Genre: Thriller
Setting: Singapore
First Sentence: The apartment wasn't very big and it wasn't very appealing.
This novel is the fourth in Jake Needham's Inspector Samuel Tay series. This series currently runs to four novels.
There is a terrorist at large. Hundreds of people have been killed by this dangerous man.
Now the intelligence agencies in Singapore and other countries have hatched a plot to assassinate him.
One fly in the ointment is Inspector Sam Tay. Sam has the reputation of being some what a loose cannon. The powers that be know that they need to keep Tay busy when the operation goes down.
Sam is too smart for that.
Sam soon finds himself in the middle of the action. Shots are fired, the terrorist gets away, and sadly, one of Inspector Tay's team is killed.
Now, Tay wants to see that justice is served.
Sam uses himself as bait to attract the terrorist.
Will the terrorist rise to the bait?
And will Inspector Tay bring justice or vengeance?
This is another great novel of intrigue by Needham set in Singapore. Needham's Inspector Tay is just an average cop trying to do a good job. Due to his inheritance from his deceased parents, Tay doesn't need the job. So he does what he wants.
Sam is not a super sleuth or a chick magnet. He is just a cop who sometimes talks with his mother, who happens to be dead.
It's a good book. Read it.
.
Showing posts with label Thriller. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thriller. Show all posts
Sunday, January 21, 2018
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
The Dead American by Jake Needham
Genre: Thriller
Setting: Singapore
First Sentence: Samuel Tay stood in his tiny garden and squinted at the sky.
This novel is the third in the author's Inspector Tay series which currently runs to four novels.
Due to the events in the previous book, we find Inspector Samuel Tay under suspension from his duties. And then, out of the blue, a young American reporter arrives at his doorstep. It seems that an American software engineer has been found dead. The police quickly label the death a suicide.
The reporter believes that the engineer's death is a murder. She asks Sam for help. Since he has a lot of time on his hands, Inspector Tay agrees to help. Sam soon finds out that the suicide was staged. Someone high up in the Singaporean government wanted the engineer dead.
Who? and why?
Then the reporter is killed. In the same manner as the engineer.
Now, Inspector Tay feels that he needs to discover the truth, and find justice for the two victims.
His questioning leads him into the dark world of covert operations, Tay is just a policeman But over the years he has made acquaintances among some very dangerous people.
Will Sam discover the truth?
Will he find justice for the dead Americans?
Or, will he learn that justice can be a very tricky thing?
This is another great novel, from a great writer.
What I like about Needham's novels is that the characters behave like real people.
And in the end here is no neat and tidy ending.
Now I have to go to Singapore.
Setting: Singapore
First Sentence: Samuel Tay stood in his tiny garden and squinted at the sky.
This novel is the third in the author's Inspector Tay series which currently runs to four novels.
Due to the events in the previous book, we find Inspector Samuel Tay under suspension from his duties. And then, out of the blue, a young American reporter arrives at his doorstep. It seems that an American software engineer has been found dead. The police quickly label the death a suicide.
The reporter believes that the engineer's death is a murder. She asks Sam for help. Since he has a lot of time on his hands, Inspector Tay agrees to help. Sam soon finds out that the suicide was staged. Someone high up in the Singaporean government wanted the engineer dead.
Who? and why?
Then the reporter is killed. In the same manner as the engineer.
Now, Inspector Tay feels that he needs to discover the truth, and find justice for the two victims.
His questioning leads him into the dark world of covert operations, Tay is just a policeman But over the years he has made acquaintances among some very dangerous people.
Will Sam discover the truth?
Will he find justice for the dead Americans?
Or, will he learn that justice can be a very tricky thing?
This is another great novel, from a great writer.
What I like about Needham's novels is that the characters behave like real people.
And in the end here is no neat and tidy ending.
Now I have to go to Singapore.
Saturday, October 7, 2017
The Umbrella Man by Jake Needham
Genre: Thriller
Setting, Singapore
First Sentence: Samuel Tay pushed himself up from the chair and walked over to the French doors that led to his small garden.
