The Blue Nowhere (Hardcover)

'Phate' is a wizard, a hacker, a kracker. He has invented, along with the help of his anonymous friend 'Shawn', a piece of virtually untraceable software which allows him access to people's lives - and ultimately gives him the means of taking that life.

Gillette is a wizard also, a hacker. He is sitting in prison for hacking into the Department of Defence computers and allegedly running a piece of software that could encrypt their 'unbreakable' Standard 12 software.

The police know that the only way they can locate 'Phate' is to play him at his own game and go in through the computer, the only man who could match the talent of Phate is Gillette, and they have to get him out of prison to help them before more people are killed in the deadly game that Phate is playing.

The book is very detailed with computer information although for those that are new to computers and the world of hackers there is a glossary at the start to help you. It has all the usual police procedural information you would expect from Deaver, along with the usual plot twists.

All through the book you are shown how each character works with each other but also how each are working against the others and with their own motives. Part of the story is trying to find out the identity of Shawn who is constantly updating Phate as to the progress of the police investigation, allowing Phate to stay at least one step ahead in a lot of places - I didn't work it out at all who it was until it was spelt out for me, although with each page I turned I thought I had it sussed.

Reading the way in which Phate invades each character's life; it makes you wonder just how safe the world is with everything on computers - no code is unbreakable....... if it was designed by a man then it can be cracked by a man (or woman!!). As it says in the book - you used to be able to disappear because there were no computers to trace you - now you can disappear because there are computers to cover up and delete traces of you.

I would recommend this book to absolutely everyone, and those who have read others of Deaver's books will not be the slightest bit disappointed with this one, although there are none of the regular characters here (well, I have not read every last one of his books yet - but none of these characters have been in any of the books I have read!!).

Deaver's latest thriller is a chilling journey into the world of cyberspace, and out into something we dare not take a glimpse of. The capacity horror that hides behind the everyday is tapped into by Deaver amazingly well. He could well have ended up writing another boring book on computers, but he manages to avoid that. And instead he comes up with a clever plot, some great characters, and some more great twists, all of which lead to an exciting read.

The possibility that such things as this actually happening is all too real, and Deaver exploits that modern fear very well.

His characterisation is so subtle that you don't even realise he's doing it until suddenly you realise you're reading a book that has really well rounded characters, and you can't quite place how he made them seem so. It's the sign of a master.

The twists he packs in this time are always surprising, and even when he's pulled the rug out from under you, he still has tricks up his sleeve. It's inspirational. I do conform to the view of some of his fans, that his constant turning of the plot on its head can sometimes be done too much. With this one though, it didn't spoil it at all, it just kept me turning those pages.

I would doubt that everyone could understand this book, what with it being so "computerish". If you have never touched a computer in your life, you probably shouldn't read it, because there are many terms in it which you won't understand. If you know a little about them, it's safe for you to read it. But, for example, let's take my grandmother. She knows absolutely nothing about computers. Deaver did explain very well some of the hacker terms, and more complicated stuff, but he failed to exaplin some of the things which are taken for granted. theses seemingly simple things are the ones which some people might not understand. (However, Deaver couldn't very well have exaplained every single word, if he had the book would have read more like a computer manual.)

This is probably my favourite of Deaver's books after A Maiden's Grave. It is most certainly worth a read.

Written around 2000/2001, I have a feeling that some of the pseudonyms used (like Phate, Trapdoor etc) will probably sound a bit dated five years on and indicative of a by-gone age (the technology bubble of the 1990's) but it was appropriate for that time I guess - things move so fast in the blue nowhere - anyway this book was the right story at the right time and still holds up five years on. The great news is that, good as it is, there are riches galore to be found in the still-growing Deaver library. Anyone who owns one of his books will be planning on buying another I'm sure; as for those who haven't taken the plunge, well you're very lucky as there are great things in store for you. Jeffrey Deaver is one of the very best psychological thriller writers of the present day.....end of story.