Free Fire Zone, by Dennis Maulsby

MWSA Review
Sometimes we are compelled to fight evil. To do so we must become evil at times. This novel is about the risk of becoming that which you confront.

Free Fire Zone by Dennis Maulsby is a complex novel. It is a combination thriller, literary fiction and science fiction.  The novel speaks to the pain of war and the horror observed therein and the inner battle the warrior fights to resist becoming what he has to be on the battlefield.  Maulsby addresses the demons created by PTSD, but he brings his demon to life, imbuing it with personality and power beyond any description I've read before.  One does what one must in war in order to survive and support his warrior brothers.  There is heart-rending, heart-changing danger in doing that.  Maulsby tackles the topic head on, breathes life into it, even if it makes a reader uncomfortable.  This mature audience reading for sure.
Review by Mike Mullins, MWSA Reviewer
 

Author's Synopsis:
In his ecstasy of power, he is mad for battle …
Pure frenzy fills him. — Achilles in the Illiad.

Welcome to the Free Fire Zone, also known as a free kill zone. In Vietnam, it was enemy territory, all the friendlies and neutrals moved out. Anyone found in such an area was considered hostile, a legitimate target that could be killed on sight, no questions asked. Each of the sixteen stories in this book originate from this zone, any subject, any genre fair game.

Free Fire Zone is a book of linked short stories, each introduced by a poem. Arranged in chronological order, seventeen stories follow the life of Lieutenant Rod Teigler, from his combat experience in Vietnam through a civilian life plagued with a re-wired brain. A mind now shared with an alternate berserker personality struggling to become dominant.

ISBN/ASIN: 987-1-63275-082-2
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy/Sci Fi
Number of Pages: 252
 

Snowden's Story, One Marine's Indebtedness to the Corps; by Lawrence F. Snowden

MWSA Review
“Snowden’s Story” is a fascinating look at the life of a member of the "greatest generation:" Lt. General Lawrence F Snowden, USMC (retired).  The memoir begins by covering Snowden’s early years, college, and his entry into the Marine Corps.  

Explaining that he has already covered the subject “in another volume [of] an Oral History Interview,” Snowden skips over his combat experiences on the beaches of Iwo Jima, and instead covers a few memories associated with time spent recovering from his wounds from that battle.  He then moves on to a rather detailed recounting of his movement up the ranks of the USMC.  At the time of his retirement, Snowden had reached near the pinnacle to which any Marine officer can aspire: a 3-star general in contention for the top job, Commandant.

After retirement from the Marine Corps in 1975, Snowden worked several years with the Hughes Aircraft Company—where the close ties he had nurtured with Japanese military and civilian officials paid great dividends.  Snowden's connection with Japan is a recurrent theme that runs throughout the book.  At the outset, the Japanese were the enemy. Then, as the scars of that war began to heal, he started to appreciate the human side of his former adversary.  Eventually, he considered the Japanese valued friends; and he theirs.

Although Snowden explains that he wrote the book because he wanted to tell "my great, great grandchildren (strictly family) something about my life because they didn't get to see me or know me," the book has wider appeal.  Snowden's detailed accounting of his assignments during his long Marine Corps career—including almost every person with whom he worked throughout his career—makes an important contribution to USMC history.

The last several chapters are much more personal and moving.  This is especially true in the chapter entitled "The Declining Decade," which is a sometimes brutally honest look at the realities of reaching the twilight of life.  Sadly, the prediction Snowden makes at the beginning of this chapter—“God will call me home to the Big Marine Corps Base in the Sky sometime in the 2016-2020 timeframe”—proved accurate.   General Snowden passed away on February 18, 2017.

"Snowden's Story" certainly accomplishes the mission Snowden himself set out for this book: providing a record for his great, great grandchildren and beyond.  More than a personal story for his family's history, the book will also appeal to those interested in the details of a life dedicated to service.

By John Cathcart, MWSA Awards Director and Reviewer
 

Synopsis:
Lt. General Lawrence F. Snowden has experienced much over the course of his lifetime. A true Southern gentleman, General Snowden presents a humble account of his many accomplishments. At the age of 95, his mind is as sharp as a tack, his wit dry, and his demeanor humble and thankful for all he has achieved in an extraordinary life. This volume, which can serve as a companion to the oral history of General Snowden’s military career (History Division, U.S. Marine Corps, 2011), is a gift to his children, grandchildren, and future generations. It is also a tribute to his beloved Marine Corps and to all the citizens of the United States. General Snowden is the oldest surviving member of the Marines' assault on Iwo Jima during WWII. He served his country in three wars, then founded the Reunion of Honor, which continues to this day as a symbol of friendship between the American and Japanese people, honoring those who served on both sides with annual reunions at Mount Siribachi on Iwo Jima. In 2015, General Snowden was inducted into Florida's Veterans Hall of Fame in recognition of his service to his country and his advocacy for elder Floridians. In 2016, the Commandant Marine Corps presented General Snowden two awards for lifetime public service, one from the Secretary of Defense and one from the Secretary of the Navy. After retiring from his military career and a second career in international business, General Snowden moved to Tallahassee, where he continues to inspire young and old with his philosophy of honor, service, and gratitude.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0985943844
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Audiobook
Genre(s): Nonfiction, History, Memoir
Number of Pages: 262

A Long Way Back, by J. Everett Prewitt

MWSA Review
When Anthony Andrews arrived in Vietnam, in June, 1969, he was expecting to accomplish exactly what he had been sent to do by his editor at the Washington Post. As a black reporter embedded with American troops, he was to send home positive stories about the experiences of young black soldiers. But Southeast Asia was about to change his life forever with two unusual events.

When a Chinook helicopter delivered seven soldiers to his base, Anthony was only a casual observer, but what he saw suggested a story that needed to be told. The new arrivals were filthy, their uniforms tattered, their eyes haunted, their bodies showing signs of severe malnutrition. Two were wounded, and—strangest of all-- all of them were black. Anthony watched as they were hustled away with no chance for questions or greetings or interviews. His attempts to learn more about the men and their mission failed to get any information—not even their names.

Shortly thereafter, the commander of the unit to which he had been assigned sent him out to accompany a reconnaissance mission. Without warning, their foray turned into a gun battle. The leader of the squadron failed to appear, enemy troops ambushed the Americans, and Anthony’s escort was killed. Facing North Vietnamese soldiers sneaking up from the rear, Anthony grabbed his unfamiliar gun and killed several of them, thus alerting his squad in time to avoid danger.

Those two events defined the rest of Anthony’ stay in Vietnam. His abrupt introduction to the horrors of jungle warfare left him suffering from what we recognize today as PTSD. He compared the disorder to carrying a snake in one’s pocket. As he tried to deal with his own trauma, his efforts to learn the story behind the seven black soldiers became more and more frustrating. No one would talk about the incident, and the seven men simply disappeared.

