Monday, June 13, 2016

Security - Gina Wohlsdorf

Security is the newly released debut novel from Gina Wohlsdorf.

Tessa and her team are scrambling the night before to put the final touches in place for the opening night of Manderly, an uber-luxurious hotel. In addition to the opulent touches, the security system is the ultimate in high tech.

"This place is something....supposed to be the safest hotel in the world, right?"

But is it enough to stop the two killers that are calmly strolling throughout the hotel, knocking off the employees one by one? The hotel is large, sprawling, and equipped with a hidden elevator - the employees have no idea that they are being hunted down - until it's too late.

But Tessa is a fighter, having survived a rough childhood with her foster brother Brian - who has stopped by the hotel to catch up. As the night progresses, they will have to draw on that toughness if they hope to see morning.

Wohlsdorf weaves a rich past and romance for Brian and Tessa amongst the carnage of the Manderly. These tender moments are juxtaposed by the calmness of the killer as they just go about their work. Romantic horror?

But - there's one more person at the Manderley - the one watching the security cameras. Who is he? The mastermind? Another hired assassin?

I loved the 'split screen' pages that echoed multiple camera views from someone watching in a security room. It was a unique idea and it really made the reader feel like they were in the room watching as well.

Wohlsdorf has a darkly wicked sense of humour. Which seems odd in what I've just described, but it really works.

Security really defies being slotted into a genre. I was kept completely off kilter. It's a nail biter and I can absolutely see it on the big screen. And, I might be a little paranoid the next time I check in at a hotel - "The most thorough safety is safety one's object of protection doesn't know about."  Read an excerpt of Security.

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