When Key and Arin learn that terrorists will attempt to murder the Vice President of the United States, preparations to halt the attack and catch the terrorists are put in motion. First, they must contact Cat Fahey, one of the country's most recognized situational awareness experts. While delving more into the country's common social issues, they learn that things are not as they appear on the surface. Murders and criminal activity are on the rise, and there are more firearms on the streets than ever before, raising concerns that they are all part of a right-wing conspiracy. Who is actually benefiting from the online and offline chaos, and who stands to lose at the end of the day? Kevin Barry O'Connor's Threshold presents a high-speed race to halt terrorists and unravel complex secrets underlying the planned escalation of racial tensions in the United States.

Threshold smoothly weaves in several fascinating historical details that I would not have otherwise taken the time to research; I got to see Frederick Douglass in action and learn some crucial details about his abolitionist movement through a character's visions. I was also motivated by Key's and Arin's tenacity and boldness, as they did not back down in the face of intimidating, skeptical officials. This thought-provoking thriller by Kevin Barry O'Connor calls to mind real-life concerns such as governments utilizing the media to generate narratives that fit their goals and the consequences of the spread of unpleasant, controversial news through the internet. Although I thought the pacing was a little too quick, I found the book to be interesting in many aspects. If you enjoy fast-paced, action-packed, and intriguingly intricate political thrillers, you should check out this book.

In Threshold, by Kevin Barry O'Connor, readers learn that Key Murphy and his wife Dr. Arin Murphy were dragged into an operation to prevent the assassination of the US Vice President at a festival in Philadelphia. Key has the ancestral memory gene that gives him an insight into people, and so has Marine Captain Cat Fahey. Despite the police commissioner’s endorsement, the FBI and the Secret Service agents don’t believe in any ancestral memory hocus pocus. They have four days to apprehend the assassins and must put their mutual dislike aside. The team scouts the festival area to identify possible attack points. A hurricane hits the city and there is major flooding, but the festival area remains dry. With Russia and Chinese wanting America destroyed from within, the team struggles to prevent a national tragedy.

Kevin Barry O’Connor thrusts readers into a second Key Murphy thriller with action, suspense, intrigue, and a world of detailed investigative procedures. Threshold is intricately plotted, perhaps too intricately to keep some readers interested, feeling held back by overly detailed historical flashbacks and wanting the story to move. However, lovers of whodunit novels, or as in this case, who will do it, will find this work eminently satisfying. O’Connor doesn’t spend too much time rounding off Key as a character, which leaves Key almost as a shadow in the book. The work is well-written and the dialogue is crisp. Readers who are not too bothered by not having fully developed protagonists, enjoying a novel for its action and suspense value, will find this a diverting read. The first Key Murphy novel may give readers a fuller picture of this character.

When Dr. Murphy and Key are informed that an ancestral gene bearer in the US was requesting their audience and had urgent information for Key, they had no idea how much was at stake. Retired Marine Captain Cat Fahey – the ancestral gene bearer – had uncovered a heinous plot by a group of white supremacists to assassinate the Vice President of the United States at a music festival she is set to attend in Philadelphia. Before Homeland Security, the FBI, or local authorities could figure out their next move, they find paintings of swastikas and the vice president’s photo with a bullet hole in it at the planned venue. With skeptical police force authorities doubting their abilities, time running out, and relying on Fahey’s ancestral memories, will Key and his team manage to save the vice president from her imminent fate? Read Kevin Barry O’Connor’s Threshold to learn how it goes down.

Kevin Barry O’Connor’s Threshold is what you should look for if you love a political conspiracy entwined with a crime and mystery. O’Connor’s narration is laced with an engrossing tale of loyalty, betrayal, blackmail, vengeance, money, power, secrets, slavery, history, and so much more. He kept me hooked with suspense, thrills, adventure, and the subtle and ominous tone he infuses in the narration. He uniquely portrays the mood and setting of the scenes with vivid depictions. I was right there in every scene beside every character, as O’Connor kept switching between the nineteenth century and the present. He boldly constructs the characters’ traits, impressively projecting their emotions and making it easy to connect with and understand them. I loved Dr. Murphy’s great sense of wit and intellect. Threshold is an amazing second installment in O’Connor’s thriller series.

Threshold is the second book in the Key Murphy Thriller series by Kevin Barry O'Connor. After their exploits in Jamaica, Key and Arin Murphy are again called upon by their mutual friend, Detective Buck McCoy, who briefs them about a major threat to the life of the vice president of the United States. The newly elected mixed-race VP will attend a music festival in Philadelphia, where members of a nefarious white supremacist organization plan to assassinate her. However, Key, Arin, and Buck have an ace up their sleeves; former Marine Corps Captain Cat Fahey, who possesses the ancestral memory gene. Alongside federal agents, they embark on a dangerous mission to thwart the enemy's plans. However, a traitor in their midst puts their lives in grave danger.

Fans of thrillers like the Bourne series will have a great time with Threshold. Kevin Barry O'Connor seamlessly incorporates current geopolitical events into a gripping plot filled with action, political intrigue, and a touch of sci-fi. Key, Arin, Buck, and Cat are the major players in the story, and each of them brings something different to the narrative. Their distinct personalities match well, creating a dynamic that makes for compelling character arcs. The plot is nicely paced, taking twists and turns to keep you glued to the pages. I found Threshold to be quite an entertaining read and one that I would recommend to all thriller lovers out there.