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Lucas Page #2
Under Pressure
A SERIES OF DEADLY EXPLOSIONS ROCK THE CITY OF NEW YORK, AND WITH TOO MANY VICTIMS AND NO KNOWN MOTIVE, THE FBI TURNS ONCE AGAIN TO DR. LUCAS PAGE IN ROBERT POBI'S 'UNDER PRESSURE'.
On a beautiful October evening, New York City's iconic Guggenheim Museum is closed for a tech company's private gala. Until an explosion rocks the night, instantly killing 702 people, including every single attendee - yet the damage to the building itself was minimal.
An explosion of that precision was no accident and, in response, the FBI mobilizes the entire team - but the sheer number of victims strains their resources. Were all 702 victims in the wrong place at the wrong time, or was there only one target and 701 unlucky bystanders? That many victim files is a staggering amount of data to sort through, and Brett Kehoe, special agent in charge of Manhattan, decides that he can't do this without more computational power.
Dr. Lucas Page, astrophysicist, university professor, and former FBI agent, is uniquely gifted for the task at hand - he can visualize a crime scene as if he was a bystander and can break down any set of data at a glance. Even though Page wants nothing to do with the FBI, with his city under attack and his family at risk, he steps in to find a killer in a haystack before they strike again.
RUNNING TIME ⇒ 11hrs. and 37mins.
©2020 Robert Pobi (P)2020 Macmillan Audio
On a beautiful October evening, New York City's iconic Guggenheim Museum is closed for a tech company's private gala. Until an explosion rocks the night, instantly killing 702 people, including every single attendee - yet the damage to the building itself was minimal.
An explosion of that precision was no accident and, in response, the FBI mobilizes the entire team - but the sheer number of victims strains their resources. Were all 702 victims in the wrong place at the wrong time, or was there only one target and 701 unlucky bystanders? That many victim files is a staggering amount of data to sort through, and Brett Kehoe, special agent in charge of Manhattan, decides that he can't do this without more computational power.
Dr. Lucas Page, astrophysicist, university professor, and former FBI agent, is uniquely gifted for the task at hand - he can visualize a crime scene as if he was a bystander and can break down any set of data at a glance. Even though Page wants nothing to do with the FBI, with his city under attack and his family at risk, he steps in to find a killer in a haystack before they strike again.
RUNNING TIME ⇒ 11hrs. and 37mins.
©2020 Robert Pobi (P)2020 Macmillan Audio
Audible Audio
First published August 4, 2020
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About the author
Robert Pobi
14 books367 followersROBERT POBI has fished for great whites off Montauk, chased coyotes with a dune buggy in the Mojave, and spelunked caves in the former Yugoslavia. He is a renowned expert in English period furniture and makes a mean coq au vin. He spends most of his time in Montreal, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 391 reviews
August 1, 2020
*4.5 stars *
Second in the ‘Lucas Page’ series, the story begins with the mother of all explosions at the Guggenheim museum in New York. There are no survivors, over 700 killed, tragically burnt to ashes, but the odd thing is, the building itself had barely any damage.
In charge of the investigation is Special Agent Brett Kehoe. The FBI haven’t seen anything like this bomb before, and Kehoe knows of only one man who has the genius to sort out the immense amount of data and victim files - astrophysicist and university professor, Lucas Page.
Page is a former agent - and wants nothing to do with the FBI, but neither can he stand by and allow more innocent people to be killed. He’s honest to the point of rudeness, but nobody can question his genius, he has a unique ability using computations and other methods that others can barely understand but it means he can read a crime scene like no other, making him indispensable, when cases can’t be solved by the normal methods. He’s going to need all of his skills though, to solve this one, because the bomb at the Guggenheim was just the beginning!
This is a page turning, breathtaking roller coaster ride, where many - and yet none, seem to fit the true profile of the bomber.
In Lucas Page, author Robert Pobi has created a central character that fascinates and frustrates in equal measure. A gifted misanthrope who is at the same time, a committed family man, yes I know, a contradiction in terms.
After reading the first in the series, ‘City of Windows ‘ I believe this is a series that has all the ingredients to run and run, with much praise to author Robert Pobi for his ability to hold the reader’s attention, with his grasp of the psychology of a ruthless and twisted killer’s mind. Highly recommended.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review*
Second in the ‘Lucas Page’ series, the story begins with the mother of all explosions at the Guggenheim museum in New York. There are no survivors, over 700 killed, tragically burnt to ashes, but the odd thing is, the building itself had barely any damage.
In charge of the investigation is Special Agent Brett Kehoe. The FBI haven’t seen anything like this bomb before, and Kehoe knows of only one man who has the genius to sort out the immense amount of data and victim files - astrophysicist and university professor, Lucas Page.
Page is a former agent - and wants nothing to do with the FBI, but neither can he stand by and allow more innocent people to be killed. He’s honest to the point of rudeness, but nobody can question his genius, he has a unique ability using computations and other methods that others can barely understand but it means he can read a crime scene like no other, making him indispensable, when cases can’t be solved by the normal methods. He’s going to need all of his skills though, to solve this one, because the bomb at the Guggenheim was just the beginning!
This is a page turning, breathtaking roller coaster ride, where many - and yet none, seem to fit the true profile of the bomber.
In Lucas Page, author Robert Pobi has created a central character that fascinates and frustrates in equal measure. A gifted misanthrope who is at the same time, a committed family man, yes I know, a contradiction in terms.
After reading the first in the series, ‘City of Windows ‘ I believe this is a series that has all the ingredients to run and run, with much praise to author Robert Pobi for his ability to hold the reader’s attention, with his grasp of the psychology of a ruthless and twisted killer’s mind. Highly recommended.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review*
August 18, 2020
If you love your thrillers, then Robert Pobi's Dr Lucas Page series should be on your must read list, it has everything you would expect to see from great thrillers, fast paced, adrenaline fuelled, great characters and breathtakingly action packed. Here, the FBI led by Brett Kehoe, and his team in a race against time to stop a sadistic and intelligent 'machine bomber' with the kind of ability to wreak terror and mass killing that strikes fear in the heart of New York which tests its powers of resilience. This follow up to the City of Windows is just as twisted, if not more so, and it will test the limits of the unforgettable and unique central protagonist, the anti-social Lucas Page, astrophysicist professor and ex-FBI agent, to his limits, despite his remarkable, unmatched gifts when it comes to numbers, pattern recognition, physics, mathematics and chemistry.
It all kicks off in spectacular fashion when over 700 people, including many of the wealthiest and most powerful New Yorkers, are wiped out by a thermobaric explosion at a event hosted by Horizon Dynamics at the iconic Guggenheim Museum in Manhattan, although astonishingly the building is left intact. With the FBI and all law enforcement overwhelmed with the level of work and data crunching that is required, Kehoe brings in Page, and a claim, attributed to the 'machine bomber', is made that this terrible act was carried out to draw attention to the damage done to society by technology in all its forms, including social media. Page, once again partnered with FBI agent, Whitaker, believes in none of it, looking instead for who gains financially and may benefit in other ways. As the bombing spree continues, Page and Whitaker finds themselves in grave danger, risking life and limb to track down a killer who seems to be several steps ahead of them at every turn, whilst every crazy, idiotic conspiracy theorists and digilantes runs rampant in the city.
It is the original character of Lucas Page that holds centre stage in this outstanding series, half man and half machine, with his traumatic history, an extraordinary reputation in his field, an author, marked by his rudeness and inability to tolerate fools, with wide ranging networks, and utilises his most gifted students that can outperform the FBI's best in the investigation. Given this type of profile, it comes as a surprise to see that the man is happily married to the grounded Erin, and that they are fostering 5 kids, with the help of Lemmy, the dog. This is a fantastic thriller, entertaining, totally compulsive and riveting reading, witty and humorous, but leaves me wondering where the heck Robert Pobi is going to take Lucas Page next. Many thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC.
It all kicks off in spectacular fashion when over 700 people, including many of the wealthiest and most powerful New Yorkers, are wiped out by a thermobaric explosion at a event hosted by Horizon Dynamics at the iconic Guggenheim Museum in Manhattan, although astonishingly the building is left intact. With the FBI and all law enforcement overwhelmed with the level of work and data crunching that is required, Kehoe brings in Page, and a claim, attributed to the 'machine bomber', is made that this terrible act was carried out to draw attention to the damage done to society by technology in all its forms, including social media. Page, once again partnered with FBI agent, Whitaker, believes in none of it, looking instead for who gains financially and may benefit in other ways. As the bombing spree continues, Page and Whitaker finds themselves in grave danger, risking life and limb to track down a killer who seems to be several steps ahead of them at every turn, whilst every crazy, idiotic conspiracy theorists and digilantes runs rampant in the city.
