Fatal Harvest

Though the Ivy League schools want Artesia High School, Texas student Matthew Strong to enroll, the computer guru is obsessed with finding a way to end world hunger. In his quest to turn Malthus on his head, Matt scrutinizes the files of Agrimax, one of the major international food suppliers where he finds abominable goings on at the expense of starving people. When a friend is killed, Matt flees to France desperately hoping to find an ally in the International Federation for Environmental and Economic Development (I-FEED).Matt's widower father rancher Cole had been distant from his son, but loves him deeply. He panics when Matt vanishes and turns to the only person he believes might have an inkling of where the lad is and what trouble he is in, his computer teacher Jill Pruitt. They hope to save Matt's life from those who want him silenced. Meanwhile, the teen meets Madam Losieau. Will she be the ticket for him to provide his data to the Chair of I-FEED located in the Sudan or is she a double agent ready to feed him to his enemies?FATAL HARVEST will remind readers (at least older ones) of Rachel Carson's environmental wake up call SILENT SPRING. The novel emphasizes making aware the plight of the world's hungry and exposing the avariciousnese of the mega agricultural conglomerates. The story line is extremely exciting in a David vs. Goliath manner with the sling shot and stones being a computer. Though the Madam Losieau link seems stretched, fans will appreciate this global bringing to light the international problem of world hunger packaged inside an action-packed thriller.Harriet Klausner

Sixteen-year-old Matthew Strong has the perfect topic for his term paper, unfortunately his research leads him into more trouble than he can handle. Matt's paper focuses on one company, Agrimax, who are hiding a secret they do not want revealed. A secret they will do anything to keep under wraps, including murder. When Matt disappears, his father, Cole, is beside himself with worry and turns to Matt's computer teacher, Jill Pruitt. Soon Matt's source of information is murdered and the police believe Matt killed him. Jill and Cole set off on an international trek with Matt's best friend, Billy, hoping to find Matt and prove his innocence before the bad guys get hold of him. In a fast-paced adventure that keeps you on your toes, follow Matt as he travels to Mexico, France and finally Sudan, where the action comes to an exhilarating conclusion. Greed, money and power set the stage for FATAL HARVEST, and in reality it becomes a game of good versus evil. Matt is merely a teenager going up against a powerful conglomerate. While there is a touch of romance, Catherine Palmer focuses mainly on suspense and proves she is at the top of her game. To me, the only downfall I can find with this book is that the conclusion seemed abrupt. However as FATAL HARVEST is the first in Ms. Palmer's new adventure series, readers may see Matt, Cole, Jill and Billy in the future. This reader certainly hopes so! Tracy Farnsworth - former TRRC reviewer