Book #18 - Spyware

I grabbed Spyware because it sounded good. Computers, viruses, thrilling action, what more could a geek want.

It’s a thrilled for sure, with a computer science professor, who teaches about operating systems and viruses, being called out of class because of a virus that’s sweeping through UC - Davis. As he responds, and worries this code might get loose on the Internet, he shuts down the system, to the dismay of his supervisor who was told to do nothing by the FBI. They arrive and he’s the number one suspect because of his background. He released a virus when he was in school, and he’s worried.

However life changes quickly. His son ends up at home alone, surprising an intruder that we suspect is planting evidence. The boy is kidnapped and life changes. The professor gets home to comfort his wife, but when the FBI arrive later, he suspects they’ll arrest him and not look for his kid. So he goes on the run.

The book has a few twists, but it’s not terribly complicated, and many people will predict what happens. The author does a good job pacing the writing, building some excitement and driving the story towards a climax, but the characters are a little shallow and it’s not an amazing book. I wouldn’t read it again, but I did enjoy it as a vacation read.