Pandemic Plot by Scott Mariani

Mariani’s intriguing opening and atmospheric imagery grip the reader from the start and interest is sustained by a complex but manageable plot and a little humour. Part of this complex plot is the story within a story, a tool Mariani uses repeatedly in his Ben Hope series to bring history into his work. This is clever, as is the way Mariani merges his conventional style of a an action-adventure thriller with a murder-mystery style. The story becomes a little unbelievable when 21st Century British characters go about their business with firearms seemingly unnoticed, but Mariani makes the overall story believable by giving his ex-SAS protagonist imperfections like unhealthy habits and relationship difficulties which readers can relate to. The depiction of real life issues like penal life and the dangers of pharmaceutical development (an issue which is raised elsewhere in the Ben Hope series) interests the reader beyond the fiction. Published in 2021, part of the novel clearly is commentary of the Covid pandemic, which is well woven into the fictional narrative. In summary, this is very cleverly written.