Emerald City

Geoff Cragg is a tenured instructor in the Faculty of General Studies at
the University of Calgary.

Set in Toronto, this high-tech thriller is the second in a series
featuring mystery novelist Monika Queller. It begins with her discovery
of a company’s theft of highly confidential data and culminates in a
chase scene. The book’s premise is plausible, action abounds, and a
number of landmark sites are woven into the events.

Unfortunately, Emerald City also features flat writing and thin
characterization. After Monika and her fiancé James have a spat, we are
told: “She was very disappointed. She ... left the house.” And
James’s reaction? “He was angered by Monika’s desertion, and
stomped his foot then shook his head.”

Despite the shortcomings of Emerald City, Munsey appears comfortable
with the thriller genre. Perhaps a new cast will help him realize his
talents.