Smuggling Books

For Lew Brady and Frank Lanigan, veteran mercenaries of several sides of half a dozen African wars, it was their last chance to make a big score on the Dark Continent. For Baron Chase, a special anti-smuggling adviser to Idi Amin, it was to be his Swiss retirement fund, set up before Amin's inevitable fall from his excesses and brutalities. For Mazar Balim and his son, Asian exiles from Uganda living in Kenya, it was a chance to give Amin a real black eye while making a fortune. It was a mile long train carrying over six million dollars in coffee...one sixth of Uganda's annual production, almost all of it owned personally by Idi Amin and his close cronies...coffee already purchased by Brazil to cover worldwide committments following the disastrous frosts of 1977. But on Sept 12 the trail failed to reach Kampala...it simply disappeared. Humorous and horrific...

Understand that this book is a major departure for Westlake, and is darker tham a lot of his other books. This is a good thing, I've read a few of his other books, and while they were ok, Kahawa is simply woderful. By blending some actual figures into the book, Westlake adds realism, which makes it even more gripping. Worth more than 5 stars!

As I remembered the novel, it was the best I ever read. My rating may have been coloured by my living in Liberia 15 years ago when reading the book. Samuel K. Doe was at the time turning our life upside down (I later lived for some years in Tanzania, bordering lake Victoria). The book is totally different from anything else that I have read from Westlake. Did I find it good if I'm searching for it 15 years later?

Overall, KAHAWA, is an uneven yet action-packed adventure with something for everyone: sex, adventure, a really evil villain, manly heroes and beautiful courageous heroines of all colors. Our mercenary heroes are striking a blow against tyranny, but they aren't looking for the Ark, or the Grail or King Solomon's Mines. They're stealing coffee. But that's what's kinda cool about it.

The premise, that a mixed bag of mercenaries, for profit and for politics, decide to hijack Idi Amin's coffee train, worth six million dollars, is very inventive. Westlake allows his characters to be heroic for monetary reasons and for ideology: Idi Amin's a tyrant and all want to see him go down....and making a buck or two from his downfall will make it all the sweeter.

This book is a total departure for Donald Westlake and one for the better. While the plot deals with the theft of a train load of coffee, the book is so far beyond an average hiest story that it is hard to catagorize. The setting, the characters - even the steamy sex scenes - are more than one expects after reading Westlake's other books. This is, in many ways, a serious novel, but at the same time, very entertaining. I had to read it in one long session. It was that gripping.

This suspenseful tale has its origins in the murder of two elderly men on a Moorish tour of Morocco and Spain while in Cadiz. Denton Wright made a couple of billion dollars creating and then selling a dot.com company. He disappointed his murdered attorney father by not going to Harvard Law, and their relationship was at best strained. The other victim owned a California winery, supervised by his daughter.

Wright goes to California and meets with the daughter and they decide to learn about the murders. Along the way, Denton and his accompanying characters learn a lot about themselves and life in general. A well-constructed tale, it is fast-paced and well-written, and highly recommended.

It's a great, can't put it down read.

Billionaire Denton Wright's estranged father is murdered and Denton seeks answers- and more importantly- revenge. Denton is a fascinating character- sometimes a spoiled brat but always interesting.Denton's companions in the search are equally interesting. Mandy the sultry, exceptionally competent New York career woman, and Jenna, the leggy blonde vintner from California. And those are just the main characters-you'll enjoy the supporting cast as well.

The plot is, as they say, very fast paced, and Mr. Small's excellent description of the exotic locales(Spain and Morocco), notches the action up even more.

So put aside a few hours and enjoy, this book won't disappoint.

From the first page, the action explodes like a grenade. Small has an amazing ability to put you into the action. His descriptions are vivid. I found myself planning my escape from the thugs intent on cutting my throat as I turned the pages faster, and faster. Like his first story, "Alibi on Ice", "the Olive Horseshoe" has all the elements, mystery, sex, exotic locations, and great detail to make a great read.

