Cutting Edge by Ward Larsen, read by P.J. Ochlan

Cutting Edge opens with exciting action as Coast Guard rescue swimmer Trey DeBolt finds himself on the operating table following a tragic accident during a rescue attempt off the coast of Alaska. When Trey regains consciousness he finds himself in a remote Maine cottage with a surgical scar on the back of his head. He is in the care of nurse Joan Chandler who is reticent to explain exactly what happened to him and why he is there.

As Trey is nearing full recovery, the quiet Maine life is interrupted by five men who brutally gun down Joan. Trey manages to escape using both his swimming skills as well as some new-found abilities that he discovers are related to his experimental surgery. This kicks off a long chase as Trey attempts to evade his pursuers while also discovering what has been done to him and why.

At the same time, Coast Guard investigator Shannon Lund finds a case she is investigating intersects with Trey DeBolt who she has been told died in the accident. The trail inevitably leads to the two of them connecting and trying to unravel what has happened to Trey and who is behind it.

The book contains plenty of action as Trey escapes from one sticky situation after another moving away from his pursuers and closer to answers. The book is marred by a couple of decisions by Trey which are borderline idiotic and hard to overlook. The technological experimentation at the heart of the story is interesting, but so near to reality as to be almost unremarkable. The story moves to an exciting and satisfying conclusion.

The story is read by P.J. Ochlan who does a fine job voicing the characters and conveying the action and pacing of the story. Some of the text does not lend itself well to an audio version. Car vin numbers and license plate or other documents with long strings of numbers lend some authenticity as written words on the page where they can be skimmed, but slow down the narrative when they must be read aloud.

Interesting action story with a technological twist.

I was provided a copy of the audiobook by the publisher.

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