Review of Thumbprint in the Dome

[Olga Markova]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Thumbprint in the Dome" by Brian Bennett.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Thumbprint in the Dome by Brian Bennett is a brilliant blend of futuristic mystery and action thriller. The story unfolds in England, where we meet newlywed John Stratton and his wife Sarah. John is a Metropolitan police officer with the fraud squad. Driving to London for work, John sees a road sign telling him that the road ahead is closed. A few miles ahead, John spots an exit he didn’t notice before, with a “police only” sign. He takes the exit and plots his car’s sat-nav for Baker Street in London. Suddenly, John’s car stops. John tries to use his mobile phone, but it has no signal. He starts walking and bumps into an invisible wall with an unseen doorway. As he moves closer to that opening, it sucks him into an unknown small town. A man, who introduces himself as Joe greets John and welcomes him to the Dome. Joe explains that John was selected by the controllers of the Dome to investigate serious fraud committed there. John is then given a few days to explore the Dome’s layout and its hidden secrets. What will John discover?

Thumbprint in the Dome thrilled and entertained me from the first page to the last. I was awed by the superb quality of Brian’s storytelling and creativity, especially when I learned that Brian, in defiance of his health condition, uses his dialysis sessions four times a week to write his books. In my view, Brian’s passion for writing shines brightly in the life-affirming plot of this fascinating novel. Brian has excelled in portraying each episode with atmospheric detail, balancing fast-moving action, sophisticated multi-thread plot, and depth of the characters as they develop through the plentiful challenges. In addition to the pure thrill and exhilarating suspense, I liked that Brian raised thought-provoking questions. For example, why thieves kept stealing when they lived in abundance, and how containment in the Dome affected humans. Brian also braved the portrayal of a complex political dilemma presented by the Dome. All in all, I must thank Brian for the highly rewarding and enjoyable reading experience I had, and I look forward to Brian’s new thrillers. How about a sequel?

The only drawback of the Kindle e-book edition I read was typographical errors. It looks like this edition of the novel is yet to be professionally edited. Once edited, I will be delighted to award it five stars. Meantime, to comply with the OnlineBookClub’s Guidelines, I have to rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

I highly recommend this captivating novel to fans of futuristic mystery, crime fiction, adventure, and political thrillers.

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Thumbprint in the Dome
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[NetMassimo]

The idea of the Dome is not new but that's not a problem. The author seems to have used in well to create a story with thought-provoking questions with its ramifications. Thank you for your great review!