Anthony returned home at the end of his tour, still suffering the effects of PTSD and still unable to forget about what he had seen. He watched helplessly as his career, his marriage, and his health collapsed.

In Part II, readers learn the horrific details behind the event Anthony had witnessed. The story of the seven black soldiers is told in gut-wrenching detail, both from the black soldiers’ own point of view and from that of the female Viet Cong guerrilla who pursued them. The descriptions are not for the faint-of heart nor for those unprepared to deal with the effects of unchecked racism and human cruelty.

In Part III, the stories come together, as Anthony manages to work through his personal traumatic experience by finding his seven black soldiers, each of whom shows up carrying his own private “snake.” This is not a pretty story, and despite a somewhat happy conclusion, not everyone will enjoy reading about this particularly dark period in America’s history.
Review by Carolyn Schriber, MWSA Reviewer
 

Synopsis:
When a reporter for the Washington Post sees a group of wounded, half-starved, black troops disembark from a helicopter in Cu Chi during the height of the Vietnam War, he senses a story but receives no cooperation from the army or the soldiers.

The men, mostly noncombat soldiers, are the remnant of a squad sent on an illegal mission to Cambodia as punishment for their participation in a race riot at Cu Chi base camp. Led by a battle-fatigued sergeant, they fall under enemy fire. Their leader inexplicably disappears, leaving the ill-prepared soldiers to fight the jungle and enemy on their own.

Although forced to confront the shock of combat and a deteriorating family life, the reporter pursues the story, hoping to uncover the truth about what happened to those soldiers in the jungle.

An intriguing glimpse into the Vietnam War, A Long Way Back is a tense journey merging the lives of the soldiers and the reporter as they struggle to overcome their fear and face the battles they must fight to survive.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1514129265
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover, ePub, Kindle
Genre(s): Historical Fiction, Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 380
 

Nazi Saboteurs on the Bayou, by Steven Burgauer

MWSA Review
This historical fiction is told from several geographic and character viewpoints that all affect the outcome.  It centers around the amazing Higgins boats that were critical the successful landings by American troops in World War II   The story involves U.S. Marines and Navajo code talkers, a fictional Nazi plot to sabotage production of the Higgins boats, New Orleans prostitutes,  a Mafia Don and an American crime boss who help the Allies both in Italy and in Louisiana, a Cuban banker who works with British Intelligence and the Mafia, and the brilliant minds of Bletchley Park code-breakers and Commander Ian Fleming of MI6.  Much detail is offered at each location including the struggles to get the design of the improved boats funded, the struggles to break codes, the realities of fighting in the South Pacific, and the reasons for changing to Navajos for code talking.  A good story for not only those who are interested in WWII but also for anyone who likes mystery and intrigue.
Review by Nancy Kauffman, MWSA Reviewer

Author's Synopsis
Nazi Saboteurs on the Bayou intertwines historic persons, actual events and distant locales of World War II with a fast-moving fictional Nazi plot to disrupt the manufacture of Higgins boats, the remarkable landing craft that won the war for the Allies.  Spanning the globe from amphibious landings at Guadalcanal, to the Navajo code talker school, to the exotic environs of New Orleans, to the secret world of Bletchley Park, this tautly written thriller, covering two weeks during the summer of 1942, combines a fully imagined cast of characters with the historically important figures of Andrew Higgins, members of American and British Intelligence, Navajo code talker Chester Nez, Commander Ian Fleming of MI6, along with a Polish intelligence officer, and “Silver Dollar Sam” Carolla, crime boss of New Orleans.

An old German is found dead in a New Orleans whorehouse.  Sewn into the lining of the dead man’s vest is a notebook filled with hand-drawn maps and notes about the comings and goings at military installations.  German conspirators fret that their local contact (the dead German) is overdue.  Mafia crime boss Nico Carolla, is soon drawn into the disposition of the corpse.

We move to the Pacific and meet the grandson of the dead German, PFC Brock, a U.S. Marine being trained for the landings at Guadalcanal.  Then we meet Andrew Jackson Higgins at the helm of the single most important landing craft ever built, the Higgins Boat, the steel-ramped landing craft that brought American troops to Pacific islands and to Normandy.  In his colorful manner, Higgins is instructing a class of Coast Guard newbies on how to properly drive and operate his nearly indestructible boat.  Higgins faces shortages of materials, manpower, and factory space.  The Mafia boss controls much of the labor supply.  Accommodations must be made to placate the mob family, who also have Old World connections in critical to the upcoming North African landings.

The Waffen-SS officers charged with sabotaging the Higgins Boat plant arrive, only to learn of the loss of the intelligence gathered by the dead German.  Now enter the code breakers at Bletchley Park who intercept the commando team’s messages, including one female mathematician through whose eyes we see inside Bletchley Park.

America is almost entirely dependent on Britain’s MI6 for intelligence gathering.  We meet Martina Amerada, a Cuban woman with a high-level banking responsibility, including ties to British intelligence, and who is Nico Carolla’s mistress.  Martina moves money for the crime family and provides diplomatic cover between the Palermo branch of the family and the planners of Operation Torch.  We are also introduced to the Navajo code-talker program essential to securing Marine Corps messages in the Pacific theater.

The German commando team searches for the lost notebook by visiting the whorehouses Brock has been known to frequent, which leads to a murder and later retaliation by the Mafia against the German conspirators.  Half the German commando team perishes.  US marshals are drawn into the story as bodies are discovered in the nearby bayous.  The Mafia is suspected.  When the marshals confront Carolla, the marshals are put on the trail of the commandos which leads to the death of the marshals.

Bletchley Park is busy trying to crack the code imbedded in the Himmler messages, We move back to the Pacific where grandson Brock is involved in the bloody landings ahead of Guadalcanal.  Brock is wounded and nearly dies as the remaining commando attempts to demolish the largest Higgins Boat manufacturing facility in New Orleans. With the help of British intelligence, Nico Carolla prevents the plant from being destroyed and thus becomes the hero of the story.

Operation Torch gets underway and the Higgins boats prove their indispensability to the war effort.  PFC Brock recovers from his wounds, and Martina takes possession of all intelligence related to the German commandos so the threat never becomes public knowledge.

ISBN/ASIN:
978-0692808122 / 978-1370981212 / B01MYLUNUK
Book Format(s): Soft cover, ePub, Kindle
Genre(s): Historical Fiction, Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 324

First watch the short, video book trailer, then enjoy the book:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQs2pwr89RI

A Passel of Trouble -- The Saga of loyalist Partisan David Fanning, by Joe Epley

MWSA Review
When Americans recall their first brush with the history of the American Revolution—for most of us way back in elementary school—one of the lessons remembered is likely to be that the country was divided into thirds.  One third of Americans supported independence, a third opposed it, and the final third was undecided or uncommitted.  

