Stephen Cody: Soulless

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Well written but unbelievable
I read this book because I enjoyed "Lying in State". In contrast, while I found no problems with the writing and editing (which must have been fixed after poor reviews) I found the plot unbelievable and, to be honest, pretty stupid.

I should have been warned in Chapter One set in 2032 at an installation in the US providing organic oil to the Defence Department because oil supplies had dried up around the World. Saudi Arabia had reverted to a desert kingdom without oil and the riches of other major oil producers had disappeared. With the vast oil resources of the Middle East and more oil discovered offshore as prices increase the likelihood of this scenario in only a few years is ludicrous.

The plot then becomes even more ludicrous with government sponsored cloning, and a Catholic Saint and religious extremists coming together for an unbelievable climax at New Year's Eve, purportedly the end of the world. Steven Cody showed promise with "Lying in State" but hasn't kept this promise with this book.

Stephen Cody: Lying in State

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A good read for a first novel
This first novel was a pretty good taut thriller with legal undertones. Everything hinges around the Prologue about the suicide of a university student 20 years ago when he was placed under intense pressure by a State parliamentary committee.

Jack Sullivan is finishes his last case as a prosecutor and starts work with the major law firm headed by his father, Jim Sullivan, a former Governor of Florida. Jim hosts a fund raising function for an old friend who is a leading contender to become a Presidential candidate, and during the night Jim is killed by a shotgun blast.

While the death initially looks like suicide, the autopsy shows that it is murder. Jim's much younger second wife sleeps through the blast and the police start to suspect that she is the killer. Jack agrees to defend her when she is arrested on trumped up charges.

It soon becomes clear that Jim's murder is connected to the 20 year old suicide and the knowledge he gained when he was Governor.

While most of the book is well written, there are several places where the text continues without breaks between sections - elementary editing errors.

As I enjoyed this first novel, I look forward to reading his later books.