The Lazarus Key

Aukes (the Redline Corps series) successfully tweaks the Jurassic Park formula in this intricate sci-fi thriller about a plot to revive extinct species. Sam Brodie, a federal wildlife officer, is called to Yellowstone National Park to investigate reports of an unusually large cat roaming the area. Brodie and a colleague find and kill the animal; afterward, Brodie notices that its massive teeth resemble those of the extinct saber-toothed tiger. She reports her findings to her superiors, and the case gets shunted to the Wilderness and Animal Special Protection team, or WASP, a task force that “works the weird stuff” in America’s wilderness. As more evidence of living prehistoric carnivores surfaces across the region, Brodie gets reassigned to WASP to help unravel the mystery. Flashbacks reveal that the creatures are part of a business initiative by billionaire Marc Angel, who hopes to charge people for the opportunity to hunt the beasts or watch them battle each other. Soon Angel and his corporation are clashing with Brodie and her colleagues, with deadly results. Aukes takes the time to fully develop his characters while still providing enough action to keep the pages flying. A sequel would be welcome. (Self-published)