Cobra Pose

Elaina Williams and Ric Peters are back at it in the second installment of the Yoga Mat series, Cobra Pose. This time, things hit even closer to home when Elaina’s father, Dr. Edward Williams goes missing. After Elaina doesn’t hear from her father in a week, she calls Ric up to enlist him in helping her find the doctor. In a note he had left her, he had said he was going bushwalking but did not leave any dates or other information. Elaina leaves her staff at Yoga Boronia to run the business and goes from Sydney to Brisbane with Ric to find her father. Knowing that her father is adept at technology, specifically cyber-security and data protection, Elaina starts to put the clues together and realizes her father may have been kidnapped by someone who has a use for his skillset.

There are so many well-thought-out parts to this book as in the first book. I love the relationship between Elaina and Ric although at times it seems that Ric is distracted and gives Elaina mixed messages. His obsession with only the best coffee and his taking up of tea draw humor into the book because Ric is such a masculine character. It is clear they both still care for one another. The scenery the characters pass through as they complete their adventure is descriptive yet not overbearing to the point it will bore the reader. The clues that Dr. Williams leaves Elaina are realistic, yet make the reader feel like there is a Nancy Drew element strewn throughout. The kidnappers who have different backgrounds each have very specific characteristics as well and the dialogue between the characters brings them to life. Elaina’s Uncle Max intercepts his way into the story when Ric and Elaina run into him after searching her father’s house. As Max’s dual identity reveals itself, the big guns are called in to help. Both Ric and Max’s backgrounds are very secretive, however, it is clear that they have resources at their disposal. I also love how a dummy yoga studio is created to bait the hackers/kidnappers. Genius!

With the latest Australian cyber-attacks occurring, this book delves into the topic of cyber hacking and the reason that cyber security is so important, both personally and in business. Cobra Pose is a cat-and-mouse game full of action, adventure, and danger. With twists and turns throughout the plot and a tearjerker moment that puts readers into a final stage of suspense, authors Rogers and Roosen have put together yet another fantastic thriller.