Latest Paladine Novel Reveals Realities of Human Trafficking in Traffick Stop by Kenneth Eade

 “You may choose to look the other way 

but you can never say again that you did not know.” 

―  William Wilberforce

Porto Heli

From his little sailboat in the port he could see the horseshoe-shaped harbor of Porto Heli, a summer resort area packed with revelers and partiers, and more easily accessible to him than the party island of Mykonos.  It was about a 30-minute cruise.  His island was dark, quiet – like Robert was.  The sidewalks rolled up at 10 p.m.  Night life was practically non-existent.  

As he sat on the deck and looked out across the sea, he was drawn to the twinkling lights of Porto Heli like a fly to a porch light.  The lapping of the water against the little boats as they bobbed up and down, the sound that used to soothe him to sleep so many nights in the cabin of the bow of his boat, the Lana, now grated on his nerves like fingernails dragging against a chalkboard.  

Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore.  He started the motor of the Lana, cast off the mooring lines, and, just like that fly, headed straight for the light. It was a short ride that divided the two worlds; the one of the people by day and the other of the people by night.  The day people worked, played, laughed and ate, and then they slept, resting to start the cycle all over again.  
The night people, on the other hand, lived only for thrills, and their object was to have as much fun and pleasure as they could before the sun rose.  As he neared the harbor, he could hear the sounds of partying in the bars and began to ache with impatience – like a dog salivating for a bone.  He threw the fenders over the side, cut the motor and pulled alongside a concrete pier and a man came out, tossed him the mooring ropes and he quickly looped them over the cleats.  He locked up the boat, hopped off and handed the man a fifty euro bill. “I’ll probably be a few hours.” The man slipped the bill into his pocket and smiled a checkerboard smile of half a mouthful of stained teeth.  Robert had made his own price because it was late and the money would probably not be accounted for. “No problem.”
“Make sure nothing happens to my boat and there’ll be another fifty in it for you.” The man smiled again and nodded. Robert followed the sounds of the action like the pack of rats followed the Pied Piper of Hamelin.  His will was no longer his own; he had given it up to the beast, and it was the beast who would be calling the shots tonight.  It didn’t take long to find the best party.  He followed the pulsating beat of electronic music to Nikki Beach Resort.  As he came nearer, he could see what was a seaside patio for sun bathers by day had turned into a dance floor at night, illuminated by sparkling fountains of fire, casting flickering shadows against the dancers, most of them female. 
As Robert approached, he saw the bouncer, a big man with no neck, rustling a man out of the club.  The guy he was handling was well dressed, but he was obviously drunk, so the bouncer had the right to evict him.  But he didn’t stop after he had “bounced” the man.  He went a step further – a step too far.  He pushed him out onto the sidewalk, and the man fell.  The man struggled to get up, and, when he did, the bouncer kicked him down.  
This wasn’t Robert’s battle, so he decided to play it cool.  Unfortunately, however, the bouncer wasn’t content to end the drama with one kick.  Robert observed, quietly, while the bouncer continued to rough up the drunken man, pushing him around and slapping him down.  
Some people, of certain strength, take pleasure in pushing around others with none. The bouncer was probably a bully when he was a kid.  Now, he was a grown-up bully, and one with authority. “Hey, man, you kicked him out.  Why don’t you just let him go?” 
The bouncer looked up at Robert as if he had thrown down a gauntlet.  He had tasted blood and here was another fight.  
“You want a piece of this?”
 “No, man.  I’m just saying this guy’s had enough.” 
The big-necked man grabbed Robert by the collar and came nose to nose with him. Robert could feel his hot, bad breath against his face. “You will take your hands off me and do it now.” 
“Or what, big man?  You gonna beat me up?” The beef-neck began to laugh, tightening his grip.  Like a snake, Robert struck, pushing him back, then slamming him in the nose with a loud crack.  “Nobody touches me.” 
The man’s hand instinctively went to his nose, and then he looked at his bloody palms with anger.  He sized Robert up, hurt now only in his pride.  By that time, another bouncer had joined him.  They looked like two lion statues, the kind rich people put to mark the entrance of their driveways.  
The beast had been awakened in Robert, who stared them down with cold, shark-like eyes.  “Now let’s try this again.  I don’t want any trouble.  I’d like to have a drink, maybe meet some girls and try to get laid tonight.  
Or I can beat the living shit out of both of you.  I’ll get an equal amount of a different kind of satisfaction out of either activity.  It’s your move.”

~~~

Traffick Stop:
Paladine Political Thriller Series

By Kenneth Eade

I have great empathy for Robert Garcia, the main character of the Paladine Series... He, like others, who have been affected by PTSD have discovered that their mental stability have been permanently damaged and that, at times, the beast appears... 

Garcia called that part of him that could no longer be satisfied in retirement, fishing, the beast... Eade begins the book with what happens when this occurs... 

Sacrifice, charity, and concern for others has always been a characteristic of the human spirit.  But there is a wild, hungry, thirsty, selfish creature that lurks deep within the libido of each of us.  That id some of us ignore, others deny, and still others put a mask on it or lock it away so even they cannot release it.  But when the balance is tipped to its side, it can break any bonds that have tied it down, and we are powerless to stop it.  The result can be exhilarating, intoxicating, mind-blowing, or it can be deadly. 

Garcia had been restless for quite a while so that, one night, when the music reached him from a resort bar within close range, Robert took the bait and went looking...mainly for some company, noise, and hopefully meeting a willing woman... But...when he saw the club's bouncer's taking his fun from beating up a drunk being kicked out of the club, Garcia spoke up for the man receiving unnecessary violence... That's one of the things that has brought me to love this character... Yes, he's been mentally and emotionally damaged, but when the thirst comes he must quench, he always still has his moral code that aims it toward a deserving bad guy, of course!

Am I really seeing what this vid represents...?

By the way, he does go into the club and meets Joelle, who returns to the boat to spend the night with him... That's when Robert first met a woman who was under control as a sex slave and was guarded at all times except when she was "hired"  out for a short time period... Robert learns that night that she was soon to be sent to Syria to continue in another place, with the same restrictions... that they had control of her passport and that they threatened her with the lives of her family if she didn't follow their rules.

Robert tried to tell himself that it was not his business, that he couldn't do anything to save her, even though he pictured in his mind a plan to do just that...

And so when his old employer tracked him down through a friend who knew where he was, and Robert learned the story of why he was being asked to take another job... An American citizen was now in the hands of ISIS, serving as a sex slave...

“Then he told me an interesting story.  One of Williamson’s employees was a software engineer by the name of Rahbi Moghadam.  Rahbi had a daughter – Rasha.  When she was 19, she took a trip to Turkey to celebrate her graduation from junior college and her old man paid for it.  “What he didn’t know was that Rasha had been convinced by an ISIS recruiter to come to Syria to give humanitarian aid to civil war victims.” Robert nodded.  “My guess is that she disappeared?” 
“That’s right, malaka.  Her father spent a lot of time and money tracking her down, and the trail ended in Syria.  Rasha had been forced into a jihadi marriage to six ISIS fighters.  Her only purpose in life for an entire year was to be raped repeatedly by those jihadist assholes.”

