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BENEATH A PANAMANIAN MOON
by David Terrenoire
St Martin's Minotaur, January 2005
288 pages
$23.95
ISBN: 0312321317


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

John Harper is a retired spy. To be more accurate, he would like to be a retired spy. Unfortunately, he occasionally gets pulled into investigations or missions even though he does not want to be involved. Harper would much rather be a piano player working gigs in Washington DC as the level of stress and danger is much lower.

In BENEATH A PANAMANIAN MOON, Harper is forced to travel to Panama as a piano player for an exclusive resort. The US military has been unable to get information about this resort, as everyone hides every time the satellite crosses the area. While the US did have someone in undercover, this agent died in a mysterious manner. Harper is now the only person they have with the ability to play the piano and has the necessary physical skills that will make sure he remains alive.

What Harper discovers is that this resort is for the special training of security guards. In fact, these men are so specially trained that most of them disappear into sleeper cells. Not only that, the staff of mercenaries are just as dangerous as the secretive men getting training. Harper must somehow get this information to his contacts back in the States before the terrorists have the change to accomplish their goals. Things turn deadly very quickly and Harper is forced to risk his own life and those of his associates in order to stop a rebellion.

BENEATH A PANAMANIAN MOON is a well-written strong adventure thriller. The storyline is tightly plotted and moves in a coherent manner. Most of the actions of the characters are completely understandable and justifiable. While the book is a little more violent and bloodier than necessary, it does move quickly. In addition most of the characters are developed enough so that they are more than mere filler or shadowy figures.

John Harper is something of the stereotypical anti-spy in that he hates guns and would rather remain safe and sound at home. One of the redeeming characteristics of Harper is that once he is involved in something, he is more than willing to see the situation through. This drive and persistence is one of the reasons the government will not allow him to retire. It is also one of the reasons while Harper is an appealing protagonist. It is difficult to feel anything but admiration for someone that sticks to their guns in order to bring about good.

BENEATH A PANAMANIAN MOON is the first book featuring John Harper and is also David Terrenoire's debut effort.

Reviewed by Sarah Dudley, May 2006

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


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