Talanov! Read James Houston Turner!

Department Thirteen

By James Houston Turner

Department Thirteen, the USA Book News "Best Thriller of 2011" and book #1 in the Talanov thriller series, wins a gold medal the 2012 Independent Publisher ("IPPY") Book Awards (thriller/suspense), AND a gold medal in the 2012 Indie Book Awards (action/adventure), with author JAMES HOUSTON TURNER flying to New York to attend the award ceremonies. 


Wow! Talanov is "something else!" For the men, he's a role model, maybe even of what you should not become... For women, he is so cool that we want to "break through" the hard shell that he seems to have surrounding him--we know, or hope, that there's something more deep inside...

But his wife, Andrea, had given up on really having true intimacy with him. Still she loved him and stayed...

Talanov realized that he didn't know how to love his wife. In fact, he didn't know how to love anybody--he had been "taught" not to! Aleksandr Talanov was now retired as a KGB colonel, living in Australia. He had been a greatly respected member who held the trust of many. But there were also those who had hated him...

The Cold War had ended and the United States had won. Most of the power of the former Soviet Union was gone, but a former hidden group was still operating and they had a reason for wanting Talanov dead...

And a team of assassins had been sent to do just that...

The Talanovs were hosting a large party at their home. Andrea had a fine reputation through her catering business and it was usual to host events there. At this one, there were many former KGB members as well as local friends. It was toward the end of the event and Alex and Andrea had escaped outside to walk along the shore.

It was at that time that the assassins struck, killing everybody that remained in their house...

Of course, Talanov knew that they had come for him... Andrea was shocked, but followed him as Alex entered a small hidden room that she had never known existed, continuing to ask questions, while he, using equipment there, listened in on a call to the police from an unidentified informant that claimed that Talanov had just killed all of the guests at his home!

There was no choice--Talanov went on the run, knowing that he had to find out who was behind this...

