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Lethal Conspiracy
Dr. Steven Grant, Columbia University professor of political science and special assistant to the UN Secretary-General, is recruited by the C.I.A. to identify a terrorist cell formed inside the United Nations. Still recovering from the death of his wife a year ago, Grant hopes this new adventure will spring him from the deep depression he's suffered.
- GenresThriller
316 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 10, 2015
`There were three good reasons for them to kill him. He was a Jew! He was Israeli! He was Mossad!'
Arizona author Gary Fuller has the credentials to write not only this fine book LETHAL CONSPIRACY, having studied "The Psychology of Terrorism," an in-depth course by the American Psychotherapist Association, intensive research and first person interviews with government officials and individuals from the intelligence operations community as well as earning is BA in Journalism and a PhD in business administration, but he also served in the U.S. Air Force as an Air Force Intelligence Officer, Security Specialist, NATO Air Liaison Officer and as an Air Traffic Controller. He helped write war game scenarios for several joint-service exercises, including simulations involving Iraq and Iran. He has also published articles in over 25 newspapers and 5 magazines and completed an internship with ABC News. He now lives in Lake Chapala, Mexico.
Given the above it is no wonder this novel is so compelling. Gary makes us vividly aware of the conditions that swarm around terrorist activities, creating a constant sense of anxiety not unlike that surround his main character. He paints his settings visually with a rich palette that we are there, witnessing the story. Another reason this book rivets our attention is the subject matter - those fragments we hear on the news, see on television, and cause insomnia as the threat of terrorist activities not only persists but increases.
The quality of Gary's writing skill is evident form his prologue; `Blood dripped from his forehead. The warm, red fluid slowly crept down his face. He smiled. It had taken a long time to reach this point, but today he had achieved his goal. The blood-smeared face in front of him showed no smile at all as that man dropped to his knees. That man's intense eyes stared back at him. "It is time." The kneeling man spoke in a commanding tone. "Down on your knees. You now have the mark of blood on your head. Take the oath."... The candidate lived alone for awhile in their country, then finally bribes and lavish presents bought favor from elders who introduced him to government officials. In turn, as a reward for his diligence and as a demonstration of their power, he was appointed as Aide to the UN Ambassador for their country. He was easily accepted by the small group of Middle Eastern Muslims working in the United Nations. Becoming close friends with several of them, he felt free to express an occasional comment against Israel and against the United States. He played his role as a fellow Muslim and waited. He was in this position just in case something unusual happened. And now, his actions led to this special invitation. He could hardly believe this was happening, and at this location, only five blocks from the United Nations, in central New York City, USA. The mosque was empty.'
The story is complex (in the tradition of fine thrillers) but the synopsis helps: `Dr. Steven Grant, Columbia University professor of political science and special assistant to the UN Secretary-General, is recruited by the CIA to identify a terrorist cell formed inside the United Nations. Still recovering from the death of his wife a year ago, Grant hopes this new adventure will spring him from the deep depression he's suffered. When an undercover Mossad agent posing as an Arabic aide at the UN discovers the terrorists' plan, Grant knows he's got to put everything he has into this mission. The terrorists want to explode bombs at an Iranian facility storing three fully developed nuclear warheads and then blame Israel, thus forcing Iran to retaliate using their secret nuclear weapons. Grant teams with an alluring female psychologist to track down the terrorists. Unfortunately, the terrorist organization wants to eliminate them both. In his frantic search to find and stop the radicals before they launch their planned attack and start a nuclear war, Grant faces Iraqi insurgents, Hamas militants, and Egyptian Secret Police from New York to the Middle East. Just as alarming to him, though, is that he must also face the very real possibility that he's falling in love.'
Gary Fuller grabs our attention like a powerful magnet and doesn't break that field until the end. This is very powerful writing form a man who knows both his information and his trade. Highly Recommended - especially now.
Arizona author Gary Fuller has the credentials to write not only this fine book LETHAL CONSPIRACY, having studied "The Psychology of Terrorism," an in-depth course by the American Psychotherapist Association, intensive research and first person interviews with government officials and individuals from the intelligence operations community as well as earning is BA in Journalism and a PhD in business administration, but he also served in the U.S. Air Force as an Air Force Intelligence Officer, Security Specialist, NATO Air Liaison Officer and as an Air Traffic Controller. He helped write war game scenarios for several joint-service exercises, including simulations involving Iraq and Iran. He has also published articles in over 25 newspapers and 5 magazines and completed an internship with ABC News. He now lives in Lake Chapala, Mexico.
