Monday, July 16, 2012

HARD TARGET

Great political thriller by Alan Jacobson..
Agent Aaron Uziel known as Uzi was a former agent from Israel but born in the United States. He is an experience agent on terrorism and espionage. He was once an agent for Mossad* in Israel. After the tragic death of his wife and child he was sent to the United States and was recruited by the CIA.
Agent Uziel head of the JTTF out of WFO (Joint Terrorism Task Force, Washington Field Office) has been sent to investigate the attempt assassination of the president-elect Glendon E. Rusch. A helicopter containing Rusch and his family were blown from the sky. Something that should never had occurred for the helicopters are equipped with bullet proof glass and can contain direct hits from high power ballistic weapons. So how could this have happened? Who could have gotten that close? Security has been pumped up since 9/11 and background checks on all agents from all agencies have been upgraded with the latest technologies.
Agent Uzi has been given nine days to come up with an arrest. His investigations lead him to American Revolution Militia (ARM). Investigating this group is not going to be easy for they are protected by the Second Amendment – The Right To Bear Arms; and they have a high paying law firm well know in the Washington DC area backing them up. Uzi is frustrated for his investigation leads him to places he cannot cross such as Agents from other agencies and investigating politicians is a dangerous course to take. He is not allowed access to NICS (National Instant Criminal Background Check System) records and that is just the beginning of obstacles blocking his way. During his investigations he meets counterintelligence agent Leila Harel. She has caught his eye and finds himself drawn to her. However, he feels guilty doing so..death of his wife and daughter lurking in his memory.
And through all this, he has been ordered to meet with a psychiatrist due to the brutal death of his wife and child murdered by the hands of Batula Hakim a well known Palestinian terrorist. He doesn’t have time for this but it’s either that or be sent off to an office position in the mid-west.
Agent Uzi’s investigations leads him through lots of twists and turns. And through it all, he has to maintain his emotions in check.
Note: great political thriller with emotions and surprise ending…a must read!!
*The Mossad is responsible for intelligence collection, covert operations, and counterterrorism, as well as bringing Jews to Israel from countries where official Aliyahagencies are forbidden, and protecting Jewish communities worldwide. It is one of the main entities in the Israeli Intelligence Community, along with Aman (military intelligence) and Shin Bet (internal security), but its director reports directly to the Prime Minister.----http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mossad

Hard Target

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Murder One

This book was recommended to my by a great author of mystery Alan Jacobson the writer of the Karen Veil FBI murder mysteries. When another writer recommends an author that says a lot about his professionalism. And good to his word, I wasn’t disappointed.This book has many turns and twists and keeps you guessing.
David Sloane is a rich well off attorney who lives in a prestigious neighborhood. He is well known for his class action suits for he never loses. His name has become well known and his reputation of no nonsense precedes him; this has won him great fame. He has just returned to Seattle after three months in Mexico. His wife was murdered and spends sleepless nights trying to understand what he could have done different to prevent that from happening. It’s been a year since her death and feels he could never love anyone again. His step son is living with his biological father, and finds himself alone with his memories of their life together. No one could replace her and no one is allowed in…Until….
Barclay Reid was David’s opponent in a prominent case that she lost. She runs a large firm of over 200 attorneys. And, her one and only daughter died due to a drug overdose. She becomes a crusader for war on drugs and is determined to bring to justice the men behind it Russian gangster Filyp Vasiliev who is tied to the Russian Mafia. Filyp Vasiliev has become her target. Without fear she takes him on and will not rest until he is behind bars. But a turn of events has her arrested for the murder of Filyp Vasiliev. Now she finds herself in need of a powerful aggressive attorney…who could she hire that is aggressive and competitive as herself?
She turns to David Sloane. She convinces him to take the case. To his better judgment, he agrees and their lives become intertwined and complicated.
David Sloan finds himself way out of his league. He’s a civil law attorney that goes after big corporations. Though he is familiar with criminal law, he has never tried one nor defended a criminal case.  But he finds himself drawn to Barclay. She is  very attractive and intelligent. When he visits her at her prestigious home he is impressed at her security compound. She has motion sensor cameras and a sophisticated security system all around including the entrance gate. No one could penetrate her home without the local police enforcement being notified.
Drugs, murder, sex are all tied into this amazing turns of events that has you guessing.
Murder One