Water Memory (Sentro #1) by Daniel Pyne
Reviewed by Cardyn Brooks
Contemporary thriller
★★★★★
In Water Memory, multiple concussions during the course of her career as a covert operative have left Aubrey Sentro unsure of what's real beyond the existence of her two young adult children, the death of her husband, and the automatic muscular recall of her deadly skill set. Most other details slip and slide, flood and trickle along the fragile connections within her traumatized brain. A mission goes sideways resulting in a mandated use of accumulated vacation time off, which leads Aubrey to book passage for an unconventional passenger cruise on a cargo freighter. Mayhem quickly ensues.
Cinematic, immersive action scenes, nuanced characterizations, complicated interpersonal relationships, past and present family drama, intrigue, betrayals, regrets, and self-reflection make Water Memory a compulsively readable storytelling hybrid. Some Diehard and Captain Phillips mixed with a dash of Burn Notice and Zoe Sharp's Charlie Fox, MacGyver, and Gillian Flynn, plus a propulsive writing style that blends literary and commercial sensibilities into an irresistible tale make following Aubrey's dynamic experiences a multifaceted gem of a read. Thoughtful riffs on gendered expectations, sexism, and misogyny add unexpected philosophical depth. This author delivers.
Published by Thomas & Mercer, February 1, 2021