|
Book Information:
(Links go to the MWSA Amazon store!)
|
Cover:
|
Author's Summary
Sandy Coker's covert activities while attached to the NIS during his twenty plus year's service in the Air Force came in handy on one occasion just before his retirement and again after he took over the reins of Coker Industries and thought he had seen the last of intrigue, mayhem and murder. After accepting the position of Director of the multi-million dollar Coker Industries at the request of his father, Coker rounds up three of his comrades-in-arms who have also retired from military careers and offers them key positions within the company. Things seem to progress smoothly as the foursome settles into the strange world of civilian enterprise and proceed to revamp and update the company including expanding its primary interests in the logging industry and high-end electronic technology. The transformation euphoria soon exploded around them with potentially devastating results when Coker learns that his closest friend; the man who had been at his side during their escape from a North Vietnamese prison camp in 1968, has been arrested and charged with murder while on company business in Montreal, Coker gathers together the other members of his tight-knit group of associates and sets about learning the details of the charge. Traveling to Montreal together with the company's long time friend and attorney Matt Rigby and Coker's latest friend; New Scotland Yard Detective Chief Superintendant Charlie Yates who is spending the Christmas holidays with the Coker's, the group soon find themselves immersed in the ugly world of terrorism in its most terrible form. With the fate of his friend at stake, Coker uncovers a horrifying plot to overthrow the Government of Quebec and quite possibly, Canada itself. Using all the acquired skills he can muster and against the advice of his associates, Coker pursues the thin trail that would ultimately lead the group to the leaders of the fanatical group behind the plot, and end in tragedy.
MWSA Review
The fast paced “Montreal Vortex” begins with negotiations for a routine acquisition of a near bankrupt logging venture, but the business deal quickly evolves into a whirlwind of murder, drug smuggling, and a sinister, terrorist plot to force Quebec’s independence from Canada.
During the week before Christmas, Sandy Coker’s procurement director is framed and jailed on murder charges in Montreal. After retiring as an Air Force sergeant who had been seconded to the CIA for covert missions, Coker was named head of the family business, Coker Industries. He brought into his management team several buddies who had also retired from military service, and one of whom was a former Green Beret who had saved Coker’s life in Viet Nam.
As the new CEO of the large Michigan enterprise, Coker takes this team to Quebec to prove his friend’s innocence. Along for the ride is a family friend who also happens to be Scotland Yard’s chief of detectives who was spending the Christmas holidays with the Coker family.
Using financial muscle, techniques from their special ops history, defiance in the face of threatened deportation for interfering with a police investigation, gutsy determination, intense loyalty to friends, and a whole lot of chutzpah, Coker’s effort to exonerate his colleague of murder charges plunges the group into harrowing episodes with shootouts, explosions and deadly situations on the verge of erupting into a nightmare of terror for Canada and the United States.
“Montreal Vortex” is an exciting and satisfying read for fans of mysteries and thrillers.
Reviewed by: Joe Epley (2013)
