A TECHNOLOGICAL THRILLER
THE DESERT HIDES MORE THAN SECRETS.
One engineer. A missing scientist. A conspiracy built to make the impossible possible.
When a routine assignment leads Dex Decker into a dangerous web
of hidden technology and missing scientists, the smallest anomaly may be the clue that changes everything.
The Story Behind the Shadows
EVERY SYSTEM HAS A WEAKNESS. SOMEONE KNOWS YOURS.
Engineer Dex Decker knows how to recognize a machine that isn’t behaving as it should. But when suspicious activity connects his work to a series of missing scientists, he discovers that the problem extends far beyond an ordinary engineering failure.
As the pieces begin to connect, Dex must confront a dangerous possibility: the systems he understands so well may be helping someone carry out an operation no one sees coming.
Margin Of Tolernace
EVERY SYSTEM HAS A WEAKNESS. SOMEONE KNOWS YOURS.
When a prototype fails during testing at a Swiss engineering facility, it looks like a routine technical problem. Machines fail all the time. Engineers troubleshoot, redesign, and move on. But Dex Larson isn’t most engineers. Quiet, analytical, and relentlessly curious, Dex has spent twenty years solving problems others overlook. When the data from the failed system doesn’t add up, he begins digging deeper. What he uncovers is something no one was supposed to notice—a subtle change buried inside the global supply chain for rare earth magnets.
A fraction of a percent reduction in a rare earth magnet component, the element that keeps high-performance magnets stable under heat and stress. On paper the change appears harmless. In reality, it erases the safety margin protecting millions of critical machines around the world. Electric vehicles. Medical equipment. Industrial automation. Defense systems.
Mojave Shadows
EVERY SYSTEM HAS A WEAKNESS. SOMEONE KNOWS YOURS.
A suspicious cyberattack. Missing scientists. A secret buried beneath the desert. And a race against time that could threaten far more than anyone imagined.Dex Decker is an engineer who notices what others overlook. When a mysterious cyberattack disrupts a manufacturing system and someone spends an unusual amount of time examining his private experimental drive technology, Dex realizes the intrusion is anything but ordinary. Soon, he is drawn into an investigation that connects his work to a missing scientist, a series of carefully coordinated cyber intrusions, and a dangerous operation unfolding in the Arizona desert.
As Dex travels to Lake Havasu for what should be a routine engineering assignment, unsettling discoveries begin to reveal a much larger conspiracy. The trail leads to Red Mesa, a secretive operation involving kidnapped scientists, advanced technology, and a mysterious machine whose true purpose remains hidden.
Snowblind Protocol
EVERY SYSTEM HAS A WEAKNESS. SOMEONE KNOWS YOURS.
Dex Decker is an ordinary engineer who was on a business trip to Europe and gets pulled into solving a global internet conspiracy.When a last-minute work trip pulls him from the Midwest to northern Italy, Dex expects to evaluate a technical problem and return home unchanged. Instead, he finds himself drawn into a quiet war being waged far from headlines and borders—a war fought with data, prediction, and silence.High in the Alps north of Milan, a hidden internet exchange is being used to monitor global traffic, manipulate markets, and influence governments.
Dex is chosen not for his obedience, but for his ability to notice what others miss. As a calculated trap closes around him, Dex must rely on instincts forged in engineering and computer security to survive long enough to expose a system built on certainty. Meanwhile, his friend and colleague Joe—street-smart, relentless, and underestimated—moves in from the margins, exploiting the blind spots no one thought to defend.
The Technology Behind the Thriller
WHEN PRECISION BECOMES A WEAPON.
The most dangerous systems are not always the ones that look dangerous.
System Vulnerabilities
Explore how seemingly ordinary systems can conceal suspicious activity.
Engineering Precision
Discover the mechanical and analytical thinking that helps Dex recognize a problem others overlook
Controlled Capture
Learn about the novel's central technological threat without revealing the climax.
Explore the Book
ENTER THE WORLD OF
MOJAVE SHADOWS.
The deeper Dex looks, the more dangerous the truth becomes.
MOJAVE SHADOWS
By Jerry Olson
Technological Thriller / Conspiracy Thriller
Follow Dex Decker as a routine engineering assignment exposes a hidden operation involving compromised systems, missing specialists, and an extraordinary target.