~~~

Garcia realized he was ready... But first he checked out the new leader of that group and only then was he willing to meet to discuss what was needed...

This is another part of this series that Eade does exceptionally well... The planning, execution, and extraction plans for Garcia are brilliant in their creation... unless, of course, the author has decided to create a situation where Robert must use ingenuity and, this time, luck, to get him out of danger!

Which brings up another character that I also love. Those reading the series will remember the Russian warrior who Garcia met and vacationed with in the last book! In this book he shows up to save Garcia! Yes, we get to enjoy Garcia and Lyosha as they meet once again in Syria. When Garcia tells Lyosha why he is there...to deal with human traffickers, and hopefully free the women, which includes Russian women, before they were sold in auction... Lyosha immediately volunteers his Russian Warriors...

http://ahtribune.com/world/north-africa-south-west-asia/1221-yazidi-sex-slaves.html

Eade points out two issues that I was thankful to see (1) that the organization for whom he was working also financially supported trying to ensure help for the secondary victims of terrorism, the peace-loving and innocent Muslims living in the States who were blamed for the acts of extremists... and (2) that today's warriors, no matter what country they are from, will work together to rid our lives of extremists and criminals everywhere... if only for a short time when political ploys do not stop them!

Wow, I loved this book! Let's us hope that the discussions and appeals to congress that are now happening in America, actually "take care of business" like Paladine does! Thank you, Kenneth Eade, for providing us with hope that Paladine's work will be accomplished as effectively as if Paladine were leading the fight!

This is not just another thriller...it is more...Eade's political thrillers are taking us directly into the underbelly of the world and, even in fiction, showing us what is happening, and, in my mind, scaring you enough to become involved in whatever way you can...starting with ensuring you and your children take necessary measures to protect your family members. This is reality fiction, which happens to be an excellent, look at a major money-making activity that is increasing at unimaginable rates. Read this book to enjoy the hero, Paladine...but also to become even more aware of what human trafficking is doing to this world! Kudos to Kenneth Eade for tackling this major problem! I consider this a must-read, for anybody who cares about the victims... primarily women and children... who need help!


