James Houston Turner Books

"The Identity Factor" is an excellent example of a well-written, action- packed book with a constantly changing cast of characters who may or may not be the good/bad guys. Starting in the Middle East in the early 1900's, the book brings us up to the present, where religion, politics, and many other factors collide to make a roller-coaster ride of reading. Through his research for this book, James Houston Turner brings out many ideas about religious & political situations that reflect that of our times, and does it in a way to make you think. I found myself reading it, thinking, "One more page, and I'll put it down. O.k., maybe one more chapter. Well, I'm almost at the end...I'd best finish it." , which brought me to 4:00 a.m - no regrets over my choice! James Houston Turner's books rank right up there with the great thriller writers!

In 1919 Sir Edmund George Clayton discovered a tablet that was identified as
containing certain information about Genesis and the ownership of land that
is now Israel/Palestine. He was murdered and the tablet disappeared.

What was supposedly this same tablet has turned up again, nearly a hundred
years later and threatens war to destroy the world if its contents are
revealed. Is this why terrorists and government security forces are involved
in following Rutherford Tyler when he flies to Cairo to interview the man
who is said to have the tablet? Do they believe it really exists?

Talented author James Houston Turner tells a tale that will hold your
interest from page one to the last. He weaves a series of intricately
balanced subplots into a solidly crafted tale of suspense, intrigue, and
murder as lived by characters so real you could believe they exist.

Personal agendas and dark secrets of the characters, including a killer no
one can describe, a man whose specialty is interviewing celebrities, a US
government agent, and a mix of others you will find fascinating will lead
you a merry chase as you try to figure out how a stone tablet could cause so
much trouble and why possession of it is so desired.

This is a tale any thriller or mystery fan will enjoy. I found it a
delightful change in that the author did not go in for the gory descriptions
of murder victims found in so many other thrillers. You will enjoy it fully
as much as I did, possibly for different reasons. It is a well told tale
that will leave you satisfied and all your questions answered. Enjoy. I
did

With the steep decline of unrealistic spy novels, chronicles of CIA and FBI agents taking down the masterminds of terrorism have filled bookstore shelves. Authors such as Robert Ludlum, Vince Flynn, David Baldacci and Brad Thor have become household names and have quickly replaced Ian Fleming and his creation of James Bond. Well guys, it's time to make room for one more, and his name is Turner: James Houston Turner.

As if he combined the religious ramifications of Dan Brown's The DaVinci Code and the realism of terrorist attacks from Brad Thor's The First Commandment, James Houston Turner has created a masterpiece in The Identity Factor. The story is based around an archeological artifact that could prove Israel's uncontested ownership of Palestine...confirmed by Ishmael himself. Because of the tensions of the West Bank, the authentication of the artifact would, no doubt, lead the nations into World War III. This unleashes both friends and foes, including mastermind terrorist, Abu Nazer.

In a twist, un-chartered in many political spy thrillers, a lone female CIA Agent/Analyst Zoë Gustaves allows nothing to stand in her way to hunt down the infamous terrorist, Abu Nazer. Disobeying almost every command given to her by her superiors, the only thing that saves her...career is that she always gets results. The question is, "are the results always good?" Turner takes excellent care of Gustaves by showing her weaknesses while at the same time showing her courage to trudge bravely through her insecurities.

Houston introduces many multi-faceted characters, such as Jackson Teague, the arrogant Deputy CIA Director, which is Gustaves' boss; Rutherford Tyler, the mysterious yet world renowned journalist with friends from Vice Presidents to Middle Eastern businessmen; Youssef Zakkara, extremely wealthy Egyptian businessman and owner of the artifact in question; Sharifa al Rashid, personal assistant to Mr. Zakkara and deceptive love interest of Rutherford Tyler and many other characters making their appearances to assist in completing the intricate puzzle of the espionage that lurks within the pages. As the characters work with each other while simultaneously working against each other, no one can be trusted and no one seems to be who they say they are.

A thrill ride from the opening page, Turner explores the fast pace of terrorist investigation, split second decisions and unpopular choices being made to uncover the truth and stop the brewing chaos stemming from the existence of the priceless, religious artifact. Just as the cover says, "Seeking answers can be deadly when everyone has secrets."