It is the original character of Lucas Page that holds centre stage in this outstanding series, half man and half machine, with his traumatic history, an extraordinary reputation in his field, an author, marked by his rudeness and inability to tolerate fools, with wide ranging networks, and utilises his most gifted students that can outperform the FBI's best in the investigation. Given this type of profile, it comes as a surprise to see that the man is happily married to the grounded Erin, and that they are fostering 5 kids, with the help of Lemmy, the dog. This is a fantastic thriller, entertaining, totally compulsive and riveting reading, witty and humorous, but leaves me wondering where the heck Robert Pobi is going to take Lucas Page next. Many thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC.
May 23, 2021
This one is a "Meh," for me. Okay but nothing to write home about. I was excited to read it because I loved the first one. What happens many times is that an author spends ten years writing a book, cutting, adding, polishing to make it a real gem. Then when the book is picked up by a publisher the author only has one year to produce the next one.
What this one lacked was tension, or pressure that pulls the reader through. This is still worth the read. It's more a cerebral story, the main character is a genius and is called upon by the FBI to assist in their technical investigations.
The first book had a sniper that reeks havoc in a city and the main character has to figure out angles and distances, elevations and such and there's great conflict. In this one the crook is a bomber and the threat or jeopardy wasn't present enough to make me care. I will still pick up the next.
What this one lacked was tension, or pressure that pulls the reader through. This is still worth the read. It's more a cerebral story, the main character is a genius and is called upon by the FBI to assist in their technical investigations.
The first book had a sniper that reeks havoc in a city and the main character has to figure out angles and distances, elevations and such and there's great conflict. In this one the crook is a bomber and the threat or jeopardy wasn't present enough to make me care. I will still pick up the next.
September 29, 2022
Under Pressure is the second book in the Lucas Page series, again it was a taut well written novel that I could not put down.
In the NY C area a bomb goes off at the Guggenheim museum killing 702 people who were mostly elite business men their bodies burnt beyond recognition, Brett Kehoe special agent in charge of the Manhattan area was in the building where the bomb went off, he couldn’t believe the carnage he saw.
Lucas Page comes to help Kehoe investigate even though he doesn’t really want to get involved, as trust is a big issue in Lucases’s life being a foster kid.
Lucas & Brett believe it could be terrorism related but have know clues as to who?
I just
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, this series the characters are so well written & believable I cannot wait to read Do No Harm the 3rd in the series it’s so freaking awesome all the ⭐️
In the NY C area a bomb goes off at the Guggenheim museum killing 702 people who were mostly elite business men their bodies burnt beyond recognition, Brett Kehoe special agent in charge of the Manhattan area was in the building where the bomb went off, he couldn’t believe the carnage he saw.
Lucas Page comes to help Kehoe investigate even though he doesn’t really want to get involved, as trust is a big issue in Lucases’s life being a foster kid.
Lucas & Brett believe it could be terrorism related but have know clues as to who?
I just
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, this series the characters are so well written & believable I cannot wait to read Do No Harm the 3rd in the series it’s so freaking awesome all the ⭐️
May 13, 2020
So here’s the deal. I need to write this fast because once again, this author has run me ragged & I’m in desperate need of a nap. This is book #2 of the Lucas Page series & as with “City of Windows” you’re in for a wild ride full of mystery, suspense & black humour.
The story begins with a literal bang after a massive explosion at NYC’s iconic Guggenheim Museum. The casualty list reads like a who’s who of millionaires & every level of law enforcement is left pondering the same question. What kind of bomb reduces 702 bodies to ash but leaves the building upright?
One of those scratching his head is Brett Kehoe, the FBI’s special agent in charge of Manhattan. His first thought is who was the target….one of the victims or all of them? The logistics of investigating over 700 lives is overwhelming & Kehoe quickly realizes he needs someone who can absorb a million facts & spit out an answer. He needs a human computer. Good thing he knows one.
Meanwhile, Dr. Lucas Page has just learned a hard lesson. Never let your daughter experiment with hair dye. On you. He, wife Erin & their herd of kids are enjoying a break at the cottage. Or they were until Kehoe landed a chopper on the lawn.
He knows getting Lucas to join the investigation will be a tough sell but has 2 secret weapons. An irresistibly intricate puzzle to solve & special agent Angela Whitaker. She’s the one colleague Lucas can tolerate & the only one who finds his antisocial behaviour amusing. It’s supposed to be a quick 2 day assignment. But then another bomb goes off. And another.
Grab a comfie chair, peeps, because you’re not going to be moving for a few hours. Pobi knows how to tell a story that grips you from the start. The plot is complex & perfect for readers who love to ride shotgun with an investigation. What elevates it above your garden variety thriller are the characters.
Lucas is an original & complicated MC. His unique brain took him from foster kid to astrophysicist. Then an horrific accident left him with 2 prosthetic limbs. But his sunny personality…..just kidding. He pretty much hates everyone. Blunt sarcasm is his preferred style of communication but it’s also the source of much of the black humour found throughout.
Matching him shot for shot is Whitaker, an intelligent young woman with little time for fools. Their relationship is such an enjoyable part of this series & provides comic relief when we need a breather from the hair-raising action. The dialogue in general is economical but conversations between these two have a dry, edgy humour that adds to the story.
But as much as I enjoy the returning characters I must confess I have a new favourite. That would be Binky. He’s the strong, silent type who never loses his cool. Sure, he’s a bit hairier than his partner but he gets the job done. All he asks is you throw a few olives his way. Total scene-stealer.
The author also takes shots at our increasing dependence on & addiction to smart phones & social media. I don’t want to give too much away as it’s integral to the plot but there’s a hilarious irony to several scenes featuring public demonstrations. And (sadly) they are completely believable.
It’s not long before we identify the target but figuring out the “who” in who-dun-it might take you until the last few pages. At a time when we’re all looking for a little escapism, this book provides a smart, entertaining remedy for the stay at home blahs. I’d love to tag along with these characters again so hopefully book #3 is in the works. Fingers crossed it includes Binky.
The story begins with a literal bang after a massive explosion at NYC’s iconic Guggenheim Museum. The casualty list reads like a who’s who of millionaires & every level of law enforcement is left pondering the same question. What kind of bomb reduces 702 bodies to ash but leaves the building upright?
One of those scratching his head is Brett Kehoe, the FBI’s special agent in charge of Manhattan. His first thought is who was the target….one of the victims or all of them? The logistics of investigating over 700 lives is overwhelming & Kehoe quickly realizes he needs someone who can absorb a million facts & spit out an answer. He needs a human computer. Good thing he knows one.
Meanwhile, Dr. Lucas Page has just learned a hard lesson. Never let your daughter experiment with hair dye. On you. He, wife Erin & their herd of kids are enjoying a break at the cottage. Or they were until Kehoe landed a chopper on the lawn.
He knows getting Lucas to join the investigation will be a tough sell but has 2 secret weapons. An irresistibly intricate puzzle to solve & special agent Angela Whitaker. She’s the one colleague Lucas can tolerate & the only one who finds his antisocial behaviour amusing. It’s supposed to be a quick 2 day assignment. But then another bomb goes off. And another.
Grab a comfie chair, peeps, because you’re not going to be moving for a few hours. Pobi knows how to tell a story that grips you from the start. The plot is complex & perfect for readers who love to ride shotgun with an investigation. What elevates it above your garden variety thriller are the characters.
Lucas is an original & complicated MC. His unique brain took him from foster kid to astrophysicist. Then an horrific accident left him with 2 prosthetic limbs. But his sunny personality…..just kidding. He pretty much hates everyone. Blunt sarcasm is his preferred style of communication but it’s also the source of much of the black humour found throughout.
Matching him shot for shot is Whitaker, an intelligent young woman with little time for fools. Their relationship is such an enjoyable part of this series & provides comic relief when we need a breather from the hair-raising action. The dialogue in general is economical but conversations between these two have a dry, edgy humour that adds to the story.
But as much as I enjoy the returning characters I must confess I have a new favourite. That would be Binky. He’s the strong, silent type who never loses his cool. Sure, he’s a bit hairier than his partner but he gets the job done. All he asks is you throw a few olives his way. Total scene-stealer.
