Open Source

 Author's Summary

- In the dead of night, on the dark waters of the Baltic Sea, a cargo ship is hijacked.
- In the Atlantic Ocean, a small flotilla of Russian warships is dispatched to re-take her.
- In a quiet tavern in Savannah, Georgia, an off-work vending route driver watches a thirty-second news report of the incidents.
 
"What if...?"  That was what Casey Shenk thought when he heard about the hijacking of the MV Baltic Venture.  A simple diversionary blog posting that infers an illegal arms sale is involved comes too close to the truth for some, who would rather the speculation stop there.
 
When anonymous threats turn deadly, Casey looks to the only other person who believes his theory; Susan Williams, an analyst for the private geopolitical consulting firm Intelligence Watch Group.  With Susan's help, Casey digs deeper and discovers something much bigger that involves elements at the highest levels of governments on three continents. 
 
Casey and Susan soon find themselves in the crosshairs and at the center of a complicated plot to shape world politics that will affect the balance of power in the Middle East and change the world forever.
 

MWSA Review

Open Source is an intriguing novel of international politics played out in the shadow world of diplomacy. The book begins with the hijacking on the Baltic Sea of the cargo transport MV Baltic Venture. The mysterious group of eight hijackers quickly gain control of the ship and hold her. We soon learn (or think we do) that aboard are missiles intended for Iran, which poses a very real threat to the Israelis.

Meanwhile, in Savannah, Georgia, a former sailor, Casey Shenk, who drives a vending route as a day job, begins blogging about the hijacking. He became intrigued by the incident from news reports and began to speculate on his blog as to the parties involved in an illegal arms sale. A threat on his blog site indicates he has touched a nerve and come uncomfortably close to the truth for at least one of the parties involved.  After attempts on his life, and a murder, Casey turns to Susan Williams, an analyst for a private geopolitical consulting firm in New York, for help. They uncover a tangled web of intrigue involving three governments on three continents.

Mr. Frick has done a good job with Casey and Susan, who are ordinary, sympathetic characters thrown into a circumstance that would frighten most people. Victims of their analytical abilities and curiosity, they become drawn into a dangerous web of international deceit. As the Russians close in on the MV Baltic Venture the assassins close in on Casey and Susan, leading to a satisfying and surprising denouement.

Open Source is a book torn from today’s headlines. It’s an enjoyable and informative read, which this reviewer recommends to anyone interested in global politics.   

Reviewed by: Weymouth Symmes (2010)