Retired FBI agent professor Lucas Page has lived many lives in one. After being medically discharged from his FBI job as a newly minted double amputee, Page put his life back together. He married, adopted a passel of kids, and began a new career as a professor of astrophysics. He’s done with the dangerous and all-consuming FBI work for good. He’s found another use for his extraordinary mathematics skills. But when a huge explosion rocks the Guggenheim museum at an after hours function and kills hundreds of people, Page’s old boss comes calling. The FBI needs Page’s ability to see crime scenes as no one else can to solve the crime. Page has promised his time and his safety to his family, but he can’t resist the pull of the mystery—or the knowledge that if this crime isn’t solved more people will die.

Lucas Page is a hero to follow. He’s irascible, brilliant, driven, and a selfless person, though he does his best to hide that trait. Under Pressure is the best of modern mystery a fast-moving plot, interesting characters, and a satisfying conclusion. As soon as I finished Under Pressure I went looking for the first Lucas Page novel, City of Windows, and I was not disappointed. Now I’ve got a new crime solver and a new-to-me author to follow.

Under Pressure by Robert Pobi is book two in his Lucas Page series.

Dr. Lucas Page is an astrophysicist, professor at Columbia University and a former FBI agent. Page is physically and socially flawed, but he has the unique ability to quickly analyze and process data well beyond the obvious. He’s been called in to consult for the FBI on a bombing at the Guggenheim Museum that killed 702 people. This is the second FBI case Page has consulted on since leaving the bureau, and he’s literally put his all into solving both cases.

I haven’t read the first book in this series, and though I would have liked more detail on the past incident that injured Page, that didn’t stop this from being a successful standalone novel with sufficient background in all other aspects. Under Pressure is very descriptive with a complex, yet compelling plot. There is plenty of explosive action, literally. The dialogue is vibrant and has humorous touches that provide tension relief for both the characters and the reader. The ending is shocking. I give this novel 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to everyone who enjoys a good thriller.

My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.

I found #underpressure to be completely compelling from the first page. Lucas Page is one of those characters that I would like to know and would like to hang out with his family Although this is book 2 I didn’t feel that I was missing anything crucial, although I will probably go back and read book 1 for completeness. The main setting of NYC is interesting and depicted accurately. I can’t wait to read more adventures starting Lucas. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for this ebook to read and review.

I received this ARC from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this one, and would go back to look for the first of the Lucas Page novels. Though it wasn't a short read, the story moved quickly, and I really enjoyed the main character. I look forward to more with Lucas Page!

He sees numbers as images

Lucas Page is a mathematics savant who was an astrophysicist working for the FBI before he was blown up. Now he is a university professor. The Guggenheim Museum is blown up in spectacular fashion in the middle of a gala, killing hundreds of people and vaporizing billions of dollars of art. The FBI shows up at Lucas's front door and the story begins.

Dr. Page's skills are formidable and interesting and I enjoyed the book. I would ask Mr. Pobi to consider, though, how it is that Lucas is an abrasive asshole with everyone around him but is a warm and loving father and husband to his wife and clutch of foster children. The front door of a house is not a switch that turns empathy on and off.

Action packed, page turner! The explosive action keeps you turning pages to find out what comes next.

Under Pressure (and just like that Freddy Mercury is back in my head! 🎶) is the second book in the Lucas Page series about an emotionally and physically damaged former FBI special agent from New York who brought back in to solve hideous crimes using his unique cerebral gifts. Unusually for me, I actually think you could fully enjoy this without having read the first instalment, City of Mirrors - although it’s a great book so you should buy it anyway, and kudos to the author for not spoiling that one here (apart from knowing who survives of course.) This is another intelligent electrifying if far-fetched action thriller with great characters but I’m going for four stars this time because it needs better editing.

Nearly a year after the events of City of Mirrors, Lucas is at the beach with his family, happily anticipating Halloween, when FBI Director Brett Kehoe arrives once more to drag him into a shocking new case - someone has detonated a bomb during a gala at the Guggenheim Museum, incinerating over 700 people. Torn between his home life and the thrill of the chase, Lucas agrees to have a look for just a few days, and is once more paired with bolshy agent Angela Whitaker (I’m sure she said her name was Alice in the previous book, the first of several continuity errors.) When further blasts point them towards an upscale investment firm, while telling the gullible media that they have an anti-technology agenda, Page must use his special abilities to stop the carnage - but how long before he himself becomes a target once more?

