Primal Threat    by Earl Emerson Order:  USA  Can Ballantine, 2008 (2008) Hardcover, e-Book      Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth I finished Primal Threat an hour ago, but my heart is still racing. From the first page, while the story builds, tension mounts. As it continues, suspense and dread fill the rib cage. Horror comes next. And then the ever increasing pace of a chase through burning mountains. Taking breaths becomes a conscious effort as the story plummets to its climax. On a late August day in the foothills of the Cascades, five friends bicycle into the mountains for a weekend working out on their bikes and relaxing from their everyday jobs. At the same time, a group of pleasure-seekers set out to thwart the cyclists' plans. A member of the second group is determined to teach what he considers to be a well-deserved lesson to one of the first five. If others suffer because of this, that's no concern of his. Equipped with high performance vehicles, plenty of beer, and rifles with scopes, he and his associates systematically track the men ahead of them. What began as an object lesson quickly turns to death and destruction. As a fire starts in tinderbox-dry woods, the race to outrun devouring flames starts. The book's publicity blurb says: 'A mesmerizing novel that weaves the story of a charged love affair with a drama of sheer survival, Primal Threat is a thriller delivered with the brawny, vivid, and lyrical style that makes Earl Emerson one of the most compelling storytellers of our time.' Couldn't say it better myself. Award-winning author Earl Emerson has written seventeen novels, eleven in the Thomas Black series. Apart from being a successful novelist, he is a lieutenant in the Seattle Fire Department. He brings his expertise in his day job and his passion for biking to his writing. Primal Threat is a spine-tingling thrill. Don't miss it. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews