Incitement

by David Graham

A bloody massacre at a Mexican heroin refinery; a Miami-bound freight ship hijacked for its cargo of illegal narcotics; the ruthless assassination of a Kosovar drug lord – a war has erupted between two drugs superpowers.

As DEA Agent Diane Mesi investigates she becomes convinced that the conflict is being orchestrated by an unknown third party. But she is marginalised by her colleagues and her judgement is challenged at every turn. Only if she can expose the truth will she be able to stop the violence and save her career.

Michael Larsen is an ex-soldier and hired mercenary who has been contracted to fuel the conflict at every opportunity until it destroys both sides. As he battles his own demons, he hopes that by directing the violence he will attain some measure of redemption.

But neither Mesi nor Larsen know the full extent of the forces at play or of what is truly at stake. As they each pursue their own resolution, the violence escalates and they become increasingly isolated and vulnerable to the dangers that stalk them.

British Academy of Film and Television Award Winner 2001, Ferdia MacAnna, "I loved it, a page-turner, couldn't put it down ... I'm amazed it's a first book, it's like a 3rd or 4th from an established writer. He's also created an amazing character called Larsen ... the best character I've met in these books, quite chilling but brilliant. Mesi is an enigmatic heroine. It's a great book, if you like thrillers it's just terrific ..."

'Incitement' won a national competition from over 500 entrants. The competition was run by one of Irish Radio’s flagship programs on the national station, The John Murray Show, in conjunction with the biggest selling Irish weekly magazine, The RTE Guide.

Genres: Fiction

344 pages, Paperback

First published October 11, 2013

About the author

For David Graham, the publication of his debut novel, Incitement, was like a lot of things in life, down to a little bit of luck. Driving to work one day, listening to one of Irish Radio’s flagship programs on the National Station, The John Murray Show, he heard the competition for debut novelists being announced. David had tried to get the book published a few years earlier and after a number of rejections, majorly overhauled the story but between running a company, sitting an executive MBA and raising a family, he had never gotten around to re-submitting. Thinking ‘why not’ as the manuscript had just languished on his hard drive for more than two years, he entered and to his surprise won from over 500 entrants.

David has had a varied career as a barman, laborer, scaffolder, programmer, troubleshooter, designer and company director. He has worked throughout Europe, particularly in Scandinavia and travelled extensively internationally. David completed a BA in Management in his early 30’s after originally finishing schooling at 17 and then went on to complete the MBA while running his own business.

He’s also managed to do some fun things along the way, bungee jumping over Victoria Falls, hang-gliding over Rio de Janeiro and rock climbing in North Wales.

David is currently just completing a draft of his second novel.

He has a keen interest in history, economics and current affairs and lives with his wife and two young sons in Dublin.

Reviews

[Aditi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The American Nobel Laureate economist, Milton Friedman, has quoted about Drug War as:

“See, if you look at the drug war from a purely economic point of view, the role of the government is to protect the drug cartel. That's literally true.”

According to Wikipedia, A drug cartel is a criminal organization developed with the primary purpose of promoting and controlling drug trafficking operations. They range from loosely managed agreements among various drug traffickers to formalized commercial enterprises.

David Graham, an English modern-day author, has brain-stormed his readers with his new thriller book, Incitement , which puts the spotlight on drug wars, drug cartels and illegal drug trading.

And reading this book, I come to this notion that I can easily agree with Milton Friedman's true words that basically it is the government who are trying to protect their drug cartels, and also to create panic among drug addicts by creating the tiff between the ruling drug lords, and to hike up the prices of drug by dethroning the drug lords.

Thanks to the author, David Graham, for giving this opportunity to read and review his book.

DEA agent, Diane Mesi, muckrake the war between the Alliance and the Kosovar Fifteen Families drug rulers. Michael Larsen, an ex-soldier and a mercenary, who is hired to act as a catalyst to drive this drug war. From the very beginning, Diane suspects the role of a third party to drive this war, but after not getting much support and help from her department, she takes things on her own hands, thereby, forcing herself to travel the unknown dark path of the drug war. But when she connects the dots to this puzzle, it not only shocks her guts out but also leaves her heart-broken.

Incitementis a fast-paced thriller based on Washington, which is bound to grip your attention from the very beginning of the book. I can say that it’s total page-turner. The author has done a great justice to the book, from portraying his flawed and dark characters to building a very action-packed and tight plot. I loved how the author kept all his twists and turn hidden till very long, and the clues and hints are slowly unfolded along with the mystery. Yes, there is blood, some adrenaline-rushing actions and definitely, bone-chilling thrills-a completely thrilling roller-coaster ride with emotions running very high! Diane's character is what I loved the most and she is strong and fearless and has a deadly determination to get to the bottom of everything. She speaks her mind and her intuition power is quite awesome. The book is more like a movie unrolling right in front of our eyes, and for that hats off to the author for his vivid imagination.

