The Terror in the Emerald City

A Thomas Austin Crime Thriller, Book 5

De: D.D. Black

Narrado por: Joe Hempel

An elusive terrorist. A city on razor's edge. Twenty-four hours to stop a massacre.

Former NYPD detective Thomas Austin is enjoying a rare date at a monday night football game in Seattle when the evening takes a horrifying turn.

A team of merciless terrorists has taken over the stadium by force, blocking cellphone signals and sealing the exits.

The terrorists have a single demand: release a high-ranking Al Qaeda operative from a US supermax prison. And they have a simple threat: do so in the next 24 hours or they will blow up the stadium, killing themselves along with tens of thousands of innocent victims.

With 60,000 fans in the crosshairs, and the world watching live on TV, Austin must work with security inside the stadium to find a weak point in the terrorists' plans before the countdown ends. But the closer he gets to the attackers, the more he believes their true plan is even more sinister than anyone would believe.

In the ultimate race against time, Thomas Austin will be tested in ways he never has before, and forced to answer the question: would you sacrifice someone you love to save a thousand strangers?

Series List (can be listened to in any order):
Book 1: The Bones at Point No Point
Book 2: The Shadows of Pike Place
Book 3: The Fallen of Foulweather Bluff
Book 4: The Horror at Murden Cove
Book 5: The Terror in the Emerald City
Book 6: The Drowning at Dyes Inlet

©2023 Darkness and Light Publishing (P)2023 Darkness and Light Publishing

Too Extreme Scenario for series Known Characters

The entire early setup felt extreme and dire for this growing fan of this series First book I did not instantaneously log on to when starting my car. Character development in earlier books have drawn me in. As a former Seattle resident and Seahawks fan this made me uncomfortable

Excellent

Grabs your attention from the beginning! Best one in the series thus far!! Great narration as well. Can’t wait to start the next one.

The football game in Seattle

I know this area well and I love making it a mystery of my area. I graduated from Coupeville high school and have always loved the mystery of the area and the ghost stories

fast paced

Fast-paced and action paced. Thomas Austin books are up there with John Sandford 's Lucas Davenport! Just enough humor without taking the seriousness away. keep them coming!

Review

The Terror in the Emerald City completely pulled me in from the very first chapter. D.D. Black continues to impress with his ability to create gripping, emotionally charged narratives, and this installment is by far the most intense and compelling in the series so far.

The storyline is not only suspenseful, but also deeply sad and surprisingly realistic. The emotional weight of the characters' experiences felt very true to life, which made the twists and turns hit even harder. There's a rawness to the way the story is told -nothing feels overly dramatized or artificial. Instead, the plot unfolds in a way that feels natural and grounded, making the terror and tragedy all the more believable.
The setting-an eerily atmospheric version of Seattle— adds to the tension, and the pacing is perfectly balanced between action, character development, and emotional depth. Each chapter left me wanting more, and I found myself thinking about the characters even when I wasn't reading.
What really sets this book apart is the emotional complexity. It's not just a mystery or thriller-it's also a human story about fear, resilience, and the consequences of choices. One quote that really stuck with me was when the main character says:
"Sometimes survival doesn't feel like winning. It just feels like enduring."

That line perfectly captures the emotional tone of the novel and the internal struggles faced by the characters.

could not put it down

incredibly suspenseful! original plot. horrible terrorist scenario that you hope never happens. heroics and characters that make you want to cheer and tug at your heart. loved this one!

Kind of just goes through the motions

I really wanted to like these books
What's not to like?
The narrator does not get better, mispronunciations, terrible accents. The story could be on one page.
Giving up after this one

Not my favorite

This would have made an ok action movie (although it's a lot like many others). But it's not really a mystery story in keeping with the series. It was disappointing - kind of boring. And some parts of it are utterly ridiculous. Narrator's voice is good, but he continues to mispronounce words he should not.