The more I review, the clearer it becomes that there are writers, and there are storytellers, and some lucky authors can do both - but they still need editors! This follows a very similar plot structure to the first book, while dealing with a very different type of crime, and that’s fine - I use the same structure for nearly all my reviews - but if he uses it again for a third book it will start to become predictable. There were some narrative errors, usually missing words, in my review copy but I assume these would’ve been fixed for publication. The biggest issue here was unnecessary repetition of information, such as descriptions of people and places, of metaphors, and of narrative devices - particularly the introduction of minor characters about whom we are given just enough information to feel sympathy (or less commonly antipathy) then “boom” they’re red mist. This is done over and over and became tiresome.

Apart from these minor quibbles, this was another excellent read - I’m really just explaining why I rounded down from 4.5 this time. Page is brilliant but obnoxious - even more so than in the first book, but you can understand why. I love his sibling-squabble-like relationship with Whitaker, and his petulant teen-like approach to the nearly unflappable Kehoe. Fascinating minor characters like Dingo, Otto and Nadeel return - I often think it’s the minor recurring actors that really make a series. Some of the animal characters were awesome too. As in the first book, there are lots of pop culture references, I didn’t get all of them, so got to feel clever when I did. There’s more black-humour this time round, but less politics - although the completely deserved digs at digital culture and cellphone addiction were well placed.

I very much enjoyed this, didn’t predict the outcome, or the culprit, and especially liked the ending which answered a very important question for an animal-lover like me.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. Under Pressure is available now.

This was a very smart, actually brilliant, whodunit, blow em up, action packed, sensational thriller, multiple murder mystery. There are lots of political, technological and environmental overtones, undertones and maybe even a few diatribes. I learned lots without trying. Ever heard of spontaneous synchronization? Me neither but it is an interesting thrown-in tidbit.

I absolutely love the magnificently imperfect and damaged Dr. Lucas Page, astrophysicist cum extraordinaire. He quotes Joseph Heller and Freud in the same sentence. Who knew those two had a similar mindset on certain things? Who knew that no system is intrinsically random? Who knew that if your see something that appears random it only means that you are missing data? And precisely who is going to find that data, not the FBI, not the people who are tasked to fight crime – drum roll – the banged up and dysfunctional Dr. Lucas Page. I love that guy. Who says “The omnipotent narrator in my life is occasionally given to hyperbole.” and actually expects to be understood? Back at you Dr. Page. Then there is the notion that there is a straight line running through the crime narrative but it is tricky because there is an “unknown unknown” - wow, really? more super perspicacity at work.

I never expected to fall in love with a blown apart, not a team player, very sarcastic, deranged mathematical genius. Funny thing about love – you just never know when you are going to find it. Another new favorite quote - “In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.”

Great book. Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books / St. Martin’s Publishing Group for a copy.

When a bomb planted at a gala held at the Guggenheim detonates, killing 702 of Manhattan's elite, the FBI brings in brilliant astrophysicist and former FBI agent Lucas Page to aid in their investigation. Dr. Page has a John Nash-esque gift with numbers, patterns, and calculations and is able to quickly discern the source of the explosion.

When a major news organization receives an anonymous email sent by the bomber seconds before the detonation of the bomb railing against the world's reliance on modern technology and promising more attacks, the bomber is dubbed the Machine Bomber. Fulfilling his promise to wreak more havoc, the additional attacks begin almost immediately. With the city under attack, Dr. Page and Special Agent Whitaker are racing to find the bomber and prevent any more attacks.

I enjoyed Under Pressure but didn't know until I began reading it that it was the second of a series. Although Under Pressure can be read and appreciated as a standalone book, I felt as though I missed additional context and backstory that was referenced by not reading City of Mirrors first. As I enjoyed Dr. Page and Under Pressure, I plan to go back and read City of Mirrors.

Under Pressure was an intelligent and well-executed thriller. I look forward to going back and reading City of Mirrors and I plan to read any further releases featuring Dr. Page.

Yay! Lucas is back. He may be back kicking and screaming but he's back. He was amazing in City Of Windows and just as awesome in Under Pressure. It has it all. A seamless story with strong characters and action that doesn't let up from page one until the shocking end. Robert Pobi can definitely write a superb thriller. A must read. Happy reading!

Author Robert Pobi’s protagonist, Lucas Page, is a retired FBI agent who suffered an “event” as he calls it that left him with one arm, one leg and one eye. His arm and leg have been replaced with prosthetics, which he routinely removes as the situation requires. Additionally, he is a brilliant astrophysicist with an uncanny ability to see patterns in what appears to be the most unreleased set of circumstances.