This novel is the second in at the author's Samuel Tay series which currently runs to four volumes.
Detective Samuel Tay is a good cop. One reason for this is that Tay doesn't need the job. He has inherited enough money from his parents to live comfortably. He is a good cop because he wants to ensure that justice is done in the cases he works on.
Then one night, several explosions rock Singapore.
Like all good cops, Tay runs into danger. Unfortunately, he becomes a victim of the bombing. As he recuperates, Inspector Tay becomes restless. As soon as he can, he gets the doctors to release him.
As you can imagine, the explosions are the greatest crime in the history of Singapore. And Tay wants to be a part of the investigation.
Instead, he is assigned to investigate a dead body report in one of the poorest parts of Singapore. When Tay observes the body, the victim seems familiar to him. Then, a forensic specialist tells Samuel that a safe deposit box key has been discovered in an unusual place on the victim's body.
So, Tay investigates further. Along the way he meets secret agents and international criminals. And he discovers that there might be a connection between his parents' inheritance and the explosions.
In the end, I will leave it to you, Dear Reader, to determine if justice has been served with Samuel's investigation.
I liked this book. To me, the novel reads like a television miniseries. The plot moves forward with each chapter. And in the end you have read a most enjoyable story.
Setting, Singapore
First Sentence: Samuel Tay pushed himself up from the chair and walked over to the French doors that led to his small garden.
This novel is the second in at the author's Samuel Tay series which currently runs to four volumes.
Detective Samuel Tay is a good cop. One reason for this is that Tay doesn't need the job. He has inherited enough money from his parents to live comfortably. He is a good cop because he wants to ensure that justice is done in the cases he works on.
Then one night, several explosions rock Singapore.
Like all good cops, Tay runs into danger. Unfortunately, he becomes a victim of the bombing. As he recuperates, Inspector Tay becomes restless. As soon as he can, he gets the doctors to release him.
As you can imagine, the explosions are the greatest crime in the history of Singapore. And Tay wants to be a part of the investigation.
Instead, he is assigned to investigate a dead body report in one of the poorest parts of Singapore. When Tay observes the body, the victim seems familiar to him. Then, a forensic specialist tells Samuel that a safe deposit box key has been discovered in an unusual place on the victim's body.
So, Tay investigates further. Along the way he meets secret agents and international criminals. And he discovers that there might be a connection between his parents' inheritance and the explosions.
In the end, I will leave it to you, Dear Reader, to determine if justice has been served with Samuel's investigation.
I liked this book. To me, the novel reads like a television miniseries. The plot moves forward with each chapter. And in the end you have read a most enjoyable story.
Friday, May 2, 2014
The King of Macau by Jake Needham
Genre: Thriller
Setting: Present day Macau and Hong Kong.
First sentence: No, it can't begin that way.
This novel is the fourth in Jake Needham's Jack Shepherd series.
Jake is a lawyer who specializes in solving legal and financial problems that no one else wants to touch. In this novel, Jack has two problems to solve.
To begin with, the chief of security at a Macau casino has asked Jack to investigate a cash flow problem at the casino. It seems that there has been an unusual amount of cash coming into the casino. It's possible that the local gangs in Macau have been laundering money through the casino. For years, many have believed that the owner of the casino has been cooperating with the gangs.
At first, Jack is reluctant to take the case. But when the casino owner's beautiful and extremely wealthy daughter asks for his help, Jack decides to get involved. The casino owner is very elderly and the daughter wants to solve the case in a way that clears her father of any connection to the gangs.
In addition, Jack has been asked to do a favor for an acquaintance. The acquaintance has a mysterious friend named Freddy who would like to get political asylum in Hawaii. Although Jack usually does not handle asylum cases, he promises his friend that he'll see what he can do.
As Jack begins investigating both cases, things become a little more interesting when people start sending bullets in his direction. Apparently, Jack's activities have attracted someone's attention.
Will Jack discover the source of the cash flow spike at the casino?
Will Freddy get his asylum in Hawaii?
And, what about the casino owner's beautiful daughter?