Most scholars now agree that although this bit of historical "common knowledge" was based on a letter President John Adams wrote in 1815; it appears that Adams was referring to the French Revolution and not the American one.  Even if less than a third of Americans were on the side of the British, and given our understandable focus on the “winning side,” it's easy to forget that there were tens of thousands of Americans who sided with England before, during and after the Revolution.  The Loyalist perspective is not normally the focus of historical fiction covering the period.

Joe Epley’s Passel of Trouble takes this relatively untraveled road by concentrating on the life of an actual Loyalist soldier named David Fanning.  To help transport the reader back in time to this tumultuous period of American history, Epley often uses the voice of a friend of David Fanning to serve as narrator.  

The first half of the book covers young Fanning’s introduction to the struggle by the Loyalists to defeat fellow countrymen intent on breaking all bonds with mother England.  Most of the action takes place in North and South Carolina.  Later on, as the enthusiastic young man continues to experience the horrors of war, we see a different man emerge—a war-hardened veteran.  By the end of the book—once the Loyalist cause seems lost—the protagonist strikes out in ways anything but heroic.

If the reader is expecting a chance to enjoy empathizing with a “good guy” on the losing side of the conflict, Passel of Trouble will not make it easy to do so.  Instead, Epley provides a detailed and unflinching look at how war has the devastating power to turn a once-honorable civilian soldier into a revenge-seeking killer.  

Thoroughly researched and filled with fascinating historical detail, Epley has given us a solid contribution to our understanding of this period and an interesting look into a part of the American Independence conflict not often explored.

By John Cathcart, MWSA Awards Director and Reviewer
 

Author's Synopsis:
"A Passel of Trouble" is a story that crackles with excitement -- bold action, narrow escapes -- set against the backdrop of the American struggle for independence. This exciting American Revolutionary War thriller is based on the actual exploits of one of the most courageous and notorious Loyalist partisans in the Carolinas -- David Fanning. When the Revolution started in 1775, Fanning fought in the first battle in the south at Ninety Six, South Carolina. For the next three and a half years, he was on the run except for fourteen times when captured by the patriot forces. His escapes were bodacious, his ability to survive in the backcountry wilderness under harsh conditions extraordinary. The last two years of the war found him in central North Carolina where his leadership and spectacular actions won admiration from the British, who made him a militia colonel. He was a hero to the Tory families in the region and a hated, vicious scoundrel to Americans fighting for independence. Historian James Watterson, in his biography of Governor Thomas Burke, who was captured by Fanning, wrote: “Fanning’s tactics defied suppression. His clandestine movements, executed usually by night over remote and difficult terrain, were exceptionally hard to contain.” Why did he side with the British? How did this uneducated teenage sergeant develop into a crafty and treacherous partisan leader who often outwitted superior size forces? How did the Quakers influence his actions? These are just some of the intriguing stories within the saga of David Fanning. Award-winning author and playwright Bob Inman calls the book "a compelling tale, mighty well told." Another noted author and attorney, Scott Syfert, said A Passel of Trouble is "A rollicking good read, but never at the expense of historical accuracy."

ISBN/ASIN: 9781535188821
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 432

Crap Shoot, by Robert Moriarty

MWSA Review
Crap Shoot, by Robert Moriarty—available exclusively in e-book format and almost short-story in length—covers two main events in the main character's life.  The book's opening chapter puts you in the cockpit of a Marine F-4B on a mission near the coast of North Vietnam in 1968.  In the following six chapters, the reader is transported back via flashback to the protagonist's initial training as a Marine Aviation Cadet—focusing on the budding fighter pilot's forays into bar hopping, craps shooting, and women chasing.  In the final two chapters, you'll return to that same F-4 cockpit and complete the combat mission you started at the outset.

Strap on your G-suit and oxygen mask and get ready for a wild and bumpy ride to a very different era.  Crap Shoot transports the reader to a time when any "blue-eyed, Marine fighter pilot" might say "it will be a cold day in hell before the Marine Corps lets a woman into the cockpit of a jet fighter," and not raise an eyebrow.  You'll find plenty of action and experience life among a very elite section of the military—the world of the Marine combat fighter pilot.  Not surprisingly—given the book's title—you'll also learn quite a bit about shooting craps.  

Moriarty's writing style is frank, direct and at once familiar and anachronistic.  Men—and yes, this was a period of time when an American fighter cockpit was exclusively a men's club—would use a self-assured, jargon-filled language that fit the rarified world in which they lived.  Their salty language was occasionally sprinkled with a mixture of Southeast Asian expressions that became a part of everyday conversation: "If I decided to didi mau I wasn't about to pin on any new hero medals."

There was a time and place where that sentence would need no explanation.  I spent the first part of my USAF flying career listening to words like those from the Vietnam combat veterans with whom I flew.  Over the years I got used to hearing—and still remember—expressions like "Sawadi kap" or "Layo Layo."  They became part of the lexicon—a connection to a different time and a different place.  Although the expression didi mau didn't ring any bells for me, a quick online search confirmed that the it comes from Vietnamese—Di, go; and Di Mau: Go quickly.  

Moriarty's authentic language and especially his depiction of aerial combat exudes authenticity—perhaps bafflingly so for those unfamiliar with the specialized lingo.  That same macho spirit and language might be a bit jarring to some.

If you're ready to climb into your trusty F-4 Phantom and go for a quick joyride chasing after MIGs—or the occasional beautiful craps player—you might want to give Crap Shoot a try.

By John Cathcart, MWSA Awards Director and Reviewer

Author's Synopsis: 
A young Marine fighter-pilot faces the worst odds imaginable over the flak-filled skies of North Vietnam when three enemy fighters jump him. Should he fight when all seems hopeless or turn and run to safety so he might return to fight another day? What are the odds of him making it home to his beloved wife?

Author: Robert Moriarty
ISBN/ASIN: B01A7BXEQI
Book Format(s):  Kindle
Genre(s): Fiction, Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 57
 

Animal Parts, by David Knop

MWSA Review
Cannibals, spirits and a protagonist with personal problems spell adventure in David Knop’s latest mystery.

Cochiti Pueblo Police Officer Peter Romero, a former Marine, tries to balance his life as a cop and his Indian heritage with his disintegrating marriage and his attraction to an FBI agent. 

Is any cop ready to tackle unknown killers that bite and disembowel their victims? Romero searches for the killers but has a difficult time explaining the mysterious help of a mountain lion he killed. As he delves deeper into the spirit world of his ancestors, he finds more questions that answers. He also finds that he has been chosen to rid the world of an evil that started generations earlier.

