In The Bloodline Code by John Buck, the Brandt name is synonymous with power and success. But its heir, Lucas Brandt, fled South Africa to escape his family’s reach and influence over a decade ago. When his father dies unexpectedly, a reluctant Lucas ventures home with no intention of staying or claiming his vast inheritance, until he reconnects with his childhood friend, Zara, now a well-known investigative journalist. As Lucas unlocks his family’s legacy and unravels his father’s secrets, he realizes just how deep the lies go in a nation supposedly freed from corruption. And when his discoveries mesh with Zara’s latest investigation, which got an innocent woman killed, Lucas has a choice. He can run away again, or publicly detonate his own bloodline.

The Bloodline Code: Bloodlines of Power Book 1 is an in-depth fictional view of South African post-apartheid corruption. John Buck explores how, despite the celebrated rebirth of a nation, the wheels of progress are stalled by the entitlement of a family that maintains its financial and political stranglehold on the country. This was a revelation to me because I naively thought the country had shed that culture with the new era. I loved the South African location and found it refreshingly different from the usual high-stakes conspiracy arenas. The author is a master with metaphor and short, punchy sentences that reveal wisdom. My favorite quote comes from the main character: ‘Truth has a memory. But memory forgets who told it first.’ Conspiracy meets conscience in this exciting thriller.

The Bloodline Code is the first book in the Bloodlines of Power series by John Buck. The story begins when Lucas Brandt returns to Johannesburg for his father’s funeral. He expects closure, but he uncovers a web of lies buried deep within the family empire. A mysterious encrypted drive reveals that the Brandts’ fortune was built on manipulation, bribery, and carefully engineered power. At the same time, investigative journalist Zara Mokoena is tracking a missing whistleblower whose trail leads straight to Lucas’s family. Forced into a reluctant partnership, Lucas and Zara must navigate a dangerous network of secrets, betrayals, and ambition. As the Brandt dynasty’s front begins to disintegrate, both must decide how far they’re willing to go for justice and survival.

Author John Buck's incredible story is the perfect blend of conspiracy, thriller, and intrigue. The setting in Johannesburg's high-stakes business and political landscape provides the perfect background for a global conspiracy. I enjoyed Lucas’s character and how intriguing he was. He was ready to find out what and where things went wrong with his family, even though he wasn’t originally there for it. On the other hand, Zara was the go-getter of the duo. She was determined to get to the bottom of things and go to whatever lengths necessary. She was fearless and hardheaded at times. The pace of the story is perfect, the descriptions are vivid, and the plot is fantastic. There is never a dull moment, and I loved every minute of it. The Bloodline Code is a perfect start to the series, and I cannot wait for the next novel.

The Bloodline Code by John Buck is a captivating story set in contemporary South Africa, exploring themes of inherited corruption, family legacy, and systems of control. Lucas Brandt left South Africa for London at a young age after uncovering dark secrets about his family's business. Years later, following his father Anton's death, he returns home to inherit the family empire. However, Lucas is reluctant to get involved in the corruption. With the help of his old friend Zara, a passionate journalist, he quickly reveals the truth about his family's wrongdoing, using USB drives, ledgers, and mountains of evidence he finds in his home. As Lucas investigates, he discovers that beneath the façade of charitable work and community development lies a machine of deceit tied to the apartheid era and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which he learns was merely a ruse. He also uncovers that his mother, Helena, whom he believed to be a complicit player, is, in fact, a ruthless participant willing to do anything—including killing her own son—to protect the power structure they have built.

The Bloodline Code is the first book in the Bloodlines of Power series and offers a compelling tale about the systems of corruption that impact many nations. This story sheds light on their hidden mechanisms and the powerful influences that shape societies, threatening democracy and integrity. Lucas's journey combines fictional elements with real historical context, making it relatable and poignant for anyone familiar with South African history. John Buck's narrative is suspenseful, with lyrical elements that make the story engaging. The book encourages deep reflection on morality and truth, emphasizing the unfortunate scarcity of these values in many aspects of our systems. Many individuals choose complicity instead of bravely confronting injustice. Sadly, the systems of power continue to evolve right before our eyes, and anyone who tries to raise awareness is often labeled a traitor or deemed delusional. The book covers issues such as illegal shipments, murder, blackmail, and many more crimes. Overall, this is a thought-provoking read and a must-have for anyone interested in books about systemic injustice and the fight for transparency.

It had been twelve years since Lucas Brandt, the estranged son of one of South Africa’s most powerful and influential families, the Brandts, and heir to their multimillion-dollar business empire, had left Johannesburg for London, with a vow never to return. However, following the recent passing of his father, Anton, Lucas receives a letter with a key and a message from his father, which prompts him to fly back home. True to the letter’s message, promising him answers and explanations about family decisions, Lucas finds a USB drive and a ledger in his father’s study, both of which reveal the extent of Anton’s operations. Anton had built a legacy out of a web of deception, corruption, and crime, and as realization hits Lucas, it is his choice to inherit it all or end its oppressive machinery. Picking the latter, Lucas joins Zara Mokoena, a former friend and journalist, on a dangerous campaign to expose the truth behind the success of the powerful Brandt business empire. The few who had trodden their path before were silenced forever. Will this be their fate? Find out in John Buck’s The Bloodline Code (Bloodlines of Power Book 1).

If you’re looking for a conspiracy thriller blended with crime, suspense, and high-stakes drama, John Buck’s The Bloodline Code is a worthy pick. Paying great attention to detail, Buck weaves an intense storyline. Through the cast, the story explores themes of institutional betrayal and corruption, manipulation, control, inheritance, legacy, family, loyalty, moral complicity, the cost of success and ambition, and much more. It exposes the harsh realities of corporate influence and greed, power dynamics, justice, and the perception of truth in post-apartheid South Africa. The scenes are evocatively depicted, and as I read the story, it felt as if I were next to the cast, experiencing every moment. I could almost feel the bustling, vibrant energy of Johannesburg, its hot, overwhelming atmosphere, and the tension in the corporate offices, courtrooms, and among the cast. Against the backdrop of the elegance and luxury of Sandton, Africa’s richest square mile, and the Brandt estate, and the gritty, impoverished outside world, Buck paints a clear picture of the socioeconomic disparities between the rich and the poor.