I am a big fan of Jake Needham and I really enjoyed this book. Jack is a unique hero. He uses information and investigation, rather than firearms and violence to solve his cases. Don't look for a fairy tale happy ending. Needham ends this book in a realistic, believable, and unexpected way.
Another great read from Jake Needham.
Setting: Present day Macau and Hong Kong.
First sentence: No, it can't begin that way.
This novel is the fourth in Jake Needham's Jack Shepherd series.
Jake is a lawyer who specializes in solving legal and financial problems that no one else wants to touch. In this novel, Jack has two problems to solve.
To begin with, the chief of security at a Macau casino has asked Jack to investigate a cash flow problem at the casino. It seems that there has been an unusual amount of cash coming into the casino. It's possible that the local gangs in Macau have been laundering money through the casino. For years, many have believed that the owner of the casino has been cooperating with the gangs.
At first, Jack is reluctant to take the case. But when the casino owner's beautiful and extremely wealthy daughter asks for his help, Jack decides to get involved. The casino owner is very elderly and the daughter wants to solve the case in a way that clears her father of any connection to the gangs.
In addition, Jack has been asked to do a favor for an acquaintance. The acquaintance has a mysterious friend named Freddy who would like to get political asylum in Hawaii. Although Jack usually does not handle asylum cases, he promises his friend that he'll see what he can do.
As Jack begins investigating both cases, things become a little more interesting when people start sending bullets in his direction. Apparently, Jack's activities have attracted someone's attention.
Will Jack discover the source of the cash flow spike at the casino?
Will Freddy get his asylum in Hawaii?
And, what about the casino owner's beautiful daughter?
I am a big fan of Jake Needham and I really enjoyed this book. Jack is a unique hero. He uses information and investigation, rather than firearms and violence to solve his cases. Don't look for a fairy tale happy ending. Needham ends this book in a realistic, believable, and unexpected way.
Another great read from Jake Needham.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
The Ambassador's Wife by Jake Needham
Genre: Thriller
Setting: Singapore and Bangkok
First Sentence: When his cell phone rang, Inspector Samuel Tay considered ignoring it.
Inspector Tay is not your super sleuth detective. He is an overweight middle-aged policeman; an inspector for the Special Investigations Section of the Criminal Investigations Department of the Singapore police.
When a woman is found horribly murdered in an upscale hotel, Inspector Tay recognizes that there is something peculiar about the crime scene. Some one has set up the scene to make it difficult to identify the victim.
Eventually, Tay learns that the victim is the wife of the American ambassador. The Americans pat Tay on the head and tell him that they will handle the investigation. Tay, however, is not the small town policeman the Americans think he is.
When another woman, this time in Bangkok, is murdered in almost exactly the same way, Tay goes to Thailand to investigate.
Working slowly, gathering clues, Tay gets closer and closer to solving the case.
But when Tay's estranged mother dies in New York, the case and her death launch him into a midlife crisis. In the end Tay must decide what is more important: justice or truth?
In Inspector Tay, Needham has created a unique character. I like him. He seems like a real person. He has real problems. He sometimes doesn't know what to do or say. He probably needs to lose weight and stop smoking.
I enjoy Jake Needham's writing. He sticks to the plot. He has believable characters. His style of writing is very readable.
Two thumbs up for a terrific novel.
Check out my eBook!
Setting: Singapore and Bangkok
First Sentence: When his cell phone rang, Inspector Samuel Tay considered ignoring it.
Inspector Tay is not your super sleuth detective. He is an overweight middle-aged policeman; an inspector for the Special Investigations Section of the Criminal Investigations Department of the Singapore police.
When a woman is found horribly murdered in an upscale hotel, Inspector Tay recognizes that there is something peculiar about the crime scene. Some one has set up the scene to make it difficult to identify the victim.
Eventually, Tay learns that the victim is the wife of the American ambassador. The Americans pat Tay on the head and tell him that they will handle the investigation. Tay, however, is not the small town policeman the Americans think he is.
When another woman, this time in Bangkok, is murdered in almost exactly the same way, Tay goes to Thailand to investigate.