The author shares his knowledge of, and respect for, Native American mythology and history. This action is fast-paced and the characters believable in this third Peter Romero mystery.

by Pat Avery, MWSA Reviewer

Author's Synopsis:
A Cochiti Pueblo cop chases beastlike poachers murdering humans and seeks retribution for the spirit of a cougar in this thriller. New Mexico Game and Fish enlists Peter Romero to track and kill a mountain lion responsible for a hiker’s death and someone else injured. He succeeds, only to have Cougar, the animal’s spirit, appear later and demand vengeance against others who’ve murdered his mate and children. Pueblo governor Herbert Trujillo next sends Romero after poachers, who turn out to be hunters removing and selling specific parts from animals. The poachers take a shot at Romero once he’s on their trail, but during a subsequent confrontation, the cop sees what he describes as a creature with “serpent eyes” and “jagged dogteeth.” And there’s more than one of what he determines are cannibalistic windigos, whose murder victims likewise include humans. Romero works with FBI Special Agent Jean Reel on an investigation that takes them to Oklahoma, while the cop’s attraction to Reel complicates his goal of mending ties with estranged wife, Constancia. The fact that fellow law enforcers aren’t buying Romero’s windigo assertion doesn’t stop him from finding a way to slay the beasts. He’ll just have to prove that the men he suspects are murderous cannibals. Regardless, the protagonist fully believes what he sees, and he’s devoted to stopping the murderers, despite a fear that he’ll spend life in prison for offing reputed humans.

Author: David Knop
ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-944785-79-6
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 260

Sin Eater, by John Schembra

MWSA Review:
Starting in the 18th-century, some northern European cultures believed in a
mysterious figure known as a sin eater, who, by consuming a ritual meal
over the body of a person who had just died, absorbed all the sins of the
deceased, thus allowing his purified soul to escape eternal punishment for
his misdeeds. The practice continued through much of the 19th century,
particularly in Appalachia,  but faded and then disappeared in more modern
times. In John Schembra’s Sin Eater, the author has resurrected the
legends and transformed this shadowy figure into a modern day serial killer
who does not wait for death to provide his clients. This new sin eater
stalks the terminally ill and helpfully releases them from sins and life
simultaneously.

When the sin eater murders a chemistry professor on the grounds of a small
college, Sarah, an over-qualified campus policewoman, and Nico, a
socially-inept young history professor, team up to hunt down the
black-cloaked figure who threatens their school and community. If you
prefer your mysteries to tell a straight-forward story without too many
confusing dead ends and false leads, you’ll like this quick and easy read.
And if you prefer your police procedurals with a twist of romance and more
than a whiff of the supernatural, you may find this little book the perfect
way to spend a cold winter’s night.
By Carolyn Schriber, MWSA Reviewer

Author's Synopsis:
The shocking murder of a professor at San Donorio State College brings the city police to investigate, with Campus Police Officer Sarah Ferris as the college liaison. Sarah's friend, Nico Guardino, a history professor at the college, gets drawn into helping and while Nico and Sarah struggle to find the murderer, the killing continues. As Nico is inexorably drawn deeper and deeper into the investigation, he begins getting flashes of visions and deep feelings of dread that he knows are somehow connected to the murderer. He feels the connection becoming stronger, but how and why remains unknown. His visions and feelings are becoming more and more disturbing as the investigation progresses... 

Author: John Schembra
ISBN/ASIN: 978-1925191929 ASIN # B01M0TWRHH
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover, ePub, Kindle
Genre(s): Fiction, Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 200

The War Within, the Story of Josef, by Patricia Walkow

 MWSA Review

The War Within, The Story of Josef: A young man's wartime journey through cruelty and kindness, hatred and love, despair and hope.

Patricia Walkow expertly weaves a biography into a book that reads like a classic novel. In The War Within, the Story of Josef, we meet Walkow’s father-in-law during his time as a slave laborer for the Third Reich. Conscripted in his native Poland in 1939, Josef works first in construction on roads in the vicinity of the concentration camps. He’s then shipped to Germany to work in a factory. There, a deadly accident with a barrel incapacitates him severely enough that he cannot work. He will be executed by his captors when they discover his injury.

In defiance of the rules, Willie Mirz, a German ambulance driver, arranges for Josef to receive medical care by a German doctor and recover in a German home for a long enough time that Josef begins to fall into love with a German girl. This is a side to Nazi Germany that is rarely reported. Josef struggles not only with the amputation of his leg, but also with the concept of receiving aid from compassionate Germans at a time and place where they could be imprisoned or worse for helping him.

As Josef adjusts to losing a leg and grows to appreciate and understand his benefactors, he asks the question, “Heart to heart, are there any enemies?” It’s a profound and deeply philosophical question for a young enslaved Pole to ask. And it truly is the heart of this well-written and insightful book. Other threads that make up the warp and woof of this remarkable story are the themes of determination, courage, hope, fear, despair, love, joy, and new beginnings.

Meticulously researched and skillfully written, this novel begs us to depart from what we think we know and open our hearts to what can be. Josef Walkow and Willie Mirz have shown us the way. Patricia Walkow has faithfully recorded it. What will be our response as we make our choices throughout our lives?

By Betsy Beard, MWSA Reviewer

Author's Synopsis:
The War Within, the Story of Josef, is a creative nonfiction biography of Josef, a teenage Christian Polish slave laborer, forced to work in Nazi Germany during World War II. The setting is Nazi Germany, French Occupied Germany after the end of World War II, and New York City. The span of years for the story is 1943-1954. Josef was a real person, and experienced all of the events in the story. At the outset of the story, Josef awakens after his left leg was amputated due to an accident in the factory where he worked in Southern Germany. A talented mechanic, even at his young age, Josef has a natural ability to understand, repair and fabricate machinery. Because of his usefulness, his life is spared, although slave laborers are normally considered expendable, and when injured, are summarily executed. German citizens are prohibited from helping slave laborers. Yet, Willie, a German ambulance driver only a few years older than Josef, saves Josef's life by taking him to the hospital and allowing him to recuperate in his own home. Willie lives with his mother, Sonya, a loyal German. Through the course of his recuperation, Josef fights his hatred of the Germans; Sonya roils with emotion as she comes to see the injured boy as a human being, rather than an enemy, and Willie questions his own motivations for helping the young Pole. Ella, a young German girl who is a cook and maid in a nearby house, befriends Josef. She struggles with her own mother's decision to remove her from school, forcing her to work as a servant. Josef and Ella fall in love and keep their love a secret through the war. When the war ends, they remain in French-occupied Germany, marry, and start a family.

Author: Patricia Walkow
ISBN/ASIN: 978-1519181015
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Biography
Number of Pages: 357

The Art of Peace, by Robert Moriarty

MWSA Review
In his book The Art of Peace, author Robert Moriarty tells us about his experiences in the Marines and, in particular, his experiences in the Vietnam War. His writing style helps the reader easily visualize the events as they unfolded in his life. The author is very blunt in portraying his feelings as a young man who looked forward to proving himself in combat and then pointing out how those feelings changed as he became more aware of the duplicity within the military and government leadership directing the war. One might not agree with everything the author says, but he lays out a very provocative argument that the Vietnam conflict was based on a desire by senior leaders to get involved in another war and not the Gulf of Tonkin crisis.

This is a good book for anyone with an interest in learning more about close air support during the war in Vietnam or an interest in Marine air power in  general. Moriarty’s wide range of skill with a variety of military aircraft gives him significant credibility. The book also provides an interesting look at the psychology of combat veterans and their perceptions of leadership and rear echelon support personnel.

As I have mentioned, a couple different themes run through the book. The author did a thorough job covering both of them.

by Bob Doerr, MWSA Reviewer
 

Author's Synopsis:
This is a reflection on the current status of the US military from the youngest Naval Aviator during the Vietnam Era, a veteran of 832 combat missions in various fixed wing aircraft during 20 months in Vietnam. It is both an autobiography and a commentary on war from someone who was a warrior.

Author: Robert Moriarty
ISBN/ASIN: 1533153930
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Nonfiction, History, Memoir
Number of Pages: 281
 

The Road to War: Duty & Drill, Courage & Capture, by Steven Burgauer

MWSA Review
In The Road to War, author Steven Burgauer weaves a cohesive representation of the diaries of Captain William C. Frodsham, Jr., an Army Officer and POW camp survivor of World War II.

The book’s subtitle, Duty & Drill, Courage & Capture, is aptly named: From December 8, 1941—the day after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor—to August 9, 1945, we accompany Captain Frodsham through his call to duty, basic training, Officers Candidate School, deployment to the European theater of war, Omaha Beach, skirmishes through French hedgerows, capture by the Germans, life in various stalags in Poland, liberation by the Russians, and his return home.
Having visited the D-day landing beaches several times, Captain Frodsham’s memoir offers me a front-row seat to the experiences of a very real soldier on that beach. I find it humbling.

In the early stages of the Captain’s memoirs, the reader sees him as an enthusiastic recruit, an ace at almost all of his training, and a cocky young man. As the war progresses and he has still not seen combat duty, he looks forward to deployment overseas. A good section of the book is dedicated to “Drill” and explains his various assignments and posts. Perhaps a bit too much, but it is tolerable.

The Captain mellows the closer he gets to actual battle, and his cockiness dissipates as he faces the brutal reality of loss of some of his men, injury, blood, and capture. His descriptions of life as a Prisoner of War (POW) are also quite interesting and made me appreciate the work of the Red Cross more than I had before I read the book.

Insights into the military lives of officers vs. enlisted soldiers are offered, and to a reader such as myself who never served in the military, the stratified structure of military life is quite revealing. Most of the time, military terms are explained throughout the book, although there are a few instances where I had to look up some things. I wished for a cheat sheet to look up the differences among squad, platoons, companies, brigades, regiments, and so on. There was a reference to a specific bureaucratic form, too, and I had to research it. There was a minor copyediting error or two, and reading the text on the photos was difficult.

These are minor inconveniences, however, because Mr. Burgauer’s book is highly engaging, and it is a memoir worth reading for its insights into human altruism, courage under fire, and adaptability to extremely difficult situations. It flows well, and is both enlightening and heartfelt.

Reading it, I found author Burgauer constructed a window into Captain Fordsham’s psyche and soul.

by Patricia Walkow, MWSA Reviewer

Author's Synopsis:
A riveting first-person account of a brave young man caught up in a cataclysmic World War. This is the story of Captain William C. Frodsham, Jr., who — shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor — enlisted in the U.S. Army Infantry, where he excelled in basic training, became a junior officer, and eventually led a combat boat team ashore on OMAHA BEACH. Six days later, in French hedgerow country and under withering German fire, Frodsham was wounded and taken prisoner. He spent the next year as a German POW, where he suffered great deprivation before finally being liberated by advancing Russian forces. His training, his courage, his capture. The reader is taken for a first-person tour of the times at home and then tunneled into a vastly different world on the battlefield and in a German prisoner-of-war camp. A truly remarkable story.

Author: Steven Burgauer
ISBN/ASIN: ISBN-13: 9781530012510, ISBN-10: 1530012511
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Memoir
Number of Pages: 292

They Called Me Doc, by Larry C Miller

MWSA Review
Larry Miller's THEY CALLED ME DOC is an honest, intimate look into what has to be one of the hardest jobs in the military; that of a combat corpsman among infantry Marines in combat.

Miller does an excellent job of setting the story, providing a history lesson at the beginning of many of the major stages of the book so the reader understands the background.  When that is established, he goes full bore into the meat of his experiences, and pulls no punches.  He draws the reader in almost to the point where the reader can smell the smoke and the blood.  It's a vivid accounting of war, including the positives of lives saved, and the agony of those lost, told from the point of view of someone right there in either case.  Along the way, there are also anecdotes and stories of camaraderie that any vet will immediately recognize, regardless of when they served.

Hospital corpsman, grunts, or anyone who enjoys military memoirs will find this a worthwhile read, and those unfamiliar with corpsmen will gain a great understanding of those who were called ""Doc."

Review by Rob Ballister, MWSA Awards Director and Reviewer

Author's Synopsis
I have waited for over 45 years to tell this story, initially because I just wanted to forget the war and get on with making a living and raising a family. The other reason is that 45 years ago the American fighting man was not held in very high esteem and no one was ready to hear anything good about the Vietnam War or the men who fought and died there. This book is less about me and more about the sacrifice, incredible hardships, and heroic actions displayed by the Marine Grunts that I had the privilege to treat during battles on the DMZ. This is really their story.

Author: Larry C Miller
ISBN-13: 9781530012510, ISBN-10: 1530012511
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Memoir
Number of Pages: 292

The Honor Was Mine: A Look Inside the Struggles of Military Veterans, by Elizabeth Heaney

MWSA Review
“The Honor Was Mine: A Look Inside the Struggles of Military Veterans” by Elizabeth Heaney, is a thought-provoking, occasionally humorous and incredibly moving memoir.  A civilian therapist for many years, Ms. Heaney decides a change is needed in her life.  She leaves her well-established practice, her home, her friends and signs up as a contract civilian counselor with the Department of Defense.  The author begins work in a program begun after the onset of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to provide strictly confidential counseling on military bases.  She starts with little knowledge of the military; and her baptism by fire provides for some interesting scenarios.  Gradually, she is able to adapt and reaches out to soldiers and spouses in need—often in creative and ingenious ways.

The many moving stories describing her encounters with specific soldiers and spouses are heart-wrenching.  What solace do you give soldiers leaving their families for a year-long deployment?  What comfort can you provide the spouses and families of those left behind?  What psychological/emotional challenges do soldiers face after being in a war zone for a year—perhaps losing comrades, fighting an unconventional or unseen enemy and living with adrenaline rush 24/7?  What fears lurk in the minds of those family members who cannot share the nightmares and horrors of war?  How can a family survive and prosper when they seriously question whether they and their returning hero can ever return to some sense of normalcy?   Can the wounds, both physical and mental, heal?  Sometimes there are answers…sometimes not.  Each case, each story is unique.  And, what toll does secondary PTSD have on those providing the counseling?