The author also takes shots at our increasing dependence on & addiction to smart phones & social media. I don’t want to give too much away as it’s integral to the plot but there’s a hilarious irony to several scenes featuring public demonstrations. And (sadly) they are completely believable.
It’s not long before we identify the target but figuring out the “who” in who-dun-it might take you until the last few pages. At a time when we’re all looking for a little escapism, this book provides a smart, entertaining remedy for the stay at home blahs. I’d love to tag along with these characters again so hopefully book #3 is in the works. Fingers crossed it includes Binky.
September 26, 2020
This was really good and my only problem was finding out it was book two in a series and I had not read book one. I can easily fix that though and I will.
Lucas Page is one of those really high functioning, gifted people - an astrophysicist and university lecturer who has remarkable abilities in scanning, classifying and recalling data. His brain works a bit like a computer and he is very useful to the FBI in solving serious crime. He has also suffered somewhat physically which I guess happened in book one.
The book is action packed, fast paced and well written. I enjoyed all of the characters and their frequently witty dialogue. Lucas has a very entertaining family and I would have liked to hear more about them. I thought it was a great read and will pick up book one as soon as I can.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Lucas Page is one of those really high functioning, gifted people - an astrophysicist and university lecturer who has remarkable abilities in scanning, classifying and recalling data. His brain works a bit like a computer and he is very useful to the FBI in solving serious crime. He has also suffered somewhat physically which I guess happened in book one.
The book is action packed, fast paced and well written. I enjoyed all of the characters and their frequently witty dialogue. Lucas has a very entertaining family and I would have liked to hear more about them. I thought it was a great read and will pick up book one as soon as I can.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
July 29, 2020
4.5★
“No system—and that includes a series of crimes—is intrinsically random; the observer just has an imperfect understanding of how said system operates. If you see something that appears to be random, you’re missing data.”
Lucas Page is a different sort of observer – “very few people can guess the number of jelly beans in a jar like you can.”
This starts off with a bang, an exceptionally big one, followed by seemingly random ones, so random that Lucas Page, retired, war-weary, one-eyed, prosthetic-arm-and-leg-wearing father of five adopted kids is called back into action with the FBI. Got all that? Retired!
But again, he can’t resist a puzzle. He is an astrophysicist with a gift, which seems a little more extraordinary in this book than the first. He’s not like those people who stand at the scene of a crime and intuitively (magically) sense what took place. No, his unique understanding is more like a person unravelling something to see how it was constructed – including a crime scene.
It’s math, chemistry, physics. Patterns.
“So he closed his eyes, forced himself to forget where he was, and flipped the switch. Then he opened his eyes. He no longer saw color. Or texture. Or a room where too many people had died. What he saw was a space reduced to numerical values. It was an automatic process and it hit him in the brain like a fist of ice. Everything morphed into numbers, numerical representations generated by some hidden mental algorithm that only he recognized as having quantitative values.”
I must say quickly that his missing eye and limbs are nothing to do with his brain power, although it certainly adds to his mystique when he starts asking questions. He looks for what's missing in the data, the details that have been left out. It occurs to me that that's also what we notice about Lucas - what isn't there - his missing pieces (and his replacement parts).
Bombs, billionaires, and backlash against technology. The “Machine Bomber” seems to be attacking technology, and in typical American style, “online digilantes” start agitating on Facebook, causing more trouble.
This is full of ironic humour, which I always enjoy. The Luddites railing against technology set up Facebook groups, and Instagram and Twitter accounts to garner support. Meanwhile, see if you notice this small throwaway line in the FBI boss’s office.
“When they got to Kehoe’s office, he was on the phone. He waved them in, cut his conversation short with a curt ‘Okay’, then scribbled some notes on a yellow legal pad with a fountain pen the size of a wrench.
“Page, Whitaker,” he said as he capped the pen and placed it on the desktop.”
I am sure that the author added this for his own amusement, as he eschews most technology himself and has too many fountain pens, according to his website. https://www.robertpobi.com/about
But I noticed it and enjoyed it. Imagine the digilantes with only notepads. There are many digs, some less subtle than others, about the current state of affairs in the U.S., but it isn’t a political novel – just a place he can air a few grievances publicly. Mostly it’s a complex, convoluted thriller that kept me reading.
Pobi has an easy, articulate style with good pace and no cringe-worthy moments that I can think of. By that, I mean “grammatical” moments – the descriptions of the action and aftermath will make you cringe.
I have to admit I wasn’t as interested in the whys and hows in this as I was in the first Lucas Page, City of Windows, but perhaps that’s because a rifle is easier for me to understand than bombs. How Lucas makes it to the end is as much of a mystery as anything, but I’m glad he will be back to fight another day.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the preview copy from which I’ve quoted.
Link to my City of Windows review
“No system—and that includes a series of crimes—is intrinsically random; the observer just has an imperfect understanding of how said system operates. If you see something that appears to be random, you’re missing data.”
Lucas Page is a different sort of observer – “very few people can guess the number of jelly beans in a jar like you can.”
This starts off with a bang, an exceptionally big one, followed by seemingly random ones, so random that Lucas Page, retired, war-weary, one-eyed, prosthetic-arm-and-leg-wearing father of five adopted kids is called back into action with the FBI. Got all that? Retired!
But again, he can’t resist a puzzle. He is an astrophysicist with a gift, which seems a little more extraordinary in this book than the first. He’s not like those people who stand at the scene of a crime and intuitively (magically) sense what took place. No, his unique understanding is more like a person unravelling something to see how it was constructed – including a crime scene.
It’s math, chemistry, physics. Patterns.
“So he closed his eyes, forced himself to forget where he was, and flipped the switch. Then he opened his eyes. He no longer saw color. Or texture. Or a room where too many people had died. What he saw was a space reduced to numerical values. It was an automatic process and it hit him in the brain like a fist of ice. Everything morphed into numbers, numerical representations generated by some hidden mental algorithm that only he recognized as having quantitative values.”
I must say quickly that his missing eye and limbs are nothing to do with his brain power, although it certainly adds to his mystique when he starts asking questions. He looks for what's missing in the data, the details that have been left out. It occurs to me that that's also what we notice about Lucas - what isn't there - his missing pieces (and his replacement parts).
Bombs, billionaires, and backlash against technology. The “Machine Bomber” seems to be attacking technology, and in typical American style, “online digilantes” start agitating on Facebook, causing more trouble.
This is full of ironic humour, which I always enjoy. The Luddites railing against technology set up Facebook groups, and Instagram and Twitter accounts to garner support. Meanwhile, see if you notice this small throwaway line in the FBI boss’s office.
“When they got to Kehoe’s office, he was on the phone. He waved them in, cut his conversation short with a curt ‘Okay’, then scribbled some notes on a yellow legal pad with a fountain pen the size of a wrench.
“Page, Whitaker,” he said as he capped the pen and placed it on the desktop.”
I am sure that the author added this for his own amusement, as he eschews most technology himself and has too many fountain pens, according to his website. https://www.robertpobi.com/about
But I noticed it and enjoyed it. Imagine the digilantes with only notepads. There are many digs, some less subtle than others, about the current state of affairs in the U.S., but it isn’t a political novel – just a place he can air a few grievances publicly. Mostly it’s a complex, convoluted thriller that kept me reading.
Pobi has an easy, articulate style with good pace and no cringe-worthy moments that I can think of. By that, I mean “grammatical” moments – the descriptions of the action and aftermath will make you cringe.
I have to admit I wasn’t as interested in the whys and hows in this as I was in the first Lucas Page, City of Windows, but perhaps that’s because a rifle is easier for me to understand than bombs. How Lucas makes it to the end is as much of a mystery as anything, but I’m glad he will be back to fight another day.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the preview copy from which I’ve quoted.
Link to my City of Windows review
July 1, 2022
This is the second book in the Lucas Page series. It can be read as a standalone since this is a new case involving the former FBI agent who is now an astrophysicist at Columbia University, and this book repeats everything you need to know about Page’s background. As in the first book, Page is brought back to work with the FBI because of his preternatural talent to analyze crime scenes and data. It starts with a bombing at a gala at the Guggenheim Museum at which over 700 people are killed. Many more bombings follow. As Page and his partner Special Agent Angela Whitaker follow the clues, they ask themselves “who does this profit?”
This book is definitely plot, rather than character, driven. It reminded me a little of the old TV series Six Feet Under in the way that characters were introduced and then suddenly SPLAT they’re dead. However, the plot was complex enough to keep me interested. And there was certainly a lot of action. I would read the next book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
This book is definitely plot, rather than character, driven. It reminded me a little of the old TV series Six Feet Under in the way that characters were introduced and then suddenly SPLAT they’re dead. However, the plot was complex enough to keep me interested. And there was certainly a lot of action. I would read the next book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
July 17, 2022
I really enjoyed City of Windows, Pobi’s first book featuring the gifted Doctor Lucas Page. And I mean gifted in a very unusual way: he is able to instantly absorb, recall and compute information. More specifically, he’s a numbers man and uses his gift to unlock mysteries unfathomable to normal beings. In his first outing he first demonstrated this ability by instantly calculating angles, heights and directions of rifle shots. As implausible as this sounds, it was so well executed that I found the whole thing totally compelling.
This time around Pobi is reluctantly persuaded to help an old FBI colleague (a carry-over character from the last book) in an investigation into what turns out to be a series of bombings. As the body count rises Page tries to use his skills to unpick the scant clues available. But this is where this book starts to feel slightly less convincing than the last, because the superpower skills he has just don’t quite fit this scenario. What numbers and data that can be extracted fail to provide anything of value, so instead he’s impelled to rely on insight provided from those around him. Don’t get me wrong, the story rattles along and in its own way is engrossing enough, but it just lacks the surprise and punch of the first book.
On the upside I enjoyed the re-introduction of a number of characters I met in book one and the story itself is inventive enough and comes with a decent twist. In addition Page – who I forgot to mention lacks an arm and a leg, or at least limbs that bleed – remains an engaging front man. The downside is that it lacks the novelty of our first meeting with this highly unusual crime fighter and I just don’t think it makes best use of his skills. My mind wondered somewhat as I worked my way through this one, something that never happened during book one. It’s a semi-satisfactory follow up but I sense there is better to come from this series. It’s a series I intend to stick with though because the writing is good and I really like Page’s terse, in-your-face attitude.
My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This time around Pobi is reluctantly persuaded to help an old FBI colleague (a carry-over character from the last book) in an investigation into what turns out to be a series of bombings. As the body count rises Page tries to use his skills to unpick the scant clues available. But this is where this book starts to feel slightly less convincing than the last, because the superpower skills he has just don’t quite fit this scenario. What numbers and data that can be extracted fail to provide anything of value, so instead he’s impelled to rely on insight provided from those around him. Don’t get me wrong, the story rattles along and in its own way is engrossing enough, but it just lacks the surprise and punch of the first book.
On the upside I enjoyed the re-introduction of a number of characters I met in book one and the story itself is inventive enough and comes with a decent twist. In addition Page – who I forgot to mention lacks an arm and a leg, or at least limbs that bleed – remains an engaging front man. The downside is that it lacks the novelty of our first meeting with this highly unusual crime fighter and I just don’t think it makes best use of his skills. My mind wondered somewhat as I worked my way through this one, something that never happened during book one. It’s a semi-satisfactory follow up but I sense there is better to come from this series. It’s a series I intend to stick with though because the writing is good and I really like Page’s terse, in-your-face attitude.
My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 1, 2022
Astrophysicist Dr Lucas Page is, with some reluctance, back using his amazing mathematical brain to help an FBI team led by Brett Kehoe solve a complex case. Someone has managed to set off a huge thermobaric bomb at a reception in New York's Guggenheim Museum killing over seven hundred people. Now they're killing off other people a few at a time. By looking at all the data on the victims and the companies involved, Lucas is hoping to see what the connections are between those killed and work out who has the most to gain from their deaths. His speciality is pattern recognition and in looking for what is missing as much as what is there.
This is a very suspenseful thriller. Already sporting a prosthetic arm, leg and eye, Lucas doesn't hesitate to put himself in the way of danger (although his wife and kids wish he wouldn't) and is lucky to escape with his life in this episode. Lucas is once again paged with Agent Whittaker and their relationship and witty dialogue adds to the entertainment in this riveting read.
This is a very suspenseful thriller. Already sporting a prosthetic arm, leg and eye, Lucas doesn't hesitate to put himself in the way of danger (although his wife and kids wish he wouldn't) and is lucky to escape with his life in this episode. Lucas is once again paged with Agent Whittaker and their relationship and witty dialogue adds to the entertainment in this riveting read.
July 28, 2020
4.5 riveting rousing stars!
What an exciting fun book! This story will keep you turning those pages and enjoying every minute of the book two of the Lucas Page saga!
There's been a huge explosion at the Guggenheim museum and many are dead, a business venture destroyed and although hoping that this might be the only bombing, the authorities and the stalwart, Lucas Page, know that this is not the end, but certainly the beginning. Many of the glitterati are dead, the titans of business are gone, and yet with all the bloodshed, the Guggenheim museum still stands. This bomber knows his/her trade and the hunt is on to find the mastermind before he or she wrecks more havoc.
Lucas is back in part two, and he is indeed a fascinating character and although I have not read book one, (an item I will definitely remedy), being disabled added a extra layer onto his persona. He is a mastermind, a genius astrophysicist, who can read a crime scene with such precision and aplomb. He sees patterns in occurrences and numbers, things that escape the sight of most, Lucas can see and fathom. Indeed, he is in danger to what remains of his life and limb, on the trail of this malicious killer who seems to have planned everything to a minute detail.
As Lucas is recruited by Brett Kehoe, the FBI’s special agent in charge of Manhattan, the task seems massive as they try to fathom why over seven hundred people have been murdered in the Guggenheim, ultimately followed by a slew of others. What could be the motive, the possible reason why so many have lost their lives to what seems to be a true mastermind of the macabre. Is is terrorism with its cast of possible groups responsible or could it be a vendetta against some very wealthy billionaires?
How Lucas balances this tragedy, his family's safety, and the many who just might be involved is the gist if this action packed book. I definitely recommend this book as a quick engrossing read that possess all the elements that keeps the reader on their toes and brings us to a conclusion that is both satisfying and realistic. Can't wait to read what Lucas Page will be up to next.
Thank you to Robert Pobi, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this electrifying book due out August 4, 2020.
What an exciting fun book! This story will keep you turning those pages and enjoying every minute of the book two of the Lucas Page saga!
There's been a huge explosion at the Guggenheim museum and many are dead, a business venture destroyed and although hoping that this might be the only bombing, the authorities and the stalwart, Lucas Page, know that this is not the end, but certainly the beginning. Many of the glitterati are dead, the titans of business are gone, and yet with all the bloodshed, the Guggenheim museum still stands. This bomber knows his/her trade and the hunt is on to find the mastermind before he or she wrecks more havoc.
Lucas is back in part two, and he is indeed a fascinating character and although I have not read book one, (an item I will definitely remedy), being disabled added a extra layer onto his persona. He is a mastermind, a genius astrophysicist, who can read a crime scene with such precision and aplomb. He sees patterns in occurrences and numbers, things that escape the sight of most, Lucas can see and fathom. Indeed, he is in danger to what remains of his life and limb, on the trail of this malicious killer who seems to have planned everything to a minute detail.
As Lucas is recruited by Brett Kehoe, the FBI’s special agent in charge of Manhattan, the task seems massive as they try to fathom why over seven hundred people have been murdered in the Guggenheim, ultimately followed by a slew of others. What could be the motive, the possible reason why so many have lost their lives to what seems to be a true mastermind of the macabre. Is is terrorism with its cast of possible groups responsible or could it be a vendetta against some very wealthy billionaires?
How Lucas balances this tragedy, his family's safety, and the many who just might be involved is the gist if this action packed book. I definitely recommend this book as a quick engrossing read that possess all the elements that keeps the reader on their toes and brings us to a conclusion that is both satisfying and realistic. Can't wait to read what Lucas Page will be up to next.
Thank you to Robert Pobi, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this electrifying book due out August 4, 2020.
September 21, 2020
Dr. Lucas Page is an astrophysicist, mathematician, and former FBI agent who is called back into the FBI when his assistance is needed in a mass bombing in Manhattan. Dr. Page has a unique ability to translate spacial relationships into mathematical equations in his head and recreate crime scenes. Page is a bomb survivor himself. He's a brilliant curmudgeon, yet very much a family man, having adopted five children with his wife. I loved Page's dark humor and attitude. This book was a barn burner. I flew through it. I did read this without reading the first book in the series and this worked well as a stand alone. However, I did like this enough that I will be going back to read the first book.
Received a review copy from St. Martins and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
Received a review copy from St. Martins and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
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November 19, 2022
3.5-Stars. Undecided whether to round down or round up.
When I complete my written review the decision will be made :). However, Will Damron's narration was excellent!
