California author Brett Andrew Strange, a former US Intelligence Officer in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, turns his experiences into a gripping series - Paul Drake Thrillers. Book 1 was AGAINST THE DUSK and now, Book 2 - BENEATH THE PURPLE DAWN. Having securely established his principle character, the author moves the adventures forward in a keenly paced fashion, opening in Istanbul in 2018: ‘Dmitry Ivanovitch Medkov took his time crossing the stop-and-go traffic along Divan Yolu Street. Dmitry disliked Istanbul, especially in the summer when the heat channeled the old city’s dry dust down to the base of his throat…’ Quite subtly flows the Russian through appointments and murders as the flavor of this intriguing novel progresses at high speed. As the plot is condensed, ‘"We become important only because of our decisions," Katya Volkova advised him. What she meant by this; Iraqi-war veteran Paul Drake wasn't quite sure at first. Paul confronts a dangerous world of shifting global power politics and illicit weapons deals. A cat and mouse game to ferret out Russian-backed arms dealer Bogan Zoidze leads Paul, Katya, and a cast of other memorable characters to war-torn Syria, the posh avenues of Paris, ancient Black Sea ports, and hidden island retreats in Malta and Sicily.’
With uncanny skill, Strange molds fascinating characters through an espionage thriller at a pace that assures staying with this novel for a full and satisfying evening’s read. Informed, excellent, and fully satisfying,