On the night of a huge gala at the Guggenheim museum, it is blown up by an explosion from the outside in, killing all the tech industry bigwigs that were in attendance. Called out of retirement, Lucas Page sets out in his unique way to solve this crime. This is a complex thriller, populated with interesting relationships and snappy dialogue. Through the author’s clear writing, a most tangible picture of Lucas Page emerges.

Many thanks, again, to NetGallery for providing an uncorrected digital galley and introductions me to another wonderful new author.

I was riveted and pulled into this story from the start when a bomb explodes at the Guggenheim Museum. Enter Dr. Lucas Page and an eclectic FBI team to sort through the gruesome wreckage, trying to discern what happened and why and will it happen again.

I have not read the first book in this series and I am sure there were some things I didn't catch on to immediately but this book read very well as a standalone. The story begins with a bombing of the Guggenheim in NY where 700 people perish in a terrorist attack. The FBI is at a roadblock and reach out to Dr. Lucas Page, astrophysicist and university professor to come help solve the case. He helped the FBI years earlier and seemingly is very reluctant to come back. He is still suffering from an event that happened years earlier that left him with an artificial leg and arm. This is a book that makes you think instead of seeing where the plot is going a few minutes into the book. I loved how Page after looking at printouts of the dead for just a few minutes could recite how many people of the same lettered last name died and other details that an average human would not comprehend as he does. His mind works a different way and he see things others don't. The action keeps ramping up all through the book and it ends in a way I did not see coming. A book I highly recommend. Thank you Netgalley, Robert Pobi, St. Martin's press and Minotaur books for the ARC for my honest opinion.

*4-4.5 stars! I love when thriller writers lead me astray and in Under Pressure, Robert Pobi did just that in spades!

Lucas Page is a sort of 'bionic man,' having lived through 'the Event' some ten years before that left him with an artificial eye, arm and leg and a smile that scares most people, but still with intelligence that is off the charts. He is an author, a professor and an astrophysicist, and has been recruited by the FBI to help them in their investigations because of his remarkable skills. (See book one in the series: City of Windows)

They come to him for the second time following a horrific explosion at the Guggenheim that kills over 700 people during a private event. A letter claims the bombers want a revolution: they want people to reject technology and reclaim their humanity. Burn your cell phones! Dump social media! But Lucas sees through all that and believes something else is behind the booming. Who benefits?

Lucas is NOT a people person. Looking at the crowds of onlookers with their crazy signs and outfits, he despairs for the future of our society. As another character says, 'It is the twenty-first century and we still have to deal with flat-earthers and anti-vaxxers and moon landing truthers. This is what you get when guns are more important than books--a nation of sociocultural primitives.'

I really enjoyed his snarky sense of humor throughout the book. Need some attitude adjustment about aging? 'If getting old is the price I have to pay for not dying young, I'll take it.'

Where does the title for the book come from? At one point, Lucas says, 'I was under pressure, so I rolled the dice.' Ha! Lucas is nothing if not the master of understatement.

I ask you, how can you read the title of this book without having the Queen/Bowie song stuck in your head for the rest of the day?? Earworm!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoDh_...

I received an arc of this new thriller from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks. Robert Pobi is joining my list of favorite thriller writers.

A series of deadly explosions rock the city of New York and with too many victims and no known motive, the FBI turns once again to Dr. Lucas Page in Robert Pobi's Under Pressure.

And here we have Lucas Page back in action! I really enjoy reading about this character. The author has done such a good job of fleshing him out. He's a former agent who wants to have nothing to do with the FBI but has a moral ethic which cant see innocent people die. He's honest, to the point and comes across as rude and snarky as well. But the fact that Lucas Page is a genius with a unique mind to compute and solve cases which baffle regular people is obvious.

And herein begins a rollercoaster of a story where you keep turning the pages to know what happened, who is this twisted mind who hides in the shadows but is behind the deadly explosions. The descriptive writing and pace is top notch and you are not let down even for a moment.

