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Ericka Blackwood Files #2
The Exploit
' The Exploit packs a serious punch. Brimming with authentic technologies that power our modern world – as well as the vulnerabilities that threaten it. A dark and gripping tale that we all hope remains fiction!' Daniel Suarez
When a deadly enemy reappears with a lethal new plan, it’s up to FBI Special Agent Ericka Blackwood to stop him – but not before she overcomes the failures of her past.
Following her harrowing encounter with predatory cybercriminal Dantalion, and her decision to pursue vengeance over duty, Ericka Blackwood hit rock bottom. Her only path to redemption is through the relentless pursuit of her elusive old enemy.
But Ericka is not the only one seeking Dantalion, whose tastes for chaos and carnage have drawn him into the world of international terrorism. When an attempt to destroy a Pakistani jail alerts intelligence services that Dantalion has emerged from hiding, Ericka and her old FBI team are hot on the criminal mastermind’s trail.
Which is exactly what he wants...
Perfect for fans of Daniel Suarez, Stieg Larsson and Thomas Harris, The Exploit is the thrilling new novel in the Ericka Blackwood series by acclaimed Canadian author Daniel Scanlan.
' The Exploit is an awe-striking heat-seeking missile of a thriller with a compelling narrative... Daniel Scanlan is playing in the big leagues!' Kashif Hussain, Best Thriller Books
'The Exploit is a brilliant cross-genre concoction of thriller, techno-thriller, hacker lore, and realistic possibilities.' Stuart Ashenbrunner, Best Thriller Books
Reviews for the Ericka Blackwood
'A thrilling rollercoaster of twists and turns that will have you racing through its pages' Boyd Morrison
'Dark, brutal, scary – yet absolutely riveting' Samantha Brick
'Frighteningly plausible... A modern, thrilling novel' Promoting Crime Fiction
'Perfect for fans of Stieg Larsson' P.R. Black
When a deadly enemy reappears with a lethal new plan, it’s up to FBI Special Agent Ericka Blackwood to stop him – but not before she overcomes the failures of her past.
Following her harrowing encounter with predatory cybercriminal Dantalion, and her decision to pursue vengeance over duty, Ericka Blackwood hit rock bottom. Her only path to redemption is through the relentless pursuit of her elusive old enemy.
But Ericka is not the only one seeking Dantalion, whose tastes for chaos and carnage have drawn him into the world of international terrorism. When an attempt to destroy a Pakistani jail alerts intelligence services that Dantalion has emerged from hiding, Ericka and her old FBI team are hot on the criminal mastermind’s trail.
Which is exactly what he wants...
Perfect for fans of Daniel Suarez, Stieg Larsson and Thomas Harris, The Exploit is the thrilling new novel in the Ericka Blackwood series by acclaimed Canadian author Daniel Scanlan.
' The Exploit is an awe-striking heat-seeking missile of a thriller with a compelling narrative... Daniel Scanlan is playing in the big leagues!' Kashif Hussain, Best Thriller Books
'The Exploit is a brilliant cross-genre concoction of thriller, techno-thriller, hacker lore, and realistic possibilities.' Stuart Ashenbrunner, Best Thriller Books
Reviews for the Ericka Blackwood
'A thrilling rollercoaster of twists and turns that will have you racing through its pages' Boyd Morrison
'Dark, brutal, scary – yet absolutely riveting' Samantha Brick
'Frighteningly plausible... A modern, thrilling novel' Promoting Crime Fiction
'Perfect for fans of Stieg Larsson' P.R. Black
416 pages, Paperback
First published September 14, 2023
12 people are currently reading
867 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Scanlan
3 books39 followersDaniel Scanlan is the author of the tech-thriller, The Hacker. In his legal career, he spent nearly thirty years as a prosecutor, fifteen of those specializing in cybercrime and digital evidence. This provided him with a wealth of background knowledge and anecdotes from which to build his novel. The Hacker is available in bookstores everywhere and at all on-line retailers. The sequel will be published in September of 2023.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 27, 2023
All reviews can be found on my blog at https://thewritinggarnet.wordpress.com
Oh my goodness me, what is it with this author and endings!!!!! It was evidently clear that Ericka's story was far from finished, but given the fact that 'The Exploit' has recently been published, any sequel will take a little while to materialise and I'm just too impatient to find out what happens next!
Anyway, back to book number two and once again, I found myself on a similar rollercoaster ride to last time - liking the book one moment, getting annoyed with it the next, finding myself absolutely gripped by the turn of events, back to thoroughly enjoying it.....until it ended. Ericka seriously doesn't do herself any favours. She honestly is like a ticking time bomb that even she cannot diffuse. With Dantalion still on the loose, Ericka is more determined than ever to put him in his place, but at what cost exactly? The cost of her colleagues lives? The cost of her life? Her own mental well-being? Red flags are everywhere and Ericka knows that, she just doesn't want to admit that they're there. Because of her past and the unfinished business there, Ericka is full to the brim with guilt, and that, in my opinion, is totally blinkering any sort of logic which is going to land her in boiling water.
For me, Ericka had an addictive personality. At times I wanted to hate her because of innocence being caught in the cross fire, yet at times I felt pangs of empathy towards her due to her being a bit broken. I'm quite broken myself (12 chronic illnesses including mental health), not to the extent of hers can I just clarify, and broken people can spot other broken people a mile off.
There was a lot of jargon that flew over my head, but I didn't let that hinder my enjoyment of the novel at all. I cannot believe that hacking to this extent was even possible, it's crazy just how dangerous technology can be if it's in the wrong hands. Doesn't bear thinking about.
Daniel Scanlan is an incredibly gifted writer, one who clearly knows what he's talking about! He knows how to create characters with more layers than a matryoshka doll, as well as creating a feeling of tension, suspense and the all important thrill. His books seriously need to come with a blood pressure monitor, that's for sure!
Yet another exciting yet frustrating, gritty, multi dimensional novel which has left me wanting more...like....now!
Oh my goodness me, what is it with this author and endings!!!!! It was evidently clear that Ericka's story was far from finished, but given the fact that 'The Exploit' has recently been published, any sequel will take a little while to materialise and I'm just too impatient to find out what happens next!
Anyway, back to book number two and once again, I found myself on a similar rollercoaster ride to last time - liking the book one moment, getting annoyed with it the next, finding myself absolutely gripped by the turn of events, back to thoroughly enjoying it.....until it ended. Ericka seriously doesn't do herself any favours. She honestly is like a ticking time bomb that even she cannot diffuse. With Dantalion still on the loose, Ericka is more determined than ever to put him in his place, but at what cost exactly? The cost of her colleagues lives? The cost of her life? Her own mental well-being? Red flags are everywhere and Ericka knows that, she just doesn't want to admit that they're there. Because of her past and the unfinished business there, Ericka is full to the brim with guilt, and that, in my opinion, is totally blinkering any sort of logic which is going to land her in boiling water.
For me, Ericka had an addictive personality. At times I wanted to hate her because of innocence being caught in the cross fire, yet at times I felt pangs of empathy towards her due to her being a bit broken. I'm quite broken myself (12 chronic illnesses including mental health), not to the extent of hers can I just clarify, and broken people can spot other broken people a mile off.
There was a lot of jargon that flew over my head, but I didn't let that hinder my enjoyment of the novel at all. I cannot believe that hacking to this extent was even possible, it's crazy just how dangerous technology can be if it's in the wrong hands. Doesn't bear thinking about.
Daniel Scanlan is an incredibly gifted writer, one who clearly knows what he's talking about! He knows how to create characters with more layers than a matryoshka doll, as well as creating a feeling of tension, suspense and the all important thrill. His books seriously need to come with a blood pressure monitor, that's for sure!
Yet another exciting yet frustrating, gritty, multi dimensional novel which has left me wanting more...like....now!
September 30, 2023
A gripping adventure with a high tech underpinning
From the opening lines, dangerous applications of currently available technology for sinister purposes are introduced Military drones, jet fighters, and ship navigation fall victim to misdirection through the genius of Dantalion, who was introduced in The Hacker. I found the the most exciting scenes to be those illustrating the vulnerabilities of widely used technology. For me, these were also the thought provoking and disturbing as the extent of the abuse potential is illustrated. The FBI protagonists are constantly challenged as they work urgently to stem evil actions, seek out the criminals with their own advanced methods, and fight their personal demons. Ericka and her colleague, Tim, are intriguing characters as they face their life challenges, both personal and professional. The pace of The Exploit moves at high speed as deceptions are exposed and truth comes into focus. I strongly recommend this book, thrilling to the final pages, with a scope extending to international cyber terrorism.
From the opening lines, dangerous applications of currently available technology for sinister purposes are introduced Military drones, jet fighters, and ship navigation fall victim to misdirection through the genius of Dantalion, who was introduced in The Hacker. I found the the most exciting scenes to be those illustrating the vulnerabilities of widely used technology. For me, these were also the thought provoking and disturbing as the extent of the abuse potential is illustrated. The FBI protagonists are constantly challenged as they work urgently to stem evil actions, seek out the criminals with their own advanced methods, and fight their personal demons. Ericka and her colleague, Tim, are intriguing characters as they face their life challenges, both personal and professional. The pace of The Exploit moves at high speed as deceptions are exposed and truth comes into focus. I strongly recommend this book, thrilling to the final pages, with a scope extending to international cyber terrorism.
July 24, 2024
3.8🌟
YIPPIEEEEEEEEE!!!!! IM DONE MOFOS:))))
This book took me way to long, which was not down to the book but to my owl lack of motivation. I’m also gonna blame work :P
I enjoyed the plot of this maybe less than the first one maybe that’s because I listened to the first as an audiobook so it was easier to picture the story. But that’s not to say this one wasn’t just as interesting and well written.
I approve of this book 💮
YIPPIEEEEEEEEE!!!!! IM DONE MOFOS:))))
This book took me way to long, which was not down to the book but to my owl lack of motivation. I’m also gonna blame work :P
I enjoyed the plot of this maybe less than the first one maybe that’s because I listened to the first as an audiobook so it was easier to picture the story. But that’s not to say this one wasn’t just as interesting and well written.
I approve of this book 💮
October 21, 2023
Excellent psychological thriller! I was prepared to be alarmed about how easily we can be manipulated by cyber technology after having read the Hacker. However, the manipulation by Dantalion to make others do his bidding is even more terrifying. Well written and thought provoking.
October 1, 2023
This was a thoroughly entertaining book from start to finish. It was so exciting that I couldn't put it down.
September 8, 2023
Thank you to #NetGalley, Aria & Airies Publishers and Daniel Scanlon for the opportunity to read an advance copy of THE EXPLOIT, to be published 14 September 2023. 4/5 Stars for this suspense thriller about a genius level hacker who created software that would allow blackmail of anyone. The characters were all presented at the beginning of the book, which made it difficult to follow until about halfway through the novel. At the finale, it became apparent this was part of a series which I had not previously known. Anyone into coding and computer languages would love this techno thriller. #NetGalley #Aria&Aries #DanielScanlon #TheExploit
September 29, 2023
“Digital Underworld Psychological Thriller”
At the heart of this gripping narrative is Ericka, the impressive protagonist whose digital skills are top-notch. But Ericka is not your typical hero. She is incredibly sharp and resourceful, however, her recent actions present challenges she must overcome. Undaunted, she is determined to bring down the wicked Dantalion, an antagonist with unsurpassed cyber talents. His motivations along with her relentless pursuit make this book an outstanding psychological thriller.
From page one onwards, the story unfurls like a thrilling roller coaster ride that never lets up. Daniel Scanlan's knowledge of technology and the digital world is evident, and his mastery of the subject matter delivers authenticity to the topic. The writing style is crisp and clear, with vivid descriptions that brings life to “The Exploit”. I also enjoyed the Author’s notes as they provided facts, background, and more detail about the cyber universe.
One of the novel's many strengths lies in its character development. Ericka is a multi-faceted FBI agent with relentless drive. Dantalion, on the other hand, is a heartless antagonist who embodies the very essence of evil. His motives add a layer of complexity to his character that keeps readers guessing until the final pages. The cat-and-mouse game between the two along with their intellectual sparring matches is witty, brilliant, and informative.
“The Exploit” delivers high-octane action and suspense. With a compelling protagonist, a chilling antagonist, this novel is a standout in the genre. It's a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and anyone who enjoys a breathtaking, thought-provoking, and scary ride through the digital underworld.
At the heart of this gripping narrative is Ericka, the impressive protagonist whose digital skills are top-notch. But Ericka is not your typical hero. She is incredibly sharp and resourceful, however, her recent actions present challenges she must overcome. Undaunted, she is determined to bring down the wicked Dantalion, an antagonist with unsurpassed cyber talents. His motivations along with her relentless pursuit make this book an outstanding psychological thriller.
From page one onwards, the story unfurls like a thrilling roller coaster ride that never lets up. Daniel Scanlan's knowledge of technology and the digital world is evident, and his mastery of the subject matter delivers authenticity to the topic. The writing style is crisp and clear, with vivid descriptions that brings life to “The Exploit”. I also enjoyed the Author’s notes as they provided facts, background, and more detail about the cyber universe.
One of the novel's many strengths lies in its character development. Ericka is a multi-faceted FBI agent with relentless drive. Dantalion, on the other hand, is a heartless antagonist who embodies the very essence of evil. His motives add a layer of complexity to his character that keeps readers guessing until the final pages. The cat-and-mouse game between the two along with their intellectual sparring matches is witty, brilliant, and informative.
“The Exploit” delivers high-octane action and suspense. With a compelling protagonist, a chilling antagonist, this novel is a standout in the genre. It's a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and anyone who enjoys a breathtaking, thought-provoking, and scary ride through the digital underworld.
July 10, 2023
READ MY ENTIRE REVIEW AT BEST THRILLER BOOKS
October 1, 2023
I was looking for a good crime novel when I came across this one. Not usually a big fan of techno-thrillers, but this one is captivating and yet realistic. It's the second book of the Erica Blackwood series so maybe I will buy the first one too,The Hacker
June 12, 2023
Another great book from this author, I’ve read the previous ones and they are just as good, I loved the ideas in it and it kept me reading until the very end
September 12, 2023
Review to follow.
October 6, 2023
riveting
Daniel Scanlan creates a riveting story of intrigue and a gripping story. I couldn’t put it down! Wish I had more like this.
Daniel Scanlan creates a riveting story of intrigue and a gripping story. I couldn’t put it down! Wish I had more like this.
May 11, 2024
Could not put it down, happy reader
September 24, 2023
Enjoyable tech thriller a bit too busy to really settle into telling its story but will be interested if Ericka returns
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
July 22, 2023
The second instalment of Ericka Blackwood and her fight against the online presence of Dantalion. Finishing from book 1 Erica escaped her job at the FBI to hunt down the killers who raped and lead to the suicide of her sister. The killers she’s been searching for for years and Dantalion found for her to distract her from her FBI job of hunting him down. Tragedy strikes and her partner and best friend suffers a terrible loss that sends her spiralling from a life of hiding, pills and secretly sulking the internet back into the FBI to catch and stop Dantalion, with a new found rage for justice and stuck on a tight leash from her new boss she uncovers his weaknesses and works to catch the man causing so much chaos in the world
September 15, 2023
Following from The Hacker (one of my favourite reads from last year), we see the return of Ericka Blackwood and her deadly foe Dantalion.
Again I have to say this is a standout read, a different type of thriller to the norm, focussing more as it does on cybercrime, it is a whipsmart intelliegent read, with a plot both slick and taut in its construct.
I found this to be a gripping and compelling read, with a strongly written narrative throughout, it is an addictive read, I was drawn into a world which I no nothing about, but the premise of what could happen makes for an engaging read, It is darkly sinister read. I found myself wanting to know how far technology can go.
The plot certainly takes many a twist and turn, in a cyber game of cat and mouse, it’s a dark world on the web and author explores these themes and the possibilities that are there to be had, seamlessly fitting this into the plotline, making for a plausible and scary scenario, the story flows and races along at a pace which befits the urgency that the plots demands
It is interesting to see how someone can find a persons weakness and manipulate and exploit them into undertaken the unthinkable, it shows the human fraility within some, for me the author really drew this out in the characters, you can feel the torment and anguish that they go through
The drama within only builds as the book moves on to its final conclusion
In someways a sobering read as you come to understand a little of the technology available and the devastating effects it can have in the wrong hands.
One area in which the book stands out in the author expertise and understanding, along with obvious research into the world of cybercrime and technology, which make for a plausible read
5* suspense driven read which will have you on the seat of your pants,
For me Daniel Scanlan is an author to watch out for
Again I have to say this is a standout read, a different type of thriller to the norm, focussing more as it does on cybercrime, it is a whipsmart intelliegent read, with a plot both slick and taut in its construct.
I found this to be a gripping and compelling read, with a strongly written narrative throughout, it is an addictive read, I was drawn into a world which I no nothing about, but the premise of what could happen makes for an engaging read, It is darkly sinister read. I found myself wanting to know how far technology can go.
The plot certainly takes many a twist and turn, in a cyber game of cat and mouse, it’s a dark world on the web and author explores these themes and the possibilities that are there to be had, seamlessly fitting this into the plotline, making for a plausible and scary scenario, the story flows and races along at a pace which befits the urgency that the plots demands
It is interesting to see how someone can find a persons weakness and manipulate and exploit them into undertaken the unthinkable, it shows the human fraility within some, for me the author really drew this out in the characters, you can feel the torment and anguish that they go through
The drama within only builds as the book moves on to its final conclusion
In someways a sobering read as you come to understand a little of the technology available and the devastating effects it can have in the wrong hands.
One area in which the book stands out in the author expertise and understanding, along with obvious research into the world of cybercrime and technology, which make for a plausible read
5* suspense driven read which will have you on the seat of your pants,
For me Daniel Scanlan is an author to watch out for
January 11, 2025
finished 12thh november 2024 good read three stars i liked it kindle library loaner erica blackwood files #2 entertaining story continuation of #1 in the series and it would likely be more enjoyable to read #1 before starting this one. evil genius hacker surfaces from the ending of story one to begin anew, stays ahead of all who are attempting to stop him. story uses a number of tools to do with the virtual or digital world much of them in use according to scanlan in his afterword. the bad guy isn't concerned with borders, groups, nations, religions, uses any and all as means to his ends often focusing on one individual to gain the access he needs. intense story. seems a bit tedious early on, repeated scenes with ericka being questioned and or condemned for her two-year absence.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews