Pattern for Panic by Richard S. Prather
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Apparently this book by Prather was originally written with a different character and using another name as author. Later to be re-written to fit the Shell Scott series. This is definitely a different book for the character Scott. More involed and more political. Also no mention of some typical side characters that are not to be found. This story takes place entirely in Mexico and is a fight against Communism.

The story is certainly a solid one with political sludge everywhere fort Scott to try and fight through. The Maguffin being a chemical that annihilate the sentient population sounds like a plan Stalin would have loved. The Stalinist mentality is a part of the book that would be lost on today’s American population, who really don’t understand they’ve already adopted a lot of the tenants of Communism. The effort is a large scale model I see in my work in politics all of the time. If only the population realized how much it is manipulated. Reading this book might waken some snoozing Americans.

As usual the characters are well formed, making the books far easier to follow. As always, sex is a part and all tags to the storyline. I have to admire Prather’s ability to tie the two in and usually for different reasons. The scenery is well described also as usual. In particular the Reforma road is nearly a character in the book.

My complaint would be that, unlike the other Shell books, this one had a very obvious bad guy and little in the way of twists.

I’ve yet to compliment the wonderful cover art for this and all of the Scott paperbacks and re-prints. A job that no longer exists.

Bottom line: I recommend this book: 8 out of ten points.

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