Title: Strangers Under Amazon’s Canopy
Author: Mary A. Lonergan
Publisher: LitFire Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 978-1641518376
Pages: 204
Genre: Fiction/Drama/Thriller
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina
Hollywood Book Review
The ruthlessness and viciousness tendencies of the drug trade have been well documented and known for years. Whether it is the cartels of Mexico, the gangs of South America or any number of other criminal organizations around the world, drugs are a big business that brings with it a lot of pain and misery to anyone caught in the middle. That is the journey author Mary A. Lonergan takes her protagonist Katie on in the novel Strangers Under Amazon’s Canopy.
The action packed thriller focuses on Katie, a young woman from Canada who grew up in a life of luxury, but dreamt of making a life of her own. Taking the opportunity to travel with her fellow scientists to the jungles of Chile, Katie finds herself in the fight of her life after surviving a plane crash and fighting off malaria. From there, she must learn to survive in the wilds of the jungle and acclimate to life amongst the villagers, all the while struggling with a stranger named Wyatt who both infuriates and fascinates her.
The author does a great job of exploring the relationships between Katie and the people she meets along her journey, especially Wyatt. Readers will enjoy their sometimes combative but often-emotional back-and-forth relationship, never knowing whether they will be friends or foes. The writing also does a great job of highlighting the struggle of being caught unexpectedly in a drug war and being used as a pawn between two warring factions; something which happens too often in this dangerous world.
This book is for anyone who enjoys a good thriller. The book is a quick read, and brings readers on a journey from the innocent life of a young woman turned scientist to the struggle for that same woman to overcome the odds and survive in a dangerous world she never imagined being a part of. The novel does a marvelous job of creating characters worth investing in, and highlighting the often overlooked and amazing people who work to fight against the lawlessness of drug cartels. That’s something I think everyone should be able to identify with, and in a world where politics keep innocent people away from the safety of a neighboring nation, remembering the struggle of these innocents is important to keep included even in fictional works, which this author does spectacularly.
Overall this was a fantastic read. Full of emotional struggles, action packed battles and a series of twists and turns in the protagonist’s story; this novel is a must read for any fans of the thriller genre. It’s a powerfully engaging story which is both quick and entertaining to read, so be sure to grab your copy of Strangers Under Amazon’s Canopy by Mary A. Lonergan today.