Ms. Heaney tries her best to answer these and many other questions with honesty and professionalism.  She struggles to educate herself on the military world and to help the soldiers feel at ease with her enough to share their burden.  Along the way, she has her eyes opened to the courage, honor and dedication exhibited by our warriors.   

This book is well written.  As the spouse of a 20-year veteran and a caseworker for the American Red Cross, many of these stories hit home for me.  I was brought to tears at several points in the book—a soldier trying to come to grips with his buddy’s death; a young private holding his child for the first time; the care a fallen soldier’s possessions receive; the excitement of a small child seeing her father after a year; the heartbreak of a marriage that didn’t survive the overwhelming stress of repeated deployments.  I could feel each soldier and/or spouse’s pain and anxiety through her words.  

Before reading the book, I was unaware that such a program existed.  I am grateful to know about it now.   This book should be mandatory reading for military and civilian alike, and will definitely appeal to those in and outside of the service. 
Review by Sandi Cowper, MWSA Reviewer
 

Author's Synopsis
The Honor Was Mine by Elizabeth Heaney The Honor Was Mine carries readers into the lives and hearts of combat veterans who face the daunting task of finding their way back home. Elizabeth Heaney, a psychotherapist with thirty years of experience, arrives at her first military base with no previous exposure to the military, and no grasp of military culture. Gone are her comfortable counseling offices with polished wood floors and soft lighting; she now works in cement block rooms and motor pools, in hallways and parking lots. Her ignorance of the military leads her to address an officer by the wrong rank, mistakenly stand in a restricted area, and has her head spinning during acronym-filled chats with soldiers. Counseling sessions are also different than anything she is used to. Unlike her private-practice clients who arrived to sessions eager to share, Heaney discovers that the warriors’ reticence and pride make vulnerable conversations tenuous and difficult. She must learn to listen differently and inquire more carefully as she feels her way into their world. Paul tells her he’s been home for five days and isn’t sure how to talk to his wife: a year-long deployment doing solitary work left him more comfortable with silence. A staff sergeant meticulously prepares a dress uniform for his buddy’s funeral and speaks in hushed tones about the fine soldier he was. Deborah, a commander’s wife, sits on a park bench and talks about going to eighty-seven memorial services. These conversations introduce Heaney to the astounding burdens soldiers carry as they return from combat. One turning point comes as she speaks with SGT Devereaux. They stand in his cluttered, closet-like office, and he begins by joking about his struggles with PTSD. As Heaney gently invites him to say more, Devereaux becomes skittish and begins to stammer. Then he tells the story of his goofy, gregarious nineteen-year-old friend who went out on a mission and never came back. Devereaux’s voice fails him as his eyes fill with tears; in the silence, Heaney begins to fully realize how much pain is hidden in the hearts of our warriors. Over the years, Heaney speaks with privates and commanders, infantrymen and engineers, soldiers fresh out of boot camp, weary warriors who’d been deployed numerous times, and service members from every branch of the military. She helps them bridge the gap between war and home, working with those who have battles scenes burned into their memory, who fight debilitating battles within themselves, and who fear their hearts and psyches may be broken forever. Increasingly, Heaney becomes overwhelmed and scared as she realizes the steadiness she must maintain in order to listen to what the warriors need to say. As she returns to her temporary housing each night, the image of having spent her day “catching hearts falling through the air” haunts her. Eventually, she must come to terms – or not - with how the depth of the soldiers’ needs will never be met within the parameters of her job, which instruct her to help veterans with “short-term daily living skills.” Moving back and forth between the soldiers’ stories—told in their own words—and her own story of change, Heaney plays the roles of observer and helper, outsider and intimate. The Honor Was Mine gives readers an opportunity to sit next to her and hear the intimate accounts, not of what happens in war but of the heart wounds that fester but too often remain unspoken and unheard. Until now. The Honor Was Mine shows readers why the phrase “Thank you for your service” is not enough to bridge the divide between war and home. A deeper listening and larger compassion is necessary if our service members are ever going to truly come home.    

Author: Elizabeth Heaney
ISBN/ASIN: 978-1503935747
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Audiobook, Kindle
Genre(s): Creative Nonfiction, Memoir
Number of Pages: 286
 

Higher Ground by McKendree Long

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MWSA Review

Higher Ground is a fun, action packed story of the old west.  While the author, McKendree Long, loosely traces the adult lives of his three main characters, he does so by weaving in a number of actual historical events and real people.  In doing so, the author creates an interesting cast of characters, and writes history from the eyes of those behind the scenes.  Those individuals whom we can all easily imagine were there, but we just never heard about them.  Long’s fascinating grasp at what life must have been like during the latter part of the nineteenth century allows the reader to get a vivid picture of the action and settings he creates throughout the book.  I enjoyed this book and recommend it to everyone who enjoys historical fiction and particularly those fascinated by the wild west during the late 1800’s. Read the book!

MWSA Reviewer: Bob Doerr

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Author's Summary

Raw, unvarnished, and authentic, Mike Long doesn't pull any punches when he writes anything western. The detail about the historical events in this book are spot on, including his riveting depiction of what it must have been like to be fighting the Battle of the Big Horn, also known as Custer's Last Stand. Long's command of the language, his use of imagery and his knowledge of weaponry make this a book for any western, adventure, or historical reader.

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ISBN-10: 160653100X

Sgt. Reckless: America's War Horse, by Robin Hutton

MWSA Review

Sgt. Reckless: America's War Horse
The Little Mare That Could

Sgt. Reckless: America's War Horse is a beautiful story about an amazing horse and the meaning of the Marine Corp's motto, Semper Fi; but most importantly, it is a story of compassion and loyalty—traits which make American fighting men and women the best in the world. American soldiers are known for their affection toward animals and children in war zones, and so it was during the Korean Conflict.

Reminded of the childhood story, The Little Engine that Could, which taught the value of determination and hard work, I couldn't help but think that this brave little Mongolian-Korean horse, Ah-Chim Hai (which translates Flame in the Morning), exemplified those very traits. Purchased by a Marine lieutenant to haul 75mm Recoilless Rifle ammunition up the steep Korean hills to the guns, Flame took to the job and quickly learned her duties. Fearless and with an indomitable will, The Little Mare That Could became a Marine and met the enemy head on. Time after time the heroic little mare braved combat and incoming fire–usually alone–to deliver ammunition to her Marines on the front lines. Ah-Chim Hai needed an American name and she was named Reckless after the 75mm Recoilless Rifles (a/k/a Reckless Rifles) she supported. Reckless became Sergeant Reckless when she was officially inducted into the Corps and gained the undying loyalty of every U.S. Marine who served with her. 

During the worst day of one of the fiercest battle in Marine history, Sgt. Reckless made 51 round trips up and down steep slopes from the ammo resupply point to her Marines and their 75mm guns. Covering a total of 35 miles, she delivered a total of 9,000 pounds of badly needed ammo. Often she returned with a wounded Marine on her back. Sgt. Reckless was a true Marine and was recognized as one.

