unless she can fight back, a small elite will control society by controlling our data...and our secrets.

247 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 25, 2017

Reviews

[Charles Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

When talented computer scientist Mariana McAllister is recruited into the dark side of a small computer company, she’s assigned to manipulate an election in the UK. Later, along with her former lover, Sander Bonham, a privacy activist, she learns that her code is being used to steal the US presidential election, and Sander is in the crosshairs of a government assassin to keep him from exposing the dastardly plot. Mariana and Sander then go on the run, trying to stay one step ahead of squads of killers while they also try to shine light on the dark machinations of a shadowy group known as the Politburo.
Tyranny of Secrets by John Statton is fiction, but, given the events surrounding the 2016 US presidential election, could very well have been cribbed from daily headlines. Eerily suspenseful and packed with action from start to finish, this book will make you hesitate the next time you log onto the Internet or even use an ATM. A chilling indictment of government’s intrusion into our private lives and the control exerted by the powerful and wealthy over our daily lives.
This is one that, once you start reading, you will not be able to put it down until you finish, and after you stop reading, you won’t be able to stop thinking about.

[Christi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can you keep a secret?

This was actually pretty frightening. In light of everything that we KNOW, there has to be plenty more that we don't. This book opens up some of those possibilities.

[Bonnie Dale Keck · Rating 5 out of 5]

kindle unlimited but got it on a freebie day

Interesting plot, quite decent writing, hits a BIT too close to home in several ways considering the state of this country these days.

[Mark Cargill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read and thought provoking

Can't wait for the continuation of this book. Wonder when it will be published?? I would definitely send hope on her way.

[SpringfieldWoman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good plot. As others have noted, the action is slow to start - not until about halfway through, in fact. The dialog is stilted and I didn't care about any of the characters.

[Faith]

A quick, effective, and terrifying read.

[Leisa Rice]

Good book, makes you wonder. Especially with what is going on now.