"Andropov glanced up at Talanov. "General
Timoshkin does not appreciate your precautions,
Aleksandr. Would you care to tell him why?"
"Talanov looked directly at Timoshkin. "Because
General, you have allowed your office to be
penetrated."
"What?"
"Electronic intercepts have been discovered
on your telephones, thanks to a fondness your
Senior Lieutenant Gagarin has for a woman
with a drug addiction...an addiction cultivated
by Western agents..."
~~~
"To those in this room," the blond stranger
began..."Perestroika refers to a deeper, more
comprehensive restructuring than has been
even to the President.
"Our vision is not merely one of reform, but
of acquisition and control on a global scale...

Through the Prologue, readers learn that Talanov had arranged an important meeting in 1983 for Yuri Andropov. One man entered late that was not known by Alex. He wondered if he was Department Thirteen, a small group of agents who were so deep that few knew who they were. Talanov wondered who was going to be assassinated. Then later watched it happen! But the stranger had more to do, and it was then that Talanov was excused from participating in that meeting... He never learned what had happened or had been planned...

Now, Talanov found himself backtracking through years, trying to catch up with what had happened at that meeting so long ago. But, first, he had to find some place safe for he and Andrea!

Because he had just learned that General Timoshkin had been assassinated and with his dying breath, he had called Talanov and managed to say, "Second Thirteen...Poisoned...to keep...me from--."

Turner takes his readers directly into the Cold War, but seeing it from the side of those most intimately involved, the KGB. He does this not just from research, but as a smuggler behind the Iron Curtain! Inspired by the actual KGB informant who leaked word out of Moscow that James was on a KGB watchlist, former KGB informant Aleksandr Talanov has become James Houston Turner's signature protagonist in the Talanov Thriller Series.

You know, I get excited just reading the background of how James got started writing. Check out his web site to read his "too ugly" story...

That type of story, though heartwarming, does not necessarily guarantee that somebody can write... But, Turner's words actually bristled with excitement for me. Not only is he an excellent writer, but he is a gifted thriller writer who produces an action-packed novel that readers can grab with their teeth and hold on for the ride he gives! I love when I can't stop reading because of the suspenseful tension, but also learn more about historical events! James Houston Turner has the background to give us both in a literary manner that leaves you breathlessly wanting more...

And, it's already available! Watch for my review of Greco's Game!


GABixlerReviews

A Native of Kansas, James turned to writing fiction as a result of his years as a smuggler behind the old Iron Curtain. He has been on a KGB watchlist, organized secret midnight meetings with informants, located hidden mountain bunkers, and investigated legends of forgotten tunnels beneath the cobblestones and bricks of some of Central Europe's most venerated cathedrals.

A former journalist in Los Angeles, he holds a Bachelor's Degree from Baker University and a Master's Degree from the University of Houston - Clear Lake. He and his wife, Wendy, a former triathlon winner, live in Adelaide, South Australia.

You may visit him at www.jameshoustonturner.com.

Football, Espionage Merged For Great Thriller!

Image via Wikipedia

"Times were still tense between the
United States and the Soviet Union, so they
needed to be sure the teams understood
that this was an exhibition and not
WWIII..."
"It was the first time a Russian team had
scored a touchdown on American soil.
If the two governments could have seen
the camaraderie between the players
and the coaches, the Cold War might
have been something in the past.
"Sports had a way of bringing people
together that no other activity could. It
was the pure competition, man on man,
team on team, that made it so
special..."

Teamwork




  Bob Robustelli




When I was working one of the positions held was head of Facilities Management at a local university, which included the responsibility to coordinate and negotiate the use of institutional facilities, including all those used for both academic and athletic activities. I was pleasantly surprised then, when I started to read Teamwork and learned that much of the activities regarding football was that conducted in the background. In this case, the final goal was to host the third game of the NFL in Russia!

Let's just say that Mickey Rossetti had never planned on being sent to Russia, living there and then having a major role at the chosen stadium where the game was to be held!

Nor did he ever imagine what was actually happening while he was coordinating with Russian representatives to get their athletes prepared to play football--training, selection of teams, scheduling games within the EFL, etc.

At the same time that football was being introduced to athletes, government officials, and citizens, there was much more happening in Russia! It had been discovered that nukes had been stolen and were soon going to be used!

Suddenly Mickey and many others from both the United States and Russia were forced into becoming operatives, seeking and passing intelligence between players from both countries, merged as a team to save mass destruction across the world...

This picture selected by me, no names were
actually used in this book...
"In the middle of January, two of the most
powerful people in the world sat down for
the first time to discuss the nuclear arms race,
the state of the Soviet economy, and fourteen
nuke cases that had gone missing...
"...But the most important development
during that time period never made the
headlines of any paper or newscast:
somewhere on the Eurasian Steppes, in
the southwestern part of the USSR, two
scientists and a colonel detonated a nuke
suitcase by remote control..."http://upload.wikimedia.org/
wikipedia/commons/6/66/Reagan_and
_Gorbachev_hold_discussions.jpg 

As readers enter the ravaged country so affected by the cold war, they share the devastating lack of food and proper facilities along with the high cost of getting anything from other countries, if they could get anything at all. But all activities regarding bringing football to Russia, and hopefully improving the economy would be supported by the government.

An investment for the future?

Football fans will certainly enjoy watching new teams being formed and moving toward expansion of their favorite game into other countries...But be prepared to begin watching one of the most intriguing games of international espionage, headed personally by the presidents of the two countries, that is based upon potential and actual events which happened during the 80s.

I enjoyed delving into the history of that time period and other lovers of history fiction and espionage novels may also be as intrigued... Talk about writing what you know--check out his bio below! The merge of football within international history is, in my opinion, seamless and lends a more personal, a warmer touch to these dramatic events, drawing readers in, matching their memories of what took place against the author's story. Me, I just enjoyed a great thriller that was uniquely presented, while I have NO idea whether any football games ever took place there in Russia--anybody know?



Note: Somewhere this author saw I enjoyed reading Richard Doetsch so he sent me the above Yep, I wanted to read it too! Cool Marketing on his part, don't you think?


About the Author:   After his college days at the University of Connecticut, Bob Robustelli worked in the family corporate travel and sports marketing business. His responsibilities included promoting American football in Mexico, Europe and Russia. Robustelli's father played for the New York Giants and is a member of the NFL Hall of Fame, credentials that helped with his associations with football. Throughout his travels, which took him to all parts of the world, he read thrillers and always thought his job was a good cover for a CIA agent. The idea for Teamwork had been formulating with Robustelli for some time, when three years ago he committed to writing it, taking courses at the Westport Writers Workshops and attending numerous seminars. He's enjoyed the process of learning the trade, but realizes there is much more to learn. He's looking forward to the journey.

Book Received
from Author


GABixlerReviews