GABixlerReviews

Described by critics as "one of our strongest thriller writers on the scene," author Kenneth Eade, best known for his legal and political thrillers, practiced law for 30 years before publishing his first novel, "An Involuntary Spy." Eade, an award-winning, best-selling Top 100 thriller author, has been described by his peers as "one of the up-and-coming legal thriller writers of this generation." He is the 2015 winner of Best Legal Thriller from Beverly Hills Book Awards and the 2016 winner of a bronze medal in the category of Fiction, Mystery and Murder from the Reader's Favorite International Book Awards. His latest novel, "Paladine" is currently a quarter-finalist in Publisher's Weekly's BookLife Prize for Fiction. Eade has authored three fiction series: The "Brent Marks Legal Thriller Series", the "Involuntary Spy Espionage Series" and the "Paladine Anti-Terrorism Series." He has written sixteen novels which have been translated into French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. 

"I've been writing all my life, but began publishing my work out of a passion for the environment. My wife, Valentina, is a professional photographer, who worked for two years on an environmental exhibition called, "Bee Cause I Care" which was exhibited by the Prince Albert II Foundation and is now touring cities in France to bring awareness to the importance of pollinators and the dangers facing them. I penned a few articles on the subject for the Los Angeles Daily Journal and turned my research into my first book, "Bless the Bees." That passion continued with the publication of my novel, "An Involuntary Spy," which is an action thriller that also points to the dangers of genetically engineered food. Then I began publishing the "Brent Marks Legal Thriller Series," which, in part, is based on actual experiences during my long career in law.

Spotlighting Cary Allen Stone's Jake Roberts Series - Latest - After the Kill! Top Favorites to Begin the Year 2016!

"I have investigators swarming his North Phoenix residence now. The house was a mess, broken glass everywhere. They found his laptop. It had some insights into what might have been going through his head. His phone records show he called the V.A. repeatedly, left voicemails asking for help. They never returned his calls," Hart said.

"Other than the calls to the V.A., he stayed off the grid," Kelly said.Jake's pent up emotions went ballistic. "You know, we take young men and women who are at the start of exciting lives, and we train them to kill. We send them to some screwed up country still living in the Dark Ages, and tell them to make it right. We keep sending them back. They trust us, so they believe in the mission. After the trauma and the killing, they come home stripped of their humanity, their bodies damaged, and broken. They have no limbs to guy with, no legs to walk proud on. When they come home, there is no home. We don't take their phone calls? He 'was just a pissed off soldier with PTSD," Special Agent Kelly? Really? Maybe he felt he didn't fit in anymore. Maybe he felt abandoned. I know personally what that feels like."

Kelly and Hart politely excused themselves and headed back to Gina. Before they got ten feet, Jake spoke out.

"Was it worth it? Was today--the dead and the wounded--worth some bureaucrat not returning a phone call?" Jake asked.

"No,, of course not, and all we did today was react. Maybe, someday, Congress will give them the help they all deserve. Maybe Sky Harbor will be the wake up call. Right now, is there anything we can get for you? Kelly asked.

"No, Agent Kelly, unless you can perform a miracle to keep Fred alive..."

~~~

After the Kill:

A Jake Roberts Novel

By Cary Allen Stone

Stone begins his fourth explosive novel by honing in on the plight of soldiers who come home from war... Many in the United States are quick to point out atrocious behavior in other countries and cry out for action--starting by sending American troops into enemy territory! War is profitable--it is easy to declare action be taken...

But America does not take care of those whose lives they've destroyed by sending them into battle... Eric Sutherland was just one of those soldiers who had come home and finally cried out for help in the only way he felt could make his point... he covered his body with explosives and headed for an airport...

http://www.unknownsoldier.
org/Images.html

"No more. I can't do it anymore." Dying was the answer, when you ran out of options. Either someone else pulled the trigger, or you did. He had seen the ice cold, boney finger pointed at him at least a hundred times. He loved his country, and the Special Forces soldier proved it during three back-to-back tours in Iraz and two more in Afghanistan. He was their go-to-gy for explosives. The other soldiers he served with said he was the bravest man in the country. His commanding officer recommended him for the Medal of Honor for his actions in one ambush attack. He alone saved his unit, but he refused to accept the commendation. He took a direct hit to his psyche sometime during his last tour. It fucked him up... Eric Sutherland made hundreds of calls to an unanswered phone in the V.A. Hospital. He left as many messages and begged to see a psychiatrist, or someone to help him quiet his demons, and nightmares. He believed he was possessed by the devil PTSD. The V.A. never returned his calls. When he walked in the front doors, he was given an appointment six months away. He knew he couldn't keep the demons locked out that long. After another night of cold-sweat nightmares, Eric sat on the edge of the bed. He knew what he had to do. The scenario had run repeatedly through his thoughts for weeks. He showered, shaved, and dressed in his desert combat fatigues, with boots on his ground. The suicide vest he had prepared days earlier went over the camo...

