Part of NUMA Files, book 2
First published 2001
Kurt Austin leads the National Underwater & Marine Agency into dangerous waters when a pod of gray whales dies mysteriously off the Mexican coast. Someone attacks Austin and his mini-submarine during the investigation, nearly killing him. Across the continent in South America, another NUMA team stumbles upon a hidden tribe, encounters a legendary white goddess, and confronts bio-pirates stealing valuable medicinal knowledge. The separate missions converge into a single nightmare. Austin discovers that an eco-extortionist plans to seize control of the world's freshwater supply. The villain uses environmental blackmail as a weapon for global domination. Austin and his crew must navigate deadly jungles filled with betrayal and murder. Time runs short as they race to stop the scheme before billions lose access to clean water.
Genres: adventure, action, mystery-thriller, environmental-science
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, race-against-time
Setting: Mexico, South America
Period: 21st-century
416 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Pocket