7 Steps to Midnight (Book Review)

Veering: to change direction or turn about or aside; shift, turn, or change from one course, position, inclination, etc., to another.

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A top secret assignment.

A hitchhiker.

A wager. 

"Reality is a shifting and confounding phenomenon. Never think otherwise. Your life will be the worse for it if you deny the truth of that." ~ 7 Steps to Midnight

From the late-author Richard Matheson (probably best known for his work on The Twilight Zone), comes this intriguing psychological thriller. 7 Steps to Midnight follows Chris Barton, a genius mathematician working on a secret project for the U.S. government. But when he leaves work one evening and finds his car missing, he quickly realizes that reality as he knew it will never be the same again. Then after picking up a mysterious hitchhiker, he soon discovers his entire life has been stolen. Barton becomes a fugitive that takes him from Arizona to the cities of London, Paris, Lucerne and Venice. 

In a cross between The Matrix and Dan Brown's Robert Langdon series, 7 Steps to Midnight is full of espionage and suspense as it takes the reader on a whirlwind adventure which will have you trying to decipher what is real and what isn't. Has Barton found himself on an alternate universe or is this just a nightmare?

"We know full well that the tissues of what we say is real are thin indeed. That they can be torn asunder with more ease than people realize." ~ 7 Steps to Midnight

7 Steps to Midnight definitely has a fascinating premise, but despite a great concept and being well-written overall (way too many editing errors), there are some holes in the plot. For example, how was he able to board a plane for overseas without a passport? Also, a connection between me and Barton never solidified. I thought the romance between the enigmatic Alexsandra and him seemed forced, a bit cheesy, and not consistent with Barton's analytical mind.  

Probably the biggest complaint I have with this novel is its predictability. While Matheson definitely tried to put in numerous plot twists, most were transparent to me and remained so throughout the entire story. 

However, 7 Steps to Midnight is worth a read especially for fans of psychological thrillers and spy novels. In what was a nearly-perfect executed plan, the reader discovers just how far the government will go to protect its secrets. 

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