Sgt. Reckless' deeds won the respect and admiration of the Marine Corps, and many, many others. She shared the men's trenches, bunkers and tents, often sleeping by their stoves; was known to eat in the mess tent; and even visited the officer's bar on least one occasion. Always hungry, she ate anything, including her Aussie bush hat. She was partial to beer, cake, pie, and chocolate. Known for her escapades, bravery and sense of duty, she became a Marine Corps legend.

Returning to America as a war hero after the Armistice, she retired as a staff sergeant (E-5) in 1960 at Camp Pendleton, California. She was the only animal to be awarded a military rank. She passed away in 1968 at the age of twenty and is buried on Camp Pendleton where a memorial headstone sits at the entrance to Stepp Stables. Her medals and decorations included two Purple Hearts, National Defense Service Medal, U.S. Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, French fourragére, and numerous unit citations.

Finally immortalized in 2013, thanks to the efforts of author Robin Hutton and her TEAM RECKLESS, a 10-foot bronze statue likeness of Staff Sgt. Reckless now proudly stands in the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Virginia. 
 

Sgt. Reckless: America's War Horse is a great read, an inspiration for our children, and a book that will permanently reside on my bookshelf. 

Reviewed by: Lee Boyland

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She Wasn't a Horse—She Was a Marine!

She might not have been much to look at—a small "Mongolian mare," they called her—but she came from racing stock, and had the blood of a champion. Much more than that, Reckless became a war hero—in fact, she became a combat Marine, earning staff sergeant’s stripes before her retirement to Camp Pendleton.

This once famous horse, recognized as late as 1997 by Life magazine as one of America’s great heroes—the greatest war horse in American history, in fact—has unfortunately now been largely forgotten. But author Robin Hutton is set to change all that. Not only has she been the force behind recognizing Reckless with a monument at the National Museum of the Marine Corps and at Camp Pendleton, but she has now put between hard covers the full story, the rousing—
sometimes comic, sometimes tragic—life of this four-legged war hero who hauled ammunition to frontline Marines and inspired them with her relentless, and reckless, courage.

Seabiscuit, Misty of Chincoteague, Dan Patch, Man O' War, Secretariat... Reckless belongs in their number as one of America's most beloved horses. Hers is a story to inspire young and old, military veteran and casual equestrian. Here is the story of the horse they called Reckless.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Battle Rattle; by Roger Boas

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MWSA Review
In his mid-nineties, Roger Boas penned a memoir of his World War II experiences. Battle Rattle relates the author’s war journey as a forward observer in the Fourth Armored Division under General Patton.

Boas, of Jewish descent, was raised a Christian Scientist. Both his heritage and his faith led him down the path he followed. This Jewish boy would be one of the first American soldiers to enter a Nazi concentration camp. I appreciated the honesty with which Boas approached this and other defining moments in his life. Rather than painting himself a hero, Boas opened his heart and soul to the reader, reliving his mistakes, regrets, and guilt.
Even before he shipped to Europe, we know his strengths and weaknesses. He shows us his family life through letters he wrote home as he grew from an innocent, untested boy into a soldier trained for war.

After his first encounter with German soldiers in which he pulled the trigger first, he writes: “The outrageousness of war struck me hard, even if I didn’t fully process it at the time, and has remained with me ever since.”

If you’re looking for a non-sugarcoated version of a soldier’s life, Battle Rattle is a must read. The author’s willingness to reveal his own character brings an added layer of depth to an often told story. His recollection of seventy-years-plus old details is amazing. 
MWSA Reviewer: Pat Avery

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Author's Synopsis
“The war has changed me in ways that will take the better part of my life to understand, let alone make peace with,” begins Roger Boas in his thoughtful, compelling account of World War II. As part of the Fourth Armored Division, he found himself at the spearhead of the Allied thrust into Europe. His memoir re-creates both the tension of the battlefield and the camaraderie behind the front line. It also relates his harrowing experience as a Jew of being one of the first American soldiers to discover a Nazi concentration camp. Boas reveals the powerful impact of war on those who fight.

15 Years of War: How the Longest War in U.S. History Affected a Military Family in Love, Loss, and the Cost Of Service; by Kristine Schellhaas

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MWSA Review
When Kristine Schellhaas set out to record the private details of  her marriage to a Marine officer, she knew she had a story that military families would appreciate and understand. Coming from the corporate world where both my husband and I had safe and lucrative jobs, I wasn’t sure I could relate. However when I read her book, the normality of Kristine’s story engaged me. I could understand why she supported her husband’s career—and why she dealt with family tensions alone while he had eight tours of duty and they moved eleven times in fifteen years.

Electronic communications have changed the way military couples deal with loneliness and family decision-making while one spouse is deployed. Skype is almost a tease when babies are being born, and it is totally useless when maternal exhaustion sets in. Yet video chats allow the distant parent to develop or maintain relationships with young children. And emails can provide loving reassurance to partners who must face stressful situations.

The Schellhaases share their lives in 15 Years of War, and it’s both refreshing and heartbreaking. The layout of this book supports the content and keeps the reader’s empathetic reactions for each partner fresh. When Kristine speaks, we feel her concern for Ross, her frustration at being pregnant and alone, her irritation with her mother-in-law, and her stress-filled struggle to care for her children. When Ross talks, he describes the horrors of war, his worries about his Marines, his aggravation with his mother and his deep love for Kristine and their children.

The tale winds through several deployments and two pregnancies before tragedy rips through the soul of a family already toughened by war. Their second baby, George, drowns in a swimming pool. As Kristine and Ross deal with their horrendous loss, Ross is sent back to war a few months after the accident and Kristine discovers that she is pregnant again. Will this be the test that tears them apart? 

15 Years of War is reveals the fight for love like few nonfiction books I’ve ever read. I highly recommend it.

MWSA Reviewer:  Joyce Faulkner

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Author's Synopsis

Less than 1% of our nation will ever serve in our armed forces, leaving many to wonder what life is really like for military families.

He answers the call of duty in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Pacific; she keeps the home fires burning. Worlds apart, and in the face of indescribable grief, their relationship is pushed to the limits.

15 Years of War: How the Longest War in U.S. History Affected a Military Family in Love, Loss, and the Cost Of Service provides a unique he said/she said perspective on coping with war in modern-day America. It reveals a true account of how a dedicated Marine and his equally committed spouse faced unfathomable challenges and achieved triumph, from the days just before 9/11 through 15 years of training workups, deployments, and other separations.

This story of faith, love, and resilience offers insight into how a decade and a half of war has redefined what it means to be a military family.

SHOT DOWN: The true story of pilot Howard Snyder and the crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth; by Steve Synder

MWSA Review
As a memoir of World War Two pilot Howard Snyder’s experience in enemy territory, Shot Down by Steve Snyder introduces readers to the extremes of human nature. Soldiers and citizens risk their lives--and many lose their lives--in extraordinary feats that exemplify the concepts of integrity, honor, and courage.  This is in stark contrast to the Nazi soldiers’ cruelty and depraved indifference to human life as depicted through the author’s narrative and his father’s journal entries.  

