Behcet Kaya Moves to Mystery and Suspense with Murder on the Naval Base!

The heavy double doors of the Murat Officers' Club flew open.
Fringe winds from Hurricane Lori rushed in carrying dust and debris. It blew through the high-ceilinged, chandeliered lobby and back into the wide open doors of the elegant and intimate dining room. White linen tablecloths fluttered and napkins flew in the air, sending plates and silverware crashing to the floor.
A solitary khaki-clad figure wearing tan combat boots, dark sunglasses, and a cap slung low over the face entered the lobby with a Beretta clutched in one hand. The shooter stood for only a moment, then trudged forward and entered the dining room.
The figure took a few steps forward into the room, found the intended targets and stepped backward without turning. With legs spread, the shooter raised the weapon with both hands and without hesitation pointed at a table occupied by a beautiful brunette and her male companion.
Two rapid shots were fired; the first shot directed at the woman, and the other shot to her companion.
In an instant, it was over.

~~~

Influenced by 1974 Movie Conduct Unbecoming

With Stacy Keach, one of my favorite actors (Mike Hammer)

Murder on the Naval Base

Behcet Kaya

Kaya's move to the murder mystery genre for this novel was a welcome addition for me, since everybody knows a great murder mystery is one of my favorite reads! And Murder on the Naval Base certainly presents a well-plotted, tough mystery that I didn't even begin to get a handle on until late in the game! You can safely think this is one mystery you won't be able to easily solve so I do encourage mystery fans to check it out!

Right away, we are confronted with a public murder of two individuals dining at the Base Officer's Club. Had they gone there, thinking it was time to begin moving toward a permanent liaison, because once they were there it was very possible everyone would know they were having an affair.

He walked and walked and
walked. Sometimes he talked
silently to himself, repeating
the same thoughts.
How long has the persistent
brother been eluding me?
How long has he had an
arrangement with my wife?
Am I not the humiliated one?
Trusting them both?
~~~

Unfortunately for Lieutenant Anderson Garrett Belguzar, the husband of the murdered woman, everybody who saw what happened, identified the shooter as Belguzar...

The amazing thing is that the author immediately takes readers into the life of Belguzar, allowing us, as well, to think of him as the one who killed them! A Twist or just allowing us to question...whodunit??

For the past hour, Lieutenant Anderson Garrett Belguzar had hidden himself away with his body curled and his head resting on his knees. He slowly emerged from the closet and crawled into bed. He closed his eyes, but his body refused to relax.

Sliding back out from under the sheets, he dressed in a pair of khaki pants and shirt, put on the cap, slighting tilting it to the side, and pulled on his tan combat boots. Looking back at the bed, he smoothed the covers carefully and walked out of the apartment. Not wanting to disturb his neighbors, he quietly shut the back gate and passed under the dark shade of several large trees.

Anderson's soul was turbulent. Sick at heart and restless, the two-bedroom apartment he shared with his wife had become too small, too cramped, too closed in. He could no longer endure his restraint. Feeling as if he had entered into a delirium state, his actions were capricious, and his mind was impervious to all that would soon happen.

~~~

"You're so naive. Sometimes I feel you're
like the son of our butler. Do I need to teach
you everything? Listen, I'll call my mother
and let her know I have a friend coming to
visit us for the month. And, don't worry,
I'll take care of the school business. Really,
my mother wil be pleased. You'll be pleased
with my mother and the whole family except
maybe my two sisters. They can be a little
conceited at times, but for that you can
forgive them.
"What about your father?"
"The Admiral? Pshh, don't worry...

I loved the Lieutenant's character and felt quite comfortable using Keach as the main character, even though Belguzar comes off as somewhat of a tortured soul and not like the hero as Keach was in Mike Hammer...Still it was good to bring Keach in to picture as I got to better know Anderson...

Anderson's background is a sad one and it left him somewhat shy. Still he had always wanted to attend the Naval Academy and had worked to secure recommendations to attend. Only to immediately start to get hazed by some of the upperclassmen who were sadistic enough to stick to the old methods.... Charles McPhearson had been watching and stepped in and threatened the main offender. It was only later that Anderson learned that Charles' father was an Admiral, becoming friends even though their pasts were quite different. Indeed it was Charles suggestion that Anderson visit their home during breaks and it became somewhat of a tradition. Anderson even began to pursue one of the daughters of the family. Charles was dating Elizabeth which was a family recommended partnership with neither quite sure that a marriage would ever occur... At least that was Anderson's thought when Elizabeth tried to seduce him one day...

Anderson had fallen for Bevin immediately but though they married, he was never quite sure that she was happy in the marriage--pleased with him as a lover... He knew that his continued career goals may not be what Bevin wanted, but he really had no choice but to try to move forward and gain recognition for promotion.

The news of Charles' death hit Anderson and, of course, his family hard. By that time, he and Elizabeth were married... She even seemed to have known about the affair with the woman he had been with when he was murdered... But, the shock that his wife, Bevin, was that woman with Charles sent Anderson on a downward spiral, not knowing what to do...

He was totally surprised when a well-respected lawyer visited him, explaining he was his lawyer, that an anonymous donor was paying his legal fees. Even more surprising was that the lawyer was not a military lawyer--Anderson could only be grateful and accept his assistance...

Readers are then led into the actual court activities--an exciting addition to the novel as witnesses are called and Anderson's defense lawyer tries to break down their testimonies!  For me, this was a highlight as I watched even the lawyer begin to worry about not being able to clear Anderson...

Suspense is tight and high as we move toward the end where most readers will be not only surprised by the killer's identity but a much more climatic ending that was totally unexpected! Loved it!

For an excellent merge of military and legal fiction, this novel presents an intriguing story that also includes sex, betrayal, and extremely tense drama that pulls readers in immediately and holds them in teeth-clinching suspense throughout! High recommended...


GABixlerReviews

Author Behcet Kaya was born in northeastern Turkey. Growing up in a small village with long held traditions, his rebellious and creative nature emerged at an early age. Leaving home at fourteen, he travelled first to Istanbul and then on to London. His dream was to complete his high school education and then a college degree in engineering. While at Hatfield Polytechnic, Kaya made his first visit to the U.S. as an exchange student with the BUNC. He made the move to the U.S. in 1976 and became a U.S. citizen in 1985. While living in Atlanta, Georgia, he followed his creative yearnings, attending the Alliance Theater School and studying at the SAG Conservatory of Georgia. Kaya and his wife moved to Los Angeles, where he continued his studies at the Roby Theater Company and the Shakespeare, A Noise Within Theater Workshop.
Along with acting, writing became a natural outlet for his creative yearnings. He has published two novels, "Voice of Conscience" and "Murder on the Naval Base" as well as several short stories. His sequel to "Voice of Conscience" titled "Road to Siran - Erin's Story" is now available.

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