The core of the plot is a reality TV show where 12 people will be left on Vassa, a Caribbean island, to struggle against both nature and their own fears. Extensive broadcasting and communication facilities ensure that the world will be able view all their activities and, by voting, gradually eliminate players until one is left to claim the prize - two million dollars and their heart's desire. But someone has other plans, and shortly after the show starts a tailored virus kills the show's entire crew, and the 12 contestants find they are playing for the highest stakes - their lives.

On-island the most important characters of the 12 are Justin Rourke, a pilot who struggles to find a way to stop the terror and Dana Kirsten, a last minute replacement contestant. Dana has entered the contest because her daughter is suffering from a degenerative form of leukemia and will die if she doesn't have an opportunity to participate in a new treatment program. These two quickly join in their efforts. Don't think that the other contestants are poorly done, though. Each of them has some quirk or fear that is exploited by the traps built into the island. My favorite was a mad scorpion stampede, but there is something for every reader's ghoulish streak.

Off-island, several threads develop and blend together. Tucker Thorne, an unknown press photographer, starts out by outsmarting a serial killer who is supposed to be dead and then finds himself in possession of information about Vassa Island that catapults him to a major news career. Dr. Sherman Lorrik, a specialist on terrorists, is called in by the President of the United States. His tasks are to find a way to resolve the Vassa crisis and to manipulate the outcome of the now fatal votes. The government itself must deal with the mystery of the Vassa plague and the island’s mysterious ability to defend itself. For everyone involved this is a race against the clock.

The story line is quite complex with a great many imaginative twists and turns. It is surprising that, with such a large cast, most of the characters are satisfactorily developed. This is not simply an action story but a tale with plenty of puzzles and thinking to it as well. Brown gives away very little, and seems to take a great deal of pleasure in misleading the reader. Expect a lot of red herrings, with a totally outrageous ending. 24/7 is almost good enough to seem completely believable despite some technical plot devices that are nearly science fiction. But despite the occasional raised eyebrow this is a very readable book.

--Marc Ruby