This book takes the reader on a historical and sometimes moving chronicle of WWII. History emerges as the true main character while the tale of the author’s father, Howard Snyder supports the narrative. Snyder’s experiences in training, combat, and in hiding behind enemy lines provide the backdrop for a factual narrative of each component in Snyder’s tale. For instance, Snyder’s training allows the author to delve into a textbook outline of the rigors involved in training and combat for the crews of B-17’s. The aircraft is also headlined throughout the book, as the author’s research presents itself in page after page of detail on the history and evolution of the B-17. The backdrop, origin, and timeline of World War Two are all thoroughly addressed and bear much of the weight of this book. 

The historical theme of this book is personified through the tale of Howard Snyder. Shot down over enemy territory, Snyder survives and ultimately returns to his family through the courage of citizens who help him and others like him. Diary entries, pictures, and excerpts from letters between Snyder and his wife impart emotion into the historical aspect of this book. A heavy volume of facts about soldiers and citizens alike who battled the Nazis in heroic fashion demands respect and gratitude from the reader for all who fought and sacrificed.

Steve Snyder writes with a passion for history that is illuminated through the evident research he devoted to this book. Historical aficionados will appreciate this detail. 
Reviewed by: Barbara Allen

Author's Synopsis
Belgium ... February 8, 1944 ... Shot Down and Alive

For the first time, the full and complete story of the B-17 Flying Fortress Susan Ruth is shared in unbelievable detail. Author Steve Snyder’s story of his father, Lieutenant Howard Snyder, and the Susan Ruth crew, provides in-depth details about many aspects of World War II few understand or know about including the: 

• separation for young families as men went off to war;
• training before heading to foreign soil;
• military combat operations;
• underground and resistance and what Lt. Snyder did when he joined it;
• German atrocities toward captured crew and civilians;
• behind-the-scenes stories of the Belgium civilians who risked all to save American flyers who were in the air one moment, spiraling down in flames the next;
• creation and dedication of the monument to the Susan Ruth and its crew located in Macquenoise, Belgium in 1989

Shot Down was created from the vast number of letters and journals of Howard Snyder; diaries of men and women on the ground who rescued, sheltered and hid the crew; and interviews conducted by historians. Centered around the 306th Bomb Group in Thurleigh, England, it is informative, insightful and captivating.

For most, 70 years is a long time ago. World War II fades in importance as each year goes by. Shot Down moves history out of the footnotes into reality, keeping the stories of real people alive as they experience being shot down. You are there, almost holding your breath as Lt. Snyder gets his crew out of his B-17 when bailing out over Nazi occupied Europe.

Terror Cell; by Joseph Badal

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MWSA Review
Author Joseph Badal has written a fast-paced, action-packed thriller in his book Terror Cell. Set in Athens, Greece, Badal pits his protagonists, Bob Danforth and his team of CIA operatives, against Greek Spring, a fictional terrorist group that has been operating with impunity in Greece for two decades. Not knowing who to trust is only part of the problem Danforth faces. The terrorists have planned a series of terror attacks that the CIA team believes will culminate with some sort of grand attack at the Olympic games. As the assassinations and bombings evolve, Danforth realizes that they may they not succeed in bringing down Greek Spring. Not only that, but he also may not survive the effort.  

I recommend Terror Cell to anyone who loves thrillers. For those who are not sure, I recommend they read this book to find out if they might be. An easy, quick read, this book will satisfy any reader’s desire for action, suspense, and conflict. The author’s descriptions of the neighborhoods and suburbs of Athens are an added plus.  Read it!

MWSA Reviewer: Bob Doerr

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Author's Synopsis

Terror Cell is the second book in the 5-book Danforth Saga, which includes Evil Deeds (Book 1), The Nostradamus Secret (Book 3), The Lone Wolf Agenda (Book 4), & Death Ship (Book 5). “Terror Cell” pits Bob Danforth, a CIA Special Ops Officer, against Greek Spring, a vicious terrorist group that has operated in Athens, Greece for three decades. Danforth’s mission in the summer of 2004 is to identify one or more of the members of the terrorists in order to bring them to justice for the assassination of the CIA’s Station Chief in Athens. What Danforth does not know is that Greek Spring plans a catastrophic attack against the 2004 Summer Olympic Games.

Danforth and his CIA team are hampered by years of Congressionally-mandated rules that have weakened U.S. Intelligence gathering capabilities, and by indifference and obstructionism on the part of Greek authorities. His mission becomes even more difficult when he is targeted for assassination after an informant in the Greek government tells the terrorists of Danforth’s presence in Greece.

In Terror Cell, Badal weaves a tale of international intrigue, involving players from the CIA, the Greek government, and terrorists in Greece, Libya, and Iran—all within a historical context. Anyone who keeps up with current events about terrorist activities and security issues at the Athens Olympic Games will find the premise of this book gripping, terrifying, and, most of all, plausible.

Veil of Deception; by Michael Byars Lewis

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MWSA Review
In his second book, Michael Byars Lewis takes his Air Force hero, Jason Conrad, through another non stop thrill ride full of women, violence, and international intrigue.

Conrad is trying to find some normalcy after the events of the first book, and is looking to get on with his career. But when he lands a once in a lifetime job AND the most mysterious woman of his life shows up after six years, he knows life is going to be anything but normal. Throw in a gorgeous red-headed reporter from the New York Times and some Chinese commandos, and things get absolutely crazy.

It’s obvious that Lewis is writing from experience with regards to aviation and the Air Force, and he uses his knowledge to add believable depth to the story. It is as good a techno-thriller/espionage tale as you will find, but without a lot of jargon, so even those lacking aviation or military experience can fully enjoy its telling. This story gets great marks for creativity, action, and some great characters. Highly recommended for fans of Tom Clancy, Dale Brown, or Jeff Edwards.

MWSA Reviewer: Rob Ballister
 

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Author's Synopsis

What if the company building America’s most expensive weapons system was secretly owned by one of our enemies?

Following a terrifying jet crash, Jason Conrad finds himself on a very short list of people on their way out the door. It is a surprise to everyone when he is assigned to the home of the U.S. Air Force Flight Test Center, to an aircraft no one thinks he’s qualified for.

Attached to a secret project with a shadowy contractor, Jason is caught between two complications; an overbearing, retired general determined to see him fail; and an aggressive television reporter who wants him in prison.

When a ghost from the past shows up and a beautiful, yet mysterious woman enters his life, Jason soon discovers his special project has more secrets than anyone knows about . . . and it could cost him his life.

Veil of Deception is the second book in the Jason Conrad USAF Thriller series! Fans of Dale Brown and Brad Taylor will love the second installment of Michael Byars Lewis’ page turning series!