A suspense -filled piece of work. The author's skill in making me turn the next page kept me up reading past midnight!! But it was worth the lack of sleep. The author's legal background made for reality too. G. Silver

To say that Ben Small matured as a writer from his first novel, "Alibi on Ice", is a massive understatement. His new book "The Olive Horseshoe" hits like a sledgehammer to the gut. From the first page to the last, the electric tension and explosive action never cease. Denton Wright may well become this age's new anti-hero. I want more.

Teagan Oliver's first novel is romance and suspense all rolled into one. You will enjoy the realistic portrayal of folks and surroundings in Coastal Maine. Looking forward to more books by Teagan!

I LOVED THIS BOOK. The author keeps you on the edge of your seat and guessing. I hated to see it end!! Look out Nora Roberts!! Cannot wait for another book by this author!!

Obsidian is wonderful! This romantic suspense has plenty of riveting action. Teagon Oliver has a wonderful knack for description and engaging compelling characters. Jamie and Shelby's dominant issue is trust in their relationship and you root for them throughout! Looking forward to more books by this author!

Obsidian was filled with twists and turns that kept this reader guessing until the very last chapter. I enjoyed watching the characters grow as they worked together to solve the mystery in a Maine coastal community. Obsidian definitely belongs on my keeper shelf.

Diane

The explosion on a boat killed his best friend, Coast Guard Special Investigation Unit partner David while leaving Jamie Rivard physically battered and mentally worse. The Coast Guard places Jamie on sick leave while he heals. However, his Commanding Officer McAlvey says that there is evidence that David illegally sold guns and if Jamie wants to quietly and unofficially investigate to prove otherwise he should.

Jamie travels to Chandler, Maine where he obtains work with John Case, who is the prime suspect in the weapons trafficking. He also meets John's niece harbormaster Shelby Teague, whose husband died on the ocean which her brother apparently emulates the recklessness of her late spouse. As Jamie begins to uncover the shocking truth, he and Shelby fall in love, but neither seems to trust the other with the full truth while a behind the scenes Machiavelli type manipulates everyone involved.

OBSIDIAN is an entertaining investigative romantic suspense that hooks readers with the boat explosion that kills David and severely injures Jamie. The relationship between the lead couple enhances Jamie's inquiries because he does not trust her as she obviously is loyal to and loves her Uncle John, his prime suspect while she has doubts about men with secrets especially after the escapades of her spouse and new her brother. Though the criminal mastermind seems over the moon, readers will enjoy accompanying Jamie as he explore coastal Maine seeking the truth about his late partner and his heart.

Harriet Klausner

This is a well paced, well crafted book about diamonds and deceit. This is the second book by Robin White that I have read, it will not be the last.

Briefly, the IMF is coming to inspect 4 millon carats of diamonds that are pledged for a loan. The problem is the diamonds have been leaking out of Russia for over a year and the supposed diamond cache is missing. Now the bodies start dropping over dead.

Mr. White writes from a vast knowledge of Russia and sets his story against an authentic background. The tone and texture of the novel captures the Siberian cold, the heartless Gulag and the great warmth of the Russian heart.

This is a fabulous book.

I won't dwell on plot since the professional reviews have done that. Rather, I'd like to focus on White's ability as a writer to construct an intricate plot built around his experiences and knowledge of Russia, especially Siberia. In each of his books, we learn quite a bit about the Russian political landscape, and about Siberia in particular. While his plots are top notch, his characters are well fleshed-out and "typically Russian". In every successful novel set in Russia, there is an ambience which distinguishes it from any other type of novel. It's that feeling of hope without hope, that bleakness of landscape paralleling the Russian soul, which nevertheless survives all the stronger for the strife it has been subjected to. Robin White is the master of that landscape and I await his next effort with much anticipation.

