Minute Zero by Todd Moss

Fresh off the harrowing events of The Golden Hour, State Department crisis manager Judd Ryker is suddenly thrown into a quickly developing emergency which threatens the lives of millions, including his own.

An extraordinary international thriller by the former deputy assistant secretary of state and author of the national bestseller The Golden Hour.

In the life of every country, at a moment of extreme national disruption, there is a brief period of breakdown, when everything is uncertain, events can turn on a dime. That is the moment to act, to shape events how you want them to go. That is Minute Zero.

Fresh off the harrowing events of The Golden Hour, State Department crisis manager Judd Ryker is suddenly thrown into a quickly developing emergency in Zimbabwe, where a longtime strongman is being challenged for the presidency. Rumors are flying furiously: armed gangs, military crackdowns, shady outside money pouring in, and, most disturbing for the United States, reports of highly enriched uranium leaking into the market.

And that’s all before Ryker even lands in the country. It gets much worse after that. If he can’t get control, shape his Minute Zero, a lot of people are going to die—not least of all himself.

Review: Minute Zero by Todd Moss is an absorbing story that deals with diplomatic intrigue in which US State Department crisis manager Judd Ryker is tasked with overseeing the tricky Zimbabwean presidential election, a direct face-off between Winston Tinotenda and his rival Gugu Mutonga, a female candidate but certainly not a pushover.

Both candidates have strong backers, and it is apparent that foreign money is being pumped in. To resolve the fluidity of the situation Ryker comes up with an idea known as Minute Zero enabling either candidate to grab power at the opportune time. Todd Moss' second Judd Ryker is hugely entertaining, brilliantly paced and plotted craftily. Ryker is a character who will endear to readers and the suspense is almost unbearable. With his experience as a fromer diplomat, Moss knows what he is writing about and gives a touch of authenticity to the story.