Latest Review
LOUISIANA HYDRA reviewed By Alma Boucher for Readers' Favorite (June 15, 2024)
In Louisiana Hydra: The Stinson/Borden Thriller series Book 1 by Gregory Ryman, as the most well-kept and secretive member of the CIA, William Stinson was a legend in the global hacking world. Stephanie Borden and Senator Glenway sat at a table next to William at the café, where he enjoyed a coffee while reading a book. Stephanie met with the senator to talk
about the disappearance of a whistleblower who was going to divulge information related to national security. When the senator was shot, William grabbed Stephanie, and they ran to the park to hide from the assassin, afraid they might be next on the hit list. William teamed up with Stephanie and used his technological know-how to unearth the truth while aiding the authorities in their investigation.Gregory Ryman's Louisiana Hydra hooked me from the start until the end. This page-turner kept me on the edge of my seat. There were several surprising twists and turns in the plot that I never saw coming. It had a fast pace and interesting characters with deeper personalities than initially met the eye. Despite their past traumas and pain, William and Stephanie became an incredible team after meeting by accident. The part about the daemonware that William put on phones to gain access to the device and to listen in on conversations piqued my interest. The story was masterfully crafted with a shocking ending. It took me completely by surprise, and my feet were thrown out from under me. I enjoyed reading it and look forward to the next book.
You can learn more about Gregory Ryman and "Louisiana Hydra" at https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/louisiana-hydra where you can read reviews and the author’s biography, as well as connect with the author directly or through their website and social media pages.
Past Reviews
Louisiana Hydra - Joe Kucharski (https://readatjoes.org) - May 1, 2024
The international-conspiracy-political-spy-techno-espionage genre can be a delicate one. And unless your name is “Le Carré” or “Fleming,” there are rules to follow and borders to remain within. In other words, and to quote the great Crash Davis, you have to learn your clichés. With Louisiana Hydra, author Gregory Ryman has memorized the map, learned the dialect, and invaded that promised land.
As complete as Ryman’s passport might be, this is still his first outing and Ryman’s debut is full of those wonderful genre clichés.
Louisiana Hydra brings together a CIA cybersecurity whiz with the handle of William Stinson and international consultant Stephanie Borden in the most random of happenstances: an assassination in broad daylight. And the victim was a US senator. Seeking answers to questions and, perhaps, aching for a touch of revenge, Stinson and Borden team up. Safety in numbers and all that. Plus there is a great buy one-get one offer at the neighborhood cafe.
Once caffeinated, they spy on other government contractors, dive into the magical mystery waters of AI, and uncover a complex conspiracy involving the Chinese who are seeking to purchase American DNA from a disgruntled Vietnam vet. Whew.
Ryman has an obvious love for the genre and easily works within that setting. The heroes are champions for good, the villains deliciously evil, and those in the gray seamlessly work in between it all. His story has both an international flavor to it, an essential ingredient for any good spy tale, but also perfectly grounds the domestic account between Washington DC and the bayous of central Louisiana.
Ryman also creates a different dynamic between Stinson and Borden. Unlike in The Bourne Identity, where Jason must first rescue Marie before coupling, Borden is no damsel in distress to Stinson’s street fighting man. Instead, they end up partners. Perhaps a little more like Salinger and Whitman from Tom Tykwer’s The International then, say, Marion Ravenwood and a certain Professor Jones, but partners nonetheless.
However, maybe Louisiana Hydra could have done with a Cairo chase scene full of laundry baskets. Or two.
Whereas the partnership might be interesting, their solo personalities all come from a genre take-out menu. Stinson’s hacking skills bounce between Mission: Impossible chic to eye-rollingly convenient. Cloned phones, hacked WiFi, video re-routing, it’s all blatantly there; Stinson even has his own Batcave. He drinks Scotch, smokes cigars, and a heart rate that never tops 45. His team of operators are so smooth Sade calls them for advice. Borden’s got three passports, a couple of visas, and is tough like Lois Lane. She brands a stylish tattoo, and can comfortably run in both Converse All-Stars and Jimmy Choos.
Together, it all works. And that is paramount. Whereas Ryman might need to shave down on some of the meticulous dialogue, yet another common first-outing foible, his heart is in the right place and the pulse is beating strong.
For a debut novel, Ryman’s Louisiana Hydra is an avid entry to the genre. Ryman has talent and, more importantly, he’s got passion. Looking forward to seeing what he’s got coming next.
BookTrib - CIA Hacker and Savvy Consultant Join Forces in Page-Turning Political Thriller (April 1, 2024)
What's It About?
CIA hacker William Stinson and high-priced international consultant Stephanie Borden are thrown together in a race to not only save their own lives but to unravel a conspiracy that would take them across the globe.
In this breakout series debut, a legendary CIA hacker and a savvy international consultant pair up to solve the assassination of a U.S. senator — only to discover they are next on the hit list. They slowly uncover a many-headed serpent of criminal data collection, smuggling and murder in Louisiana Hydra by Gregory Ryman.
