Operator

by David Vinjamuri, Jothan Cashero

When Michael Herne's high school girlfriend Melissa commits suicide, he makes the fateful decision to return home for her funeral. Michael hasn't stepped foot in his Catskills hometown for more than a dozen years since he left it and a college football scholarship behind to join the Army.

Michael quickly learns that his hometown has changed as he is pulled into the web of mystery and corruption surrounding Melissa's death. He will soon confront the abusive ex-boyfriend, a town sheriff with mixed motives and the ruthless Russian gang at the heart of it all.

Michael will be forced to choose between two paths - that of the desk-working, college-educated intelligence analyst he has become or the Tier I Army Operator he once was. Only one of these identities will survive as Michael is relentlessly hunted by a series of ruthless men.

This meticulously researched, seamlessly plotted thriller is the first in a new series by David Vinjamuri.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Action

178 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 10, 2012

Reviews

[Seeley James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some columnist quoted me in Forbes — obviously an indicator of an advanced intellect — so I read his bio and discovered that he’d written a thriller. Any writer smart enough to quote me deserves to be read. I bought it, I read it … and I liked it. (Even though he’s an Adjunct Professor at NYU, but more about my problems with authority later.) For a debut thriller, independently published, this is a masterful work.

I always give indie writers a little more leeway than traditionally published authors because I am very familiar with the limited resources and the struggle to wear the many hats involved in do-it-yourself publishing. Mr. Vinjamuri pulls it off exceptionally well. No need for allowances or excuses.

Mr. Vinjamuri has a story with three interesting elements on which I will elaborate: 1) First person present tense; 2) Specifics to the Nth degree; and 3) Thrilling action.

First Person Present Tense: Personally, I think all thrillers and mysteries should be told from this vantage point. I wrote my first (shelved) novel in FPPT. It’s the only way a writer can truly unfold a story without resorting to tricks like withholding clues and solving problems. It keeps the writer honest and the reader in real-time. It also keeps the writer’s form on track and makes the story easy to follow.

However, I noticed early on that readers hate it. …Well, at least the way I write it. But, I’ve also noticed that there are darn few FPPT books that reach blockbuster status. A few years back there were several of them. I think Patricia Cornwell and Sue Grafton wrote a book or two in FPPT. The most recent books from those authors are standard 3rd Person Past Tense.

Mr. Vinjamuri handles the format better than anyone I’ve read. I, for one, enjoyed it and admired his ability to make it work to his advantage.

Specifics to the Nth Degree: The word among writers is, always use specifics. Don’t write ‘she went to the bar for a drink’ but rather ‘she pushed into Butch Barb’s and ordered a boilermaker’. Many an author has bogged down on specifics. Operator excels or fails, depending on your love of hardware. Some thrillers devolve into the hardware-store-hard-on listings and burden the reader with brand names that have no direct application in the story. Not so with Operator. While there was a literal ‘shopping list’ for tools of the spy-trade, and an interesting shopping trip to go with it, he never crossed the line into mind-numbing detail:

The room is bigger inside than I anticipate and I catch my breath as I enter. There are rows of newly legal assault weapons in vertical gun racks as well as items restricted for police use. I grab a black Kevlar helmet with a mounting rail for fourth-gen night vision goggles and try it on. Then I pull a level II body armor vest off of a hanging rack.

In that quote you feel the enthusiasm of both author and character. It is the enthusiasm that separates his writing from the ‘hardware’ writers. In that passage, his confidence indicates authority and the reader understands he will show us the value of each item. Which he does.

Read the rest on SeeleyJames

[Russell Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Operator is a well-written, fast-paced action/adventure tale that will leave enthusiasts of the genre happy they read it. The protagonist has all the usual almost preternatural hyper-competence readers of these types of novels have come to expect from the leading man, so while there aren't a lot of surprises in his makeup, it's convincing and offers enough detail to ring true. The story moves well, with gripping action and satisfying prose, and enough twists to keep one guessing. I think that's one of the things that set the book apart from a number I've read lately - it was just plain old well written by an author comfortable with his craft. Sadly, that's rarer and rarer these days. Fans of Bourne and Reacher will eat this up. Recommended, and a good candidate for a series, I would think.

