Book Review: Present Danger

Reviewed By: Woodstock - RAM

Present Danger     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
William J. Buchanan
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Military
University of New Mexico Press 2004, 210 pages

A sleek prototype of a newly designed military plane goes off course during a test flight in the Pacific, and a few weeks later National Guard pilots on a training mission discover the wreckage and the body of the pilot. The usual investigations follow, with a final report naming pilot error as the cause.

But Air Force general Louis Burnside doesn't buy that explanation and launches a second inquiry, this time calling on electronics expert Major Jonathan Ward to sort out exactly what went wrong, with analysis focusing on cockpit transmissions and the various "black box" records produced during the last flight.

Buchanan sets his story in pre Watergate days as the conflict in Viet Nam was winding down. His characters are not yet tuned to finding government cover up activities behind every bush, and as the truth gradually unfolds we learn to trust or to suspect the men in this story as we view how they react to the Ward's investigation.

Early 21st century readers, of course, do not have the luxury of being surprised at dirty dealings and cruel shenanigans in high places. To Buchanan's credit this doesn't interfere with enjoyment. PRESENT DANGER is a tense, engrossing read, and the concluding pages provide much food for thought.

Woodstock - RAM

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