When I complete my written review the decision will be made :). However, Will Damron's narration was excellent!
July 19, 2020
Another absolute gem from Robert Pobi in his Lucas Page series.
City of Windows was *that* book for me last year. You know, the one you bring up at parties, tout endlessly on social media, and recommend to everyone you know.
In other words, it was a tough act to follow. Yet Pobi’s series followup doesn’t miss a beat, returning us to the world of Dr. Lucas Page, his delightfully misanthropic protagonist, as well as the rest of the series’ wonderful recurring cast.
I had no doubt the book would be good. But I was skeptical as to whether it could match its predecessor. In addition to the fact that City of Windows was simply so excellent that it seemed near impossible to match, I fretted a bit about the villain and the nature of the crimes.
Snipers tend to make far more interesting bad guys than bombers do, in my opinion. But Pobi, master of the cerebral thriller that he is, managed to subvert that notion here, giving us a complex and fascinating series of crimes and an elusive and compelling villain committing them.
He also gives us one of the most terrifyingly thrilling, emotionally harrowing scenes that I’ve had the pleasure of encountering. The last one I can recall that felt comparable was in—you guessed it—City of Windows.
Like its predecessor, this book is a top-of-genre offering, and one that I would emphatically recommend to just about any reader.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
City of Windows was *that* book for me last year. You know, the one you bring up at parties, tout endlessly on social media, and recommend to everyone you know.
In other words, it was a tough act to follow. Yet Pobi’s series followup doesn’t miss a beat, returning us to the world of Dr. Lucas Page, his delightfully misanthropic protagonist, as well as the rest of the series’ wonderful recurring cast.
I had no doubt the book would be good. But I was skeptical as to whether it could match its predecessor. In addition to the fact that City of Windows was simply so excellent that it seemed near impossible to match, I fretted a bit about the villain and the nature of the crimes.
Snipers tend to make far more interesting bad guys than bombers do, in my opinion. But Pobi, master of the cerebral thriller that he is, managed to subvert that notion here, giving us a complex and fascinating series of crimes and an elusive and compelling villain committing them.
He also gives us one of the most terrifyingly thrilling, emotionally harrowing scenes that I’ve had the pleasure of encountering. The last one I can recall that felt comparable was in—you guessed it—City of Windows.
Like its predecessor, this book is a top-of-genre offering, and one that I would emphatically recommend to just about any reader.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
September 9, 2020
It's very cool when the second book in a series is even better than the first. Pobi has pulled it off with "Under Pressure" which is his follow-up to "City of Windows," both featuring FBI asset Lucas Page, a survivor if there's ever been any with a prosthetic eye, arm, leg, and who knows what else that they're not telling us. In this novel, those things take a backseat to Page's innate ability to see patterns in events like an accountant looking at balance sheets. This is a thriller from cover to cover with no let up in the action as a series of impossible bombs wreak havoc on Wall Street tycoons, hedge fund dummies, and technology. The body count from almost the beginning passes 700 and counting. But, nothing about these perfect crimes makes sense, at least not until Page puts it together when it's almost too late. What really makes this thriller roar though is the precise pacing with the violence, the investigation, and Page's home life all balanced against each other. Sometimes a book is just fun to read and this one fits that bill.
August 1, 2020
Lucas Page returns in a stellar, page-turning follow up to City of Windows. As the book opens, the Guggenheim Museum is attacked during a private event, and everyone there perishes. Page, who has vowed to stay retired, is drawn in by the uniqueness of the attack and the subsequent related murders that follow. Pobi’s writing is outstanding and intelligent, and he includes so many great literary and pop culture references. The pace of the book never lets up until the highly satisfying and clever ending. I highly recommend this one - this is a fabulous series with an entertaining and highly unique protagonist.
For more reviews, check out my Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtsfro... and my newsletter: https://www.cfapage.net/subscribe.
For more reviews, check out my Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtsfro... and my newsletter: https://www.cfapage.net/subscribe.
March 17, 2021
Great thriller! I loved the combination of a genius who is reluctantly a snarky, part time detective. This story had non-stop action - I’m already looking for the first book in the series!
The small glimpses of his quirky family sound like they would make a great book on their own. I would love to learn more about them and their dogs.
Many thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I definitely recommend!
The small glimpses of his quirky family sound like they would make a great book on their own. I would love to learn more about them and their dogs.
Many thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I definitely recommend!
August 13, 2020
A series of deadly explosions rock the city of New York and with too many victims and no known motive, the F.B.I. turns once again to Dr. Lucas Page.
This book was like a roller coaster ride filled with tension and explosions, which was super thrilling!
I was hooked on to this right from the start and actually did finish reading this in record time. It was so well written and the main character Dr Lucas Page is simply someone at a different level itself.
Overall an amazing book and eagerly looking forward hopefully to the next book in this series!
Thank You to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC!
This book was like a roller coaster ride filled with tension and explosions, which was super thrilling!
I was hooked on to this right from the start and actually did finish reading this in record time. It was so well written and the main character Dr Lucas Page is simply someone at a different level itself.
Overall an amazing book and eagerly looking forward hopefully to the next book in this series!
Thank You to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC!
April 13, 2023
Book Blog | Bookstagram
When a huge explosion takes out a significant crowd of NYC’s wealthy and elite at the Guggenheim Museum, the FBI once again comes calling on Dr. Lucas Page and his big brain and glass eye and prosthetic limbs to stop a possible terrorist with Unabomber vibes.
Get those bad witness sketches ready, people!
You get an astrophysicist, Beautiful Mind vibes, eidetic memory, explosions, confetti machines, big bombs, little bombs, body bombs, thermobaric bombs, serial bombers, bombing sprees, IEDs, C4, K9s, fakeouts, shockwaves, physics and chemistry, patterns and geometry, murder, more than 700 dead bodies, crushed lungs, shattered bones, cooked brains, super rich dudes, dudes that live over your garage, good dogs, adopted kids, beach homes, sad and worried wives, Evil Sting’s hair, trippy crime scene reconstruction, perfect comebacks, spicy retorts, charismatic repartee, bad villain names, manifestos, evil technology, evil machines, algorithms, pacemakers, environmental business, climate change, IPOs, international deals, billion-dollar contracts, Wall Street and bankers, helicopters, conspiracy theories, red-hat vibes, Qanon nuts and counterterrorism.
This time around with Lucas Page, it feels like the author has a better understanding of his personality so he fully comes to life on the page – he’s a misanthrope, honest to a fault, smarter than anyone else in the room and sassy without a hint of bullshit, and I love him dearly. I love it when he leaves all jaws in the room on the floor when he spits facts.
The political themes here are less preachy and more natural than in the first novel, and that makes the dialogue so crisp with flow and lots of snarky humour, but also important social commentary. The writing is descriptive, immersive and emotionally tangible. The plot is complex and compelling and fresh and there is always a new twist to throw things off. The action and the investigative side of the mystery are given equal opportunity, with plenty of clues to follow and lots of explosions, and the ending will knock your bits off.
It is simply *chef’s kiss*
A true rollercoaster ride in novel form, this is a meticulous and sinister story with a truly unique and fascinating main character leading the way.
If you love thrillers and procedurals, then I highly recommend this novel, this series and this author.
Was also compelled to make a meme:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 5 stars
When a huge explosion takes out a significant crowd of NYC’s wealthy and elite at the Guggenheim Museum, the FBI once again comes calling on Dr. Lucas Page and his big brain and glass eye and prosthetic limbs to stop a possible terrorist with Unabomber vibes.
Get those bad witness sketches ready, people!
You get an astrophysicist, Beautiful Mind vibes, eidetic memory, explosions, confetti machines, big bombs, little bombs, body bombs, thermobaric bombs, serial bombers, bombing sprees, IEDs, C4, K9s, fakeouts, shockwaves, physics and chemistry, patterns and geometry, murder, more than 700 dead bodies, crushed lungs, shattered bones, cooked brains, super rich dudes, dudes that live over your garage, good dogs, adopted kids, beach homes, sad and worried wives, Evil Sting’s hair, trippy crime scene reconstruction, perfect comebacks, spicy retorts, charismatic repartee, bad villain names, manifestos, evil technology, evil machines, algorithms, pacemakers, environmental business, climate change, IPOs, international deals, billion-dollar contracts, Wall Street and bankers, helicopters, conspiracy theories, red-hat vibes, Qanon nuts and counterterrorism.