~~~

Fred and Jake were both involved in the attempt to set off a bomb at the airport. Fred Campbell, a good friend of Jake's had been hurt, being the first man trying to stop Sutherland... Then Jake went into action... using his uncanny intelligence and guts to stop the situation...But that was just a test trial for what was yet to come...

Caitland and Jake were both busy with their respective jobs. Jake was consulting on a movie and Caitland was planning a party for all of her clients...

While another individual was studying and becoming an expert in forensics psychology and was already a well known consultant in this important field. The consultant's greatest desire was to get to know, to understand them, including our Series' beautiful Lori, and not just from textbooks. She received an opportunity to visit and study...and meet... some of the most dangerous of these serial killers... After she met one in particular, she came back home and started planning for her first. Knowing Lori was still in jail, of course, Jake's death would be an important addition to her...list... 

She had learned so much...and her choice of murder would change based upon the various methods she'd learned directly from the "horses' mouths" you could say...

As was mentioned earlier, the emphasis of the series is Jake Roberts on the Hunt...Readers know this last killer and read of the devastating acts she performs. By this point in the book I was expecting the ending, still hoping it would not be what happens... Is it really the end of the series?

For me, there is no better way to express my highest recommendation for a book(s) than to wish that there will be a continuation of the characters I've come to know. Once in a while, an author speaks out on issues that are important to me and they become a new Favorite Author... Cary Allen Stone has struck that chord. I'm always amazed that I have little if any knowledge of the authors or story lines for books I agree to review and yet, I continue to find such gems! And these four books have become my first personal favorites for 2016!

'Nuf Said!


GABixlerReviews

More tidbits from Cary Allen Stone



http://www.storystar.com/php/read_story.php?story_id=8552


Itzhak & Me

While boosting cars and committing various misdemeanor crimes as a teenager I had no time to become refined in the arts. Loud rock’n roll with some rhythm and blues filled my ears and I could recite all of the great rock lyrics from the sixties. When I turned eighteen, I would be adjudicated as an adult so the crimes stopped but the music and attitude continued. Since then, I have had many adventures, some were fun, some were satisfying and some were dangerous...

"The reason I called this meeting is to tell all of you that my new book––AFTER THE KILL is available at Amazon.com in paperback and eBook. Tell your friends."

https://amazon.com/author/caryallenstone
http://full.caryallenstone.com

Cary Allen Stone - Thanks so much for Sharing Your Books here at Book Readers Heaven... I've been checking out my new favorite author and saw a number of bits of information of your interests other than writing to share with your new potential fans...Cool!

Breached by John J. Hohn Brings Readers Characters You'll Want to Meet...

Nichols stood up and looked around as
if assuming command and suddenly
shouted at the group of bystanders,
"The rest of you, spread out! Whoever
shot Dennison is still out there." He
looked like a lumberjack foreman; broad
shouldered, muscular even at age 62. A
thick shock of brown hair flared out
beneath the rim of his baseball cap. His
gray eyes peered right through anyone
he confronted. He grimaced, his mustache
parting to display bright teeth that flashed
with anger. He looked down the embankment
to the shoreline, glanced at Raker, and then
walked down to the water to wash the blood
off his hands.
Neighbors who lived along the shoreline
of the lake had come running in response
to the cries for help. They jumped back
in alarm at Nichols' commands...

 "I...I know this man," Art Nichols said as he and Detective James Raker drew closer to the body lying on the lee side to the dam. "It's Norm. Norm Dennison." Nichols' pace slowed until, with a final step, he knelt beside the body. "Ah, God, Norm. So this is how the anger ends."
"A friend?" Raker asked standing at Nichol's side.
"We worked together on the property owners' association a few years back. I haven't seen him in a couple  of years. I can't believe this. What happened here?" Nichols asked looking up at the onlookers who had gathered around the dead man. "Is this an accident?"

