THE INFORMATIONIST starts off with a bang, a very clever one - and does not let up until the very last sentence of the story.

One of the first big surprises was the fact that the author was female. I don't know why, but every time I read this type of book, one that is incredibly focused on the minute details and processes, in this case on the importance (and the availability of information) and how to gather it, I always think that a male author is writing the storyline. Surprise! surprise! this is not the case here. In fact, while, of course, there are a few interesting male characters, the lead character is a women (who can and does dress as a man when necessary).

Which brings me to my second surprise. Vanessa "Michael" Munroe - my new favorite lead character in a book. This women is sharp, intelligent, broken and damaged; yet, at the same time, manages to make it all work somehow, creating a person that is engaging as well as entertaining. It is obvious that the author spent considerable amounts of time fleshing out the Vanessa character and it works extremely well here - propelling the storyline forward, all the while keeping an air of mystery that will not be revealed until the end.

Vanessa has seen a lot of horrible things, which is one of the reasons she has retreated into her own world - doing her own thing, which involves collecting a huge volume of information on a person and/or situation she has been "hired" to "deal with." Vanessa's strength is her ability to source out all of the information that is available out there and then using this knowledge to completely immerse herself in the situation she has been asked to "look into" or "deal with," whatever that may be.

Armed with this information, there is nothing Vanessa cannot handle - until one very specific request comes her way, forcing her to return to her buried past in Central Africa. Will this be the case that finally destroys her?

This book is a completely wild ride with an ending that I never saw coming (the best kind). If you are looking for a smart, entertaining, and educational read that will keep you wanting to read "just one more page," then this is the perfect book for you - just be warned - you may end up reading deep into the night and forgetting that you actually have to get up the next morning (I did!).