A Book A Week

"People killed for money. People died for it. Love could hurt, but money would strike you down forever."

I've been a fan of author Mindy Mejia since reading her novel Everything You Want Me To Be. Her way with characters, masterful plotting, and ability to tackle a variety of genres (see last year's Leave No Trace for something completely different) reveals her to be one of the most versatile authors of popular fiction working today. Naturally, I was thrilled to accept an offer from her publisher to read and review her latest novel Strike Me Down. If there is one benefit to having to spend all of my time at the house, it is that I can stay up into all hours of the night reading a book. Mejia's latest had me doing just that.

Nora Trier is at the top of her professional game. Years ago, she was the whistleblower who called out financial fraud at her company. She brought down the entire operation but paid the price for her actions. The head of the company was a personal family friend who guilt-tripped Nora until he ultimately ended his own life. Her family blamed her for his death and ceased all contact with her. Even worse, no other company would hire her. No company, that is, until Parrish, a forensic accounting firm, enlisted her expertise. Now Nora is one of the most accomplished people in her field. She has gained notoriety for her thoroughness (she's solved thousands of cases) and impartiality. It is no wonder then that she is brought in to solve a missing funds case for one of the most visible companies in the world. As a customer of the brand and someone with personal ties to people at the company, Nora will struggle to maintain her independence and protect her shimmering reputation.

Headed by kickboxing phenom and face of the company Logan Russo and her husband Gregg Abbott,  Strike has become one of the largest and most recognizable fitness companies in the world. The power couple has capitalized on Logan's popularity to build Strike into a company that promotes a fitness lifestyle through protein shakes, gyms, and classes. Their latest effort is a large kickboxing tournament, the likes of which has never been attempted before. The event will be held over several days and culminate in the winner taking a $20 million prize and becoming the new face of Strike. There's only one problem. The prize money is missing!

Strike Me Down by Mindy Mejia is another hit from the author. On the surface, there is an intricately plotted financial thriller that rivals any of the best I've read. Think an early John Grisham novel, but with a more contemporary flair. What separates this thriller from the pack is the way that Mejia explores the two main characters of Nora and Logan. Both are women who have bucked the odds to become top performers in their respective fields, both have sacrificed a stereotypical personal life to climb the professional ladder, and both are grappling with the ramifications of that decision. These women are not likable in the traditional sense, but I think that is part of what makes the novel so intriguing. Mejia dares to challenge convention and forces the reader to rethink their own expectations. Strike Me Down is another must-read novel from Mindy Mejia that brilliantly layers in contemplations on the female experience in the professional world while never sacrificing the pace and suspense of its break-neck thriller.

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2020, 10)