Do read this thrilling and intriguing book which takes you into the dark and mysterious worlds of drug-makers, drug-traders and drug-lords’ dens.

[Margaret Madden · Rating 4 out of 5]

From BleachHouseLibrary.Blogspot.ie


We received a copy of this book from the author for review purposes......

Incitement by David Graham is the winner of The John Murray Show, RTÉ Radio/ RTÉ Guide/ Kazoo Competition .

This thriller set in the illegal narcotics trade sees DEA agent Diane Mesi investigating a war between two groups battling for supremacy . Michael Larsen is the ex-soldier and mercenary hired to drive this war in order to destroy both sides . Mesi suspects the violence is being dictated by a third party but finds it hard to get support from her agency and is running out of chances to prove her point . What is not clear to either is that both are being manipulated by a higher force who has a different endgame in play and will stop at nothing to achieve this .

This is a fast-paced thriller with plenty of twists along the way . I found it well researched and for a debut novel is very assured . The novel moves easily from South America via Mexico to the United States and keeps the reader engaged along the way .It's a real page turner with good set-pieces along the way and a strong cast of characters . I could see this being turned into a movie and I have even tried to cast the main characters for a bit of fun .

I would highly recommend this novel and look forward to reading more in the future from the author .

Incitement is published by Andromoda Publishing and is available in paperback and ebook format

[Jerome · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its great to read such an original thriller. I found it to be a excellent page turner and I literally couldn't put the book down. Finished it in a few days. It is excellently paced, with some good character development and some clever twists.

I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good read over Christmas.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title suits the book well. A thriller where a friend becomes a foe and a foe becomes an ally. Initially, it seems that one drug lord is waging a war against another drug lord but it's actually the outside forces that are manipulating them. The book was intriguing, exciting and suspenseful.

Thank you for sending me Incitement, which I enjoyed, through goodreads first-reads.

[Anita Few · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting read

Really enjoyed this book. Action packed and a great female protagonist. Would like to read more from this author. Would recommend.

[Marjorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Confused

I say confused because someone has a he'll of mind. There was so much going on I had to read part 2 or 3 times. Still a good book

[Fran Purvis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing - too formulaic Did not finish

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

As soon as the book begins, the action starts. The mystery and sense of suspense hook the readers from the first couple of pages, which is a hard thing to accomplish. I, for one, absolutely hate starting new books, because usually I’m not interested in the beginning, but in this one, I definitely felt the tone for the rest of the book would be thrilling.

On the other hand, from the beginning I also didn’t really like the structure of Graham’s writing. I don’t want to be too English teacher-y, but the whole book is littered with passive tense verbs and run-on sentences. Besides the grammar and personal preferences, though, I enjoyed how Graham wrote with the intent of creating a thriller. His writing style matched the mood he set, which is important to stay consistent in the plot.

However, some parts are confusing. For instance, with the different character points of views, it’s difficult to remember or know who is talking. Plus, the layers in the story, while keeping it interesting, cause the book to be hard to follow.

If this were a movie, I’d place it in the docu-drama section, even though I know it isn’t based on a true story, but it is evident Graham did a lot of research on this topic. The style of the whole book seems very real and very technical. All the terminology, setting format, and character traits are very technical and precise. It’s like when you watch a CSI show or something and they all seem to well put together and use all these codes that you wouldn’t understand immediately. This adds to the legitimacy of the plot, but it also adds to the confusion.

So I did like all the layers of the story, but I almost think in some points it took away from the suspense because the readers’ brains are scattered on all different problems.

I enjoyed the book due to the suspense and thrill along with the very interesting plot and facts about the drug wars, but his writing style and layered plot confused me a bit.

[Cathy Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

And I’m so glad I was asked to review, it’s one of those books that grabbed me from the get go. Although on a couple of occasions I admit having to re read pages to get it all straight in my mind, the plot gets very intricate and involved. All is not as it first seems. I’m amazed this is David Graham’s first novel. It reads like the work of someone with experience and confidence and a few books under their belt.

Incitement dives straight into the action from page one with a raid on a drug refinery in Mexico resulting in multiple murders. A boat carrying an illegal cargo is hijacked and more people are killed. A drug lord is assassinated, all with the intention of initiating a full-blown war between two of the most powerful drug cartels, the Kosovar Fifteen Families who are based in Europe and The Alliance based in Mexico and Columbia.

Diane Mesi, a woman resolutely trying to make her mark in a man’s world, and Michael Larsen, chilling and ruthless, yet intriguing, are the main players and both are strong characters that evolve as the story progresses. The secondary characters are well fleshed out and credible. The tension and suspense escalate as it begins to become apparent to Diane that someone must be working behind the scenes, deliberately causing all the trouble.

The writing flows well and it’s very visual, which is a big plus for me. The author has obviously done a huge amount of research and the story is well thought out. The layers are woven together skilfully and I like the addition of the news report sections.

The consequences of actions taken are played out to the bitter, and unexpected, end. A thrilling read.

[Kieran · Rating 4 out of 5]

The key to a successful thriller is the ability of the narrative to keep the reader on the edge of his or her seat, hesitant to put the book down as he or she becomes so mired in the text that waiting to finish it does not even feel like an option. In his debut novel, Incitement, David Graham demonstrates this skill with an aptitude not common amongst burgeoning writers.

At first glance, the mystery surrounding the narrative seems fairly straight-forward. Rival drug runners are being killed, and an investigation is underway to find out who is at the source. But the mystery actually becomes more complicated as things unravel, and protagonist Diane Mesi is a changed person by the end of the novel.

This character development of the protagonist is one of the best executed aspects of Graham’s book. There are many thrillers that get so wrapped up in resolving the plot, they forget to turn their characters into dynamic human beings. In these sorts of novels, the hero is nothing more than a device to move the pages forward. Luckily, Graham’s characters do not fall under this category. Both Mesi and supporting character Michael Larsen have their own unique motivations the go far beyond simply advancing the plot.

Many readers might find some parts a bit confusing, especially the last couple of pages. The writing would definitely be improved by a level of balance; at times, the writing is almost too smart to be reader-friendly. That said, Mesi’s character arc might give way to a potential sequel, so it is quite possible that Graham will continue to perfect this balance over time. In the meantime, he has delivered a riveting debut novel with a protagonist worthy of future adventures.

[Marina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The original review is posted on Chick Library Cat Book Blog:

http://chicklibrarycat.blogspot.com/2...

In a heroin refinery in Mexico people have been slaughtered. No one knows about the place. But the police finds Serbian brand of cigarette ends on the crime scene. A brand that is very popular in the Balkans. DEA suspects the Kosovars.

A boat that transfers illegal drugs to Miami has been hijacked. Another group of people are slaughtered.

Mafia bosses are killed. Drug markets are destroyed.

Does new mafia war start?

Who is responsible for all those killings?

Agent Diane Mesi is in charge for the cases. Together with the lonely wolf Larsen, they try to solve the crimes. Who is doing them a favour by killing the bad guys?

Incitement has a very interesting plot set up in various places in the world. From Mexico and Colombia, to Skopje in Macedonia, it is fullfilled with tension and action. In the very same time, the two main characters, Mesi and Larsen have to find the culprit but also face their own demons. The book is a real page-turner that makes you read faster and faster till the very ending. I must say that the ending confused me little bit, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book. The story has many twists and often makes you wonder who did it, who is behind it, who is really behind it. I enjoyed it, and I'll be definitely in search of other books from this author in future.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This really is a book you can't put down. The author has created an awesome character in Larsen. Mesl is the heroine in this spine-chilling international thriller which has plenty of depth. David Graham provides plenty of background to the characters and the situations they find themselves in. They manage to get into many scrapes and throughout the entire book you are left wondering as more and more of the story lines develop and you just have to keep reading to find out the outcome.

David Graham has gradually introduced the different plots which eventually reach a climax and he has certainly done his research well. Diane Mesl, the heroine is an agent investigating drug cartels and finds her in the salubrious world of the South Americans/International drug dealers.

I can definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys crime thrillers and look forward to the sequels as they are released. This is an excellent book and what surprised me is that it was the authors first book.

[Meriah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely an adult novel, some of the language and terms used slightly offended me. Some of the female characters (especially at the end of the book) are insulted with "stupid bitch" and the likes. To me, only strong, intelligent women tend to be called those types of names.

Beyond those slight annoyances though, the novel was an easy, fun read. There are twists and turns that make this novel all the better for reading. If you're into CSI (especially Miami), you NEED to pick up this novel and read it for yourself!

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has won several prizes. I was amazed that this was a first books, the writing is phenomenal! As soon as the book begins, the action starts. The mystery and sense of suspense hook the readers from the first couple of pages, which is a hard thing to accomplish. The author's intensive research work, gives a lot of insights about the logistical mechanics and political repercussions of drug wars. Like I said, this is a strong first novel with intricate planning, compelling characters, and some first-rate execution. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes a modern day thriller!

[Maiken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written thriller, with lots of subplots and well developed side players that do not stay static throughout the book.

I initially thought the storyline was a bit too ambitious and unrealistic, but as the story developed it became clear exactly how it would be possible.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat with every twist and turn that developed.A little too violent for me at times,but made the plot very real.

[Casey May · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really liked this book. An intelligent read, I started reading it on a day off and read it right through the night because I got hooked on it.

[Jerome · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolute fantastic read, had me hooked from page 1, highly recommend.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good read

Thoroughly enjoyed this book..Fast action, well thought out layers of intricacy, things that just might be true. Highly recommend this book.