Recommended for fans of cyber-crime thrillers

*I received a free code for this audiobook, with thanks to the authors. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*

This is Book 8 in the Enigma series and whilst there is some benefit in knowing the background of the main characters, this one really does stand alone okay, with the authors filling in just enough detail to flesh out the characters without slowing the action.

These books are technothrillers focused on the realm of cyber crime, and the plot here revolves around the all-too-plausible scenario of someone tinkering with commodities figures leading to a potentially devastating effect on world economies. Unless, of course, the cyber heroes of the R-Group are able to work their technological magic, with the help of their advanced A.I. supercomputer, ICABOD – one of my favourite recurring characters!

It is clear from the prologue flashback that the motive in this case is one of revenge, but the who , what and why of said motive is the mystery that the R-Group experts must solve, and the stakes are higher than usual as it appears their own team members may be in danger. And that’s before I even mention Juan’s dangerous detour which sees him in trouble from the outset, thanks to an attempt to track down his elusive uncle!

Breakfield and Burkey are clearly experts in this field, and it shows, as they weave an intricate web of economic and technical systems details around their crime thriller, and there were times that I – as an interested layperson – struggled to follow the exact details, but I was able to follow the main thrust of the plot and character developments with ease.

Derek Shoales does a great job of bringing the characters into individual life, each with their own distinct voice, helping to keep the story clear for listeners, and his narration is perfectly paced for the moments of tension and the more humorous or romantic interludes. I did find the dialogue a little bit stilted and unnatural in places in the written text, but felt that Shoales’ narration smoothed that aspect out in the audiobook.

Overall I feel that this series is a little beyond my technical grasp, and that I miss out on some of the finer details as a result, but would definitely recommend it for fans of techno-crime espionage and thriller stories – the authors clearly know their stuff and provide an exciting ride on the dark side of the data highway.



The fundamental mission of the R-Group began with fighting the Nazis in WWII. In the decades since that war, the team had learned that there was always someone or something that would step up into the role of the next adversary. Quip liked to sat they had taken the Robin Hood operating parameters and added digital content to keep the wealth intact for those who actually earned it. R-Group assignments supported individuals’ and even governments’ fights against human injustice as well as helped maintain a level of balance between powers.
The services provided over the years to its discreet customers had allowed the wealth of the R-Group to grow. As such, no one in the group needed to work, but their ethics and conscience compelled them to stay at it and remain vigilant against the world’s cyber enemies. Sometimes they walked a very fine line in fighting the evils they encountered, yet remained ethical to a fault. Over the years the team had increased their financial prowess, exhibited insightfulness of people overall, and thus were adept at staying further ahead of the technology curve than any entity, including well-funded governments.

– Breakfield & Burkey, The Enigma Broker


Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog

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