Loss of Carrier by Russ White - REVIEWED

Loss of Carrier is a self-published book by Russ White. It is obvious that Russ White loves his job in computer networking as well as a good mystery, because it is reflected in his writing. Jess Worth is a character not unlike what I imagine the author to be like, a person who works in the computer industry and who sees more excitement off the job than sitting in his cubicle. When he discovers that one of his co-workers has been murdered, his life takes a dramatic and very dangerous turn.

The discovery of a body in the basement of the computer networking company is just the beginning of chaos for the rather understated Jess. The body count grows as does the suspicion that perhaps Jess isn’t as innocent as he seems. However, there are a lot of duel identities involved in this story, so don’t begin to solve the mystery too early! The bad guy may be right in front of you, but he remains pretty well hidden. By the time the story ends, Jess has established an ally/possible girlfriend combination, and he has solved his first mystery. With his appetite for adventure well-whetted, it seems Jess and his new sidekick will be looking for other crimes to solve.

Loss of Carrier is a good read, especially for a self-published first novel. However, I must be honest and tell you that there is a LOT of detail in this story about everything! At first I thought it was just going to be lots of computer details, but I quickly realized that every thought, idea, sound, sight and motion was going to be described to me in some way. I don’t mind details, but White sort of overdoes it. I found myself skimming parts of the story and still able to fully understand where I would pick up for a more serious read. It’s a good story idea, and I think it has great possibilities, but it needs a good line-edit.

Decide for yourself. If you’re looking for a good murder mystery centered around computer networking, you might be fully engaged!

Back Cover Copy:

Bright yellow cables against a blue shirt? Carl never would have approved of that color combination. Why was his face so white? His eyes should be closed, not open. Why hadn’t one of the security guards seen this and reported it to the police? The lights were off, the cameras were useless in the dark.

Of course, the cables wrapped around Carl’s neck explained why the server wasn’t working. Loss of carrier.

When Jess Wirth discovers his co-worker Carl’s dead body hanging from a tangle of cables in their office, his previously mundane life takes a dramatic turn. The police rule the death a suicide, but Jess isn’t convinced. He begins searching for clues to suggest Carl might have been depressed…or in the know about something worth killing for. When another co-worker turns up dead and Jess narrowly escapes an attempt on his own life, he realizes he’s onto something very real and very dangerous. Complicating things further is the appearance of an enigmatic woman named Leah, who presses him to entrust her with the information he’s collected about the murders. Wary of her motives yet drawn to her nonetheless, Jess struggles to figure out just who he should trust. When Leah’s life is threatened, the pair realizes they are on the trail of a clever, cold-blooded thief who won’t hesitate to kill to protect his prize!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Russ White is an internationally recognized internet-work engineer. He has co-authored eight books in the field of network design and routing protocols and is a regular speaker at international networking conferences. In addition to working on several expert and senior-level network engineering certifications, he is a certified firearms instructor. Russ, his wife, and their two children live in the Raleigh area of North Carolina, where they enjoy spending time on Jordan Lake and attending Colonial Baptist Church. Loss of Carrier is his first novel.