Intrigue Ripped From the Headlines

"The Watchman of Ephraim" - Book 1 of the Cris De Niro series by Gerard de Marigny is a timely thriller that will keep you thinking long after the last page.

Cris De Niro lost his wife, Lisa, on 9/11 in Tower 1 of the World Trade Center, even as he raced up the tower stairs to rescue her.  Devastated and left to raise his two young sons alone, he moves to Las Vegas for a fresh start.  A billionaire hedge fund operator he invests his money in starting a civilian counter-terrorism agency to ensure that another 9/11 will never happen.  He staffs the agency with an elite team of specialists and the latest technology.

No sooner is it up and running then the money behind the "Ground Zero Mosque" is discovered to be connected to an Iranian businessman and a Mexican drug cartel.  They will soon discover that the mosque is just a cover for a much larger, far more sinister plot.

This is an action packed thrill ride bursting with international intrigue and tension.  I really liked the relevance of the plot line to today's world view and current events.  This one is definitely hard to put down.  I'm looking forward to meeting Cris again in Book 2!

Drugs, Money and Mayhem in Mexico

"Isla Lacra" is the first novel in John Boyd's new Denver Noles series.  It is a thriller about the international drug trade and the cartels that run it.  It is fast paced and full of action and intrigue.

Denver Noles is a retired Navy SEAL who is living in the Florida Keys on Isla Lacra (Scar Island) which his Uncle Harry had left him in his will.  He is quite content running his bar and minding his own business until one of his employees comes to him for help.

Maria is an immigrant from Mexico whose daughter, Mariana, has been kidnapped by the largest drug cartel in Mexico. Her son Raul has also disappeared.  A drug shipment that Raul was supposed to collect has gone missing and the cartel is holding his sister, Mariana, prisoner until Raul comes forth and tells them where the drugs are.

Denver gathers his former SEAL team mates together to find Mariana and Raul and bring them home safely.  Little do they know they are in the midst of two powerful cartels jockeying for supremacy.  The battle will take them along the gulf coast of Mexico and into the Caribbean.

The story moves at a breakneck pace and keeps you turning pages to find out what will happen next.  The characters are well developed and Denver is a great hero.  He is noble, kindhearted and humorous. I will be looking forward to more of his adventures.