The Calabria Deception ISBN: 9870999057018 assumed published, copyright and written by Phillips Dickerson,
The story, although travelling through several countries and their most prominent cities, is based on initial, following and anticipated further action in the Calabria Region of Southern Italy where the story’s protagonist awakens in bed with Portia, the woman whom he has decided he wants to marry. Much would depend upon the next forty-eight hours and weather he could wrap-up two years of careful work as an elite spy for the FBI, or whether he would be dead. Thus begins a story of endless intrigue where numerous things go wrong and questions abound. Paul has been arrested for murdering his trusted, but strangely acting for several weeks before disappearing, partner and stealing 64 million dollars’ worth of uncut diamonds that is secreted somewhere only known by the missing man. He is free before his trial because another close FBI agent is able to obtain a position for him in an exclusive school which also offers tangential problems. Ultimately the trial is a mere weeks away and he still cannot remember important parts of the last two days of his mission. A seemingly empathetic psychiatrist gradually begins to ferret out the problem but this too is complicated with the Calabria mafia continuing a vendetta against him. Factions of other Mafia and Mafia-like organizations also are involved as well as arms deals involving a Mexican Cartel. The entire story with its almost constantly evolving unexpected twists and turns and fast pace is sufficient to provide devotees of the mystery/thriller genre a tale they will thoroughly enjoy.
Discussion: Fast paced mystery/thriller most enjoyable for all devotees of the genre. An unfortunate caveat for the aficionado who may be ‘bothered’ by the activity of the protagonist as an FBI agent.
5* for mystery/thriller devotees with a caveat, as described, for a few readers.