Shemlan: A Deadly Tragedy

Jason Hartmoor is dying of cancer. But will his past kill him first?

After a lifetime of service around the Middle East, retired diplomat Jason Hartmoor is dying of cancer. He embarks on a last journey back to Lebanon where he studied Arabic as a young man at the Middle East Centre for Arab Studies, the infamous ‘British spy school’ in the village of Shemlan far up in the hills overlooking Beirut.

Jason wants to rediscover the love he lost when the civil war forced him to flee Lebanon. Instead his past catches up with him with such speed and violence, it threatens to kill him before the disease does. The only man who can keep him alive long enough to face that past is Gerald Lynch.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Our favorite group of Beirut agents is back in Shemlan: A Deadly Tragedy by Alexander McNabb. Gerald Lynch, an Irishman who works for British Intelligence, is brought in to find Jason Hartmoor before the competition can get their hands on him.

The story revolves around both Hartmoor and Lynch. Hartmoor is dying from cancer and before he dies he wants to see the woman who stole his heart when he was a young man studying Arabic. When he goes back to Shemlan to find her, Hartmoor inadvertently threatens to unravel a carefully covered up secret. Hartmoor is a simply good man who plays the fool too often. He is naive, gullible, and haunted. He's the man who is always in the wrong place at the wrong time which has ruined his career and love life. Readers will connect with him in his journey to find the woman he was forced to leave behind. They will also empathize with Hartmoor's unlucky streak of being used and abused by his supposed "friends." 

Lynch is a blunt British agent who has a soft spot for those he truly cares about. He is focused, thorough, understanding, and overly intelligent. Lynch has the ability to make connections, ask the right questions, and uncover old secrets. Readers will enjoy his banter and wit while also respecting him as an agent. 

The plot follows Hartmoor as he travels back to Beirut and Shemlan, where he studied as a young man, to find Mai, the love of his life. His personal journey to make peace with his past threatens the present and future of unknown men. As the story unravels, McNabb draws readers into the mystery of the dying Jason Hartmoor. Shemlan: A Deadly Tragedy is a novel true to its name. The story of Hartmoor is nothing if not a tragedy in which everyone has a target taped to their back. 

Rating: 3.5/5 Cups

Wrap-Up January 2013

January was a wonderful month full of books that hold promise for the up and coming TBR. =) My favorite book had to be... Beirut. It definitely surprised me with how much I enjoyed the novel and am incredibly glad that I got to review it! =) 

I also got one book under my belt in the Genre Variety Challenge and am looking forward to reading another book in the Fantasy Genre in February. 

Happy Reading everyone! 

WWW Wednesday (35)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

01. Currently Reading:
Grace Doll by Jennifer Laurens. Interesting book about a husband who forces his model/actress wife to have an operation where she doesn't age.

02. Recently Finished:
Beirut by Alexander McNabb. A thrilling novel about the politics of the Middle East, focusing on a member of the British Intelligence.

03. Reading Next:
Goodnight, Brian by Steven Manchester. New novel coming out January 8th about a battle against illness and fate. Look for the review, it will be posted on the release date! =)

Beirut

Michel Freij is poised to become the next president of Lebanon. The billionaire businessman’s calls for a new, strong regional role for the country take on a sinister note when European intelligence reveals Freij has bought two ageing Soviet nuclear warheads from a German arms dealer. 

Maverick British intelligence officer Gerald Lynch has to find the warheads, believed to be on board super-yacht the Arabian Princess, before they can reach Lebanon. Joined by Nathalie Durand, the leader of a French online intelligence team, Lynch is pitched into a deadly clash with Freij and his violent militia as he pursues the Arabian Princess across the Mediterranean. 

Beirut – An Explosive Thriller sweeps through Lebanon, Hamburg, Prague, Malta, Albania and the Greek Islands on its journey to a devastating climax.

*May Contain Spoilers*

No one is safe when those who deal in power play at war. In Alexander McNabb's novel, Beirut, the characters face down a deadly game of Nuclear Risk. One false move and the greedy politician will have his warheads and start the end of the Middle East. 

The main character of the novel, Gerald Lynch (who hates being called Gerry) is a British Intelligence Officer who lives in Beirut. When he discovers that Michel Freij is running for president, he knows that it isn't good for the country of Lebanon. Lynch is the character who demands the respect and sympathy of readers. He's the character left behind when those around him are suffering and disappearing. 

Lynch is loyal, trustworthy, and puts others before himself. Readers will bond with Lynch based on his desire to avenge his friends lost to the makings of war and his prideful personality which allows him to follow his gut. When he knows what needs to be done, Lynch is the man who does it without hesitation. 

The supporting characters each have their own line of sub-plot, but some of them don't stay around long enough for a stronger bond to form. When I say that no character is safe, I mean exactly that. Parts of this novel are a bit grotesque and detailed, but the plot demands the reality of undercover operations. 

As a reader who avoids books about war and death, I found Beirut thrilling and suspenseful. I've never read a book like this before, and Beirut was definitely the one I'm glad I started with. It grabbed my attention and kept the suspense rolling right up to the last word. Recommended. 

Rating: 3.5/5 Cups

Beirut - An Explosive Thriller

WWW Wednesday (34)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

01. Currently Reading:
I am currently in-between books at the moment. I finished one last night and will start another tonight after work. =) Had to take a break to watch the snow blanket the city after a fantastic Christmas.

02. Recently Finished:
Her Heart for the Asking by Lisa Mondello. Cute book about returning home to find the truth and lost love. I'll be posting a review soon.

03. Reading Next:
Beirut by Alexander McNabb. When a political leader is found out to have warheads, nothing will stop intelligence officers from tracking it down.