Working slowly, gathering clues, Tay gets closer and closer to solving the case.
But when Tay's estranged mother dies in New York, the case and her death launch him into a midlife crisis. In the end Tay must decide what is more important: justice or truth?
In Inspector Tay, Needham has created a unique character. I like him. He seems like a real person. He has real problems. He sometimes doesn't know what to do or say. He probably needs to lose weight and stop smoking.
I enjoy Jake Needham's writing. He sticks to the plot. He has believable characters. His style of writing is very readable.
Two thumbs up for a terrific novel.
Check out my eBook!
Monday, December 10, 2012
Secret of the Scroll by Chester D. Campbell
Genre: Thriller
Setting: Tennessee and Israel
First Sentence: Khaled Assah literally stumbled onto the hidden cave.
Greg McKenzie is his own worst enemy. Greg is a 65 year old retired intelligence agent and D.A. inspector. He has derailed his career several times by blowing his lid and spouting off. Greg has a chip on his shoulder because he feels that his former supervisors and co-workers have singled him out for retribution. He's probably right.
When Greg and his wife Jill take a trip to the Holy Land with a church group, Greg is supposed to work on his anger management skills. So when they are returning home at the end of the trip, Greg feels the he and Jill are singled out for unfair treatment by customs and airport security.
Then Jill is kidnapped. The kidnappers, a group of Palestinians, want a scroll that is in Greg's possession. It seems that a souvenir scroll that Greg bought is actually a real ancient relic. Then another group, this time radical Israelis, contact him about the scroll.
Because of his past actions, Greg cannot count on much help from local law enforcement, or the FBI. Fortunately, he does have a few friends that help him out. Greg's investigation leads to a tangled trail of international intrigue.
What does the scroll say?
Why do two different political groups want the scroll?
And, can Greg find a way to stay alive and rescue Jill?
In this novel, Chester Campbell has created a unique character. Greg McKenzie is a 65 year old retired investigator. His experience helps him to identify which leads to follow. Yet, he is a flawed hero. Sometimes, his anger and and his mouth get the better of him. His flaws make him seem real. And following him made for a very entertaining read.
Secret of the Scroll
Check out my eBook!
Setting: Tennessee and Israel
First Sentence: Khaled Assah literally stumbled onto the hidden cave.
Greg McKenzie is his own worst enemy. Greg is a 65 year old retired intelligence agent and D.A. inspector. He has derailed his career several times by blowing his lid and spouting off. Greg has a chip on his shoulder because he feels that his former supervisors and co-workers have singled him out for retribution. He's probably right.
When Greg and his wife Jill take a trip to the Holy Land with a church group, Greg is supposed to work on his anger management skills. So when they are returning home at the end of the trip, Greg feels the he and Jill are singled out for unfair treatment by customs and airport security.
Then Jill is kidnapped. The kidnappers, a group of Palestinians, want a scroll that is in Greg's possession. It seems that a souvenir scroll that Greg bought is actually a real ancient relic. Then another group, this time radical Israelis, contact him about the scroll.
Because of his past actions, Greg cannot count on much help from local law enforcement, or the FBI. Fortunately, he does have a few friends that help him out. Greg's investigation leads to a tangled trail of international intrigue.
What does the scroll say?
Why do two different political groups want the scroll?
And, can Greg find a way to stay alive and rescue Jill?
In this novel, Chester Campbell has created a unique character. Greg McKenzie is a 65 year old retired investigator. His experience helps him to identify which leads to follow. Yet, he is a flawed hero. Sometimes, his anger and and his mouth get the better of him. His flaws make him seem real. And following him made for a very entertaining read.
Secret of the Scroll
Check out my eBook!
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Season of the Harvest by Michael R. Hicks
Genre: Science Fiction Thriller
Setting: Earth in the near future.
First Sentence: Sheldon Crane ran for his life.
This novel is the first in Hicks's Harvest Trilogy.