Given the above it is no wonder this novel is so compelling. Gary makes us vividly aware of the conditions that swarm around terrorist activities, creating a constant sense of anxiety not unlike that surround his main character. He paints his settings visually with a rich palette that we are there, witnessing the story. Another reason this book rivets our attention is the subject matter - those fragments we hear on the news, see on television, and cause insomnia as the threat of terrorist activities not only persists but increases.
The quality of Gary's writing skill is evident form his prologue; `Blood dripped from his forehead. The warm, red fluid slowly crept down his face. He smiled. It had taken a long time to reach this point, but today he had achieved his goal. The blood-smeared face in front of him showed no smile at all as that man dropped to his knees. That man's intense eyes stared back at him. "It is time." The kneeling man spoke in a commanding tone. "Down on your knees. You now have the mark of blood on your head. Take the oath."... The candidate lived alone for awhile in their country, then finally bribes and lavish presents bought favor from elders who introduced him to government officials. In turn, as a reward for his diligence and as a demonstration of their power, he was appointed as Aide to the UN Ambassador for their country. He was easily accepted by the small group of Middle Eastern Muslims working in the United Nations. Becoming close friends with several of them, he felt free to express an occasional comment against Israel and against the United States. He played his role as a fellow Muslim and waited. He was in this position just in case something unusual happened. And now, his actions led to this special invitation. He could hardly believe this was happening, and at this location, only five blocks from the United Nations, in central New York City, USA. The mosque was empty.'
The story is complex (in the tradition of fine thrillers) but the synopsis helps: `Dr. Steven Grant, Columbia University professor of political science and special assistant to the UN Secretary-General, is recruited by the CIA to identify a terrorist cell formed inside the United Nations. Still recovering from the death of his wife a year ago, Grant hopes this new adventure will spring him from the deep depression he's suffered. When an undercover Mossad agent posing as an Arabic aide at the UN discovers the terrorists' plan, Grant knows he's got to put everything he has into this mission. The terrorists want to explode bombs at an Iranian facility storing three fully developed nuclear warheads and then blame Israel, thus forcing Iran to retaliate using their secret nuclear weapons. Grant teams with an alluring female psychologist to track down the terrorists. Unfortunately, the terrorist organization wants to eliminate them both. In his frantic search to find and stop the radicals before they launch their planned attack and start a nuclear war, Grant faces Iraqi insurgents, Hamas militants, and Egyptian Secret Police from New York to the Middle East. Just as alarming to him, though, is that he must also face the very real possibility that he's falling in love.'
Gary Fuller grabs our attention like a powerful magnet and doesn't break that field until the end. This is very powerful writing form a man who knows both his information and his trade. Highly Recommended - especially now.
June 9, 2015
Lethal Conspiracy author, Gary Fuller, brings an impressive pedigree to thriller writing. Not only does he have a PhD, more importantly, given the plot of his novel, Fuller is a retired U.S. Air Force officer with military intelligence experience. My guess is that Fuller combines his hands-on experiences - his bio mentions Iran and Iraq - with extensive research to write about the current Middle East conflicts with depth and authority. His grasp of military and political issues is the strength of his novel. Which is not to say that Lethal Conspiracy fails to deliver action. After introducing Dr. Steven Grant, a Columbia University professor of political science and special assistant to the UN Secretary-General, two events propel the story forward: one, Grant is recruited by the C.I.A. to identify a terrorist cell formed inside the United Nations, and two, Grant meets Samantha, a highly successful New York psychologist. Character development, however, is not as skillfully done as plot or action. At times I had difficulty keeping track of secondary characters. More importantly, and why I did not to give the book five stars, Fuller makes two mistakes that weaken the novel. One, upon introducing a character, Fuller inevitably gives the reader a biographical sketch, which has the feel of someone cutting and pasting from character bio notes. Even more bothersome is the romance between Steven and Samantha. The story hinges on the reader believing that after one date Steven and Samantha are so deeply attracted that Steven would risk his life for her, and perhaps in doing so, risk nuclear war in the Middle East. Okay, I accept "love at first sight." I even experienced it once. But the Steven/Sam romance feels unbelievable here. Even so, Lethal Conspiracy is good, and I recommend it to thriller fans.
