Containment by Nick Thacker

I gave Containment by Nick Thacker 4 out of 5 pages. I received Containment from NetGalley in return for an honest review. 

Containment is about a pandemic, so if you're having trouble dealing with the current pandemic, I suggest steering clear of the book. If you want an escape from reality and want to read about a very controlled, contained pandemic, this is the book for you. 

A pandemic hits the U.S. after two immigrants die while in ICE custody. The head of ICE, Briggs, calls upon one of the best detectives he knows, Jake Parker, to work behind the scenes and figure out who or what has unleashed this pandemic. Parker is battling his own difficulties and is hesitant to throw himself into the work, especially after the loss of his wife. Parker, along with Shaw and the alluring scientist Mendoza, form a team to see if they can get ahead of this pandemic without causing too much frenzy. As the three start to uncover where this pandemic stems from and who is behind it, it becomes a battle not only to save the country but to save themselves. 

This book was a rollercoaster ride from the start. I appreciated how the author jumped right in with laying the scenario for the pandemic and didn't try to model it off of COVID. It was an extremely unique premise for a pandemic and a book. There was action, mystery, and twists. It was a little predictable at times but not so much where it ruined the story or the characters. 

I appreciated the female lead, Mendoza. She was not only smart but prettty badass. The author didn't make the book about romance or passion but left just enough crumbs for the reader with the fliratious, protective relationship between Mendoza and Parker. 

I didn't rate it a five because I felt that some characters who played an intregal part of the story could've been further developed. The antagonist, in my opinion, fell flat, especially after his actions were discovered. I just felt myself at times wanting more from the story, especially with the bureaucracy that was touted throughout. I wanted more innerworkings of the pandemic. Some of this was given neatly at the end which I appreciated and really enjoyed the ending and the workaround the author created. 

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for some thrills.