Son of Army legend Lt. General Puller (former commander of the 101st Airborne), Puller Jr. is a physical specimen standing 6"4" and weighing 230 lbs. With a titanium rod in his forearm and screws in his left ankle from previous military service, Puller prefers CID over other military assignments.  

When Puller reaches the crime scene, he discovers the deputy assigned the area murdered in the basement. Why did the perpetrators return? Why are the Secretary of the Army and the FBI interested in the case? Why is Puller the only agent assigned? Working with locals, Sergeant Samantha Cole and Crime Scene Investigator Landry Monroe, two more victims are found in close proximity across the street in what appears to be a meth lab. One of these victims works for Trent Explorations, the largest employer in the county, whose wealthy owner lives in a private compound and is married to Samantha's older sister.  

During the investigation, Puller discovers "The Bunker" a towering dome which had served as a unknown government facility in the 60s and around which vines and bushes had grown. There was government housing close by and rumor has it that these workers never associated with the people of Drake.  

Zero Day is definitely in the Lee Child mold: John Puller is a Jack Reacher clone, right down to his size. In this good but not great military procedural novel, Baldacci also includes environmental issues of air and water pollution which make the citizens of Drake suffer from chronic medical conditions. Zero Day looks like the start of a new series. If so, my suggestion would be to improve upon the convoluted plot, and consider breaking Puller’s brother out of federal prison. 

--Jerry Solot