"I said 'spread out,' goddamn it!"
Nichols barked again as he turned
around at the waters edge. "Get
down below the ridge line where
you aren't so easy to spot."
Raker studied his friend as Art
walked back from the water. Art's
brow was furrowed. His face taut.
Their eyes met. The detective
could see Nichols was not in the
moment. "New kids!" Nichols
cursed as he came closer. "They're
all gonna get themselves killed."

Raker shook his head as he studied the victim. A high caliber round had blown the back of the man's head away and splattered brain tissue all over...


"OK, Art," Baker said. The detective had heard about flashbacks veterans experienced years after combat, but he had never been in the company of a man who was overtaken by the phenomenon. His friend, Art Nichols was back 40 years in time, in the dark mists of the Viet Nam jungle.
Raker turned to the bystanders. Most were elderly. Retirees, he thought, Their eyes were following Art's every step. "The law enforcement people will not want traffic around the body," Raker said hoping to restore a measure of calm. "Did anyone call the authorities?"
"Yes, I did," an older woman wearing gardener's gloves and a head scarf replied. "They're on their way."
"Anyone else know this man? Any of you?" Raker continued.
"Dennison. Norm Dennison! The new guy." Nichols shouted at Raker. "Now let's move!"
A siren could be heard in the distance.
"He wasn't supposed to be here. Why the hell can't people keep orders straight?" Nichols said looking away...

~~~

Breached

By John J. Hohn

Hohn has once again used his extensive financial expertise and experience to engage readers in deep financial issues in which some of us may become entangled. This is a sequel to Deadly Portfolio: A Killing in Hedge Funds, his debut novel. Check if out if you've not had a chance as yet... 

"That's going to delay everything," Helen whined.
"I don't know why."
"You don't think for one minute they're not going to postpone
the deadline now. They will!" Helen whined. "The longer they
delay the more time people will hold out and then something
will break against us. You wait. You'll see. People are scared
now. Two lots sold just last month. But they won't stay scared
forever. This gives them time to plan. They didn't think the
state is serious, but people are beginning to find out they are."
...."I'm not in a panic. But it took forever to get the Department
of Environment and Natural Resources to set a deadline for
bringing the dam into compliance. It was only when we 
pushed for additional inspection that they came around..."
~~~

Breached takes us into a retirement community. This one is somewhat unusual in that a dam and artificial lake was built as part of the complex... The ownership of the dam is a key point since it's on private, or corporate, land...

Frank Schreve heard his wife's Mercedes charge up the driveway and grind to a halt at the foot of the stairs ... "Frank! Frank?" Helen called out crossing the deck to the door. "You'll never guess...you'll never guess." She stopped one step inside the screen door to catch her breath. 

"Norm Dennison got shot at the dam about a half and hour ago," Frank said flatly. "How'd you know that? I just came from there."

"Highway patrol and county sheriff cruisers are all over the place. I just waved one guy down and asked him...

~~~

Frank is head of the property owners' association. Helen, his wife, is the woman you love to hate--at least most of the community members do. She's the type of woman that tries to usurp the power of her husband as her own. Example, she had just visited the Dennison crime scene and demanded to see the body, learn everything that was happening, and let them know how she would be participating... Yeah, you got it--she was not so gently kicked off the area and told to go home...for, of course, she would not be willing to stand along with all the other onlookers...LOL I hated her quickly! But, later, I felt sorry for her--when the truth was revealed...

The town of Riley's Creek, North Carolina, was
snuggled in the valley on both sides of the stream
from which it drew its name. From the top of
nearby Black Mountain, the tallest peak in the
county, the valley looked like the crushed crown
of a man's hat with mountains rimming the
depression...
The stop at the church was the last Cheryl had
planned...
!!!

In the front material the author mentions the veteran who spent time with him sharing his experiences and struggles with flashbacks. For me, it was the best part of the book, as I was able to learn and empathize more fully with what our veterans face with PTSD. Thanks to both of you for making this a part of your story.

Art Nichols, who is a victim of PTSD, was with his friend retired Detective James Raker, who is a carryover from the first novel, when they discovered the body of Norm Dennison. During the discovery and knowing he'd been murdered, Nichols went into a flashback in which he thought he was back in a war zone.  Raker was able to see what was happening and, throughout the book, would calmly talk with Art, both during and after each flashback to help him through and back to the present time. Kudos to Hohn for these remarkably realistic and sympathetic scenes!

Art Nichols was also a former member of the owners association, but had resigned...Somewhat of a rebel, I'm assuming, he had not paid dues since that time. By the time, the major problems occurred, whether or not you had paid your dues became a very important issue!

As mentioned by others, the characters drive the novel and Art's wife Cheryl, was a beautifully drawn wife for how to respond in her situation at the times Art was experiencing problems...

Art and Cheryl were hosting visitors at the time of the murder. James Raker was an old friend but they had not been in touch for many years. James had brought a woman he was dating, Diane. She also was a woman I immediately hated, but then softened to...Again, well developed character...

"This feels so Catholic," Diane Welborn said as she entered the church with Cheryl Nichols... 
It's an Episcopalian Church," Cheryl explained.
"I know I saw the sign. But it feels Catholic. The Madonna fresco. Episcopalians don't venerate the Virgin Mary. Do they? Oh my God, she's pregnant! The two women stopped half way up the center aisle of the small church where they could see the full fresco of a several times larger than life pregnant Madonna on the wall to one side of the main altar. Diane looked at Cheryl. "Episcopalian?"
"Yes."
..."Smell that incense. It just hangs in the air. Makes me sick to my stomach. It reminds me of when I was pregnant. I hated it..."
On the way back to the car, Cheryl wondered whether Diane would like anything without reservation. She and Art looked forward to meeting Diane, the first woman their friend Raker had mentioned since his wife Susan died almost two years earlier...

