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Managed Paranoia - Book Two: Near-Future Sci-Fi Thriller
HE'S ALREADY SANK ONE SAILBOAT, AND IS PRETTY SURE he is in for a life of catastrophic failures, but billionaire inventor Olin Ou has another opinion of the young sailor. With the help of his personal AI, he calculated Hank should have been dead years ago. That he lives, is enough evidence for Olin to want Hank (and his luck) on his yacht as they navigate dangerous seas. They will need the odds in their favor if they are to survive storms and escape the clutches of a vindictive government.
Bella is an excellent marine biologist, but not a good judge of character. She took too long to learn her boyfriend, Gregory, is not only a creep but an international criminal. And now she is learning that narcissists have problems accepting "no" for an answer. Gregory tried to have her kidnapped, but that didn't work. This time, he's determined to take her back himself.
Her father's deep ocean aquaculture station is her refuge and the sanctuary that keeps Olin's damaged yacht and his dream afloat. But the safe haven brings Hank and Bella together at the worst possible time. The very thought of another man in her life repulses her—yet Hank is intriguing. Hank is determined not to hurt another woman. But he has never met anyone like Bella—she is in a class of her own.
Will they be able to find what truly matters and confront the threats to their freedom? Together, will they create a new way forward?
Bella is an excellent marine biologist, but not a good judge of character. She took too long to learn her boyfriend, Gregory, is not only a creep but an international criminal. And now she is learning that narcissists have problems accepting "no" for an answer. Gregory tried to have her kidnapped, but that didn't work. This time, he's determined to take her back himself.
Her father's deep ocean aquaculture station is her refuge and the sanctuary that keeps Olin's damaged yacht and his dream afloat. But the safe haven brings Hank and Bella together at the worst possible time. The very thought of another man in her life repulses her—yet Hank is intriguing. Hank is determined not to hurt another woman. But he has never met anyone like Bella—she is in a class of her own.
Will they be able to find what truly matters and confront the threats to their freedom? Together, will they create a new way forward?
328 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 15, 2023
About the author
Finlay Beach
32 books13 followersI write books about faith, freedom and formation.
My fiction explores what happens when technology, power and conscience collide. The Managed Paranoia series follows ordinary, imperfect people caught in a near-future struggle against expanding government control, dangerous technology and systems that promise security at the cost of freedom.
My nonfiction work approaches many of those same questions directly. The Formation Protocol and the seven-volume Formation Series draw enduring lessons from history, philosophy and faith to help young people develop character, discipline, competence, conviction and purpose.
📚 Managed Paranoia – Book One won Third Place in the Outstanding Creator Awards, Winter 2023 Thriller category.
📚 Managed Paranoia – Book Two was a Finalist in the 2023 Book Excellence Awards, Thriller category.
📚 The Seventh Pawn was a Finalist in the 2024 Book Excellence Awards.
“The Seventh Pawn is one of the year’s best thrillers.” —BestThrillers.com
I am deeply grateful for these recognitions and for the encouragement of my readers. Whether writing fiction or nonfiction, my goal is to explore what it means to stand firm when institutions fail, pressure rises and easy answers disappear.
FICTION
Managed Paranoia – Book One
He has already sunk one sailboat and should be dead, but billionaire inventor Olin Ou sees Hank Gunn’s improbable survival as an asset. With Olin’s AI and a dangerous voyage ahead, Hank’s luck may be the only thing standing between them, a vindictive government and disaster on the high seas.
Managed Paranoia – Book Two
Marine biologist Bella Espinosa is done with Gregory, her criminal ex, but he refuses to let her go. As her father’s ocean station becomes a battleground for freedom, Bella and Hank are thrown together in the fight of their lives. To move forward, they must survive betrayal, storms and the shadows of their past.
Managed Paranoia – Book Three
When Bella is abducted by her ruthless ex, Hank and the crew of the GalaxSea launch an impossible pursuit. Armed with Olin’s technology and Ava’s evolving AI, they pit a sailboat against a criminal’s yacht in a high-stakes contest of courage and strategy. The trilogy ends with a final test where faith, freedom and survival collide.
The Seventh Pawn — A Managed Paranoia Prequel
Julian, a grieving widower and former teenage hacker, is drawn back into the shadows of resistance as an increasingly authoritarian state tightens its grip. His journey from loss to leadership becomes a story of resilience, family and the relentless fight for freedom.
Rhodium Tycoon — A Managed Paranoia Short Story
Presented as a leaked document, Rhodium Tycoon reveals the origins and ambitions of billionaire inventor Olin Ou. It offers a glimpse into the technology, decisions and dangerous ideas that helped shape the world of Managed Paranoia.
One Hand for the Boat — A Hank Gunn Short Story
Long before Hank Gunn became a professional sailor, one night on the Maine coast taught him what duty, fear and courage really meant. This story reveals an early experience that helped form the man at the center of the Managed Paranoia series.
