I am going to start this review at the end of the book. I love to be non traditional in my reviews!

The very last page of the book contains a short biography of the author. It was the opening sentence of this section that caught my eye, it essentially sums up this fast paced thriller more eloquently than I could ever do in a single sentence.

Mark Rosendorf is not mentally unbalanced or violently psychotic, despite what his writing may suggest.

The Rasner Effect is a no holds barred book, it rattles along at a rapid pace. I'd like to introduce the hero, but there really is not one, everyone is a villain in one guise or another. The lead character is Rick Rasner a man, who so we are told, was an innocent bystander during a terrorist attack, he was driving his family across a bridge when an explosion occurred. His family died, Rick Rasner miraculously survived. Unfortunate his survival came at a price, he has no recall of the event, nor anything of his previous life.

Nursed back to health by Dr. Obenchain, Rick must make to life decisions, maybe it is a need to give back to the health system that drives him in the direction of becoming a Psychotherapist. Armed with his degree and with the help of Dr. Obenchain he obtains employment at the Brookhill Children's Psychiatric Residence. A place that Rick Rasner quickly discovers is a dour throw back to the mental asylums of the 1800's.

Next we shift focus to a college town in Florida where we meet Jake Scarberry, a lowly janitor with a rather ugly past. Jake is an ex mercenary who is now in the witness protection plan, he was in the employment of the US government, and tasked with bringing the terrorist group to justice, the same group that caused Rick Rasner's injuries. The Duke Organization as they called themselves were a bunch of ruthless killers.

What they lacked in intelligence and experience, they made up for in pure psychopathic tendencies

This band of killers cared little for guilt and innocence, anyone that that came in gunshot or knife range was fair game. The bridge explosion had been their undoing, and the group had disbanded shortly afterwards with some members being caught or killed.

Author Mark Rosendorf reveals early on in the book that there is more to Rick Rasner that meets the eye, he is in fact one of the most ruthless members of the Duke Organization, and his lack of memory and aggressive nature is being controlled by the microchip embedded in his head.

There are two members of the Duke Organization that have never given up the search for their missing comrade. And finally after seven years they think they may have found the elusive Rick Rasner. Derrick Bomser and Jennifer Duke regroup the remaining members of the organization and set out to 'rescue' their missing member.

To share more of the plot would spoil the story, but suffice it to say that a second meeting between Rick Rasner and Jake Scarberry is a very distinct possibility.

The Rasner Effect is a great read and the author certainly knows how to keep the reader's attention. If you are a Robert Ludlum fan then I am pretty certain you will enjoy The Rasner Effect.

You can order your copy of The Rasner Effect from Amazon. Mark Rosendorf also has a web site dedicated to the book, http://www.markrosendorf.com/.