What would you do to avoid the end of the world? This is the massive question at the heart of LAUNCH CODE. The novel follows Bill Guth in two timelines. The first sees a young Bill working on a nuclear submarine and being forced to make decisions that could truly change the world. In the present day. His son-in-law Toby watches as Bill is forced to confront his past and deal with the choices he made.
The historical basis of the novel is terrifying and Ridpath’s research allows him to paint a detailed picture of Cold War navy life. The idea that we came so close to a nuclear war on multiple occasions was shocking to me and provided a tense backdrop to the novel.
The modern-day sections are more like a traditional thriller, with a murder rocking the Guth family. Everyone is under suspicion and the multiple twists keep the reader on their toes. Toby is a good character to introduce us to the family, as an outsider himself. I did struggle a little to connect to the other characters, especially Alice. This was partly a good thing, as the reader is meant to be a bit suspicious of her, but I did struggle to picture her and Toby ever getting together.
The historical basis of the novel is terrifying and Ridpath’s research allows him to paint a detailed picture of Cold War navy life. The idea that we came so close to a nuclear war on multiple occasions was shocking to me and provided a tense backdrop to the novel.
The modern-day sections are more like a traditional thriller, with a murder rocking the Guth family. Everyone is under suspicion and the multiple twists keep the reader on their toes. Toby is a good character to introduce us to the family, as an outsider himself. I did struggle a little to connect to the other characters, especially Alice. This was partly a good thing, as the reader is meant to be a bit suspicious of her, but I did struggle to picture her and Toby ever getting together.