~~~

The title refers to the dam supporting the community. The murdered man had been an inspector who had submitted his report on its condition. Now he was dead. A major split of residents was forming. Many lived far enough away from the lake that they never considered it as a factor to their homes' locations. They suggested that the land be allowed to dry up and not be concerned about the dam. Obviously, the other group wished to keep the lake available.

At least that's the issue that's presented to residents...

Art and James become interested, not only because they found the body and Art lives there, but, hey, James was a detective and naturally started to consider everything as a new case. Besides, having met many of the people, especially Schreve's wife who had been constantly inserting herself into everything, he began to sense something was...happening behind the scenes...

Then it got more complicated as some records were turned over to Art. He was still upset though and didn't feel he would get to them quickly so willingly allowed James to take them when he left to go back home. BTW, on that trip, he "broke up" (kinda) with Diane...

Before long, dangerous situations begin for Art and his wife and James... with some really nasty men coming after them!

Hohn's expansion of personal drama and inclusion of several characters beyond the norm has greatly enhanced this second novel. My favorite of the two... He's shown great empathy in creating all of his characters, giving them a life of their own, that allows readers to become much more involved. I love his main character, James Raker, but could you lighten up, John, on presenting women who we love to hate?   You're going to start getting some feedback from some of your female fans! LOL Hohn has found his stride in merging his experience within the fiction genre...I foresee his books getting better and better...

Check this one out--I think you'll enjoy!

GABixlerReviews

John J. Hohn has been writing all of his life. His first story was published in nationally circulated Pilot magazine when he was just 10-years-old. He has won several awards for his poetry of the years. Though he majored in English at St. John University in Minnesota, he did not pursue a career in writing, but chose instead a 40 year career in the financial services industry. Over that time, he held positions with The Travelers, Blue Cross/Blue Shied of Minnesota and Wilson Learning Corporation in Minneapolis. Hohn moved to North Carolina in 1978 where he joined Wachovia Bank and Trust and retired after 16 years from Merrill Lynch in Winston-Salem. While still working full-time, Hohn published a book of poetry in 2000. Once retired, he published his first novel, Deadly Portfolio: A Killing in Hedge Funds in 2011. His sequel Breached came out October, 2014. John Hohn and his wife divide their time each year between a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near West Jefferson, NC, and a cottage in the village of Southport NC, on the banks of The Cape Fear River. Between them, Hohn and his wife has six grown children.

Even James Becker Needed Lots of Help on This One! Fun Mystery Thriller! Check out John Betcher's Latest!

All that remained was for the agent
 to package the biologic for maximum
 dispersal and to add the explosive –
 Chinese fireworks known as M-80s
 would work just fine.