NONFICTION
The Formation Protocol
The Formation Protocol is a concise introduction to seven men and seven pillars of formation: character, virtue, duty, competence, preparedness, conviction and meaning.
Through the lives of Marcus Aurelius, Thomas Aquinas, George Washington, Booker T. Washington, Robert Baden-Powell, C. S. Lewis and Viktor Frankl, the book challenges young readers to move beyond passive inspiration and begin ta
My fiction explores what happens when technology, power and conscience collide. The Managed Paranoia series follows ordinary, imperfect people caught in a near-future struggle against expanding government control, dangerous technology and systems that promise security at the cost of freedom.
My nonfiction work approaches many of those same questions directly. The Formation Protocol and the seven-volume Formation Series draw enduring lessons from history, philosophy and faith to help young people develop character, discipline, competence, conviction and purpose.
📚 Managed Paranoia – Book One won Third Place in the Outstanding Creator Awards, Winter 2023 Thriller category.
📚 Managed Paranoia – Book Two was a Finalist in the 2023 Book Excellence Awards, Thriller category.
📚 The Seventh Pawn was a Finalist in the 2024 Book Excellence Awards.
“The Seventh Pawn is one of the year’s best thrillers.” —BestThrillers.com
I am deeply grateful for these recognitions and for the encouragement of my readers. Whether writing fiction or nonfiction, my goal is to explore what it means to stand firm when institutions fail, pressure rises and easy answers disappear.
FICTION
Managed Paranoia – Book One
He has already sunk one sailboat and should be dead, but billionaire inventor Olin Ou sees Hank Gunn’s improbable survival as an asset. With Olin’s AI and a dangerous voyage ahead, Hank’s luck may be the only thing standing between them, a vindictive government and disaster on the high seas.
Managed Paranoia – Book Two
Marine biologist Bella Espinosa is done with Gregory, her criminal ex, but he refuses to let her go. As her father’s ocean station becomes a battleground for freedom, Bella and Hank are thrown together in the fight of their lives. To move forward, they must survive betrayal, storms and the shadows of their past.
Managed Paranoia – Book Three
When Bella is abducted by her ruthless ex, Hank and the crew of the GalaxSea launch an impossible pursuit. Armed with Olin’s technology and Ava’s evolving AI, they pit a sailboat against a criminal’s yacht in a high-stakes contest of courage and strategy. The trilogy ends with a final test where faith, freedom and survival collide.
The Seventh Pawn — A Managed Paranoia Prequel
Julian, a grieving widower and former teenage hacker, is drawn back into the shadows of resistance as an increasingly authoritarian state tightens its grip. His journey from loss to leadership becomes a story of resilience, family and the relentless fight for freedom.
Rhodium Tycoon — A Managed Paranoia Short Story
Presented as a leaked document, Rhodium Tycoon reveals the origins and ambitions of billionaire inventor Olin Ou. It offers a glimpse into the technology, decisions and dangerous ideas that helped shape the world of Managed Paranoia.
One Hand for the Boat — A Hank Gunn Short Story
Long before Hank Gunn became a professional sailor, one night on the Maine coast taught him what duty, fear and courage really meant. This story reveals an early experience that helped form the man at the center of the Managed Paranoia series.
NONFICTION
The Formation Protocol
The Formation Protocol is a concise introduction to seven men and seven pillars of formation: character, virtue, duty, competence, preparedness, conviction and meaning.
Through the lives of Marcus Aurelius, Thomas Aquinas, George Washington, Booker T. Washington, Robert Baden-Powell, C. S. Lewis and Viktor Frankl, the book challenges young readers to move beyond passive inspiration and begin ta
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 14, 2025
I read Book One aloud to my husband while we drove to a conference (PA to SC) last May. He never takes time to read but this book had everything to keep his attention--- intrigue, cool technology, guns, boats, Artificial Intelligence, a bad guy... I had already read it so knew we wouldn't be able to put it down. I picked up things I had missed as I read it for the second time. We read Book Two on the way to and from this year. Sure made the trip go fast. We couldn't stop reading - even had to read by the overhead light to see what happened next. Now we will wait anxiously for the next in the series.
I love the seascape farming details and the way the AI deals with everything so easily. Used to seem so futuristic but it all seems more believable with what we are hearing lately about AI. I'm sure there will always be a good and evil aspect just as in the book. We are learning more about each character as the story develops. I have some ideas about what might happen next but who knows where Finlay Beach will go with Book Three. I give both books a big 5 star rating.
I love the seascape farming details and the way the AI deals with everything so easily. Used to seem so futuristic but it all seems more believable with what we are hearing lately about AI. I'm sure there will always be a good and evil aspect just as in the book. We are learning more about each character as the story develops. I have some ideas about what might happen next but who knows where Finlay Beach will go with Book Three. I give both books a big 5 star rating.
April 1, 2023
Seamlessly follows book one. Great read. Believable characters. Leaves you hungry for more!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews