Chimera: A Jim Chapel Mission (Jim Chapel Missions) - Hardcover

The author of horror novels such as 32 Fangs (2012) and the Monster Island trilogy sticks a toe—or perhaps an entire foot—into Jonathan Maberry territory. Jim Chapel, who used to be in the Special Forces until he lost an arm in Afghanistan, is given a new job tracking down four escaped military detainees. Here’s the problem: the escapees are infected with a man-made virus, one that gives them superhuman abilities (and a taste for human flesh), and they are systematically hunting down and killing specific men and women across the country. Assisted by Angel, a brilliant computer hacker, and by the daughter of one of the victims, Chapel sets out not only to stop the escaped killers but also to find out why they were created in the first place. It’s a good book, crisply written and exciting, but readers familiar with Maberry’s Joe Ledger novels might experience a bit of been-there, done-that: the genetically modified killers; the tough, no-nonsense hero; the powerful government organization. On the other hand, if you’ve read all the Ledgers and are jonesing for more, this might take the edge off. --David Pitt