When Power Fails

Reviewed by Lily Andrews for Reader Views (08/2024)

5*- A Brainy, Original Thriller

When Power Fails, book eight of The Multima Saga, is a gripping fiction thriller by Gary D. McGugan. In the story, a complex network of deceit and deep conflict threatens to topple a big acquisition by the fourth-largest supermarket chain in the world, which has operations in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Suzanne Simpson, Multima Corporation's largest shareholder and therefore holder of the most voting rights, is seeking the acquisition of Jeffersons Stores, a major player in the US Southwest. She sees this as a tremendous opportunity that will catapult Multima Corporation to the forefront of the global business world. The Jeffersons institution is currently owned and operated by the Suji Corporation, a Yakuza-affiliated organized criminal gang. Suzanne does not realize, though, how deeply embedded the Yakuza is in Jefferson culture.

Information regarding another renegade organization controlling Suji emerges after the acquisition. Suzanne is apprehensive that the organization will be outraged by Multima's small payment to Jefferson's Stores' book value. Soon after, there are allegations that its leader has been slain and that a new leader has taken over, who intends to breach Multima's computer networks with the help of a dedicated technological team that works around the clock. According to an FBI source, he intends to launch the biggest known coordinated security assault in history and demand a ransom, which may cripple Multima Corporation. When information on an unexpected player becomes available, Suzanne is horrified to see the scope of the conspiracy and realizes she is going down a path she has long feared.

This tale revolves around profound betrayal, charm, guile, and resistance. The main character is an extraordinary woman with unwavering financial acumen, a readiness to take calculated chances, and a fierce desire to build her firm to new heights. Her path is fraught with difficulties, yet she remarkably seeks help. However, she has a tendency to trust the wrong people.

Notably, this is a compelling novel that plays on the reader's deepest fears. Bombs that almost go off, mysterious letters that emerge from strange places, and plans to kidnap women from developing nations all give the reader the impression that someone somewhere is surreptitiously pulling numerous threads to inflict even more havoc.

The book's plot is tightly wound and intricate. The writer possesses a skill for crafting precisely timed, intricately woven moments of suspenseful drama that build to an unexpected climax. Although the first installment is the recommended place to start, When Power Fails by Gary D. McGugan may be read as a standalone as well. This novel and the entire The Multima Saga series are perfect for fans of action & adventure, suspense, and crime stories.