There are others among us. Strange beings with an innate understanding of genetic modification. They have been here for years. And in that time they have gained control of the genetic modification industry. These others are shape shifters who have used their powers to assemble a group of powerful human collaborators. Their goal is to gain control of Earth, and to change the planet's biome to suite their needs. If they are not stopped, humans will become their food, and their spawn.
FBI agent Jack Dawson knows nothing of these others. Then they change his life. First, his best friend is slaughtered while infiltrating a genetics lab illegally. Then, his former girlfriend, a scientist in the FBI's DNA lab, is killed when the lab is blown up. To top it off, he receives a cryptic warning on his cell phone from a known eco-terrorist: "they r cmng 4 u, jack."
Soon Jack finds himself with the Earth Defense Society. Instead of being eco-terrorists, the EDS has been fighting the others whom they call harvesters. They reveal the true nature of the harvesters to Jack. And he joins the fight against the harvesters.
Can Jack and the EDS stop the harvesters before they can unleash their terrible genetic attack?
I really enjoyed this novel. It is a fast paced scifi thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. As in the tradition of thrillers, the good guys are surrounded by enemies. Just when you think it's safe, a new threat emerges. Hicks does a great job of managing the suspense. And there are some great battle scenes.
In my opinion, a very good read!
\
Season of the Harvest
Check out my E book!
Setting: Earth in the near future.
First Sentence: Sheldon Crane ran for his life.
This novel is the first in Hicks's Harvest Trilogy.
There are others among us. Strange beings with an innate understanding of genetic modification. They have been here for years. And in that time they have gained control of the genetic modification industry. These others are shape shifters who have used their powers to assemble a group of powerful human collaborators. Their goal is to gain control of Earth, and to change the planet's biome to suite their needs. If they are not stopped, humans will become their food, and their spawn.
FBI agent Jack Dawson knows nothing of these others. Then they change his life. First, his best friend is slaughtered while infiltrating a genetics lab illegally. Then, his former girlfriend, a scientist in the FBI's DNA lab, is killed when the lab is blown up. To top it off, he receives a cryptic warning on his cell phone from a known eco-terrorist: "they r cmng 4 u, jack."
Soon Jack finds himself with the Earth Defense Society. Instead of being eco-terrorists, the EDS has been fighting the others whom they call harvesters. They reveal the true nature of the harvesters to Jack. And he joins the fight against the harvesters.
Can Jack and the EDS stop the harvesters before they can unleash their terrible genetic attack?
I really enjoyed this novel. It is a fast paced scifi thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. As in the tradition of thrillers, the good guys are surrounded by enemies. Just when you think it's safe, a new threat emerges. Hicks does a great job of managing the suspense. And there are some great battle scenes.
In my opinion, a very good read!
\
Season of the Harvest
Check out my E book!
Saturday, July 21, 2012
A World of Trouble by Jake Needham
Genre: Thriller
Setting: Dubai, Bangkok, Hong Kong - present day
First Sentence: I have the right to remain silent and mostly I have exercised that right.
This novel is the third in Jake Needham's Jack Shepherd thriller series.
Jack Shepherd seems to attract trouble. Everyone seems to think that he knows more than he really does. This is because some of his friends are questionable. He is a lawyer. He can be a smart aleck. And he is too curious for his own good.
Due to the events of the previous two novels, Jack has only one client: Charlie. Charlie is General Kitnarok, the deposed leader of Thailand. Jack manages Charlie's financial assets.
In Dubai, there is an assassination attempt on Charlie. When Jack returns to the scene of the attack, there is no evidence that the attack occurred. Soon after, Jack meets an FBI agent who is investigating illegal arms sales. It seems that one of Charlie's financial holdings is involved. And, due to the work that Jack does for Charlie, Jack is a trustee of the company.
So once again, Jack is trying to make sense of a web of intrigue that involves the FBI, the CIA, and Thai Intelligence.
Will Jack make sense of it all? And can he prevent a violent civil war in Thailand?
This novel is a fast paced page turner. I enjoyed reading the descriptions of exotic locales that Needham uses as the backdrop for his story. I like Jack Shepherd as a character. He asks questions and gathers evidence, and tries to think his way through to the solution.
I can't wait to read another of Needham's great novels.