This time around with Lucas Page, it feels like the author has a better understanding of his personality so he fully comes to life on the page – he’s a misanthrope, honest to a fault, smarter than anyone else in the room and sassy without a hint of bullshit, and I love him dearly. I love it when he leaves all jaws in the room on the floor when he spits facts.
The political themes here are less preachy and more natural than in the first novel, and that makes the dialogue so crisp with flow and lots of snarky humour, but also important social commentary. The writing is descriptive, immersive and emotionally tangible. The plot is complex and compelling and fresh and there is always a new twist to throw things off. The action and the investigative side of the mystery are given equal opportunity, with plenty of clues to follow and lots of explosions, and the ending will knock your bits off.
It is simply *chef’s kiss*
A true rollercoaster ride in novel form, this is a meticulous and sinister story with a truly unique and fascinating main character leading the way.
If you love thrillers and procedurals, then I highly recommend this novel, this series and this author.
Was also compelled to make a meme:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 5 stars
August 18, 2020
So I havent read the first in this series so went in somewhat blind. I liked the sound of the spiel.
A private function for a tech company in New Yorks Guggenheim museum is where we start. All is going well until a huge explosion kills all inside, the death toll over 700!
The FBI are called straight in led by Brett Kehoe and with such a huge volume of data to work through he decides to call on ex FBI agent, astrophysicist and University professor Lucas Page(our main protagonist). He has a gift where he can visualize what happened at crime scene like this and immediately process the data.
Page wants nothing to do with it but as his City is under attack he feels obliged to help.
Thats the main gist of it. It was an intriguing start and I was really sucked in by the opening chapters, from the scene set in the Guggenheim, to the helicopter arriving with Kehoe at Pages holiday home where he is with his family, to sifting through the remains at the Guggenheim. It was all going swimmingly. Enthralling, a huge mystery, learning a bit about Page and his disability(a multiple amputee). It was all being set up nicely.
Unfortunately after that, for me at least, it was much more miss than hit. What follows for a large chunk of the book is a series of more explosions and Page going to investigate without anything really happening. Its just rinse and repeat. Another explosion, go to the scene, spend a few pages describing the scene, try to figure out whats going on etc etc. It was all a little tedious. Like a bad action movie that has little story and just fills it with explosions and action scenes.
Page is also some sort of superhero it seems. Managing to escape death on numerous occasions in the most ludicrous of circumstances. You really have to suspend your disbelief to go with this one and it was a step too far for me.
There is a host of characters nearly all based around the financial world and I found it hard to keep track of them all. The story itself I found pretty ridiculous I have to say and I found the book way too long for what it was.
Its been getting nearly universal praise going by other reviews but I just didnt get it at all and despite lots of things happening, I found it a bit of a chore to read and a bit of a bore.
Special mention though to the dog called Lemmy. What a name!
Many thanks to Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Robert Pobi for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A private function for a tech company in New Yorks Guggenheim museum is where we start. All is going well until a huge explosion kills all inside, the death toll over 700!
The FBI are called straight in led by Brett Kehoe and with such a huge volume of data to work through he decides to call on ex FBI agent, astrophysicist and University professor Lucas Page(our main protagonist). He has a gift where he can visualize what happened at crime scene like this and immediately process the data.
Page wants nothing to do with it but as his City is under attack he feels obliged to help.
Thats the main gist of it. It was an intriguing start and I was really sucked in by the opening chapters, from the scene set in the Guggenheim, to the helicopter arriving with Kehoe at Pages holiday home where he is with his family, to sifting through the remains at the Guggenheim. It was all going swimmingly. Enthralling, a huge mystery, learning a bit about Page and his disability(a multiple amputee). It was all being set up nicely.
Unfortunately after that, for me at least, it was much more miss than hit. What follows for a large chunk of the book is a series of more explosions and Page going to investigate without anything really happening. Its just rinse and repeat. Another explosion, go to the scene, spend a few pages describing the scene, try to figure out whats going on etc etc. It was all a little tedious. Like a bad action movie that has little story and just fills it with explosions and action scenes.
Page is also some sort of superhero it seems. Managing to escape death on numerous occasions in the most ludicrous of circumstances. You really have to suspend your disbelief to go with this one and it was a step too far for me.
There is a host of characters nearly all based around the financial world and I found it hard to keep track of them all. The story itself I found pretty ridiculous I have to say and I found the book way too long for what it was.
Its been getting nearly universal praise going by other reviews but I just didnt get it at all and despite lots of things happening, I found it a bit of a chore to read and a bit of a bore.
Special mention though to the dog called Lemmy. What a name!
Many thanks to Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Robert Pobi for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 12, 2020
Outlier time!
Well, I was disappointed in Under Pressure. I loved the first book; City of Windows! Quirky characters always intrigue me and Dr. Lucas Page is definitely quirky. (And cranky!) He has a unique brain that took him from foster kid to astrophysicist, which enables him to see patterns no one else sees. Luke previously worked for the FBI but left after "the event" where he lost a leg, an arm, and an eye. (This took place prior to the first book.) Are you thinking "Give this guy a break! He's been through enough!!" Yeah, that's what I was thinking, as well. I loved this book up until the last quarter of it.
It wasn't all bad, though. It was great to see Whitaker again. I also LOVE all of Luke and Erin's adopted children!
And I learned that there are bomb-sniffing rats! Who knew? I loved Binky, the rat.
Well, I was disappointed in Under Pressure. I loved the first book; City of Windows! Quirky characters always intrigue me and Dr. Lucas Page is definitely quirky. (And cranky!) He has a unique brain that took him from foster kid to astrophysicist, which enables him to see patterns no one else sees. Luke previously worked for the FBI but left after "the event" where he lost a leg, an arm, and an eye. (This took place prior to the first book.) Are you thinking "Give this guy a break! He's been through enough!!" Yeah, that's what I was thinking, as well. I loved this book up until the last quarter of it.
It wasn't all bad, though. It was great to see Whitaker again. I also LOVE all of Luke and Erin's adopted children!
And I learned that there are bomb-sniffing rats! Who knew? I loved Binky, the rat.
August 9, 2020
Under Pressure by Robert Pobi is book two in his Lucas Page series.
Dr. Lucas Page is an astrophysicist, professor at Columbia University and a former FBI agent. Page is physically and socially flawed, but he has the unique ability to quickly analyze and process data well beyond the obvious. He’s been called in to consult for the FBI on a bombing at the Guggenheim Museum that killed 702 people. This is the second FBI case Page has consulted on since leaving the bureau, and he’s literally put his all into solving both cases.
I haven’t read the first book in this series, and though I would have liked more detail on the past incident that injured Page, that didn’t stop this from being a successful standalone novel with sufficient background in all other aspects. Under Pressure is very descriptive with a complex, yet compelling plot. There is plenty of explosive action, literally. The dialogue is vibrant and has humorous touches that provide tension relief for both the characters and the reader. The ending is shocking. I give this novel 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to everyone who enjoys a good thriller.
My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.
Dr. Lucas Page is an astrophysicist, professor at Columbia University and a former FBI agent. Page is physically and socially flawed, but he has the unique ability to quickly analyze and process data well beyond the obvious. He’s been called in to consult for the FBI on a bombing at the Guggenheim Museum that killed 702 people. This is the second FBI case Page has consulted on since leaving the bureau, and he’s literally put his all into solving both cases.
I haven’t read the first book in this series, and though I would have liked more detail on the past incident that injured Page, that didn’t stop this from being a successful standalone novel with sufficient background in all other aspects. Under Pressure is very descriptive with a complex, yet compelling plot. There is plenty of explosive action, literally. The dialogue is vibrant and has humorous touches that provide tension relief for both the characters and the reader. The ending is shocking. I give this novel 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to everyone who enjoys a good thriller.
My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.
Read
September 29, 2020I am sorry to say that I am giving up on this one. DNF @ 37%. I feel like I've been reading this book forever and I need to keep forcing myself to pick it up. It is just not for me. I have found myself skimming and I don't think it's a book that should be skimmed. I'm quite sure I'd get to the end and not know what was going on.
I don't know if I missed something by not reading book one. Maybe I would have cared more about our MC, Lucas Page, if I had read that one? He admits to not being a people-person and not playing well with others, but he feels somewhat standoffish as a character that it’s hard to care about him. He certainly is intelligent and has some interesting talents though. I also like the witty banter, but there's just not enough to make me want to continue.
This book is too detail heavy for my taste and that made it feel impersonal as well. It lacked emotion for me and dragged. Basically, there is an explosion and a lot of FBI talk (info dump), which was repeated several times. I'm not really interested in finding out the connection between the explosions if it means reading multiple FBI info heavy discussions and talk about the super wealthy and their decorations, etc, plus discussions about political extremists and media.
