Black Rifle

Black Rifle written by Author Alex Davidson is a fastidiously riveting murder mystery with careful attention to accurately portraying the social issues that plague modern-day America. Drugs, drug-lords, the business of religion, gun control, gangs, militias, U.S border, and prison-cell blocks are all topics covered in great detail.

The novel began with Senator Marco Barros, a proud advocate for the Second Amendment, lost his precious daughter to a tragic mass-shooting. The shooting ended the lives of fifteen innocent people and jolted the nation. This resulted in novice AFT agent Miranda Lopez assigned to track the shooter and the gun involved. The malicious killer’s identity was unknown; subsequently, so was his motive. Agent Lopez began her quest to find the weapon used to perpetrate this horrific crime; the only concrete information was the gun’s make and model—AR-15 is also referred to as “black rifle.” Three hundred million guns are owned in the U.S.A., and she must precisely locate one.

Lopez was paired with another more experienced agent Cal. The duo worked in tandem, examined leads, followed instincts, they searched nation-wide from the sunny skies of Southern California to the gritty urban streets of South Chicago, to the arid landscape of a militia compound, and to the decorous halls of Washington D.C officials. The mismatched pair shared several harrowing events. While Lopez realized that agent Cal was not the man she initially believed. Lopez unraveled an appalling conspiracy embedded within the shooting that many high-ranking persons pledged to keep secret from the public at all costs. How far will agent Lopez go for true justice? Will she risk everything?

Davidson’s impressive ability to transition between multiple characters and protagonists via various chapters dedicated to one name or group as he examined their addictions, histories, and personal lives. This aspect highlighted the interconnection of these groups via guns and drugs. The parallel of the human struggles of addiction, pain, and strife within these characters was thought-provoking and showcased humanity’s inherent flaws.

Regardless of the readers’ personal beliefs about the social dilemmas addressed in this novel; one will be challenged to examine these issues with a nuanced understanding of how these social problems eventuated in modern America. Black Rifle opened the door to several realities afflicted by gun-control. Although these topics are controversial, it is crucial to ascertain a fair amount of nuance when contemplating these difficult topics. Davidson has provided an excellent framework for further discussions and thoughts about these ever-present gun-control issues.