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By Mark Lanio
“Cut!” “Action!”
Mark Lanio leads the reader smoothly through transitions between film scenes and 
reality in his new “action” thriller The Bad Guy.
“Action!” John Duncan shouted the word when he was little more than a year old. For now, he is perfectly content to play The Bad Guy rolls he’s cast in on the way to reaching his goal of becoming a director.
The opportunity to work on Cerner Studios new project based on Ian Barnhardt’s popular McCain Diaries novels seems like a good way to make some progress towards that goal. And working with two friends and top industry names, director Marty McGregor and producer Cliff Jenkins makes it worth putting up with the prima-donna attitude and antics of the leading man Mark Lewis. Besides, Cerner’s reputation for integrity and staying true-to-the-art makes them a great studio to work for. It’s why Eliza Barnhardt chose them to represent her father’s work after his death.
John is surprised, a little pleased, and a little disconcerted when Marty informs him that part of Cerner’s decision to cast him as Hume opposite Mark Lewis’s McCain is based on his reputation as a problem solver, and a lot frustrated when Marty asks him to deal with one of Mark’s little temper tantrums. It is about to become a lot more complicated. Cerner’s stock is falling despite their production of Raising Cain, and they discover they have a mole, inside shoot information is showing up on the Internet almost the minute it happens. Trying figure out why the studio’s stock is falling and combat the potential public relations nightmare of the information leak is bad enough, but when cinematographer Kenny Scott is killed on set, John is sure it is sabotage and is soon pulled into a malicious web of intrigue that threatens his life and Jan’s.
Mark Lanio makes excellent use of his expertise in the computer field and deep interest in the film industry to add depth and credibility to the intriguing plot and unique style of The Bad Guy. Strong and memorable, his main character, John Duncan, guides the reader through a well-crafted maze of hints, clues, and suspects, then ploughs through, centering you in the hair-raising climax right along with him.
-Charlene Austin © 2004 (chars@writersandreadersnetwork.com)
© 2004 Writers and Readers Network. All Rights Reserved.