William Stinson is the best-kept and closely guarded secret of the CIA, a legend in the international hacking community, who works covertly from his home office in Washington. D.C. One morning, he stops to enjoy a coffee at an outdoor café, tucking in with a good book.
At the same time, Stephanie Borden, a well-connected consultant, takes a seat at the patio table next to Stinson’s. She is there to meet Senator Michael Glenway to discuss the worrying disappearance of a whistle-blower about to share urgent national security information. It is a sunny and warm October day.
Then, a puffing sound and a light spray of blood freckle the back of William’s hand. After a second “puff” of air, he sees the shocked face of the beautiful stranger across from him, staring at the lifeless body of her companion. William grabs for her hand and they dash from danger, with a loud plunk! hitting Stephanie’s vacant chair in the chaos of screaming and running people.
Chasing Down an International Conspiracy
With this dramatic opening, Ryman introduces a new political thriller series with two enigmatic characters thrown together by chance who, despite their past traumas and pain, create one hell of a sleuthing tag team. William and his vast underground office of high-tech gear and surveillance equipment become a safe house for Stephanie as she recovers from a second attempt on her life.
Along with William’s CIA colleague, Carl Stubbs, and his crack technical team, they will pool their technological know-how — and Stephanie’s chutzpah — to chase down the next lead that, like a Russian nesting doll, hides another mystery inside of a riddle wrapped in an enigma.
This chase will lead them to Oxford, England, to find the whistle-blower’s evidence and then on to Paris for the next clue, before finally leading them all back to a corrupt politician in Louisiana with a sinister and mysterious “friend” who knows more than everyone combined.
Explosive Plot with Shocking Ending
Ryman’s plot is clever, original, and more than a bit terrifying. Touching on the controversial uses (and misuses) of artificial intelligence, Ryman deftly pivots to the Covid pandemic and the frightening possibility of wholesale medical data collection worldwide by a bevy of bad actors. It is enough to keep the reader up late into the night.
William and Stephanie do not reveal all of themselves in this first installment, which is smart storyboarding by Ryman. William’s life as a widower is shared early on, but Stephanie remains more of a mystery — both to herself and the reader. After an explosive and shocking ending, this becomes more of an urgent request in the sequel.
Louisiana Hydra is a page-turning political thriller that combines tech-savviness, wry dialogue, and an unsettling vision of criminality in the 21st century. What more can you ask for? Highly recommended.
Louisiana Hydra (Pre-release) - Paula P.
Thank you so much for letting me have a pre-release copy of Louisiana Hydra! I have to say I am very impressed. I didn’t want to put it down. Each character was interesting, including their backstories, and I wanted to hear more. I liked the main characters, and I am particularly interested in learning more about Stephanie and her past.
I can usually tell how a book is going to end, and while I could see a future with William and Stephanie working together, I did not see (spoiler edit) coming. That’s 5 out of 5 in my book. I am a big fan of a continuing series of characters, and I can’t wait to read the next one. Please! 🙏
Louisiana Hydra (Pre-release) - @Heathers.Book.Shelf
Spy thrillers are a sub genre that I absolutely love, and this indie book was such a fun and wild ride! The writing was sharp and witty, moving us into the story quickly, keeping the reader on their toes as we charted through international waters to uncover the mystery surrounding Senator Glenway’s murder.
Borden and Stinson make a great duo; their pasts combined with being a bit of a Lone Ranger persona gave them an ease with each other that was brilliantly written. I was on my toes the entire time, flying through this one, and I can’t wait to read more of our fearless duo in the future!
Louisiana Hydra (Pre-release) - Mike's Musings (Australia)
Gregory Ryman is a debut author of a techno-thriller, which reflects his career in technology. He worked in Operations, then Programming, Data Analysis, Systems Analyst, and finally Architect Manager before his retirement. He has used this specialist knowledge to pen a first-rate, heavily focused technology-based thriller that has a flowing, engrossing narrative.
An unassuming man, William Stinson works in the technology division of the CIA and witnesses the assignation of a senator as he sits in a street café reading a book. He then gets caught up in the hunt for the killer.
A crime mystery thriller, Louisiana Hydra (2024) by Gregory Ryman is a spy techno tale. A man sitting in a street café opposite the National Cathedral, Washington is reading his book when the couple near him are shot at. William Stinson is a CIA employee in the technology division and acts to save Stephanie Borden, an international consultant meeting with the assassinated senator. Whilst assisting the police with their investigation, William decides to use his own tech expertise to discover the truth and partner with Stephanie. An intriguing tale of data control and ownership develops with action, intrigue, and a surprising final resolution. Overall, a first-rate debut thriller with its appropriate title and a four and a half stars read rating. With thanks to the author Gregory Ryman for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes.