‘Tar’ tells the story of professor Gallardo, who made a name for himself in the United States because of his Maya excavations in Guatemala. The combination of teaching at Berkeley University and working at the La Brea tar pits leaves him slightly unhappy and he decides to break the routine and embark on a special expedition to an asphalt lake on Trinidad.

But something feels wrong when he arrives and he finds out that the water bears a secret. Equipped with a high-tech submersible drone and custom-built rover, while accompanied by a fearless crew of assistants as well as his biology-savvy daughter Zoë, he reveals the riches hidden deep down in the lake.

However, it turns out to be a rocky road as both unexpected people and advanced technologies turn up to convolute the scene. One of them seems almost otherworldy… When the first victim falls, it is unclear if the team, backed by a powerful Silicon Valley biotech enterprise, can make a stand against the unknown adversary.

But even less clear is where the deepest secret actually resides — in the lake, with the enigmatic Zoë, within the Zarcon corporation, with the locals, or with the professor himself? *** Jahn-Søren Plotz is a Danish-German author with a background in technology and design. He creates a diverse cast of characters who embark on complex adventures in uniquely portrayed urban and natural landscapes of the future.

His stories are true page turners; quick and intense yet not without depth or relevance. ‘Tar’ is Plotz’ debut novel and a techno-thriller to be reckoned with.

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