Why are there some authors and books that seem to be admired by writers, yet have not found a wider audience, even with two solid books. Robin White is such a writer. No fancy review here...just the promise that no one who enjoys intelligent thrillers would be disappointed with Ice Curtain. Belongs in a class of Robert Wilson (Small Death in Lisbon, Company of Strangers) Craig Shelton (River Sorrow) who are turning out first class thrillers but to my knowledge have fallen short of the top 15.

This book is excellent-- tight,intelligent, warm-hearted, cynical yet hopeful, smart, yet tragic. Not the Demille thrill a minute, but a compelling, readable pace. Russia is the true character here. Read it. You'll pass it along. You'll be putting your imprimatuer here next.

In 1999 Irkutsk, Siberia, Siberian Delegate Arkady Volsky persuades his friend, former geologist Gregori Nowek to accompany him to Moscow. Arkady plans to demand that the Chairman of the State Diamond Committee Petrov pays the Mirny miners for their work. In Moscow, Gregori is late for the meeting in which Petrov tells Gregori he has not sold any diamonds recently due to a feud with the western cartel. Arkady threatens to ruin Petrov through his connection to Yeltsin.

Gregori arrives in time to see Arkady assassinated. He is arrested for his friend's murder. FSB major Izrail Levin has evidence proving Gregori's innocence, but instead cuts a deal. In order to remain free, Gregori must cooperate on the homicide investigation that soon takes them to an icy conspiracy involving diamonds and potentially cold deaths.

In spite of the climate, Robin White's latest Russian thriller, THE ICE CURTAIN, is a heated tale that never slows down. The story succeeds because the key characters feel genuine and make the conspiracy appear so matter of fact real. Anyone who enjoys a conspiracy tale or a solid police procedural will gain immense pleasure from this novel and want to read Mr. White's previous Russian story, SIBERIAN LIGHT.

Harriet Klausner

THE REAL ODESSA is an interesting expose of the escape of Nazi criminals into Argentina during the time of Juan Peron's reign. As a former exchange student to Argentina, an admirer of Eva Peron, and a person in the process of conversion to Judaism, it is understandable why THE REAL ODESSA would hold interest for me.

Rumors and accusations of nazism have long circled around the figure of Juan Peron, leading many to think that Peronism was simply the South American extension of the Nazi party. Books like THE REAL ODESSA are now being published to bring the truth forward. Part of that truth is that Juan Peron himself was not a Nazi and did not subscribe to any Nazi ideology. As Lawrence Levine notes in INSIDE ARGENTINA FROM PERON TO MENEM, Peron's own views and his political associations were not anti-Semitic: "Peron sought out the Jewish community in Argentina to assist in developing his policies...." Levine also notes that one of Peron's most important allies in organizing the industrial sector was Jose Ber Gerbald, a Jewish immigrant from Poland. Perhaps Robert D. Crassweller states it more succinctly in the appropriately titled PERON AND THE ENIGMAS OF ARGENTINA: "Peronism was not nazism...."

So, if Peronism was not nazism, why exactly did Juan Peron, as THE REAL ODESSA points out, help Nazis excape from justice? Because, as Tomas Eloy Martinez, author of SANTA EVITA, says, Peron was hoping to acquire advanced technology developed by the Germans during the war. (Martinez also notes that Evita herself played no part in any dealings with the Nazis, which I find ironic seeing as how her picture is used on the cover of THE REAL ODESSA.) Peron was not a Nazi; but he *was* a politician, and one not opposed to shady dealings at times. (And yet another confounding thing is that, as Joseph Page writes in PERON: A BIOGRAPHY, there were no concentration camps in Peron's Argentina, Peron was at heart a pacifist, and it was the military government that ousted Peron that killed tens of thousands of people.)

I recommend all of the above mentioned books in addition to THE REAL ODESSA for understanding the often perplexing and contradictory movement known as Peronism.

