Ground Zero

The Iron Curtain may have come down and the Cold war ended, but the military still keeps a high level of readiness in case a nuclear or other type of attack occurs. New hardware is always being tested, and simulated war games and exercises are always being performed.

A war game is being conducted at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado. There is only one entrance and exit into the inner room with observers watching from outside the fish bowl. However, someone is murdered inside the room. No one but the eight individuals entered the room once the test started.

Civilian detective Eileen Reed knows one of the seven remaining participants committed the act. Her inquiries lead her to realize that three other questionable deaths had been written off as accidents. Unbeknownst to Eileen, a CIA analyst Lucy is investigating a series of killings related to the missile defense program and why her agency has failed to make this a top priority case. Soon the two women team up in an effort to uncover the truth, not yet realizing what failure will mean to this country.

Bonnie Ramthun makes a stunning debut with GROUND ZERO, a thriller that feels very genuine; perhaps because the author is a former Pentagon war gamer. The team up of the two females is very refreshing as neither tries to out-macho the other. Instead, they work as a unit attempting to solve a deadly case. Fans of military thrillers and police procedurals with a kick will want this dynamic duo to reappear very soon.