This is a superb thriller. I wasn't expecting this book to be as good as the first one and yet this ended up being better. It's thrilling, a compelling page-turner that has you hooked from the word go.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for sending an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My thoughts
Rating :5
Would i recommend it ? Yes
Would i read more of this series? Yes, in fact i have on held thanks to libby the first book.
Would i read more by this author? Yes
First of I want to thank St. Martin's Press as well Minotaur Books and NetGalley for letting me read and review it as well as a big thank you once again to St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for not only inviting me to read it though NetGalley but also for sending me a physical arc of it .And i was completely right when i read the synopsis of it , it differently something i would pick up to read. As soon as i started reading it one of my favorite series came to mind that was
Lincoln Rhyme by Jeffery Deaver , just like that series it had me hooked from the very first page and wouldn't let me go until the very end.And even though this is book 2 i had no trouble understand which character was who in fact it made me want to read the first book so much that like i said up above that i have the first one on hold. This book was no stop packed action from the very start, and the twist and twist had me setting on the edge of my set though out the book and i even learned something i didn't know, and even looked what i learned about up on the internet. But out of all the characters i meet i'm going to have to say my all time favorite is Lucas himself, because of how strong he is, how deeply he loves his family and while his a man of few words his there when you need him.And other thing i loved about him was that even though he was afraid, he faced his fears and came out on top. So yes i would say you have to pick this series up

Wow. Don't worry if you didn't read the first book (which is magnificent, btw)- pick this one up now. Dr. Lucas Page is an astrophysicist who can do wild things with numbers and sees patterns where others can not. He's also reconstructed with three prosthetics after an "event," has five adopted children, a wife named Erin, and an old FBI colleague- Brent Kehoe- who has a big problem. The novel opens with a bomb going off at the Guggenheim Museum in NY; over 700 people are killed. Kehoe brings in Page to help find answers so he's reunited his old partner pal FBI SA Angela Whitaker. Then, however, more bombs go off, including one where there is a survivor. What is the connection between all of them- the billionaire Hockney brothers figure somehow but how? No spoilers from me. Not one. This has any number of shocking moments (including one at about 60 percent in my kindle where I actually said NO out loud) but the clues are all there too. Yes it's a bit gory (really gory). The characters are awesome (up to and including Page's students who find significant answers), the plot a roller coaster, and well, it's just great. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. This is a page turner you'll find hard to put down.

An explosion rocks New York’s Guggenheim during a black tie benefit, killing over 700 people. With so many victims, the FBI calls in Dr. Lucas Page, astrophysicist and university professor, whose ability to work through probabilities is unmatched.
But when more bombs explode, and more unknowns are thrown into the mix, Dr. Page must put everything on the line to prevent further carnage.

Propulsively readable, this is a novel to keep you turning pages far into the night.
Highly recommended.

The second in a series by author Robert Pobi, UNDER PRESSURE, is fine as a stand alone. But why not enjoy both books with protagonist Lucas Page, the astrophysicist and former FBI agent with special talents. Page is not your average super-hero, he has been physically broken and carries constant reminders of his accident in prosthetic limbs and devices. Author Pobi also makes liberal usage of tech language when describing Page’s internal and physical selves; enough to leave the reader feeling as though Page is almost a cyborg. He has no super strengths as a result of his prosthesis. He was born with his special skills. This tale is tight, twisty and thrilling all the way through. The characters are engaging and the plot devious. I read the book in one day but only because I stopped doing anything else. This was an excellent book. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I received a free ARC of Under Pressure from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

This second entry in the Lucas Page series is a thrill ride. Explosions in New York City are occurring at frequent intervals and the person or persons responsible seem to revel in a massive death count. Pobi's opening chapters are a master lesson in juxtaposition of setting and character. Chapter one has a wealthy, jaded woman at a gala at the Guggenheim. Surrounded by beauty (Ansel Adams's photographs) and commerce (Andy Warhol's soup cans), she counts alcohol as her closest friend. The explosive firestorm leaves over 700 people dead. Chapter two has Lucas Page at the beach house looking up at the wonders of the sky. Again there is the beauty of nature and the love of family that is intruded upon, almost soiled, by the news reports of the Guggenheim bombing. Then, in Chapter three, Agent Kehoe, Lucas' sometimes boss, is at the bombing sight, attempting to make some sense of the horrors in front of him and recognizing he needs the specialized talents of Lucas Page. One brilliant segment in this chapter is the appearance of a determined man protesting the reality of the bombing in the era of fake news. His unwillingness to accept fact becomes a motif through this novel - denial by many about the truth because there is no trust in any organization or individual.

Page's investigation has him doing his thing - the ability to visualize the explosion in reverse and thus determine the origin of the blast. Page sees things in numbers and equations, his brain computing at an astounding rate. And once again, Pobi references "the event," the still undefined explosion that fragmented Lucas's body and altered his life.

Individual characters are firmly built upon the events of the first book in the series so knowledge of that novel,City of Windows, is essential. This is a multilayered, sometimes cynical read.