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The Chemical Reaction

Published by Point Blank
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

As Jaq is pulled further into a murky underworld of deceit and corruption, things take an explosive turn…

After escaping almost certain death amidst the ruins of Chernobyl, Jaq finds herself in even hotter water. Deep in debt, she decides to take on a risky contract in China. But when her former student and the chemical factory she was meant to be investigating both mysteriously disappear, she realises nothing is as it seems.

From fraudulent art auctions in London to a troupe of male strippers in Shanghai, the mystery of the vanishing factory begins to look ever more complicated as the days pass. Can Jaq work out what happened – and whether it has anything to do with her nemesis Frank Good – before time runs out?

Praise for the series:

‘Action, intrigue and a stonkingly modern heroine. It's a blast.’ Sunday Times Crime Club

‘Intricate, seductive and thrilling. Erskine’s writing glows with wit and danger.’ Ross Armstrong, author of The Watcher

About The Author

Fiona Erskine is a professional engineer based in Teesside, although her work has taken her around the world. As a female engineer, she has often been the lone representative of her gender in board meetings, cargo ships and night-time factories, and her fiction offers a fascinating insight into this traditionally male world. She is the author of The Chemical Detective and The Chemical Reaction. The Chemical Detective was shortlisted for the Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award. Her second thriller in the Jaq Silver series, The Chemical Reaction, was shortlisted for the Staunch Prize.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Point Blank (March 12, 2020)
  • Length: 352 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781786077349

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Raves and Reviews

'The book keeps the reader guessing throughout...and the fast pace of the thriller makes it difficult to put down.'

– The Chemical Engineer

‘Never a dull moment, this is a whip-smart, action packed, intriguing read that has the reader rooting for Jaq, a thoroughly modern and engaging warrior… Highly recommended.’

– Mystery People

'The Chemical Reaction – a taut against-the-clock cliffhanging yarn located in China – is every bit as good as its Chernobyl predecessor, with trademark Erskine flourishes augmented by dodgy art auctions and disappearing chemical factories... If you’re looking for a really good thriller that is complex and exciting, get in on the Jaq Silver action now. You won’t be disappointed.'

– Swansea Bay magazine

'No one else writes with the knowledge or brio of Erskine.'

– Literary Review

'A globetrotting action-fest.'

– Peterborough Times

Praise for The Chemical Detective:

'Action, intrigue and a stonkingly modern heroine. It's a blast.' Sunday Times Crime Club

‘Intricate, seductive and thrilling. Erskine’s writing glows with wit and danger. And can’t help reminding you, with every page turned, of how close we all are to detonation.’ Ross Armstrong, author of The Watcher

‘A convincing thriller with an unusual edge.’

– Crime Review

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More books from this author: Fiona Erskine