Duplicate Effort (2009) is the seventh SF novel in the Retrieval Artist series, following
Recovery Man
. In the previous volume, Yu takes Rhonda to the moon Io to give her to the Gyonnese. The Gyonnese questioned whether Rhonda was really alive and reduced the amount that they paid Yu.
Rhonda woke in the moving crate and learned where she was. She listened to the Gyonnese conversation and decided that they were going to learn where she had hidden Emmeline. So she committed suicide to protect her daughter.
In this novel, Miles Flint is a Retrieval Artist on the Moon. He is now the parent of a teenage daughter. Talia is quite proficient with computers for her age.
Talia Shindo is the sixth clone of Emmeline, the daughter of Flint and Rhonda. She is younger that her original -- thirteen instead of sixteen -- and now lives with Flint.
Ki Bowles is a news media journalist. She had been employed by InterDome Media, but was fired over the DeRicci debacle and other problems. Now she is working with Flint to bring down the WSX law firm.
Noelle DeRicci is the Moon Security Chief for the United Domes. She is beginning to think politically. She is also very fond of Nyquist.
Bartholomew Nyquist is a detective in the Armstrong Police Department. He is a loner, never keeping a partner very long. He also doesn't like politics. Yet he does like Noelle.
Justinian Wagner is the senior partner of the Wagner, Stuart and Xendor law firm. He is very powerful within the Alliance, especially since his father and mother died {see
Paloma
).
In this story, Ki Bowles has just released the first of her series on WSX. She and her bodyguards are going to the Hunting Club for a celebratory dinner. Then two men kill her on the grounds of the club.
Nyquist is called in on the murder. When he arrives, the ground keeping devices are destroying evidence. He sends a uniform to request that the equipment be turned off.
The Hunting Club refuses to acquiesce to this request. When Nyquist goes himself, he also is refused. The club is very exclusive and has an influential membership, so Nyquist calls Noelle to order the devices to be inactivated.
Flint enjoys having his very enthusiastic daughter living with him. She wants to learn everything he knows about computers. Unfortunately, she has been trying to stow away on ships going to Earth.
Today he goes to visit his old friend Murray in Traffic to pick up Talia. This time she posed as a passenger and almost got away with it. On the way back home, she finally confesses that she has located two of her clone siblings and is trying to reach them.
Flint tries again to tell her that she is risking the life of Emmeline. If Talia can find her fellow clones, she could also discover her original. Once such data is found, others will start looking. The Gyonnese would still like to find Emmeline and take her away from her adopted parents.
Then Flint learns about the Bowles murder. Naturally, his first opinion is that Justinian ordered the killing. Yet he knows that Bowles has many enemies and starts investigating her past.
This tale leads Flint and Nyquist to many interesting findings about Bowles. Another murder is discovered and the case is expanded. Then Justinian intervenes.
This story has many twists and turns. But it is probably the last book in the series. Read and enjoy!
Highly recommended for Rusch fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of police investigations, computer searches, and intriguing characters. If anyone has not previously read this series, the initial volume is
The Disappeared
.
-Arthur W. Jordin
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