Rodney had no idea that, as a point of law, the dollar was neither necessary, nor in and of itself, sufficient, to establish a confidential relationship between us. That required a combination of expectation and intent. I leaned forward and flattened the wrinkled dollar on my desk blotter, taking time to repair each dog-eared corner. If I agreed to listen to Rodney, and maybe to help him with his concerns, it was unlikely I would be paid for my trouble. Then again, how often does a client pop into a lawyer’s office with a “big discovery?” He had captured my interest. After fixing the bill to my satisfaction, I folded it in half and tucked it in a shirt pocket. 
“You just hired yourself a lawyer,” I said. “You’ve got your confidentiality. But all I’m agreeing to do at this point is hear you out. I can’t guarantee I can be of any help until I know more. Understand?” 
“Yeah.” 
“Good,” I said. 
“Then let’s hear all about it, starting at the beginning if you don’t mind.” Rodney slid back in the chair, his hands gripping the armrests. He cracked his neck to both sides before beginning his tale. “It was yesterday afternoon,” he said. “Sunday . . . and I was out on the John Deere checking my fields, you know . . . and all of a sudden I hear this sound. It was a kinda weird sound, you know?” 
“Not really. Can you be more specific?” I had heard a lot of weird sounds in my day. Rodney thought for a moment. “It was kinda like whoosh-thud . . . tumble, tumble, tumble,” he said. He could have stuck with “weird” if that was the best he could do.

Bear Wave (Photo credits: Giphy)

