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Max McLean, Book 1

James Brabazon introduces Max McLean in this action packed novel. Max is a trained assassin working for British Intelligence. His job is to go anywhere he is sent by his employers, find the person or persons he is told to and end their lives as quickly as possible. No second thoughts about the murders, nor even first thoughts. The killing is part of his being, and he is very good at it.

This book has Max assigned to go to Sierra Leone in Africa, quickly find his target, take said individual out and get himself out ASAP. Max goes there and with the help of someone hired by his employers and begins the search for the target. He quickly finds out that he has become the target himself for his own group, and the circumstances are very far from his normal assignments.

Rebel forces are all around him and would definitely kill him and his guide if they catch them. Many villagers living in the area his target is to be found have been killed with no apparent reason for doing so and are a secondary puzzle for Max.

Max finds something very far from what he expected and must contend with those circumstances while seeking his target. The discovery is something beyond the ordinary and when presented makes an interesting novel, more engrossing than first blush might entail. The depiction of Max certainly provides the reader with the interest to see more books about him and that is, of course, the author’s intention.

A side light is the description of the Sierra Leone countryside and the jungle that comprises it. This surely means that Brabazon intends to fully research the areas that Max is sent into on his future assignments, making the novels revolve around the actual locales they are set in.

The series starts out with a fascinating background and well described protagonists which makes future Max McLean novels very appealing to those readers that will follow him.

1/19 Paul Lane

THE BREAK LINE by James Brabazon. Berkley (January 29, 2019). ISBN 978-0440001478. 368p.

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Molly Grogan, Translator

Fernandez has written one of the most damning exposes of a horror possibly perpetrated by the regime of Francisco Franco during his rule of Spain. Franco became the dictator of the Spanish Republic due to the victory of his side in the Spanish Civil war and ruled until his death in 1975. The novel is a fictionalized account of the murder of five individuals by one person and tied together as punishment for their role in the stealing infants from their mothers at birth.

The novel opens in present day Spain during a time of economic downturn. It centers on Diego Martin, a radio commentator, who is trying to build up interest in his radio show in order to keep his spot on the air. He decides to investigate the first murder and continues to look at the next four. The results of his investigations tie in these murders with the stealing of infants and selling them to highest bidders, a plot begun during the Franco years and continuing beyond.

A group of protesters has grown into a national organization attempting to push the Spanish government into a complete investigation of the infant stealing. Diego finds his murder investigation is related to the work of the protesters and uses his radio show to give them much needed publicity.

Fernandez spares no punches in describing the devastation brought to families upon realizing that their baby has been stolen from them at birth. These women and their families live a lifetime knowing what happened and not having the means to try and find their children. It is a novel that should resound throughout the world and cause outcries far beyond Spanish boundaries. A short portion included in the book indicates that the very same horror has also taken place in Argentina during the Peron era.

The novel is a short one, finished in one sitting, but undoubtedly leading to a feeling of outrage on the part of the reader that activities such as described are taking place in today’s world. The author has no plan to offer, but easily accomplishes the task of bringing to light a horror that should shock the civilized world.

1/19 Paul Lane

MALA VIDA by Marc Fernandez. Arcade (January 15, 2019). ISBN 978-1628727432. 240p.

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Alpert’s latest novel is in the general vein of 1984 in that it is a warning and a projection of what might happen to any country whose people don’t closely watch their governments. The premise is the Machiavellian mantra of Power tends to corrupt but absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely . With these factors in mind the book opens a few years into the future at a time when the United States is suffering from major storms, incredible flooding and other tragedies stemming from the world not paying attention to Global Warming and it’s consequences.

Violence and protests have developed as the people suffer from a lack of food, water, electricity and other basic necessities. In order to control these outbreaks the United States government has organized a genetically enhanced police force and forced citizens that are considered less desirable into controlled enclaves. Dr. Jenna Kahn, her father and her handicapped brother live in one of these enclaves. The story begins with a raid by the government police looking to arrest Kahn and showing no mercy to other inhabitants in the area. Jenna escapes from the soldiers but loses contact with her father and brother.

Alpert expertly describes this new era and makes his personal views quite well known. It is no problem to determine those present day individuals that characters in the book represent. A plan by the government to test the DNA of all citizens and the possibility of using airborne brain altering aerosols is discussed with plans to spread it are described. The novel utilizes sufficient action to keep the reader interested and sympathizing with people caught up in this brave new world.

The Coming Storm is not the first novel of it’s kind and will certainly not be the last. Will it stir people up to examine what is going on with their governments? Interesting question, no?

1/19 Paul Lane

THE COMING STORM by Mark Alpert. St. Martin’s Press (January 8, 2019). ISBN 978-1250065421. 336p.

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Heidi Perks brings us an intricate psychological thriller that will keep the reader both riveted to the book and constantly guessing about what is really going on. The opening segment is perfectly formatted to grab the reader and cause him or her to become fully engrossed and following events described with bated breath. Charlotte is planning to take her three children to the fair for a full day’s outing when her friend Harriet asks her to take her daughter Alice with her. Thinking that one more child within the confines of a supervised fair will be little problem Charlotte agrees.

The children are enjoying themselves, running from one ride to the next so that when they come to the Ferris wheel Charlotte has no qualms about asking her 10 year old son Jack to keep an eye on everyone. She takes a break to glance at the e-mails on her phone. When the children come running out of the ride Alice is not with them. A frantic search ensues helped by many other people and eventually the police. No Alice; she has disappeared and possibly kidnapped by person or persons unknown.

As the days unfold with no trace of Alice it is Charlotte that bears the brunt of the criticism for losing the little girl. Her friends don’t contact her anymore and one newspaper reporter insinuates that she was lost in Facebook while Alice was carried off. The time goes on with a horror entering into the picture. The dead body of a young boy kidnapped about a year prior to these events is found and Harriet and her husband fear the worst with possibly the same kidnapper involved.
Ms. Perks builds the characters of Charlotte, Harriet and Harriet’s husband in a way that the reader can sympathize with these people subjected to a kidnapping of a child and the distinct possibility that a death has occurred.

Needless to say, the novel is a mesmerizing visit to a situation that is impossible to visualize if occurring close by. Very well done.

1/19 Paul Lane

HER ONE MISTAKE by Heidi Perks. Gallery Books (January 8, 2019). ISBN  978-1501194221. 320p.

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