Even though technically Gibson Vaughn is an orphan, there was a judge that he knew when he was a teenager, a wise man who helped steer him in the right direction. And now Judge Hammond Birk is in trouble. He is struggling with dementia and is living in a small shack all alone. His family comes to check up on him every day, but they can't afford full-time care or a quality nursing home because all the family money was invested with a man who turned out to be a crook.
Charles Merrick was an extremely popular investor who made millions for his clients and himself. But when his fraud was discovered, he was sent to federal prison. Now he's about to be released, but before he gets out, what was supposed to be a small article on his upcoming release from prison became a cover piece where he hints at having money saved up.
So in order to help the judge, Gibson Vaughn is on the case. An exceptional hacker, he knows that he needs data to find Merrick's hidden treasure, so he heads to the small town where the prison is to start his information gathering. Meeting a wide cast of characters and joining forces with some means he gives up some control over the task, but he acquires skillful partners. But will all that be enough to get to Merrick's hidden account in time, or will the money go to the other treasure hunters who are taking over the town as well?
Poisonfeather, the second in the GIbson Vaughn series, continues in the vein of strongly plotted stories with complex characters and tightly written thrills. Matthew FitzSimmons brings back his white hat hacker to solve an intriguing puzzle with integrity and compassion. I'm greatly enjoying this series, and I recommend it to fans of the spy genre or who just need more thrills in their lives.
I listened to the audio version, narrated by James Patrick Cronin, and it's a great way to enjoy this series. The intensity of his reading mirrors the tightness of the plot and makes this a great listen!