I am clearly the outlier when it comes to this book as most people seem to love it. It certainly has intelligent writing. I just don't want to have to think so much and the political climate being what it is these days, I really need a break from it.
If you are someone that enjoys political intrigue and has an interest in Wall Street and finances and corruption, this may be a great story for you. It just didn't engage me.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Original review:
I was offered a widget of this book because I enjoyed the Orphan X series. Who can say no to a book that is compared to Orphan X?
I don't know if I missed something by not reading book one. Maybe I would have cared more about our MC, Lucas Page, if I had read that one? He admits to not being a people-person and not playing well with others, but he feels somewhat standoffish as a character that it’s hard to care about him. He certainly is intelligent and has some interesting talents though. I also like the witty banter, but there's just not enough to make me want to continue.
This book is too detail heavy for my taste and that made it feel impersonal as well. It lacked emotion for me and dragged. Basically, there is an explosion and a lot of FBI talk (info dump), which was repeated several times. I'm not really interested in finding out the connection between the explosions if it means reading multiple FBI info heavy discussions and talk about the super wealthy and their decorations, etc, plus discussions about political extremists and media.
I am clearly the outlier when it comes to this book as most people seem to love it. It certainly has intelligent writing. I just don't want to have to think so much and the political climate being what it is these days, I really need a break from it.
If you are someone that enjoys political intrigue and has an interest in Wall Street and finances and corruption, this may be a great story for you. It just didn't engage me.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Original review:
I was offered a widget of this book because I enjoyed the Orphan X series. Who can say no to a book that is compared to Orphan X?
September 1, 2022
The second establishment in the series was really nice and quick-paced,with several plot twists, and my favourite,Schrödinger's cat😊
5/5
5/5
August 6, 2020
Under Pressure (and just like that Freddy Mercury is back in my head! 🎶) is the second book in the Lucas Page series about an emotionally and physically damaged former FBI special agent from New York who brought back in to solve hideous crimes using his unique cerebral gifts. Unusually for me, I actually think you could fully enjoy this without having read the first instalment, City of Mirrors - although it’s a great book so you should buy it anyway, and kudos to the author for not spoiling that one here (apart from knowing who survives of course.) This is another intelligent electrifying if far-fetched action thriller with great characters but I’m going for four stars this time because it needs better editing.
Nearly a year after the events of City of Mirrors, Lucas is at the beach with his family, happily anticipating Halloween, when FBI Director Brett Kehoe arrives once more to drag him into a shocking new case - someone has detonated a bomb during a gala at the Guggenheim Museum, incinerating over 700 people. Torn between his home life and the thrill of the chase, Lucas agrees to have a look for just a few days, and is once more paired with bolshy agent Angela Whitaker (I’m sure she said her name was Alice in the previous book, the first of several continuity errors.) When further blasts point them towards an upscale investment firm, while telling the gullible media that they have an anti-technology agenda, Page must use his special abilities to stop the carnage - but how long before he himself becomes a target once more?
The more I review, the clearer it becomes that there are writers, and there are storytellers, and some lucky authors can do both - but they still need editors! This follows a very similar plot structure to the first book, while dealing with a very different type of crime, and that’s fine - I use the same structure for nearly all my reviews - but if he uses it again for a third book it will start to become predictable. There were some narrative errors, usually missing words, in my review copy but I assume these would’ve been fixed for publication. The biggest issue here was unnecessary repetition of information, such as descriptions of people and places, of metaphors, and of narrative devices - particularly the introduction of minor characters about whom we are given just enough information to feel sympathy (or less commonly antipathy) then “boom” they’re red mist. This is done over and over and became tiresome.
Apart from these minor quibbles, this was another excellent read - I’m really just explaining why I rounded down from 4.5 this time. Page is brilliant but obnoxious - even more so than in the first book, but you can understand why. I love his sibling-squabble-like relationship with Whitaker, and his petulant teen-like approach to the nearly unflappable Kehoe. Fascinating minor characters like Dingo, Otto and Nadeel return - I often think it’s the minor recurring actors that really make a series. Some of the animal characters were awesome too. As in the first book, there are lots of pop culture references, I didn’t get all of them, so got to feel clever when I did. There’s more black-humour this time round, but less politics - although the completely deserved digs at digital culture and cellphone addiction were well placed.
I very much enjoyed this, didn’t predict the outcome, or the culprit, and especially liked the ending which answered a very important question for an animal-lover like me.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. Under Pressure is available now.
Nearly a year after the events of City of Mirrors, Lucas is at the beach with his family, happily anticipating Halloween, when FBI Director Brett Kehoe arrives once more to drag him into a shocking new case - someone has detonated a bomb during a gala at the Guggenheim Museum, incinerating over 700 people. Torn between his home life and the thrill of the chase, Lucas agrees to have a look for just a few days, and is once more paired with bolshy agent Angela Whitaker (I’m sure she said her name was Alice in the previous book, the first of several continuity errors.) When further blasts point them towards an upscale investment firm, while telling the gullible media that they have an anti-technology agenda, Page must use his special abilities to stop the carnage - but how long before he himself becomes a target once more?
The more I review, the clearer it becomes that there are writers, and there are storytellers, and some lucky authors can do both - but they still need editors! This follows a very similar plot structure to the first book, while dealing with a very different type of crime, and that’s fine - I use the same structure for nearly all my reviews - but if he uses it again for a third book it will start to become predictable. There were some narrative errors, usually missing words, in my review copy but I assume these would’ve been fixed for publication. The biggest issue here was unnecessary repetition of information, such as descriptions of people and places, of metaphors, and of narrative devices - particularly the introduction of minor characters about whom we are given just enough information to feel sympathy (or less commonly antipathy) then “boom” they’re red mist. This is done over and over and became tiresome.
Apart from these minor quibbles, this was another excellent read - I’m really just explaining why I rounded down from 4.5 this time. Page is brilliant but obnoxious - even more so than in the first book, but you can understand why. I love his sibling-squabble-like relationship with Whitaker, and his petulant teen-like approach to the nearly unflappable Kehoe. Fascinating minor characters like Dingo, Otto and Nadeel return - I often think it’s the minor recurring actors that really make a series. Some of the animal characters were awesome too. As in the first book, there are lots of pop culture references, I didn’t get all of them, so got to feel clever when I did. There’s more black-humour this time round, but less politics - although the completely deserved digs at digital culture and cellphone addiction were well placed.
I very much enjoyed this, didn’t predict the outcome, or the culprit, and especially liked the ending which answered a very important question for an animal-lover like me.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. Under Pressure is available now.
July 29, 2020
Under Pressure by Author Robert Pobi Is the second book in the Lucas Page Series
First of all I would recommend reading the first book in the series - City of Windows, to get a sound start with the characters, and overall tone to the books.
This story begins with an explosion at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, and the pace does not let up throughout the entire book
The main character Dr. Lucas Page, Is almost super hero like with the amount of personal danger and life threatening incidents that he is exposed to, especially since he has several existing handicaps
I did like the book, but at times I felt like the story really pushed the button in regards to believability and non stop destruction and massive explosions that occur.
Thank you to Robert Pobi, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book to read and review with my honest opinions.
#UnderPressure #NetGalley
First of all I would recommend reading the first book in the series - City of Windows, to get a sound start with the characters, and overall tone to the books.
This story begins with an explosion at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, and the pace does not let up throughout the entire book
The main character Dr. Lucas Page, Is almost super hero like with the amount of personal danger and life threatening incidents that he is exposed to, especially since he has several existing handicaps
I did like the book, but at times I felt like the story really pushed the button in regards to believability and non stop destruction and massive explosions that occur.
Thank you to Robert Pobi, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book to read and review with my honest opinions.
#UnderPressure #NetGalley
March 22, 2021
Under Pressure is the second book in the Lucas Page series by Canadian author, Robert Pobi. When an explosion at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum incinerates over seven hundred people, while leaving the building largely intact, Dr Lucas Page is unsure what he can offer to the investigation. But FBI Special Agent in Charge of Manhattan, Brett Kehoe, wants his expertise with numbers.
“No system— and that includes a series of crimes— is intrinsically random; the observer just has an imperfect understanding of how said system operates. If you see something that appears to be random, you’re missing data. And hidden inside larger seemingly organized structures, you can find smaller ones that look like they’re nothing—statistical noise— but they’re not. They’re just part of a different pattern.”
