Can the Food Business Be Evil? Great Fare for a Thriller!

Evil Business
A paranormal mystery novel
By John F. Nienstedt
ISBN 0-595-42056-7
200 pages at 14.95 paperback
24.95 Hardcover
IUniverse

Reviewed by Laurel Johnson for Midwest Review

In this follow up to the popular See the Monkey, protagonist Norman Fuller battles evil in America's heartland. His career as a New York newspaper journalist is stalled. His Pulitzer nomination was heady stuff for awhile, but the prize went to someone else. His boss thinks Fuller has lost his journalistic edge and is sending him to Kansas City, of all places, in pursuit of the ultimate evil. Once again, the mysterious "Voice of Evil" that saved Fuller's life on 9/11 returns to reveal a conspiracy that threatens the lives of all Americans.

You don't have to be a conspiracy theorist to believe the truths uncovered in Fuller's investigation. The three powerful Midwestern CEO's in "the golden triangle" understand what buyers want and play to their customers zealously. The world wants cheap food that tastes good, easy meal preparation, and a quick fix to all problems. Past generations ate food fried in lard, ate sweets and butter. They lived through unbelievable hardships yet faced life with hope. The questions Fuller must answer in his investigative report are: Why is our generation paralyzed by depression, obesity, and high cholesterol? Could the answers be hidden in the foods we eat? Do we worry excessively about terrorist attacks when we should be worrying about the foods we put in our mouths? Are political donations more important to the government than the health of citizens? Fuller's life and career are on the line as he follows clues from Kansas City to a tiny Utopian village. The truths he reveals are frightening to consider.

Evil Business is a book of fiction based on a premise made scarier because it's probably true. The plot is fast paced and exciting, the characters believable, and Nienstedt's writing style exceptional. This thriller has "movie" written all over it.

Laurel Johnson
Senior Reviewer
Midwest Book Review, March 2007