Nuclear Blues

Korean-American photojournalist Heck Davis, the hero of Martin’s topical near-future political thriller, is taking a tour of the demilitarized zone within South Korean territory when he sees his friend Joe Hammond, a foreign correspondent, break away from his tour group on the North Korean side. Joe knocks down a guard and dashes in Heck’s direction, only to be gunned down. The tragedy is compounded when Joe’s insurance company contests paying out on his life insurance policy, maintaining that his actions were tantamount to suicide. Heck’s editor sends him into North Korea to investigate why Joe, who was probing the source of Kim Jong Un’s wealth, risked his life. Heck not only stumbles onto a complicated conspiracy but finds romance as well. Unfortunately, the implausible ending doesn’t match the intriguing setup. Martin, who was chief North Korea watcher for Bloomberg News, clearly knows his subject, as was also evident in his nonfictional [em]Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader: North Korea and the Kim Dynasty. (BookLife) [/em]