Jerry B. Jenkins, New York Times bestselling author of over one hundred and seventy-five books including the Left Behind Series, has written the conclusion to his Precinct Series II detective novel entitled, "The Breakthrough." This two hundred and ninety-four page softbound book has a black and blue Chicago street scene with red and white writing on the front cover and a paragraph about the book with one review and small biography with a photograph of the author on the back. Being an advance reader book copy, a couple of spacing and capitalization errors were noticed. Although there were no profanities or explicit sex scenes, the subject matter of human trafficking may not be acceptable for the preteen or younger. In this series book, Boone Drake is now Chicago Police Department’s youngest bureau chief of the city’s Major Case Squad. Having recently married Haeley and adopted her son Max from a prior relationship, Boone is back on track with his relationship with God and life is good again since in the prior book he lost his family. Unbeknownst to Boone and Haeley, Max’s not-so-bright but opportunistic father, DeWayne, wants his biological son back, but for a different reason than the norm – to sell him to a wealthy family in China. While Max is at the very-protective but unrelated Aunt Flo’s house, Boone and Haeley spend time at a friend’s house for a barbeque, only to have Haeley trip, fall and crack open her head, and is rushed to the hospital, quickly sinking in to a coma. At the same time, DeWayne’s suave and cunning accomplice befriends Max and Aunt Flo by pretending to be Haeley’s returning from Afghanistan soldier/brother, sneaking the unwittingly boy away. Once informed, the Chicago Police do not dare to put Boone in more stress by telling him his adoptive son has been kidnapped while he has to deal with his wife’s traumatic and newly discovered pregnant condition. When the police do tell their friend and comrade about the abduction, DeWayne’s involvement and his links to international human trafficking along with the people who run the sinister ring, Boone is adamant to fly to China undercover to rescue the boy. Once there and with the help of a broken-English speaking yet unobtrusive former army officer, the two set up an ornate sting to get Boone’s son back. Jenkins does his usual excellent job of progressing the story and keeping the reader interested, transitioning from the streets of Chicago to Beijing’s hutong district and beyond. His references to God and Biblical undertones are not preachy or arrogant but show how a true believer can trust Him and find contentment and peace, even during difficult, tragic times. Another page-turner good read from Jenkins! This review is also posted on www.bookpleasures.com and www.amazon.com.
If you're looking for a police novel filled with the typical high speed chases and gun shots around every corner, don't buy this book. If, however, you are looking for a good read with moments of danger and suspense, characters you can relate to and God's hand at work in every moment of their lives, then this is one you have to pick up. You will be pulled into Boone Drake's world from the first chapter when he senses something dark threatening to disrupt his world and shatter the peace he was finally experiencing with his new family. Drake's sense of dread proves accurate as he faces double-tragedy when his wife and son are plunged into separate perils, forcing Drake to choose between standing vigil beside his wife and racing across the world to save his new son. As the moments tick by and saving Max becomes more and more difficult, Drake must again cling to God and His divine mercy to carry him through. God doesn't disappoint and neither does Jerry! Definitely a novel to put on your reading list! Thanks to Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with the ARC of this book. I was not paid for this review nor was I required to provide it in exchange for the privilege of reading it in advance.