Manhattan Lockdown: A Novel

Manhattan Lockdown may well be this summer’s thriller. Its fast-moving plot not only provides entertainment, but will make you think, “Could this really happen?” Author Paul Batista has obviously given this question some thought. He is uniquely qualified as a lawyer, resident of New York, and experienced author of fiction and nonfiction, to contemplate the consequences of a possible terrorist attack on major New York locations and citizens.

The story unfolds as New York’s mayor is celebrating his forty-seventh birthday at a private party in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Explosions rock the building and non-stop action begins. In the days that follow, nightmarish scenes unfold. New York City Police Commissioner, Gina Carbone, has devised an unorthodox plan to deal with precisely this type of disaster. Her military background has prepared her to meet challenges head-on, but will that be enough to eradicate the threats? She will have to convince everyone from the residents of Manhattan to the Director of Homeland Security of her competence.

The writing is superb and descriptions of New York are crisp and authentic. Character names are a bit old-school in that they attempt to be descriptors more than mere names. While that may be distracting, the overall quality of the book more than compensates for it.