[Scott Roche · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It took me back to the military thrillers I ate like candy in college. There are a few minor things that keep this from being a five star book. I think the primary one for me was that in some ways Herne is a little too over the top. I loved him for the first half of the book, but by the end I only liked him. Part of that is the transformation he undergoes as a character and it didn't stop me from enjoying the story. I will be looking forward to more by this author.

[Vicii · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really good as a relentless, short, fast-paced thriller. Probably 3.5 stars

[Matthew Andrus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael returns home to his childhood town in the Catskills to attended the funeral of his high school girlfriend Melissa but something just doesn't feel right for Michael, he just can't understand why his former girlfriend would shoot herself when she detested guns so much.

Michael with the help of Melissa's friend tries to uncover what really happened and they discover a web of deceit that runs right through this small town in update NYC.

Michael has to use a set of skills that the former solider thought / hoped he'd long long since needed to ever use again to protect the people he loves and uncover the truth behind Melissa's death.

This is a superbly written novel by David Vinjamuri and I sincerely hope this isn't the last!

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Herne's highschool girlfriend has committed suicide and he has come home for the funeral. He has not been back to his home town in years. He left home when his Dad died and his Mom told him he had to go to work in the local mill to support the family. Michael packed a bag and left town. He joined the Army.

Michael starts to question the suicide theory when one of his old girlfriends friends starts showing him some evidence.

This is a fast paced book. It is very well written and interesting.

[Simon Jenner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael finds himself in the middle of Russian gang activity when he returns to his home town for a funeral. His military training and doubts about the 'suicide' of his high school girlfriend mean he cannot just walk away. I particularly enjoyed the details about the training and skills of 'operators' as well as the chase up the mountain. The latter half of the book particularly is fast paced and there are enough twists and turns to keep your interest. I would have liked to have seen Michael's softer side come out (if he has one) to really get to know him more though.

[Sharon Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, sort of fun anyway. Fast, entertaining and good pacing. A bit over the top but then I started my action/adventure addiction with James Bond and Travis McGee so obviously I don't have much issue with "a bit over the top" characters.

Fast action, well developed main character with enough backstory to establish where the plot eventually took him. I wondered about the lack of development of the female lead but it made sense at that point.

I'll be interested in more.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a librarian, you get your hands on a LOT of books. This was sitting on my chair at the last conference I attended. The author was an engaging speaker, with a truly interesting perspective. The book, completely unrelated to the presentation...and I could not put it down!

[Liz Fidler]

Loved the hero & the pace of the book was very good - quick but well written read - maybe we will get more books starring Michael Herne!

[Josh Bickford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best indie book I've read to date. Read it early, if you make the mistake of reading in bed you'll be up all night.

[Jim Crocker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good one. The MC's got slick moves Jason Borne would envy.

[Angelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tangled web that small town hero Mike Herne must untangle. Fast paced, well written, edge of your seat novel. Definitely worth reading. Hope to see more by Mr. Vinjamuri!

[Compulsion Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Herne was going home for the funeral of his ex-girlfriend. Years in the military had strained his relationship with his family, and he had hoped for a quick in and out visit. Unfortunately, a number of factors turned this sad trip into a full-on investigation into the Russian gang activity taking over his hometown. With the help of Veronica, his ex-girlfriend’s best friend, they uncover a dirty scandal that reaches far beyond a small town in the Catskills.

This book has some of the most well-written fight scenes I have ever read, and I’ve read a lot of fight scenes. Author David Vinjamuri has done a great job of explaining the kinesthetic of each move allowing the images in your head to be clear and active. The detailed plot kept me glued to the book. As Michael uncovered one clue a new one would be revealed ultimately leading the reader to some high up political figures.

My one criticism would be that the main character came off a little Rambo-ish. He was able to take everyone out all by himself. This created a small fracture in the believability. Overall, this is an action-packed story that will keep readers wondering how it’s going to end (it definitely didn’t end the way I expected it to).

