BOOKS & STUFF

I’ve had to do quite a bit of driving lately. It is sad to see how many buildings have been damaged by the heavy load of snow. Even with insurance, it won’t be cheap to repair or replace those buildings.

This has been a very rough winter, and I really hope that it is over. We all need spring to come soon!

“Tears of God” by Steven F. Freeman was my book choice this week, but it was a disappointment; not because it was poorly written or had a bad plot line, but because I really don’t care for stories where the protagonists go under cover.

That said, once I got into the book, I tried to read it to the end, but I confess I merely skimmed some sections.

Mallory Wilson Blackwell has spent the past 15 years recovering from the sudden death of her beloved father, Cutter Wilson. He was in his early 50s and in excellent health the night he attended big military banquet, but he was dead before morning.

The death was ruled a massive heart attack probably caused by accidental overuse of a sleep aid. No one suspected that Cutter Wilson had been killed by a skilled professional using a nearly undetectable poison. In the ensuing years, Mallory and her mother have struggled to get past their grief and build new lives.

The Wilsons were a military family with both parents high-ranking officers. After a short career in the Army, Mallory met Alton Blackwell. Alton was wounded in Afghanistan and now works as an FBI agent. Mallory works as a forensic accountant for the FBI. Her skills have helped put otherwise untouchable criminals in prison. They have been married about four months and often find themselves working together on cases.

While at Mallory mother’s birthday party, they meet Max Creighton. He tells them that he once worked with Mallory’s father on Army CID investigations. He stuns them by saying that he knows that Cutter Wilson was murdered. Creighton explains that he is being followed and must leave, but he wants them to visit the next morning.

When they arrive, Max Creighton is near death. His only words are “Pasha Tech” and “Farid Safi.” Using their connections within the FBI and military CID, the Blackwells dig out information on Pasha Tech. Records show that the shadowy company was shut down but now operates underground making and selling chemical weapons. Apparently Cutter Wilson was investigating Pasha Tech on an unofficial basis, got too close and was eliminated.

Now everyone wants to know what Wilson and Creighton were killed to hide. Soon, the Blackwells are part of a team of operatives traveling to Afghanistan to find and destroy Pasha Tech. The group includes an NSA toxicologist, a Secret Service agent, an experienced combat operative and a 16-year-old girl. The Blackwells begin to protest her presence but soon learn the Mastana Meer is not only Afghan but also possess amazing skills that might be lifesavers on the mission.

Along the way they encounter all kinds of barriers, dangers and internal sabotage, but in the end the team manages to complete its mission with minimal damage.

This book was one in Steven Freeman’s “Blackwell” series, and it was well-written, so don’t let my aversion to undercover plots keep you from giving it a try.

One of the great things about a free, public library is the wide selection of genres to choose from. We are free to choose with no governmental oversight. Too many countries don’t have that freedom. It’s your public library. Use it! Everything is waiting for you to check it out.

AT A GLANCE
BOOK: “Tears of God”
AUTHOR: Steven F. Freeman
PUBLISHER: Amazon Digital Services LLC
PUBLISHED: Jan. 5, 2016
PAGES: 488