A compulsively readable thriller that kept me up late because I was so much into it that I could not put it down. A real page turner. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me an advance copy of this book.

"The Butterfly Effect" has been a staple of time travel speculative fiction for decades. Under this theory, if you go back in time and step on a butterfly, the ripple effects could change the universe as we know it. Therefore, the heart goes, be very careful about interfering with the past or today could disappear. Brad Parks, in his latest thriller, turns the Butterfly Effect on its head with a secret organization, the Presidium, whose leader can forecast the future. This group thereupon perceiving major disasters takes actions to step on butterflies and change the future and make things better. It all sounds so perfect. Indeed, all the world's disasters will come to and end and peace and harmony will rule the day.

Well, maybe not so fast, bucko. The thing is the Presidium seems to work conspiratorially and decides that an environmental disaster that will destroy half the world can be stopped if a do-Goodreads lawsuit against a power company is stopped. And how do you stop the formidable do-good would-be Erin Brokovich from destroying the world by saving it? Well, of course, you kidnap her husband and tell him to murder her with a bullet to her head.

That's perhaps where this whole ball of wax goes awry. Or maybe it's where the dear husband goes back to his life and doesn't confide in anyone, not even his loving wife and instead goes and investigates on his own.

Of course, idiot Nate investigates with two toddlers in tow. Not believable!

Of course, when he asked for proof and is told a homeless guy will be rundown, Nate runs in the streets and screams the victim's name and tells the police who he is at the scene of the hit and run.

Of course, when told his wife is cheating on him, Nate never confronts her. But when she tells him she was secretly meeting hot guy in hotel room to pass secret documents, he then immediately believes her.

The thriller is filled with unbelievable cardboard characters who act in ways no one in reality would. Take a pass on this one.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. Mr. Parks always seems to have very interested concepts for his books. On one hand. this book is a little disturbing if you think how someone is monitoring your every move and trying to convince you that you need to murder someone, On the hand, it's very interesting to think how one society of people can have that much effect on people's actions. Very good twist toward the end that I did not see coming! Good book. He always entertains.