Superb, detailed, readable chroncicle of the Nazi-Argentina escape process, with chilling details and look-'em-in-the-eye realism.

Includes lots of "behind the robes" scoop on the Catholic Church's involvement too.

Literally a must-read for anyone with an interest, scholarly or casual, in WW II's aftermath

Everyone has heard about the myth of Odessa, the secret organization with hidden contacts intended to provide sanctuary for the worst nazi criminals after the end of the Second World War

After six of years of deep research in Argentina and Europe, Mr. Goñi shows clearly how the actual Odessa operated smuggling nazis from the Old continent to the South American secluded country, unveiling a contact network made by pro-nazi Peron Argentine government assistants, corrupted diplomats, first rescued nazi criminals with new identities back in Europe, far right Europe politicians acting as liaisons and priests of the Catholic Church in the Vatican

Every interview, record, event and character mentioned is cited with its reference source allowing the reader to delve further in every single topic of his choice

Many novels are written about the Nazi war criminals and their secrecy as a marketing tool in order to attract avid suspense readers and make run of the mill bestsellers, unlike those stories, this is an objective and factual work written as a documentary that can be used in any college course as a contemporary history text book.

Great job

I cannot remember what led me to this book but thankfully I did get to read it. And having read it am still suffering the effects. I consider this to be the sign of a great book.
While the details are many, Mr. Goni manages to relate them in a cogent and cohesive fashion - no small feat considering the depth of his research.
Less a blame game than an outright castigation of idealogues, this book is an absolute must in understanding WW2 and its aftermath.
I followed the book with a viewing of "Hotel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie" which touches on many of the same subjects covered in the book.
Greater horror stories have never been written by man.

just finished this book and loved it - morgenroth is a rare, gifted storyteller... this is a page turner, crisply written, with a bunch of heart-stopping thrills, some great characters, and an astonishing plot twist at the end. i'm giving it to my wife next - the lead character is a woman punching her way thru a man's world... very cool summer read.

Ellie Somers is living her dreams thousand miles above the earth. She works for the Alaska Coast Guard on the helicopter Rescue Squad. She loves playing the role of hero but still has a thrill streak in her. When one dangerous mission almost grounds her wings, she agrees to play by the rules. She does good for a while and then the thrill is aching inside of her. This time she isn't a hero but a grounded pilot. She becomes despondent and her reckless behavior has her in Las Vegas. Her friends believe she didn't nothing wrong and set out to clear her name and find in the lower 48. When they do, she is involved in a plan she cannot
escape from and this plan may cost her everything she believes in and the honor of her friends. Morgenroth had me spellbound with the details given to the rescue missions. But when Ellie is grounded and main setting is switch to Las Vegas it lost something. It does pick up momentum again but the way she tries to switch tactics between plots were choppy but in the end I still find this a good read.

This book had so many unexpected twists and turns that I practically read it in one sitting. I also loved the unique premise of a female helicopter rescue pilot. Very smart, with lots of action and a romantic element, too. I can't wait to read Kate Morgenroth's other book ("Kill Me First"). If it's anything like this one, she's got a loyal fan!

Lieutenant commander Ellie Somers of the US Coast Guard is currently assigned to Air Station Sitka flying helicopters and loving every minute of it. When an inexperienced boat pilot takes his vessel out to sea and misjudges the weather, he calls for help on his radio. Flying by the seat of her pants and taking some very unnecessary risks, she and her crew bring him back to safety.

Ellie's next mission, trying to stop a boat suspected of carrying drugs, is an utter failure. She loses control of the helicopter and it is lost at sea. Her second in command is dead and Ellie is grounded. She can't work for the Coast Guard without flying so when the man she rescued from the sea, Nicolas Andreakis asks her to go on an adventure with him she readily agrees, not knowing that he's the one who sabotaged her coptor.