The device is apparently highly sophisticated and its design, ensuring maximum cruelty, zero survivors and the destruction of artwork worth a billion dollars, suggests several possible motives. A warning email sent to a CNN journalist, which denounces humanity’s reliance on technology, leaves Lucas unconvinced even when the next target, an internet hub, fits this motive.
Lucas firmly believes they need to look for the money: who would benefit? But is that the right question? Further explosions and victims don’t clarify the issue of motive, but are all linked to the high-profile company whose gala IPO launch at the Guggenheim was bombed. Horizon Dynamics is a company using nano-technology and AI driven solutions for rejuvenation and repair of eco-systems, and its directors are linked to each event on several levels.
As more bombs explode and more people die, some of them potential suspects, initial theories are challenged, but the sadistic aspect of the bombs leads Lucas to conclude there is a personal element. Lucas enlists the help of his post-grad students to analyse a mountain of data that has stumped the FBI, reasoning that: “The bureau’s people were fettered by both protocol and lack of vision.” Not so his clever students.
Another excellent dose of Lucas Page and Alice Whitaker that features land mines, a puppy, a confetti bomb, sniffer rats, an opportune pair of handcuffs, and a very large body count. Once again, Pobi’s plot is clever, with lots of excellent deductive work, twists, red herrings, plenty of tension and a heart-stopping climax. Entertaining dialogue is another hallmark of this series.
Will Lucas work with the FBI again? While he enjoys the stimulation it offers his mind, his wife and family certainly don’t appreciate that it takes him away from them and potentially puts his life (and theirs) at risk. Nor is this the first occasion that his involvement seems to be associated with unfortunate consequences for the Special Agent In Charge of the case. It will be interesting to see if Pobi gives fans further instalments of Lucas Page. Excellent crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and St Martins Press
“No system— and that includes a series of crimes— is intrinsically random; the observer just has an imperfect understanding of how said system operates. If you see something that appears to be random, you’re missing data. And hidden inside larger seemingly organized structures, you can find smaller ones that look like they’re nothing—statistical noise— but they’re not. They’re just part of a different pattern.”
The device is apparently highly sophisticated and its design, ensuring maximum cruelty, zero survivors and the destruction of artwork worth a billion dollars, suggests several possible motives. A warning email sent to a CNN journalist, which denounces humanity’s reliance on technology, leaves Lucas unconvinced even when the next target, an internet hub, fits this motive.
Lucas firmly believes they need to look for the money: who would benefit? But is that the right question? Further explosions and victims don’t clarify the issue of motive, but are all linked to the high-profile company whose gala IPO launch at the Guggenheim was bombed. Horizon Dynamics is a company using nano-technology and AI driven solutions for rejuvenation and repair of eco-systems, and its directors are linked to each event on several levels.
As more bombs explode and more people die, some of them potential suspects, initial theories are challenged, but the sadistic aspect of the bombs leads Lucas to conclude there is a personal element. Lucas enlists the help of his post-grad students to analyse a mountain of data that has stumped the FBI, reasoning that: “The bureau’s people were fettered by both protocol and lack of vision.” Not so his clever students.
Another excellent dose of Lucas Page and Alice Whitaker that features land mines, a puppy, a confetti bomb, sniffer rats, an opportune pair of handcuffs, and a very large body count. Once again, Pobi’s plot is clever, with lots of excellent deductive work, twists, red herrings, plenty of tension and a heart-stopping climax. Entertaining dialogue is another hallmark of this series.
Will Lucas work with the FBI again? While he enjoys the stimulation it offers his mind, his wife and family certainly don’t appreciate that it takes him away from them and potentially puts his life (and theirs) at risk. Nor is this the first occasion that his involvement seems to be associated with unfortunate consequences for the Special Agent In Charge of the case. It will be interesting to see if Pobi gives fans further instalments of Lucas Page. Excellent crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and St Martins Press
October 25, 2020
I was eagerly awaiting to read this – the follow-up to City Of Windows, one of my favourite reads from last year – and found it equally brilliant.
I loved getting re-acquainted with the author’s crisp prose style, intricate plotting and acerbic social observations, frequently laced with a wicked sense of humour. Most of all, I welcomed the return of the magnificent Dr. Lucas Page; a man held together by prosthetics with an autistic-like facility for mental mathematics. Despite his curmudgeonly behaviour in a profession capacity, Lucas also has a happy, stable family life with wife Erin, their five adopted kids and dog Lemmy.
When an explosion kills 702 people at an expensive technology gala in an art museum, FBI boss Brett Kehoe once again asks Lucas to unravel the mystery and he’s teamed again with the formidable Special Agent Alice Whittaker.
When more bomb blasts occur, both Lucas and Whittaker are put in danger and Lucas’s analysis of the situation is totally at odds with Kehoe’s.
As with City Of Windows, the plot moves along at a breathtaking pace with plenty of twists, turns and red herrings. It is only at the very end that it all begins to make sense.
Another platinum product from Robert Pobi. I just hope he has more adventures for Lucas in the pipeline.
I loved getting re-acquainted with the author’s crisp prose style, intricate plotting and acerbic social observations, frequently laced with a wicked sense of humour. Most of all, I welcomed the return of the magnificent Dr. Lucas Page; a man held together by prosthetics with an autistic-like facility for mental mathematics. Despite his curmudgeonly behaviour in a profession capacity, Lucas also has a happy, stable family life with wife Erin, their five adopted kids and dog Lemmy.
When an explosion kills 702 people at an expensive technology gala in an art museum, FBI boss Brett Kehoe once again asks Lucas to unravel the mystery and he’s teamed again with the formidable Special Agent Alice Whittaker.
When more bomb blasts occur, both Lucas and Whittaker are put in danger and Lucas’s analysis of the situation is totally at odds with Kehoe’s.
As with City Of Windows, the plot moves along at a breathtaking pace with plenty of twists, turns and red herrings. It is only at the very end that it all begins to make sense.
Another platinum product from Robert Pobi. I just hope he has more adventures for Lucas in the pipeline.
September 9, 2020
This is the second in the Lucas Page series, following on from, “City of Windows.” If you enjoy fast paced thrillers, with more – and better – characters than usual, then you will enjoy this. However, I must say that I am concerned about Dr Page; already missing an eye, one leg and one arm, I cringe every time he comes into danger, which, frankly, is often…
The novel begins with a huge explosion at a corporate event and more than seven hundred people killed. Before long, the FBI again come knocking at Page’s door and he is back, with Whittaker, chasing the bad guys. There are more explosions throughout the city and the bombings are claimed by someone dubbed, “The Machine Bomber,” who wishes to reject technology. Pobi has a lot to say about society in this novel and his dry humour is interspersed with commentary which does make you think – unusual in an adrenalin rushed thriller. Unfortunately, I could believe that many people would support the bomber’s efforts, and that a group of protesters would kill a man in an electronic wheelchair.
Still, Page, and his nerdy group of students, are looking beyond the obvious suspect of the bomber. Before long we have bankers, and billionaires, flying drones, shoot outs and explosions. It is Page, though, who makes the novel work. He is rapidly becoming one of my favourite, fictional characters. I am delighted that Robert Pobi has finally had a breakthrough sucess – he has had some excellent books before this, but let’s hope this becomes a long running series.
The novel begins with a huge explosion at a corporate event and more than seven hundred people killed. Before long, the FBI again come knocking at Page’s door and he is back, with Whittaker, chasing the bad guys. There are more explosions throughout the city and the bombings are claimed by someone dubbed, “The Machine Bomber,” who wishes to reject technology. Pobi has a lot to say about society in this novel and his dry humour is interspersed with commentary which does make you think – unusual in an adrenalin rushed thriller. Unfortunately, I could believe that many people would support the bomber’s efforts, and that a group of protesters would kill a man in an electronic wheelchair.
Still, Page, and his nerdy group of students, are looking beyond the obvious suspect of the bomber. Before long we have bankers, and billionaires, flying drones, shoot outs and explosions. It is Page, though, who makes the novel work. He is rapidly becoming one of my favourite, fictional characters. I am delighted that Robert Pobi has finally had a breakthrough sucess – he has had some excellent books before this, but let’s hope this becomes a long running series.
September 19, 2020
What a fantastic read! UNDER PRESSURE never stopped delivering! The brilliant Doctor Lucas Page has been recalled by the FBI. Someone seems to be blowing up people and things in New York, and Dr. Page is trying to figure out who or what is behind it. Get ready for an intriguing read you will never figure out. This novel will be loved by all!
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