In Vijaya Schartz’s The Garrison: Lockdown, prison guards Rhonda and Cole realize that they need to trust and rely on each other if they want to survive.

Rhonda Alendresis is the garrison’s newest guard and medic. Her artistic flair often hinders her observance of the rules and regulations enforced by Captain Cole Riggeur. During a routine scan of the civilian offices, Rhonda discovers that all the civilians are missing. Immediately, she contacts Cole with the information. As they search for the missing civilians, the prison’s nuclear reactor fails, due to severe seismic activity. Now Rhonda and Cole must descend to level nineteen, where the prison’s deadliest inmates reside, and repair the reactor before it explodes.

Captain Cole Riggeur has worked for Duran’s Prison for twelve years. He hired Rhonda because they needed a medic prison guard, but he does not believe she is capable of handling the job due to her lack of obedience to the dress code and other regulations. As the evidence points to the Duran Company’s abandonment of its guards and prisoners on a self-destructing planet, Cole must reassess his opinion of Rhonda before it costs them their lives.

Unexpectedly Cole is captured by a violent and dangerous alien prisoner. Rhonda will not leave him to die; however, how can one guard overpower a crowd of desperate and aggressive prisoners. The Garrison: Lockdown is an intense, suspenseful, gripping saga of survival, betrayal, and hope. Vijaya Schartz deftly depicts the resourcefulness and courage that occurs when a person refuses to admit defeat and die.

The Garrison: Lockdown is a compelling and fast-moving tale of greed, treachery, and retribution. Cole’s realization that the corporation he trusted and was loyal to has forsaken them to a brutal and painful death shatters his preconceptions and beliefs. Vijaya Schartz cleverly weaves Cole’s internal struggle into his relationship and actions toward Rhonda. I cheered and was anxious for Cole and Rhonda until the surprising finale. I eagerly await the next book in this captivating series.


Reviewed by: Dena