 “Go on,” I said. “So I stood up and looked toward the sound.” He raised a hand to his brow and craned his neck, as though searching the horizon. “And something was knocking down my corn, like a big animal or something . . . not like a deer, more clumsy than that . . . maybe like a bear.” He looked to me for understanding. 
“A bear,” I said, nodding. It wasn’t a total impossibility that Rodney had encountered a bear in Ottawa County. There had been two or three confirmed sightings of black bear in the area over the past ten years. But his hypothesis wasn’t particularly likely either. I don’t remember anyone saying the other bears made a whoosh-thud, tumble sound. Then again, many interpretations are possible in the mind of an eyewitness . . . or in this case, ear-witness.
 “This thing, whatever it was, knocked down maybe thirty or forty feet of head-high corn stalks, in a straight line,” he continued. “I saw the last ones go down.” He clapped one flattened hand downward onto the other. “Then all was quiet,” he said, passing a benediction over the serenity in my office. He checked to make sure I was tracking. I gave him two thumbs up. “Anyway,” he went on, “this thing’s trail was pretty obvious in the corn. But not knowing what in the heck it was, I was a little . . . you know . . . reluctant to investigate.” Yeah. He was afraid it was a bear. “But I found a good size wrench in a fender box and decided to take a chance.” He made a hammering motion as he wielded the imaginary wrench. “So I got off the tractor and slipped into the corn field, nice and quiet like.” Rodney’s story-telling momentum was gaining steam as he worked his way along. This was probably a first rendition of the “big discovery” story. He would no doubt smooth out earlier scenes on future iterations. I stroked my chin as if contemplating the implications of Rodney’s tale thus far.
In truth, he hadn’t said much of consequence yet, at least as far as I was concerned.

~~~

 The largest FMD epidemic in U.S. history occurred in 1914 when diseased animals were transported to the stock yards in Chicago. Stock yards. 

Of course, we have no idea how many have tried to "create" it...

The Critical Element

Book 5: James Beck Series

John L. Betcher

If you've read the James Beck Series you already know what this latest exudes... His back-handed witty and/or facetious comments that may or may not be received well by the police officials with whom he gets involved! I enjoy them in the books--I don't know how I would accept them if I were the receiver of this wit...LOL 

James Beck has a high security clearance, higher than most of us even understand--and his wife's may be just as high... And they are both definitely higher than any local police have, much to their irritation. Intelligence for each? Different but generally, they communicate quite effectively and work so well together than it is almost like they are making love... In other words, I very much enjoy this couple...They are both loving, trustworthy, and dedicated to keeping America safe and secure. In this story, James is on the frontline, his wife in the background and he doesn't even share her name or reference her when she gets more information faster that any of the FBI specialists... Most of you will easily guess why...

Now you may quickly wonder what the opening excerpts are today--cows, a bear, and what looks like a bowling ball... Well, that's exactly right...That's what James was faced with as he began his $1 dollar discussion with Rodney Holton. (BTW, did you know that you weren't buying confidentiality with $1? I always did believe that, so we learned something from our lawyer series!)

Now Holton was a bit of a shyster and everybody knew it, but he would tell such stories, that some people would always listen... Beck did for a dollar's worth... But the story made him curious enough that he later went out to the farm to see it himself--and paid $39 more than he'd been paid! Boy, this guy is good!

Or Was...

Because Rodney wasn't far wrong in describing what he'd found on his farm as a meteorite. But when Beck saw it, he decided while it might have come out of the air, that it was probably man-made--and looked like a burnt bowling ball, maybe. Rodney had it all rigged out in his yard, even though it had not landed there and was selling views for $20/head...

Wonder how that compared to the money he lost on all the heads of cows he lost...

Confused? Everybody was! Because before long, Rodney's discovery had been stolen!

And his cattle became ill about the same time...

Soon many were concluding that the cattle had become ill from the meteorite, and it wasn't very long before the government had come, killed all his cattle and burned down his barn. That was bad enough, but it didn't seem that they were concerned about the theft of his, hopefully, very valuable prize from the sky! Now, the book doesn't say, but I can just imagine that Rodney immediately started negotiating with the loss of his cattle, his livelihood and his valuable meteorite and was soon somewhere in a very warm climate, living in luxury for the rest of his life...

In the meantime, Beck had been the only one who listened to a neighbor of Rodney. Blastus looked bad, smelled terribly and seemed a little "off" but really had PTSD from his horrible time in Vietnam and no help since then. Beck immediately realized what shape he was in and started to wade through what he was telling that he'd seen. He'd gone to the Sheriff to explain that he thought that his neighbor was selling drugs because of the activity he'd seen at off hours... But working with him, Beck soon was picking up clues that only he was using... and, in essence, he had concluded that there were two different events--possibly terrorist attacks--from two different sources. But nobody was really willing to accept what he was suggesting.

So, like Beck is prone to do, he called in his own help--Bull! And if you don't know this character, then it's worth reading at least one of the books to meet him! So with Beth and Bull's help, Beck soon had a handle on what and who was doing what. Beth was getting worried, but she continued to feed both Beck and Bull additional information even while they were separately trying to tackle what they believed was taking place--at exactly the same time. Fortunately, they got help just "in the nick of time..." LOL but it certainly made for an exciting, fascinating ending! I loved it!

Each of the books is free-standing, even though the series characters are basically the same for each book. So, this is a perfect time to discover why Betcher's series has steadily gained a following that moved this relatively new author quickly into a best-selling status... Adding an Epilogue to spotlight what had later happened to Blastus is a perfect illustration why this writer brings in more and more readers (See Below!)

If you don't like this series, I will be totally amazed... If you enjoy mystery, thrills, and humorous main characters...hey, this is an unusual group of wonderfully heart-warming characters! Highly recommended.


GABixlerReviews

When I told the receptionist I was there to meet Benny Volnscheid, she recognized the name immediately. “You mean Blastus,” she said with a smile. “He’s in the PT area right now. Just follow the signs.” She pointed me in the right direction. “And keep your ears peeled.” 
I had no idea what that meant, but took her advice concerning the signs. As I approached the doorway labeled “Physical Therapy,” I could hear the sounds of an acoustic guitar strumming and a ragged chorus of male voices belting out the chorus to Old Stewball Was a Race Horse emanating from within. I opened the door and stepped inside. On the far side of the room, adjacent to a wall of cloudy windows, a guitarist sat astride a black vinyl exercise bench, one hand banging the guitar strings, and singing for all he was worth – the obvious leader of this tone deaf glee club. A group of maybe twenty young men, mostly amputees, sat gathered around him and were obviously responsible for a majority of the racket. My eyes left the musician momentarily then darted back for a second look. He was almost unrecognizable owing to the short haircut, the clean shaven face, and the bright plaid flannel shirt. But I had no doubt, the guitarist was my formerly reeking and dissolute buddy, Benny Volnscheid. 
When Benny noticed my presence, he lifted his chin in acknowledgment, but didn’t interrupt the song. I leaned on the wall and listened, a smile glued to my face. . . . 

Oh the fairgrounds were crowded, and Stewball was thereBut the betting was heavy on the bay and the mare. And a-way up yonder, ahead of them all, Came a-prancin' and a-dancin' my noble Stewball.I bet on the grey mare, I bet on the bay. If I'd have bet on ol' Stewball, I'd be a free man today. Oh the hoot owl, she hollers, and the turtle dove moans. I'm a poor boy in trouble, and I'm a long way from home. Ol’ Stewball was a racehorse, and I wish he were mine. He never drank water, he always drank wine.

When the song was over, the singers erupted in cheers and applause for ol’ Blastus.

~~~

Amazon TOP 100 Bestselling Author, John L. Betcher, holds a Bachelor's Degree, cum laude, in English from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Minnesota Law School in Minneapolis. He has practiced law for more than twenty-five years in the Mississippi River community of Red Wing, Minnesota. Mr. Betcher has published an award-winning series of "Becker" suspense/thriller novels. The first five are THE 19TH ELEMENT, THE MISSING ELEMENT, THE COVERT ELEMENT, THE EXILED ELEMENT and THE CRITICAL ELEMENT. He has also authored the award-winning spiritual phenomenon, A HIGHER COURT.