When Hannah Stander, a consultant for the FBI, is called in to investigate a murder in a remote cabin in New York State, she wonders why, since her specialty is working on cases that include advanced technology. But she quickly realizes that this is no ordinary murder: there is one dead man, who's missing a lot of skin, and more than a thousand dead ants. Forensic studies reveal the ants are not natural, but rather some form of hybrid. This information sends Stander on a pell-mell trip to Arizona for more data on the species, and then to a remote island in an attempt to stop the people who engineered the creatures before more are unleashed on the world.
In Invasive, Chuck Wendig has crafted a clever spin on modern technology and genetic engineering falling into the wrong hands: devious humans who want to control the world with the help of malevolent insects. Stander has been raised by survivalist parents, so her ability to adapt quickly to her surroundings and her heroic efforts to stop the invasion are not over-the-top. The supporting characters play suitable roles, including those who created the ants. Graphic, gruesome details of flayed bodies add a layer of horror amidst a story reminiscent of a James Bond movie--lots of fast action, maniacal people who think they can improve the world by unleashing a force only they can control, and an intrepid and intelligent agent who can't be stopped. Sit back and enjoy, but have a can of Raid nearby just in case. --Lee E. Cart, freelance writer and book reviewer