While Ellie is definitely the protagonist, it is Nicolas who steals the show because the audience is never quite sure if he's an angel or a devil. The story line is fast paced, with many curves and twists so readers will never be able to predict what happens next. The heroine matures throughout the course of the book so the person who readers see at the end of the novel is not the adrenaline junkie we first meet.

Harriet Klausner

Eric Mills has mastered the rare ability to bring back the past through skillful and imaginative writing. A terrific book.

This fast-paced, readable chronicle of an almost forgotten era in American history fills a longstanding void. The fact that it is immensely entertaining, as well as informative, makes it doubly valuable. It provides a thorough, understandable history of the social forces at play in the nation which led to the passage of the 18th Amendment and to the inevitability of its Repeal.

The author has done it again with this fine companion to his superb CHESAPEAKE BAY IN THE CIVIL WAR. Bravo, Eric Mills!

In Chesapeake Rumrunners Of The Roaring Twenties, Eric Mills tells the story of Prohibition in Chesapeake Bay country with a memorable cast the includes watermen and steamer captains, mob racketeers, and "legitimate" businessmen who took advantage of a nation's thirst for alcohol to make their fortunes smuggling booze into the country. The saga also had Billy Sunday and an army of temperance crusaders campaigning to encourage Prohibition, federal agents and Coast Guardsmen burdened with the impossible task of holding back the tide of alcohol from coming into the country. In a maze of Bay waters, smuggler boats played a key role in the illicit traffic, and were built for speed and the ability to out-maneuver the law while being disguised as ordinary work boats. Chesapeake Rumrunners Of The Roaring Twenties is a vivid, highly recommended history drawing on news reports, government records, and local lore to recreate an incredible time where some men sought to change human nature and before through the force of an unpopular law, and others sought to make their fortunes in defiance of that same law.

The topic of human smuggling makes most people think of yet another global mafia business tricking people into slavery. In contrast, this book provides an excellent overview of the complexity and diversity of migrants and refugees trying to get across borders simply to find jobs or freedom. Especially interesting are the historical chapters that place this social issue into perspective and draw parallels with previous "white slavery scares." The book also presents diverse types of research in different countries to provide a mosaic rather than a grand theory of human smuggling. Hopefully more similarly thoughtful work on this topic will follow. Of course, no book on a topic like this can be up to date, so some of the things the authors discuss will have to be reevaluated after 9/11.

There are many dimensions to the transport of people across international borders. Global Human Smuggling provide a historical and contemporary look at the topic. They start with the traffic of sex slaves in the late 1800s and early 1900s. They focus on topics such as asylum seekers, ill-legal immigration to America from Mexico and Asia. The book also deals with the topics of organized crime. Russian, Chinese and Mexican organized crime units have played parts in transporting humans from one country to anotuehr. The book also deals with the political impact of smuggling people across borders. Countries such as Japan and the United States have been cracking down the use of illegal aliens and both countries have seen xenophobia saying that foreigners are responsible for crime and lowering native wages.

"Goldfinger" has always been one of my favorite James Bond novels from the pen of Ian Fleming. I have read it several times through the years and I still return to it. It is just so well written with Fleming's unique style that the words linger in your mind forever. The first chapter is a standout and gives the reader great insight into the character of James Bond. Goldfinger the villain of the piece has a truly intriguing plot that enthralls the reader quite convincingly. Good book.

GOLDFINGER is probably one of the most recognized titles of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels. This is a good one. It makes interesting reading especially after having seen the movie so many times. The comparisons alone make this good reading.

This is a really fun story about a family of adventrous. Kids will really enjoy them and grown-ups will have fun reading them too.

Based on my memory of thisbook from 30(?) years ago, it concerns a pig family, the Mellops, who embark on an adventure into a cave. They face not only subterranean wonders, but also a band of robbers hiding their loot. I won't give away the ending because I don't remember it.

Hurray for the Mellops reprints! (Normally, I don't care for exclamation points, but it seemed suitable here.