“Remember this. Every precious thing I lose, you will lose two.”

These words are a threat made by a convicted criminal to the attorney who put him away. These chilling words also begin Steven White’s “The Program.”

District Attorney Kirsten Lord has been living in fear ever since that threat was made. After watching her husband’s murder, Lord and her daughter Amy must enter the Witness Security Program.

The Lords now begin a new life as Peyton and Landon Francis. Their new lives are about to get very interesting.

Inserted first in Kristen’s new life is Alan Gregory. As her psychologist, it is his job to help Lord/Francis with the transition between her old and new life.

Francis soon becomes a reluctant friend to Carl Luppo. Luppo is also in WITSEC after revealing details about his previous life as a hit man.

It is with Luppo’s help that Lord/Francis learns her biggest threat maybe the WITSEC.

WITSEC employee Ron Kriciak plays an interesting role. He is supposed to protect the individuals in the program. However, one can never tell which side he truly is on.

“The Program” tries too hard to be a suspense novel. Webster’s Dictionary defines suspense as “anxiety caused by an uncertainty.”

White must have interpreted this to mean that any amount of uncertainty will lead to anxiety. Unfortunately, he is wrong.

White creates uncertainty by adding in hordes of characters who have the ability to be potential villains.

Suspense is replaced by overkill. Too many villains, friends and story lines wage battle for the reader’s attention.

Half the time the reader will struggle to remember what storyline each character belongs to.

White also fails to create a main character the reader can enjoy. Lord/Francis is annoying and, at times, just plain stupid.

Her first impressions of people are not normal. She trusts a man who admits to being a hit man and a snitch. Yet she fears a U.S. marshall.

One annoying habit comes when she describes her memories. The analogy she uses is of a pod of whales. Bad memories are killer whales, neutral or good memories are belugas, and a potential memory is a calf. As interesting as this comparison is, it grows old very quickly.

However, Lord/Francis looks like a genius when compared to the villains in the novel.

If all criminals acted the way these do the world would have no crime.

The book tells the reader to be afraid of “The Program.” That statement is true. Fear this book and avoid it.

Matthew Carlson is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Dewitt.