A World of Trouble
Check out my eBook!
Setting: Dubai, Bangkok, Hong Kong - present day
First Sentence: I have the right to remain silent and mostly I have exercised that right.
This novel is the third in Jake Needham's Jack Shepherd thriller series.
Jack Shepherd seems to attract trouble. Everyone seems to think that he knows more than he really does. This is because some of his friends are questionable. He is a lawyer. He can be a smart aleck. And he is too curious for his own good.
Due to the events of the previous two novels, Jack has only one client: Charlie. Charlie is General Kitnarok, the deposed leader of Thailand. Jack manages Charlie's financial assets.
In Dubai, there is an assassination attempt on Charlie. When Jack returns to the scene of the attack, there is no evidence that the attack occurred. Soon after, Jack meets an FBI agent who is investigating illegal arms sales. It seems that one of Charlie's financial holdings is involved. And, due to the work that Jack does for Charlie, Jack is a trustee of the company.
So once again, Jack is trying to make sense of a web of intrigue that involves the FBI, the CIA, and Thai Intelligence.
Will Jack make sense of it all? And can he prevent a violent civil war in Thailand?
This novel is a fast paced page turner. I enjoyed reading the descriptions of exotic locales that Needham uses as the backdrop for his story. I like Jack Shepherd as a character. He asks questions and gathers evidence, and tries to think his way through to the solution.
I can't wait to read another of Needham's great novels.
A World of Trouble
Check out my eBook!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Killing Plato by Jake Needham
Genre: Thriller
Setting: Thailand, present day.
First Sentence: It started the way a spy story should start.
This novel is the second in Jake Needham's Jack Shepherd series. Jack is a lawyer who specializes in global finance and business. He teaches business at a Thai university. Due to his past experiences, he has an interesting group of acquaintances: local police, intelligence operatives, Federal agents, shady businessmen, spies, and criminals. Because of his background, lots of people assume that he knows more than he really knows. Since Jack tends to play his cards close to the vest, few believe him when he proclaims his innocence.
In this novel, Jack and his wife Anita are celebrating their honeymoon in an up scale Thai resort. While Anita is powdering her nose, Jack is approached by Plato Karsarkis. Plato is the most wanted man in the world. It seems he has made millions selling embargoed Iraqi oil. Plato invites Jack and his wife to dinner at his place. Jack doesn't want to go, but Anita insists. And so they go. At the dinner, Plato asks Jack to do some legal work for him. Jack refuses.
But now he has a problem. Lots of people know that Jack has been seen with Plato. Soon Federal marshals and Thai security are asking him questions. As the plot thickens, Jack discovers that highly placed individuals in several different governments may also be involved.
And all this running around with spooks, spies, criminals, and agents can't be good for a couple of newly weds.
Will Jack keep his marriage together, and find a way out of this tangle without violating his high moral standards?
I really enjoy Jake Needham's writing style. He has a smooth voice that makes his novels a real pleasure to read. Needham has a deft way with words. His descriptions of people and places are a real joy to read. I read this novel in two days, which is fast for me.
The next Jack Shepherd novel is already loaded on my Kindle.
Killing Plato
Check out my eBook!
Setting: Thailand, present day.
First Sentence: It started the way a spy story should start.
This novel is the second in Jake Needham's Jack Shepherd series. Jack is a lawyer who specializes in global finance and business. He teaches business at a Thai university. Due to his past experiences, he has an interesting group of acquaintances: local police, intelligence operatives, Federal agents, shady businessmen, spies, and criminals. Because of his background, lots of people assume that he knows more than he really knows. Since Jack tends to play his cards close to the vest, few believe him when he proclaims his innocence.
In this novel, Jack and his wife Anita are celebrating their honeymoon in an up scale Thai resort. While Anita is powdering her nose, Jack is approached by Plato Karsarkis. Plato is the most wanted man in the world. It seems he has made millions selling embargoed Iraqi oil. Plato invites Jack and his wife to dinner at his place. Jack doesn't want to go, but Anita insists. And so they go. At the dinner, Plato asks Jack to do some legal work for him. Jack refuses.
