Tag: Comfort Publishing

I often wonder what we did before the internet. You know when we actually had to write letters and make phone calls. But today I am so happy we have the internet, Facebook, and blogs. It lets me share the books I love with all of you but it also helps me connect with the authors who write the books that I love.

Back in June James Houston Turner filled out one of my contact forms telling me about his new book Greco’s Game and invited me to be part of this tour.

This is all I needed to read of the synopsis to know I had to read this book:

Colonel Aleksandr Talanov – the “ice man” – is married to a woman he wishes he could love. But he can’t, and it’s an ugly consequence of his training with the KGB. Even so, no one should have to experience what Talanov experienced: the brutal murder of his wife in front of his eyes. Wracked with guilt and suspected of plotting her death, Talanov spirals downward on a path of self-destruction.

Jim and I will probably never meet in person but because of all this wonderful technology I have found an outstanding author and made a truly awesome friend.

Let me tell you about Jim before I tell you about Greco’s Game.

A native of Kansas, James turned to writing fiction as a result of his years as a smuggler behind the old Iron Curtain. He has been on a KGB watchlist, organized secret midnight meetings with informants, located hidden mountain bunkers, and investigated legends of forgotten tunnels buried beneath the cobblestones and bricks of some of Central Europe’s most venerated cathedrals. Department Thirteen, his debut thriller featuring former KGB informant, Colonel Aleksandr Talanov, was inspired by those experiences and went on to win the USA Book News “Best Thriller of 2011″ award, a gold medal in the 2012 Independent Publisher “IPPY” Book Awards (thriller/suspense), and a gold medal in the 2012 Indie Book Awards (action/adventure).

A former journalist in Los Angeles, James holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Baker University and a Master’s Degree from the University of Houston (Clear Lake). His 2011 “Too Ugly Tour” saw him drive 4500 miles across America promoting his books and speaking to thousands of students about not letting the hard knocks of life defeat you, which in his case included years of rejection, surviving cancer, and once being turned down for a customer service job because he was “too ugly” — a reference to the facial scars he still carries from his successful 1991 battle against cancer. He and his wife, Wendy, a former triathlon winner, live in Adelaide, South Australia.

Comfort Publishing (September 1, 2012)
Suspense Thriller
Book 2 in the Aleksandr Talanov series
Paperback: 329 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1936695485
E-book File Size: 625 KB
ASIN: B008PFCRTY
Reads as a stand alone very well

Greco’s Game finds Talanov witnessing the brutal murder of his wife. Convinced the bullet was meant for him and wracked with guilt, he spirals downward on a path of self-destruction, hitting rock-bottom on the mean streets of Los Angeles. But in a seedy world ruled by the Russian mafia, all is not as it seems. Was her murder an accident, or was it a carefully-planned strategy? The answer lies in Greco’s Game, a chess game played in 1619 that Talanov’s old KGB chess instructor regarded as the most brilliant example of how to trap and kill an opponent. The question is: who was the target?

Dollycas’s Thoughts
Wow! This is an outstanding story! Riveting, intense and full of suspense!

You have the CIA, FSB (Federal Secret Service/Russia), LAPD, the Russian Mafia and Aleksandr Talanov, former KGB agent, all coming together in Los Angeles, California. Who killed his wife? Until he knows he can’t trust anyone!

While clues play out we learn that they are patterning a chess game played hundreds of years ago but you do not need to like or understand chess to follow this story. Just hold on tight you are in for a wild ride.

Turner takes us on a journey into the gritty world of human trafficking in a universe where much has changed since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Men Talanov knew back in his time in the KGB could be working for anybody. He can’t even trust his former mentor. The author takes us through the clues and strategy at an amazing clip making it impossible to put down. This story would make a fantastic movie.

The author has created rich and colorful characters that just seem to leap off the page. We follow them through chilling car chases, cars crashing through buildings, and cars with surprises in the trunks. Gun blazing, bombs blowing, bouncers dishing out beatings and worse.

I have not yet read Department Thirteen and had absolutely no trouble loving this deadly game of pawns and queens. I did learn James Houston Turner loves to leave us hanging.  He resolves most of the issues but baits us with just a few lines and a bit of book #3, Dragon Head coming in 2013.

This is one of those books I want to shout about from the rooftops!! It is amazing! A MUST READ if you like mystery, suspense, action and thrills!!!

 

You may visit him at www.jameshoustonturner.com

James loves hearing from readers and bloggers. To contact him directly, http://www.jameshoustonturner.com/contact.htm

Follow James on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jhoustonturner

Follow James on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jameshoustonturner

Follow Greco’s Game on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GrecosGame

Follow Talanov on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aleksandr.talanov

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”