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James Maxted Thriller

Robert Goddard is certainly no novice to the literary world. His style, as evidenced in the many books that he has written, is more formal and detailed than most other authors. He can introduce a multitude of details and then tie them neatly together at the end of the book. The Corners of the Globe is no exception.

The principal character is James Maxted, known popularly as Max, who was introduced by The Ways of the World, the first book of the trilogy. Max saw plenty of action as an aviator during World War I and is now in Paris during the peace conference in 1919. The allies, as victors in the Great War, are attempting to come up with peace conditions for Germany and a division of the lands that were conquered.

Max has succeeded in avenging the death of his father, Sir Henry Maxted, who was in Paris as a diplomat. Max feels that there were more factors involved in his father’s death than came out, and returns to Paris to investigate German spymaster, Fritz Lemmer.  Maxted feels that Lemmer is the key to finding out the details of what Sir Henry was investigating, and enlists with Fritz under the false pretensions of working for him. Max’s loyalty is actually to Britain, as he is a member of their Secret Service.

Lemmer sends Max to the Orkney Islands to find and bring back a document that is on one of the German battleships. It is impounded at Scapa Flow awaiting the Paris peace conference’s decision about disposition of the fleet.  Max obtains the document but what it contains causes him to break his cover and rush back to London. Information shown indicates a plot centered upon Japan and the need to recover someone being held there as prisoner.

The need to travel to Japan and events that will probably transpire there are left for the next book of the trilogy. Goddard keeps the reader involved in the details of this book and anxiously awaiting the conclusion in the  third and final book. The only drawback to this is Goddard’s style of presenting a great many details which must await book three for resolution. But it should keep the reader interested and ready for the conclusion.

6/16 Paul Lane

THE CORNERS OF THE GLOBE by Robert Goddard. Mysterious Press (June 7, 2016).  ISBN 978-0802125224.  400p.

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There are approximately 21 million children missing in the United States, according to Daniel Palmer. In a heartrending novel, he brings together two scenarios involving children separated from their parents by either family members or strangers.

Angie DeRose has an investigative practice involved with attempting to find lost children and uniting them with their families. She has developed a reputation for expending the energy and time in logical hunts for the missing.

The first scenario Palmer introduces is Carolyn Jessup, a distraught mother coming to Angie’s office in order for her to find her missing daughter, Nadine. Nadine, in the process of running away from home, has been caught up by a group that uses her as a sex slave. Her degradation and the horror of living this life are brought out via the use of a secret diary kept by her and hidden from those that are holding her.

At the same time, Angie’s search for the girl is outlined, showing the slow, torturous path towards a solution and not the fictional treatment of the quick and superhuman actions of a private detective in a novel.  Along the way, Bryce Taggert, a U.S. Marshal helping out with the search for Nadine, is introduced and becomes a love interest for Angie.

The second scenario is Angie’s discovery that all is not as it seems to be with her parents and herself.  The question of whether or not they were involved in a witness protection program begins with the discovery of a photo of a young girl found among her mother’s possessions. On the back of the photo her mother had written the words, “may God forgive me”.

Daniel Palmer has obviously been very affected by the plight of children separated from their families and the fact that the sheer numbers have not elicited national campaigns to find them. The children, even when found, will surely suffer lifelong trauma. If not found, and their unknown fate does leave their family completely devastated. Closure is just a word used by professionals dealing with these cases to try and cause people to get beyond the incident. Palmer does not embellish their feelings, but does describe situations beyond most people’s experience and expectations.

A disturbing novel, but one that is necessary. Very well done.

6/16 Paul Lane

FORGIVE ME by Daniel Palmer. Kensington (May 31, 2016).  ISBN 978-0758293473.  416p.