But now he has a problem. Lots of people know that Jack has been seen with Plato. Soon Federal marshals and Thai security are asking him questions. As the plot thickens, Jack discovers that highly placed individuals in several different governments may also be involved.
And all this running around with spooks, spies, criminals, and agents can't be good for a couple of newly weds.
Will Jack keep his marriage together, and find a way out of this tangle without violating his high moral standards?
I really enjoy Jake Needham's writing style. He has a smooth voice that makes his novels a real pleasure to read. Needham has a deft way with words. His descriptions of people and places are a real joy to read. I read this novel in two days, which is fast for me.
The next Jack Shepherd novel is already loaded on my Kindle.
Killing Plato
Check out my eBook!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Laundry Man by Jake Needham
Genre: Thriller
Setting: Bangkok, Thailand
First Sentence: It began exactly the way the end of the world will begin.
Jack Shepherd is an American ex pat living in Thailand. In his past life he was a lawyer who specialized in esoteric financial deals. The kind that are often used to launder money. Now he is a college professor teaching finance and business law classes in Bangkok.
Out of the blue, he gets a phone call from a former acquaintance. There's just one small problem: the acquaintance is supposed to be dead. He was the object of an investigation into a failed bank who had been found at the bottom of a pool. An apparent suicide. Now he wants Jack's help finding tens of millions of dollars that have gone missing.
Soon Jack is being questioned by lots of people. Everyone seems to believe that Jack knows what is going on, and where the missing money is. There's just one small problem, he has no clue. His curiosity leads him into trying to unravel the mystery. Then, when two of Jack's contacts turn up dead it's obvious that the frame is on. Jack needs to get to the bottom of the mystery, to find out who is framing him and why, and find the missing money. Soon. Or Jack might end up dead too.
I really enjoyed this book. I know it's cliche, but is was a page turner. Needham's writing style just makes it a real pleasure to read. A novel based on finances, banking and contracts might be slow paced and dry, but Needham has crafted a fast paced exciting novel. Jack Shepherd is an interesting and believable character. The novel is written in a first-person point of view. We can see that Jack is just as confused as we are. It motivated me to keep reading and discover the solution to the mystery. Needham does a great job of describing Thailand and the city of Bangkok. He set the stage for each episode without slowing down the pace of the novel. I am looking forward to the second book in this series. I'll be reading it soon!
Laundry Man
Check out my eBook
Setting: Bangkok, Thailand
First Sentence: It began exactly the way the end of the world will begin.
Jack Shepherd is an American ex pat living in Thailand. In his past life he was a lawyer who specialized in esoteric financial deals. The kind that are often used to launder money. Now he is a college professor teaching finance and business law classes in Bangkok.
Out of the blue, he gets a phone call from a former acquaintance. There's just one small problem: the acquaintance is supposed to be dead. He was the object of an investigation into a failed bank who had been found at the bottom of a pool. An apparent suicide. Now he wants Jack's help finding tens of millions of dollars that have gone missing.
Soon Jack is being questioned by lots of people. Everyone seems to believe that Jack knows what is going on, and where the missing money is. There's just one small problem, he has no clue. His curiosity leads him into trying to unravel the mystery. Then, when two of Jack's contacts turn up dead it's obvious that the frame is on. Jack needs to get to the bottom of the mystery, to find out who is framing him and why, and find the missing money. Soon. Or Jack might end up dead too.
I really enjoyed this book. I know it's cliche, but is was a page turner. Needham's writing style just makes it a real pleasure to read. A novel based on finances, banking and contracts might be slow paced and dry, but Needham has crafted a fast paced exciting novel. Jack Shepherd is an interesting and believable character. The novel is written in a first-person point of view. We can see that Jack is just as confused as we are. It motivated me to keep reading and discover the solution to the mystery. Needham does a great job of describing Thailand and the city of Bangkok. He set the stage for each episode without slowing down the pace of the novel. I am looking forward to the second book in this series. I'll be reading it soon!
Laundry Man
Check out my eBook
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