The Essence

I loved Hutchinson's Fractured Europe series so I can't believe I missed the release of this book last year.

We follow the story of Michael, a 60-year-old economist for some secret-service government department, who has had a breakdown, and is in hospital. He doesn't remember what happened, or what he did to end up there. And as he is released we follow along with him, trying to get the answers.

When Michael's employer sends him off to do a small job in Amsterdam. Michael (and us) is worried he isn't up to it yet, but the job goes well. Unfortunately, it's trying to go home afterwards that doesn't work out so well, as Michael is the victim of an attempted kidnapping, a rescue (which may be a kidnapping), a kidnapping from the rescuer-kidnappers, and another rescue.

The book is reasonably slow to this point, but so well written that you will want to continue. And the joy of this book is that Michael has no idea why any of this is happening to him, and we, along for the ride with him, are also trying to figure out what is happening.

Michael is a very likeable character, and we want things to go well for him. We want to find out why these things are happening. We want to find out what is hidden in his memory that he has forgotten. And as the book goes on and answers start to come, things get very interesting.

And then it all comes together and we get the answers, there is only the final chapter to go to wrap up a few little things and leave a satisfying ending. Only this is Hutchinson, and what we get is 20 pages of "huh", and "wait, what?", and more "huh", finally followed by, "well, damn, I didn't see that coming". Well done, Dave Hutchinson, you really got me.

All this is to say, I loved this book. And if all the above doesn't get you to read it, may I mention Archie the Superpowered-Dog? Now you know you have to read it.