(This book was provided to Compulsion Reads for review by the author.)

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

A galloping crash, bang, wallop of a read. Our hero is much larger than life and had done his time in almost every branch of US special ops. This flows along at a fine pace and for the most part is a good read. It got a shade too much when he takes out a couple of dozen of the opposition all at one time and the car chase is really a film rather than a book scene but it was an enjoyable escape from real life. Just a shade too much detail now and again. We really don't need to know the name of every road he travels down or the designation of every single weapon he pulls out but it's a minor point and shows the author's done his research.
If you're a fan of Action Man tales then this if for you.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was most likely never going to be a book on my "to read" list. I happened to run across it on a desk at the library and it caught my eye. So glad I picked it up. I started reading it one evening just to see if it was going to be something that could keep my interest and then I had a hard time putting it down. It kept pulling me in chapter after chapter waiting to see what was going to happen next. Herne was a likeable if not loveable character that you really wanted to see come out on top. I would definitely recommend (ok already have!) I agree with those that say this could be made into a movie, very well written, I could easily imagine all the scenarios as if on the big screen.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Ex Special Operations operative now working for the State Department Returns home to a small NY town for the funeral of an old friend whose death was ruled a suicide. Meeting with his family who he hasn’t seen since walking out as a teen to join the Army, he has some catching up to do and some bridges to repair. When he steps in to defuse a confrontation between a woman and an aggressive man he begins a journey back to his operative days as he becomes caught up in a confrontation with a Russian Mafia gang that has worked its way into the town and is running an underage prostitution ring. The ramifications are far reaching and deadly. It’s another decent free Kindle read.

[Ltshaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

I downloaded and read this book because a friend recommended it on Facebook (knows the author). Not usually my kind of book which is why I didn't give a rave review. It was definitely fun to read and flowed nicely. It was also full of violence. Michael Herne is a good protagonist. I totally felt like I was reading about James Bond. Lots of fighting, guns, knives and high speed car chases. If you like that type of book, I'd definitely recommend this one. If you are looking for thoughtful literature, look elsewhere.

[Nieshia Gutierrez · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good short story. Very interesting with lots of detail. I checked it out from Any-think Library. They had it as a binge read book. I read your acknowledgements giving credit to your editor; i think she could have done a better job. I don't like how she edited your book.... they killed a character and then misplace his name in the book once, which was really confusing and made me question myself. There was quite a few typing errors that should have been corrected if she would have re-read through it. All in all not bad!

[Boots S · Rating 2 out of 5]

Micheal Herne returns home after 12 years for the funeral of his one-time girl friend. Events lead him to believe she has been murdered. Herne is a super hero and manages to break up a crime ring run by Russians. It took me a long time to read this book, as I got bogged down with so much description of various types of guns, special armor, etc.

[Joyce Flud · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this writer

I really enjoyed this book I couldn't put it down.
this is the first novel that I have read on my Kindle and I love this writer and will look for more novel's by him

Joyce

[Mike Hobbs]

Step back Tom Clancy et al who have who have coopted other authors to do their writing. This is a great suspense novel and Vinjamuri has an excellent knowledge of tradecraft, setting and modern weaponry. This is a great first work of fiction.

[David]

I wrote Operator. If you want to know more ... www.facebook.com/operatorthenovel

[Michael Serra · Rating 4 out of 5]

very enjoyable read you like the characters and the book move along at a nice pace. I look forward to his next book.

[P.S. Rowland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I forget why I chose this book to read, but I was pleasantly surprised. Worth a try.

[Perri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced and action packed-this is like a Jack Reacher abridged version story.

[Dwayne Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent

This book was great from the start. The detail used to describe actions and events put you right there at the scene. Would definitely read more of this author's work.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book by new author. It was a quick read. Lots of action. Looks like the first book in a series. I'll be reading that series.

[Ron Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

I really enjoyed this book. The author is somewhere between Marcus Wynne and Bob Mayer. I'm looking forward to reading Binder.