The Hoard by Neil Grimmett

The Hoard.  Neil Grimmett. Grimpen Publications. August 2014. 378 pp. E-Book. ASIN#: B00MGLPNF8.

A Royal Ordinance Factory is the site of a massive explosion in 1951.  As the story unfolds in the beginning pages, the reader feels the mounting pressure as characters recognize what is about to happen but are powerless to prevent it as the countdown progresses.  No one is claiming responsibility for the massive failure and it all comes down to blaming two men for the lack of cooling down procedures to prevent the looming disaster.  Gunner Wade was sent for help at the very last minute but failed to get there before the fireball lit up the skies and surrounding area and literally shook the earth. Those remaining behind never had even the slightest chance of surviving the ensuing, devastating event. 

Twenty years later, the son of that dead man, Byron, is concentrated on becoming employed at that same facility, and the reader quickly realizes that secrets and muscling weaker employees are what enable the factory to continue to operate.  Byron initially doesn’t make much of an impression especially as his educated background is hard to hide that he really doesn’t fit in here.  Add to the fact that he looks like his father and might be recognized that some previous workers present from afar on the date of the earlier explosion might recognize him, putting him in even more formidable danger.  He quickly, however, learns how the game runs and succeeds in obtaining the confidence of those in power. 

The remainder of the story concerns his battle against those who one could call murderers and those who assist Byron, a woman whose husband was murdered and Gunner Wade. 

The writing style of Neil Grimmett is tension-ridden to the point of explosive, much like the works of the best thriller writers.  Characters are vivid and the plot is complex enough to keep the reader guessing how it will all unfold, although the foreshadowing elements are deft and increase at just the right moments.

The Hoard by Neil Grimmett is great thriller fiction with enough passion and adventure to satisfy every reader.  Great job, Neil Grimmett!