Atomic City uncovers government secret town
Love and hope in ‘Look’
By Lincee Ray
he Atomic City Girls” Morrow), by
Eager to escape life in the country, June Walker begins work at a top secret government community in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, during World War II. She sits at a machine 12 hours a day, having no clue what she’s helping to create. When author Janet Beard introduces her high-ranking love interest, June is shocked to learn that she’s one of “The Atomic City Girls.”
Hundreds of people work day and night to make sure the Oak Ridge facilities run like clockwork. Twenty-four-hour cafeterias, movie theaters and recreation halls help pass the time in the secret community, but thanks to strict security rules, employees are forbidden to speak about their daily tasks. Although they’re not on the front lines, the government assures them they are an integral part of World War II.
Sam Cantor is a Jewish physicist from New York, one of the few who knows exactly what’s going on in Oak Ridge. June finds his nervous demeanor endearing and it isn’t long before the two begin a long-term romance. After a night of dancing and drinking, Sam lets it slip that the entire community has been recruited to help win the war by building the atomic bomb.
June is fascinated and wants to learn more details, but Sam’s job could be at stake if anyone found out. June confesses that she’s impressed with the potential to “win” the war, but when Sam explains what an atomic bomb is capable of doing, June’s attitude changes.
Joe Brewer is a black construction worker who made his way to Oak Ridge for one of the well-paying jobs. Equally oblivious to his surroundings, Joe wants to do nothing more than to stay out of trouble and do a good job. Unfortunately, a breach in security forces him to be directly placed in the middle of the spotlight with June.
“The Atomic City Girls” explores love, war and patriotism, forcing the reader to consider the devastating effects of Hiroshima. Once readers learn that Beard’s own aunt was one of the workers, the intimate knowledge and specific details of Oak Ridge come to life even more.
(William
“Look for Me: a Novel” by
A horrible crime prompts a hunt for the sole survivor who is either extremely lucky — or perhaps the perpetrator — in Lisa Gardner’s latest psychological thriller, “Look for Me.”
Fans of Gardner’s novels will embrace the return of not only Sgt Detective D.D. Warren, but also Flora Dane, an almost vigilante advocate for women who have been victimized. They may not like each other, but the level of trust and respect between them creates an almost sibling-like relationship.
D.D. Warren arrives in the midst
(Dutton), of a horrible crime scene where it appears the entire family has been killed. She and her team soon learn that the oldest daughter, Roxanna, and two dogs aren’t in the house. Soon the dogs are found safe and sound, but where is Roxanna? Was she merely lucky enough to be walking them when the rampage occurred, or was she responsible for the deaths? It doesn’t initially help Warren to see Flora Dane on the premises, but they will quickly need each other if they are going to uncover the truth. Dane knows about Roxanna and her past, including issues with her parents and foster care. Roxanna was angry with the system and how it seems designed to break apart families rather than keep them together. Did it cause her to finally snap?
Gardner has a talent when it comes to exploring uncomfortable topics and the various psychological aspects that accompany them while evoking truly emotional responses to the characters in the book. The core mystery of whether Roxanna is the victim or the suspect will keep everyone guessing up to the surprising end. Though the material Gardner writes about might sometimes be dark, she knows how to shine a light and generate optimism when all looks lost. “Look for Me” ultimately reveals how love and hope can overcome all.
“Killer Choice”
(Berkley), by
Gary’s pregnant wife, Beth, has a brain tumor. It’s going to take $200,000 they don’t have to save her. Fittingly, that’s how much a drug dealer across town is willing to pay Gary for committing murder. Author Tom Hunt immediately thrusts readers into the conflict in “Killer Choice.”
We meet Beth in the hospital, and when she receives what equates to a death sentence from the doctor, the scant details readers know about the unlucky woman include little more than her hair color and marital status. Her 17year marriage to Gary is given a few paragraphs of history, and after that Beth loiters largely in the background of the story, hanging out with her friends from yoga class and updating Gary on the lackluster progress of her fundraising website. Meanwhile Gary, intent on saving his wife’s life, enters an underworld and attempts to keep his excursions under wraps.
The price tag for Beth’s only chance of survival originates from a clinical trial in Germany and stands at the forefront of every chapter. However, readers may be left wondering if the couple would be better served by searching for cheaper accommodations in Europe, as the $200,000 includes airfare and lodging (and was casually estimated by a doctor, not a travel agent). The treatment’s lackluster odds - thus far it’s worked on 40 percent of a 25-person sample - also dampen the mood. (AP)