5 Star Review
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Editorial Book Review:
By Morgan Smith
Otho Eskin's Firetrap delivers a high-octane, meticulously plotted thriller that’s sure to keep fans of crime fiction and police procedurals on the edge of their seats. Eskin, a former lawyer and diplomat, brings both legal realism and geopolitical intrigue to this gripping tale, as Washington, D.C.’s seasoned homicide detective, Marko Zorn, finds himself entangled in a dangerous investigation with far-reaching consequences.
Zorn is no stranger to morally ambiguous situations, and in Firetrap, he is pitted against a Big Pharma company controlled by psychopathic twin brothers. The brothers are behind the distribution of a new, lethal drug that's even more dangerous than fentanyl, wreaking havoc in the nation's capital. Eskin weaves a plot that’s chillingly relevant, touching on issues of corporate greed, the opioid crisis, and the devastating consequences of unchecked power.
One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its protagonist, Marko Zorn, a character who continues to evolve in complexity. Zorn’s charm lies in his ability to maneuver both within and outside the law, using his sharp intellect, street smarts, and a Rolodex of unsavory contacts to navigate the treacherous underworld. In Firetrap, Zorn's vulnerability is palpable, especially as he faces not only multiple assassination attempts but also betrayal from the institutions he trusts. The added layer of Zorn's deep dive into a decades-old art theft gives the novel an unexpected, rich subplot that adds depth to the thriller's fast pace.
Eskin’s writing is sharp and concise, propelling the narrative forward at a relentless pace. The action sequences are cinematic, and the stakes are constantly heightened as the body count rises. Yet, amid the chaos, Eskin carefully crafts moments of introspection for Zorn, giving readers glimpses into the detective’s internal conflicts, making him not just a hero but a deeply human character.
While Firetrap can be read as a standalone, its connections to the previous novels, The Reflecting Pool and Head Shot, offer long-time readers additional rewards through character arcs and plot threads. Fans of David Baldacci and Daniel Silva will find much to appreciate in Eskin’s intricate plotting and the complex moral dilemmas faced by his protagonist.
In Firetrap, Otho Eskin has crafted a thriller that is not only entertaining but also thought-provoking, cementing Marko Zorn’s place as a compelling figure in contemporary crime fiction.
About the Author Otho Eskin
Before he turned to writing fiction, Otho Eskin served in the U.S. Army and in the United States Foreign Service in Washington and in Syria, Yugoslavia, Iceland and Berlin (then the capital of the German Democratic Republic) as a lawyer and diplomat. He was Vice-Chairman of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, participated in the negotiations on the International Space Station, was principal U.S. negotiator of several international agreements on seabed mining and was the U.S. representative to the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. He speaks French, German, and Serbo-Croatian. He was a frequent speaker at conferences and has testified before the U.S. Congress and commissions.
Otho is married to writer Therese Keane and lives in Washington, D.C.
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