James Houston Turner is a great political thriller author and I look forward to the books that follow.

I recently read The Identity Factor. I do not claim to be a genius (Well, sometimes.) but I read a LOT. Upon completion of the book, this is what I wrote to James...
You, my man, have raised the bar! The Identity Factor is beyond great! The preliminary reviews of Bourne meets DaVinci meets Ryan simply does not do this book justice. There's little I can say to support this without being a "spoiler", (which I do NOT want to do) but I think there are subtle differences in all those comparisons, and I've got some damn good arguments to back up my belief that you've managed to edge out the competition on all three fronts!!! I'm amazed that you did not fall into the trap of creating a "repeat" of style from The Second Thirteen. These books are so different to me, from content to style to pace. And so you've managed something many authors cannot... A reason to KEEP reading your works. I can't stand when you come across a talented writer whose stories are so similar that they become predictable and thus....boring. Just don't see this being a problem for you! One complaint....Can't you write any damn faster? I just don't think I can handle the wait until your next foray. The Identity Factor was, as my favorite celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey would say..."SPOT ON"!!!!!


But JHT knows all this. Have YOU read TIF?!? If not, this is what I need to say to YOU....


Jumbo Shrimp. Peace Force. Dodge Ram. Believable Action Heroes. All oxymorons of sorts. Except that JHT manages the latter, and mostly because he manages to keep the WHOLE book believable. I will put The Identity Factor in the category of being BETTER than 80% of the bestsellers I've read over the last decade. (And don't worry, you remaining upper echelon of 20%, James is close to par with you too!) I would also be remiss if I didn't mention the perfectly crafted prologue and epilogue of this book. They serve as perfectly apt bookends to an incredible journey.

I now will come full circle, and exit with a message to the man who may one day be King, our esteemed Author...


"Any chance of a Gustaves/Talanov meeting in the future?" (For those of you that don't understand that question, do your homework. You'll thank me that you did.)


GREAT READ!!!!!

I finished reading Jim Turner's The Identity Factor a couple weeks ago, and felt compelled to write this review. I am an avid fan of books that combine action, intriguing international plots, and interesting characters. The Identity Factor has all of these. The reader is taken from San Diego, to a bar in Texas, then to the middle of Cairo, and back to the States.

The object of all this action is a tablet that could truly change the political dynamic in the Middle East, and the rest of the world. I could not help but wonder what was going to happen with the stakes so high. The story takes you to a root cause for all the strife emanating from the Middle East.

Turner's characters are colorful, intricate, and impossible to completely grasp until the very end of the book. I pride myself in being able to figure out plot twists in advance, but this book fooled me. Turner seems to have the ability to stay one step ahead of the reader.

Not only did I thoroughly enjoy this book, but I found myself thinking about the possibilities surrounding the turmoil in the Middle East for some time after the read. I look forward to his next novel.

James H. Turner has done it! He is up there with Ludlum and the others! I enjoyed turning each page to see what Turner would do next with his characters! This book is a must read for those who enjoy this genre! Kudos! to Jim!

This book is right up there with it's ability to keep you turning the page wanting to know what happens next. With this genre books start to get a little predictable. This one keeps delivering the surprises - the plot is full of twists and turns. I loved it and look forward to reading more Houston Turner books!

[The author's....] The Second Thirteen is an action-packed book that you can't put down! The characters draw you in and you feel as though you are one with them experiencing all the drama through which they go! I look forward to reading more of Jim's books. This book is well done and well written. END

If you like heart stopping, what-can-possibly-happen-next thrillers, you'll love this one. Move over Ludlum, Clancy and the other guys...Jim Turner's book is one of the best international thrillers I've read in a long time. Clever plot twists you haven't read elsewhere, a cast of intriguing and colorful characters, including those you'll love to love and those you'll love to hate, and an ending that will leave you hungry for more of James Houston Turner's writing, makes this book a great read! My suggestion: Don't start reading this book at 9:00 pm...you'll not be able to get up for work the next morning.