I’m delighted to announce the launch of Code Word: Pandora, second in the Code Word series. In it you’ll find some of the same characters who contended in Code Word: Paternity, plus new ones, clashing again in diplomatic, military, and covert action. Like the first book, the second is an international thriller with a plot that parallels current events.

Code Word: Pandora becomes available from online and brick-and-mortar retailers on December fourth and if you’re in the area, you’re welcome to join the launch celebration: 7 p.m. in Old Fox Books and Coffeehouse, 35 Maryland Avenue, Annapolis, Maryland. . Enjoy coffee and something sweet from The Brown Mustache as I describe the birth of Code Word: Pandora, reveal a bit about the story, and sign commemorative “launch copies“ of the book.

In this second in the Code Word series, Al Qaeda’s master bomber launches jihad in America. Secretary of Homeland Security Ray Morales vows to stop him and in their struggle violates his own moral code. Amidst the pressure of his reelection campaign, President Martin compromises to save lives and win votes by a means he abhors. An assassination in Korea sucks China and America toward war, thrusting Martin into a high-stakes encounter with China’s president. Diplomatic, military, and covert action enmesh America, China, Korea, Japan, and Iran, forcing Morales and Martin into a struggle to defeat evil without becoming evil.

Advance Praise for Code Word: Pandora.
“Utterly topical, exciting, and definitely food for thought, Code Word: Pandora exposes the tectonic pressures of being The President, as he copes with staff intrigues and their burning political ambitions, while enduring the gut-wrenching loneliness of the man who has to choose between no good options on a daily basis. Great read!” –NYT best-selling author P.T. Deutermann, whose most recent thriller is Red Swan.
“Doug Norton’s latest thriller offers not just an edge-of-your-seat suspense story, but demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of Asian politics, particularly the China-North Korea-Japan trifecta of history and warfare still affecting today’s U.S. security dangers and uncertainties. This is a must read for both fiction fans and China specialists.” –Bernard D. Cole, author of China’s Quest for Great Power: Ships, Oil, and Foreign Policy.
"A riveting read; ripped from the headlines immediacy crossed with the real-world knowledge of someone who's been there and done that. Compelling characters and a story that is all too possible. Doug Norton's Code Word series will keep you up at night, even after you've finished reading."
--Matthew Palmer, author of Enemy of the Good.

If you enjoyed the first book, I think and hope you'd enjoy this one, too. If you decide to give it read, I'd love to know what you think of it. And, of course, a review would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!
Doug Norton
The Code Word series:
• Code Word: Paternity
• Code Word: Pandora
• Code Word: Persepolis (forthcoming)
• Code Word:???