Reviewer: iMarc Ruby from Warren, MI USA

Beware the Evil Twin!!
When a key employee is extracted, Alma Wei, a security specialist, finds herself in the middle of a baffling investigation. Worse, the victim is the researcher Alma needs to to repair some of her malfunctioning experimental implants. Despite her efforts the researcher turns up dead. And DNA evidence points to Alma herself as the shadowrunner who performed the extraction. Suddenly she only has a few days to find the real culprit before a cranial bomb is set off in her head.

Thus begins a story of two women, Alma herself, and Night Owl, the shadowrunner who killed the researcher. They were both members of the SuperKids, a specialised breeding experiment designed to create exceptionally talented individuals. When the experiment is broken up after eight years the children lose all contact with each other. The story expands to include several fixers and mages, various gangs, three dragons and an unusual financial advisor who lives in a condo beneath the ocean. The plot takes countless twists and turns before the truth is finally uncovered. If you miss a couple of early hints final section of the book will come as a real surprise.

This is Lisa Smedman's fifth book for the long-running Shadowrun series, and she is clearly comfortable in the intricate game world where both magic and advanced technology work. I have enjoyed the series for some time, since many of the authors who participated are quite exceptional. Smedman has done her best job to date. Hopefully, Shadowrun will continue to be on of the best game-based series.