Title:	Pacific Burn, A Thriller
	Author:	Barry Lancet
	Published:	2016, Simon & Schuster
	No. of Pages:	368
	Cover Price:	$26.00 Hardcover, $9.99 Kindle

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Pacific Bun is the third installment in the Jim Brodie Series by Barry Lancet. Brodie is an art dealer specializing in antiques, and sometimes PI, since he inherited his father’s PI firm in Japan. He is called to the scene of a suspicious dead body where a child who speaks only Japanese is a witness, and learns that the victim is the son of his artist friend who works and lives in Japan. This gives Brodie a personal reason to investigate, and he finds that his friend and his friend’s family are the targets of a global plot that could be related to several political schemes that Brodie may be connected to.

Brodie speaks fluent Japanese, is well-trained in Japanese martial arts, and has skilled people working in his PI firm. During the investigation, he travels to Japan to get to the root of the problem, and encounters a vicious killer known as the Steam Walker, who is a legend in Japan and someone that may or may not be real.

Lancet’s writing style is excellent, and his knowledge of Japan rings true. While this is a fictional thriller, the scenes are based on factual places and events. Lancet does a good job of making his characters believable, although the action is a little far-fetched, as to whether the protagonist could really survive all the violence he is involved in.

While this book is not a particularly fast read, it is a good read, and will hold readers attention, especially readers who like their heroes to participate in lots of physical conflicts. Brodie is a likeable, ethical character; some of the other characters are a bit vague, as far as their roles and personalities in the novel, but readers will most likely agree that the story works, and will hold their attention throughout the novel. The suspense in this novel is palpable throughout; there are enough twists and turns to keep everyone on the edge, and unexpected scenarios that will keep readers guessing.

The book does contain some graphic violence, but it seems to be of the “comic-book” variety, and there is a fair amount of killing. There is interesting information about Japanese art and Japan as a culture, adding the bonus of learning something while reading a fictional novel. Brodie gets into a fair amount of scuffles from the start, which seems to appeal to the male ego, so this novel is especially recommended for readers who like heroes who are constantly getting into conflicts.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying an advanced review copy of this novel.

This book may be purchased at Amazon:
Pacific Burn: A Thriller, hardcover
Pacific Burn: A Thriller, Kindle