Title: Never Miss
Author: Melissa Koslin
Publisher: Revell Pub.
Release: May 4th, 2021
Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Christian
ISBN: 9780800738396
Reviewed by Elise Cooper
Never Miss is Melissa Koslin’s debut book. If her future novels are anything like this one, she has a long career as a romance suspense novelist. The story has a unique premise in that the heroine is a female sniper who worked for the CIA. The other piece of the story is a man-made virus used as a weapon. Although readers might have fatigue having gone through Covid-19, the essence of this plot is finding those who want to unleash the deadly biological weapon, not the weapon itself.
Readers are introduced to the heroine, Kadance Tolle, who is on the run. Having been a part of a family of assassins she no longer wants that job, but her family has other ideas. While in her car she notices a glint from across the street. Realizing someone is trying to kill some strange man, Lyndon Vaile, she risks her own life and pushes him away from the bullet. Despite the danger she feels compelled to help Lyndon discover why and who is after him.
“I wrote Kadance as super wise, while with other things she is super sheltered. Her family has isolated her. She has a unique family in that they all are assassins. Because she is a marksman and a CIA operative, she has deceptive skills. She is a loner, someone who strives to achieve justice. Kadance is very observant, keeps everyone at a distance, a control-freak, and is sometimes judgmental, but she is also kind.”
Kadance finds out that he has three doctorates and has researched how the Ebola virus is man-made (sound familiar?) and can be weaponized. Unfortunately, someone doesn’t want his discovery to come to light, making Lyndon the ultimate target. They decide to work together to stop the mastermind behind the attack and save as many people as possible. Kadance and Lyndon are being stalked, pursued, watched, and targeted as they make their way across the country to stop a disastrous event.
“Lyndon is a paradox. He can be analytical and logical yet cannot lie. He can recognize the difference in behavior but doesn’t understand the emotions behind it. Lyndon has a photographic memory. He has three doctorates, in Microbiology, Pathology, and Epidemiology, plus a master’s in cyber security. Besides being a genius and a scientist, he has a strong faith. He has an unusual alliance with Kadance because he is so different from her in many ways. These are two people who have different backgrounds, different philosophies on life, and different faiths, yet they come together.”
Blending science and intrigue into an intense action-packed story will keep readers on the edge of their seats. But there is also humor, thanks to a Maine Coon cat named Mac that offers a welcome relief from the riveting plot. This first attempt by Koslin was hit out of the park.
More About the Reviewer
Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best selling authors since 2009. Her reviews cover several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women's fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband. She is a frequent reviewer for #TheNewBookReview. Use this blog's search engine (in the right column of the home page) to find more of her reviews.