Explore the Book
ENTER THE WORLD OF
MOJAVE SHADOWS.
The deeper Dex looks, the more dangerous the truth becomes.
By Jerry Olson
When a prototype fails during testing at a Swiss engineering facility, it looks like a routine technical problem. Machines fail all the time. Engineers troubleshoot, redesign, and move on. But Dex Larson isn’t most engineers. Quiet, analytical, and relentlessly curious, Dex has spent twenty years solving problems others overlook. When the data from the failed system doesn’t add up, he begins digging deeper. What he uncovers is something no one was supposed to notice—a subtle change buried inside the global supply chain for rare earth magnets.
A fraction of a percent reduction in a rare earth magnet component, the element that keeps high-performance magnets stable under heat and stress. On paper the change appears harmless. In reality, it erases the safety margin protecting millions of critical machines around the world.
By Jerry Olson
Dex Decker is an ordinary engineer who was on a business trip to Europe and gets pulled into solving a global internet conspiracy.
When a last-minute work trip pulls him from the Midwest to northern Italy, Dex expects to evaluate a technical problem and return home unchanged. Instead, he finds himself drawn into a quiet war being waged far from headlines and borders—a war fought with data, prediction, and silence.
High in the Alps north of Milan, a hidden internet exchange is being used to monitor global traffic, manipulate markets, and influence governments.
By Jerry Olson
A suspicious cyberattack. Missing scientists. A secret buried beneath the desert. And a race against time that could threaten far more than anyone imagined.
Dex Decker is an engineer who notices what others overlook. When a mysterious cyberattack disrupts a manufacturing system and someone spends an unusual amount of time examining his private experimental drive technology, Dex realizes the intrusion is anything but ordinary. Soon, he is drawn into an investigation that connects his work to a missing scientist, a series of carefully coordinated cyber intrusions, and a dangerous operation unfolding in the Arizona desert.
The Connections
DIFFERENT INCIDENTS. ONE DANGEROUS PATTERN.
Every anomaly matters. Every connection raises the stakes.
Dex Decker
The engineer who notices the anomalies
Missing Scientists
Researchers whose disappearances raise questions.
MOJAVE SHADOWS
Red Mesa
The organization associated with the hidden operation
The Capture System
The advanced mechanism at the center of the conspiracy
About the Author
MEET JERRY OLSON
After 34 years as an engineer, Jerry Olson traded writing technical reports for thriller novels. His career took him to fascinating places around the world, providing the inspiration and settings for stories filled with suspense, mystery, and unexpected twists.
A longtime fan of David Baldacci and Vince Flynn, Jerry combines his engineering background with a love of storytelling to create adventures that keep readers guessing. He is the author of Snowblind Protocol, Margin of Tolerance, and Mojave Shadows, with more adventures on the way.
Reader Reviews
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING
I love thrillers that combine technology, mystery, and suspense, and these stories sound right up my alley. Dex is an interesting character because he relies on his intelligence and ability to notice small details rather than just action. Each story offers a different kind of threat, which makes the series especially intriguing.
Michael Bennett
What I like most about these books is how ordinary engineering problems turn into something much bigger and more dangerous. The connections between cybersecurity, secret operations, and global conspiracies make the plots feel compelling. These are great picks for readers who enjoy intelligent thrillers with plenty to think about.
Sarah Mitchell
Mojave Shadows really caught my attention with its desert setting, missing scientists, and mysterious technology. I enjoy stories where the main character has to connect the dots while the danger keeps growing. The combination of engineering and high-stakes suspense makes this one particularly appealing.
David Reynolds
Snowblind Protocol sounds like a different kind of techno-thriller, focusing on how information and technology can be used to influence the world without anyone realizing it. I especially like the idea of a protagonist who succeeds by recognizing patterns others overlook. It's an intriguing concept for anyone interested in cybersecurity and international intrigue.
Jennifer Collins
The rare-earth magnet conspiracy in the third story is a fascinating premise because it connects a seemingly minor technical change to potentially devastating consequences. I enjoy thrillers that make complex subjects feel relevant and suspenseful. The idea that a tiny engineering flaw could threaten critical systems around the world makes this story stand out.
Robert Hayes
MOJAVE SHADOWS
SOME SECRETS ARE
BURIED FOR A REASON.
Discover what happens when one engineer begins asking the right questions.