A review of “Hot Zone (Major Crimes Unit Book 2)” by Iain Rob Wright

Full disclosure – I was provided an advanced reader’s copy of this book by the author or their representative but have voluntarily provided a review. All opinions are my own.

When Worlds Collide

Sarah Stone was going to offer her services to the MCU, but prior to that happening she was kidnapped, beaten, and held hostage for four months. Only when she finally managed to mount an escape does she realize that her captor is someone very close to her. As an only child of a decorated army Major, Sarah would have done anything to please her father the hard-nosed disciplinarian who demanded perfection but could never accept the fact that his child was not born male. Even after defying all odds and becoming the first female to pass the SAS entrance exam, Major Stone was still not swayed. Now, back in this environment, Sarah finds herself unwillingly conscripted into her father’s mercenary team. With their target currently high profile on the MCU’s radar, however, it is only a matter of time before Sarah finds herself on the opposing end of those she used to call colleagues. Sarah is torn between loyalty to an organization that she has grown to admire or the blood that she feels obligated to obey. When push comes to shove Sarah’s choice may be the deciding factor between peace and chaos.

Hot Zone is the second in the Major Crimes Unit series of books by author Iain Rob Wright. Set approximately 4 months after the end of Soft Target, we see a woman who is still trying to come to grips with the loss of a friend and the sudden reappearance of the one person in her life she loves as much as she hates. Major Stone is the perfect portrayal of a misogynistic bastard, spouting infuriating stereotypes, slurs, and assumptions. As a woman, this character really made my blood boil, and I was secretly hoping for Sarah to deck him on many occasions. The main plot of the book revolves around a psychotic doctor who is attempting to bring first-world awareness to third-world diseases by deliberately infecting random patients. Considering the entire globe has been ensnared in the Covid pandemic for the past year, it makes me wonder if the impending reissue of these books was not a deliberate move by Wright and if it is, it is completely brilliant! While Hot Zone may not be a typical horror novel, this topic in the current global climate is still terrifying enough to play on even the most levelheaded person’s fears and amp up the tension of the action.

Even after rereading this title again after its original release in 2015, Hot Zone is still a page-turner and a must for anyone who likes thrillers.