June 8, 2015
Lethal Conspiracy by Gary Fuller is an interesting blend of sophisticated dating alongside a terrorist plot. In the opening pages, we are introduced to a new terror cell that has not only forcibly aligned the smaller terror organizations of the Middle East into one coordinated unit, but has also planted members into the hierarchy of the United Nations. Their mission is simple; destroy the Little Satan and the Great Satan: Israel and the United States. The method the group plans to take is much more dynamic and terrifying: use the UN to force the United States to remove all troops from the Middle East while sparking a nuclear war between Iran and Israel that will wipe Israel off the map. Caught in the middle are Steven and Sam. Steven is a political science professor and consultant at the UN in New York. Sam is a high level psychiatrist who uses her skills to help political figures. The two meet through a discreet dating site and are whisked into a romance almost as fast as they are whirled into the lethal conspiracy.
Lethal Conspiracy takes the reader from the war torn streets of the Middle East to the sky rises of New York City. The story is very well researched and the writer has a strong understanding, not only of the desires of groups in the Middle East, but also of the fears that Americans face when thinking about terrorism. It is a different story from others like it because it does not focus on a military organization of federal effort to stop a terrorist plot. Rather, it takes a real character with real problems and puts them into an extreme situation. I feel this is a fresh approach to the conspiracy story idea.
Lethal Conspiracy takes the reader from the war torn streets of the Middle East to the sky rises of New York City. The story is very well researched and the writer has a strong understanding, not only of the desires of groups in the Middle East, but also of the fears that Americans face when thinking about terrorism. It is a different story from others like it because it does not focus on a military organization of federal effort to stop a terrorist plot. Rather, it takes a real character with real problems and puts them into an extreme situation. I feel this is a fresh approach to the conspiracy story idea.
November 21, 2015
I received this book as a Giveaway
The book was fast paced and easy to read. This sometimes made the development of certain aspects of the book feel a little forced but, despite that, I could still emphasise with the characters.
The story is set in the present day and moves along steadily, at no time did I find myself re-reading parts as everything flowed nicely. Colourful characters and some interesting insights into real life interweave quite naturally with the fictional storyline.
A likeable hero shoved into a nightmare world finds himself, sometimes naively, in a number of tight spots. Surviving with help from friends born of mutual trust and sometimes only on his own instincts for survival, he almost stumbles his way through with a mixture of resolve and no small amount of luck.
A little more humour would not have gone amiss, but still a good read from start to finish.
The book was fast paced and easy to read. This sometimes made the development of certain aspects of the book feel a little forced but, despite that, I could still emphasise with the characters.
The story is set in the present day and moves along steadily, at no time did I find myself re-reading parts as everything flowed nicely. Colourful characters and some interesting insights into real life interweave quite naturally with the fictional storyline.
A likeable hero shoved into a nightmare world finds himself, sometimes naively, in a number of tight spots. Surviving with help from friends born of mutual trust and sometimes only on his own instincts for survival, he almost stumbles his way through with a mixture of resolve and no small amount of luck.
A little more humour would not have gone amiss, but still a good read from start to finish.
May 12, 2015
After a long depression caused by his wife's death, Steven, a professor, Middle East expert and UN official, finally meets Samantha (Sam), a clinical psychologist, and they hit it off. His friend, Peter, a professor and CIA agent, convinces Steven to help uncover a plot inside the UN to destroy Israel and start a nuclear war. The conspirator's plan unfolds while Steven is in Baghdad to help negotiate the U.S. withdrawal and they are in Sadr City building bombs to strike Iran and blame Israel. Mossad also has agents working undercover to expose the plot. As the scheme is close to fruition, Sam is kidnapped in an attempt to silence Steven. All hell breaks loose in an effort to stop the conspirators and rescue Sam. But wait, there is surprise ending
June 4, 2015
I had read the author's biography before I purchased the book. I knew it would be a good read after I saw the experience he had and being a veteran. The events that happen in this book will make you feel as if you are reading something that is going on in the world today. This is a fiction book but has a great connection with real world events. It met my expectations more than any other book of this type. The characters and the action in the book are written in a way that you can envision it in your mind as you read. There's different twist throughout the book making it more interesting. It is well-written making it easy to follow. I want to read a sequel to the book. This is the first book I have read by this author, but I look forward to reading more by him in the future.
April 6, 2016
l received this book for free thanks to Goodreads Giveaway
l can only award 2 stars because l found it predictable. l was almost guilty of shouting at Steven Grant DON'T believe it.
A boy's own mystery here l fear
l can only award 2 stars because l found it predictable. l was almost guilty of shouting at Steven Grant DON'T believe it.
A boy's own mystery here l fear
November 25, 2015
Loved this book! Was never any slow parts. Action packed all the way. I rate him with Brad Thor. A great read!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews