Book Reviews

Book Blurb

High school student. Hockey player. Computer whiz kid. Covert agent?

At sixteen Theo Reese is the youngest agent for Tactical Operational Support. His way with computers makes him invaluable. He designs new gadgets, helps agents (including his parents) in the field, and works to keep the TOS network safe. But when a hacker breaches the system TOS uses to track agents, Theo is put to the test like never before.


 

Thrust from behind the safety of his desk, Theo must go into the field to put a stop to the hack. He’s scared but resolved because one of the missing agents is his father. And just to make it more interesting, he has to keep everything a secret from his boyfriend and teammates.


 

Can Theo get the job done, save his dad, and make things good with his boyfriend?

 

 

This edition also contains A Very Winger Christmas, a Codename: Winger Bonus Mission


Christmas is a time for family and friends, but teenage secret agent Theo Reese must solve a mysterious hack before he can enjoy Reese family holiday traditions and deliver a gift to his boyfriend, Eddie. Can he avert an international incident and save Christmas before time runs out?

 

 

First edition of Tracker Hacker published by Harmony Ink Press, October 2017.

First edition of A Very Winger Christmas published as a free read by Harmony Ink Press, November 2018.

Book Review

‘Tracker Hacker’ is a story about a modern-day superhero – one with special “powers” around computers. It’s a fitting tale for the world we face today, and I think it only make sense that he is a teenager. After all, teenagers today grew up with all this cybertechnology around them, so they are much better suited to dealing with it. But Theo, the hero of this story who tells it in first person, is much more than a young man with a talent for hacking. He has secret agents for parents, and when TOS, their agency, discovers Theo’s talents – well, let me just say they know what to do with his abilities.

Theo enjoys what he does for TOS: it gives him a sense of accomplishment, lets him use his skills for good, and allows him to support his parents. It also means Theo leads a double life even at his young age, and that is not always easy to deal with. Add a real threat to TOS in general and Theo’s parents specifically, and the race to save everyone is on. The action/adventure that follows is suspenseful, has lots of twists and turns, and I was glued to the pages following the clues as Theo figures out what is going on and who is behind the threat.

There is a second aspect to Theo’s story. While he has been on other missions before, his participation was limited to desk work. This newest hacker has Theo venturing out into the field, and it means he becomes involved – and exposed – in a much more direct way than he ever has before. It tests his abilities and wit, exposes him to mortal danger more than once, and while I’d think that might make him reconsider his dedication, Theo never really questions whether aiding TOS is what he should be doing.

And the third part is all about the consequences of this double life and the danger Theo faces – the effect it has on his personal, social, and love life. Keeping secrets is not easy, but keeping them from Eddie, his boyfriend? That is a real challenge for Theo, as it would be for anyone. The closer they get, the harder the battle between loyalty to his employer and the need to open up to Eddie becomes, and I really felt for Theo. There isn’t a resolution of this conflict in this first book, but it looks as though there will be more. I look forward to following Theo’s adventures in the next volume.

If you like thrillers and spy stories, if following teenagers on their journey of personal growth is your thing, and if you’re looking for a read that is exciting, entertaining, and very up-to-date technologically speaking, then you will probably enjoy this novel.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. The first edition of this book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Novel, 320 pages
Heat Level
Publication Date	14-June-2021
Price	$4.99 ebook, $15.99 paperback
Buy Link	https://www.amazon.com/Tracker-Hacker-Codename-Winger-Book-ebook/dp/B08Y83LHKY