The Paragon Conspiracy

Cloud of Cyberlies

By: Joanna Ross

Narrated by: Megan Martonick

"The Paragon Conspiracy: Cloud of Cyberlies" follows Sonia Nowak, a brilliant young coder whose award-winning app hides a dangerous secret—one she never intended to create. When she stumbles upon a web of digital sabotage during an international tech summit, Sonia must team up with her friends to uncover the truth behind the mysterious Paragon Circle, a secretive organization manipulating young innovators. As the pressure mounts and betrayal lurks in unexpected places, Sonia races against time to expose the corruption while balancing friendship, courage, and the thrill of discovery. Perfect for tech-savvy young minds and parents seeking a gripping, empowering adventure where clever problem-solving and resilience take center stage.

©2025 Joanna Ross (P)2025 Joanna Ross

Teenage cyber detectives in action

The premise of “The Paragon Conspiracy”-Cloud of Cyberlies, regarding fair and honest competitions, will resonate with Teen Thriller fans. The story’s heroine, Sonia Nowak, is a brilliant young coder who earns a chance to compete on the world stage with her innovative application. Sonia’s diligence in all aspects of her program earns her a spot at the competition and travel funds for one companion. Sonia’s hardworking parents cannot take time from work to travel. Therefore, they entrust their son, Kamil, to watch his sister closely.

Joanna Ross does a good job with character development, highlighting the angst of the tech prodigy Sonia, solid friendship by her best friend Natalia, her brother’s easy-going attitude, and the various players she meets in Vienna. Character aspects unnecessarily repeated became distracting, slowing down the story. The dialogue between these younger characters didn’t fit the age group, being too formal and stilted compared to real individuals. The descriptions of the travel and Vienna help fans see the sights, sounds, and textures of the location.

Sonia meets like-minded technology innovators. During the competition, she discovers a digital problem involving Paragon Circle, a leader for young, impressionable tech innovators. Sonia collaborates with her new friends to find the facts regarding possible corruption at a fundamental level. Competitions are stressful, but evil intentions for personal gain could impact winners and losers. The young innovators become committed to exposing the truth. Portions of the journey again lag at times. Trimming unnecessarily repetition would increase the tension of the thriller aspects.

Megan Martonick’s narration was inconsistent in tempo and intonation, reducing the story’s tension at multiple points. Although the telling was accurate, a bit more energy would have made this a more electrifying listen.

Tech-savvy listeners who enjoy thrillers featuring teens will appreciate the premise of “The Paragon Conspiracy.” The hint of a follow-on book may show the increased friendship of these young people as they grow and their tech skills improve. The thriller is a good listen for those headed out for a summer vacation.