Jump Cut

Jump Cut
Libby Fischer Hellmann
The Red Herrings Press
Chicago, Illinois
ISBN: 978-1-464205-19-4
2016

According to Wikipedia, "A jump cut is a cut in film editing in which two sequential shots of the same subject are taken from camera positions that vary only slightly. This type of edit gives the effect of jumping forward in time."
So how could a novel entitled Jump Cut incorporate murder, spying, terrorism, bombing, kidnapping and film editing?  Ask author Libby Fischer Hellman about her newest novel.
Jump Cut continues the story of Ellie Foreman as the protagonist who seems to attract trouble.  She has the natural ability of being in the wrong place at the most inconvenient times.
Ellie is a video producer who is hired by companies to create promotional material.   In this story, the company is Delcroft Aviation.  They specialize in drone technology, specifically ant-drone technology creating a method to stop the drones sent to various places to spy and attack throughout the world.  The video is to present a positive social image to the public of this company that lives their day-to-day life in governmental and military secrets. 
Delcroft fires Ellie and her company once they view the initial video.  The new vice-president and director of engineering, Charlotte Hollander angrily lashes out at Ellie once she sees one particular person in this video.  What is the importance of this person?   Why can't they just edit out this person?
Ellie is especially curious when the object of trouble appears to have jumped in front of an on-coming train.  Or were they pushed?  Ellie cannot resist investigating.
Strangely Charlotte now wants to meet with Ellie.  Why?  What does she really want?  Why fire someone and then ask to meet them in a restaurant?
In many of Libby Fischer Hellman's novels, the reader is privileged to learn lessons.  In this particular one, the idea of terrorism is evidently apparent depending on whose perspective you are considering.  What is terrorism can depend on your heritage, education and values and which side you are supporting?  What if you discover that your country is attacking innocent civilians through the use of drones.
An added treasure in Jump Cut is the short discussion of the Uyghur people who live in China.  These people are truly a mix of continent with both European and Asian blood and a feeling of not belonging. 
Another issue which is also a concern is the lack of technological privacy and a few helpful hints for the everyday person who values their computer information with technology that is constantly changing.
Libby Fischer Hellman has lived in the Chicago area for over thirty-five years.  This novel is the fifth installment in her Ellie Foreman series.  She has also written three separate historical fiction novels as well as another series of four volumes featuring Georgia Davis.
I thoroughly enjoy these novels.  The pace is quick with constant action, sometimes almost too much for the protagonist, Ellie.  She has to be exhausted by the last page. These novels are not dependent on having read the previous novels but I believe the story is more enjoyable if you understand a little of the past of Ellie's family and friends.
Jump Cut is a great novel for everyone to read dealing with the real issues in today's news surrounding a logical fast-paced mystery that keeps the reader completely enthralled until the very last word.