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Black
Nowhere
by Reece Hirsch is a fast-paced read that will have readers
question the benefits of social media. The story explores
the price of success, how far is someone willing to go to
achieve that success, and how can female FBI agents succeed
in a male dominated world?
Scarily realistic it is based on the true story of Ross Ulbricht,
the young man who founded the Dark Web market place Silk Road,
and became a drug kingpin. In the book, brilliant college
student Nate Fallon starts a website on the “Dark Web.”
He wants to see how efficient he can make the illegal drug
trade by creating a kind of eBay for illicit pharmaceuticals
and other black-market products. Not only does he end up making
more money than he’d ever dreamed possible, he draws
the attention of FBI Special Agent Lisa Tanchik and a Mexican
criminal drug organization represented by the mysterious “El
Chingon.”
“The character of Nate Fallon was inspired by the true
story of Ross Ulbricht, the young man who founded the Dark
Web market place Silk Road. When I read the reporting about
Ulbricht, I could never quite understand how this smart, likeable,
middle-class kid evolved into a criminal kingpin who allegedly
ended up ordering hits to protect his empire. When I wrote
the character of Nate Fallon, I was trying to get inside that
type of person’s head in a way that a journalist can’t
and show, step by step, how his initial idealism gave way
to the dark side At his hearing, the judge said, “There
is a lot of good in you, but a lot of bad also. I am putting
you away for the bad part.””
Special
Agent Lisa Tanchik is the best at taking down cybercriminals.
After the FBI discovers an on-line multibillion-dollar black-market,
she is tasked with finding the creator and bringing him to
justice. Donning one of her many digital disguises, Tanchik
goes undercover into the network. Although readers find out
that she has struggles with alcohol abuse and depression,
she still comes across as relatable, confident, and knowledgeable
in her attempt to bring down the villain Nate Fallon
“I wanted to write her as not the typical stereotype
FBI Agent. People think of that square jaw look. I wanted
to imagine a cyber specialist who might not fit in to that
stereotype. There is still the old school mentality. As I
put in the book, they are described as “geeks with guns.”
I think people like Lisa still have an obstacle to overcome,
while trying to advance through the FBI. This story had Lisa
take the lead, but in the real take-down there were a lot
of different agencies involved, all fighting for that glory.
She is a badass, confident, and someone with special talents
who is able to develop an on-line persona. She is a technology
geek who is blunt. To the consternation of her fellow FBI
agents she enjoys TV shows like “Firefly” and
“Buffy The Vampire.””
Besides
being a riveting thriller-mystery this novel explores the
front in the war on drugs. Technology can be very useful,
but it also has its demons, and this story shows that in graphic
terms.
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