The Mckenzie Artifact

January 1, 2005
Eli McKenzie was poisoned while trying to infiltrate and shut down Spectra's prostitution operation in the barren Chihuahua desert. Then Stella Banks, the private investigator he finds caged in that same compound when he returns to complete the job, becomes the proverbial thorn in his side as he tries to complete his mission. The time line for rescuing the 24 girls currently warehoused there, and for destroying the compound, is stepped up once it becomes known that Spectra's crime boss will be arriving in two days, and that the operation has been infiltrated. Kent's conclusion to the five-part Smithson Group series is more introspective than the previous tales, and the relationship building is on the sketchy side, relying heavily on guilty consciences and earthily graphic descriptions. However, readers who seek fast-paced adventure with high stakes will enjoy this quick read, and librarians take note: the epilogue reads like a teaser for a sequel series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)