The Eden Prophecy (Danielle Laidlaw #3)

The Eden Prophecy by Graham Brown is the third book in his Danielle Laidlaw series. Laidlaw works for the NRI, a government agency that works with advancements in technology - with a secret division tasked to steal new technology or stop others from using new technology to destroy the world.

The US Ambassador working at the United Nations receives an envelope that tells her she has been infected with a virus. As the NRI works with the Centers for Disease Control to find out what the virus does and if it is contagious, Danielle Laidlaw and Hawker (an ex-CIA agent turned NRI operative) try to track the source of the virus.

The source of the virus is a man Hawker worked for years ago in Africa. He was a man obsessed with finding the scientific equivalent of the fountain of youth. But now Ranga is dead. The group he was working for is attempting to synthesize a virus to infect people with long life - a goal that would lead to vast overpopulation taxing the Earth beyond its limits to sustain life. And now the only person who could finish Ranga's work is his daughter Sonia. Hawker and Laidlaw have to find her before the bad guys.

Brown has created a series in the genre of James Rollins - science based thrillers that take some new discovery or ancient text and create a crazy ride of plausible twists that readers love to follow. Laidlaw is a great character who is capable and fun to follow.

Brown, Graham. (2012). The Eden Prophecy. New York: Bantam Books.

Back Sun (Danielle Laidlaw #2)

Black Sun by Graham Brown is the second book in his Danielle Laidlaw series. Laidlaw works for a branch of the US government, the NRI, that is like the science and technology CIA. They find, steal, or create new technology before other countries can use it against us.

Two years after Laidlaw risked her life in the Amazon and recovered a stone that seems to create energy, she is pulled back into the agency from retirement. Professor McCarter, who was with her in the Amazon, is going after other parts of the Mayan prophecy that tells of a major change (not destruction) in the world in December 2012.

While Danielle and McCarter are in Mexico at a Mayan sculpture deep in the wilderness, they are attacked by a group of Chinese men. Danielle is captured and taken to Hong Kong to a "business" man who sent the team.

With a stone in US custody that seems to be counting down to December 21, 2012 at 5:32 pm, and Danielle - the only one who may be able to figure out what the count down is leading to, the head of the NRI begs ex-CIA agent Hawker to break Danielle out of Hong Kong and find McCarter in Mexico - all in the next week before the potential end of the world.

Brown has taken ancient Mayan legend and created a contemporary thriller that will keep readers on edge until the last page.

Brown, Graham. (2010). Black Sun. New York: Bantam Books.

Black Rain (Danielle Laidlaw #1)

Black Rain by Graham Brown is the first book in his series featuring Danielle Laidlaw. Laidlaw works for a shadowy government branch whose job it is to come up with the latest technology through development, theft, espionage or other means.

Laidlaw is being sent to the Amazon to look for an ancient Mayan city. In spite of the theory of the Maya in the Amazon being likely laughed out of any academic setting, Laidlaw is tasked with setting up a team of researchers, mercenaries for protection, and one ex-CIA pilot to trek up a branch of the river to a place the natives avoid like the plague.

In this James Rollins style adventure thriller, the scientists have to fight against the jungle, the native tribes, and some strange quirks of evolution to find the site they are seeking and come out alive - if, in fact, they do live.

Laidlaw is a great character who will catch the attention of readers and be followed through many adventures. Hopefully, others from this book will make appearances in the future as well. Can't wait to see where she goes next!

Brown, Graham. (2010). Black Rain. New York: Dell Books.