Thursday, February 12, 2015

Devils And Dust: A Jack Keller Novel by J.D. Rhoades


Jack is a mentally wounded warrior.  He takes care of trouble.  He shows no mercy and he's more than happy to kill people.  He got really scared when he found himself enjoying.  He went through treatment and then went to make a new life.  But his old skills are needed again...

Polis Books and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to read this book for review (thank you).  It has been published, so check with your local bookstore for a copy.  This is part of series so there are others you could add to your book buying spree.

Jack is living in the desert working in a bar in a small town.  He's living with the young owner and taking it day by day.  Then an old love of his walks in and starts asking questions about him, trying to find him.  When he pops in and sees her, he's thunderstruck.  She explains why she's come to look him up.  Her husband is missing.  Jack didn't know she was married.  But he also knew he couldn't turn her down.

This story is full of the worst part of living on the border.  They sell drugs, do sex trafficking and force labor for no pay.  They kill indiscriminately.  And that's where the missing man's two boys are now.

There's a corrupt sheriff, a secret intelligence group, and Jack and Angela looking for Oscar.  Everyone is playing games.  The sheriff is taking money from the sex trafficking, the lawyer is aspiring to take over his boss' operation, and the guy running the church compound is crazy.  It's not a safe place to be but if you have Jack with you, you have better odds.

This story reads fast.  Some of what you read is awful but it's true about life near the border.  I live in New Mexico and read about it in the paper every day.

Jack may be fictional but I had to admire him kicking ass and getting Oscar back.  Read it, you won't be bored.  The ending will stick with me for a while.  Let me know what you think about it.

Drag and Rex Forever Friends by Susan Lubner

Meet Drag and Rex, the sweet, silly best friends who find joy and adventure in the simplest places in this charming and cheery modern Frog a...