cover image Trouble in Mind

Trouble in Mind

Donna S. Frelick. Ink’d, $14.99 e-book (488p) ISBN 978-0-692-46095-5

The substantial, complex continuation of Frelick’s Interstellar Rescue series (after Unchained Memory) skillfully blends alien abduction conspiracies, political intrigue, space battles, and epic romance into a psychic police procedural that also packs an emotional punch. In the previous book, Asia Burdette and her son, Jack, escaped the alien Consortium—which enslaves humans and conducts experiments on them—and made their way to Earth. Asia fell in love with psychiatrist Ethan Roberts, who helped them find safety and joined Asia in assisting other escapees. Now Asia and Jack have been abducted—possibly by their alien former owners, possibly by government agents who are interested in their psychic abilities. FBI Special Agent Alana Matheson, assigned to investigate the kidnapping, is surprised when Ethan’s friends bring in Gabriel Cruz, who was born off-world and has access to alien powers and advanced tech. He joins Lana in trying to rescue Jack and Asia while not tipping off the locals “dirtside” to his origins or the broader context of the kidnapping. Frelick navigates the strands of the story with ease, moving from Nashville to the Arizona desert, and from Earth-orbiting ships to what Gabriel calls the mindfield and Ethan’s Navajo allies call the Spirit World. The villains are somewhat caricatured, but Frelick brings enough character and spirit to her unambiguous heroes to make them easily relatable. Agent: Michelle Johnson, Inklings Literary Agency. (Feb.)