A Tale of Biological Terror and Espionage

BOOK REVIEW: IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE: A Novel of Biological Terror and Espionage

By James Lawler / BookBaby

Reviewed by Anne Gruner, CIA Directorate of Intelligence (retired)

The Reviewer – Anne Gruner served as Deputy Director of the DCI Center for Weapons Intelligence Non-Proliferation and Arms Control (WINPAC) before becoming an attorney. She writes fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, and the occasional book review.

REVIEW — James Lawler’s latest novel, In the Twinkling of an Eye, takes the reader into the heart of biological terrorism, with a fast-moving plot, memorable characters, and intriguing spycraft, enhanced by artificial intelligence.

The plot centers on CRISPR-CAS9, a gene editing technology that has sparked real-world debate and calls for a global pause of its “germline” (inheritable) application to altering human embryos.

Interestingly, the author focuses on the less controversial “somatic” (non-inheritable) use of CRISPR to alter an individual’s genome to combat disease and viruses. (Readers may wish to read Walter Isaacson’s The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing and the Future of the Human Race for details of CRISPR’s history and the complexity of this revolutionary biotechnology.)

Mr. Lawler’s imaginative story has a “sci-fi” feel that perhaps could be better described as “sci-spy,” using espionage to defeat a future technological threat. Implicit is a worthy warning that the threat of biological weapons could equal or surpass nuclear ones in the not-so-distant future.

The author incorporates a good dose of humor interwoven throughout, and colorful shifts of venue between Zurich and Moscow. The plot moves to a suspenseful climax and a series of “Carrie-like” endings, that – in this reader’s view – would make a great movie.

In Twinkling of an Eye is engaging, well written, and an easy read. Just hope the bad guys don’t get any ideas!

In the Twinkling of an Eye earns a prestigious four out of four trench coats.

 

 

Sign up for our free Undercover newsletter to make sure you stay on top of all of the new releases and expert reviews

Disclaimer – The Cipher Brief participates in the Amazon Affiliate program and may make a small commission from purchases made via links.

Read more expert national security perspectives and analysis in The Cipher Brief

Read more expert-driven national security insights, perspective and analysis in The Cipher Brief because National Security is Everyone’s Business.

Read more expert-driven national security insights, perspective and analysis in The Cipher Brief


More Book Reviews

Search

Close