NightHawk Crossing

by C. Edgar North

The story centers on people, drugs and weapons smuggling and the ruthlessness of a well-entrenched criminal organization. The smugglers are mainly Native American Indians and motorcycle gang members led by a chieftain with a Navy SEAL background. Although the smuggling is within the aegis of the Border Patrol and various ICE sub-agencies, the FBI steps in when two Border Patrol agents are killed by smugglers. The pursuit of the killers not only uncovers drug and gun distribution rigs in America but also unveils a major plot to supply a secret weapon to the Taliban and Al Qaida and sub plots of the State Department, Canadian spy agencies, NATO and the CIA. The story transports the reader from the Okanagan Canada-U.S.A. border region to England, Kyrgyzstan and the Maldives. Action scenes murder of two Border Patrol Special Agents; ambush and murder of Korean human trafficking gang members; a winter ambush and destruction of two FBI helicopters while attempting to intercept a smuggling operation; a gun battle between smuggler and FBI helicopters; and a Navy SEAL underwater approach assault on an armory and meth lab on a remote island in the Maldives. The story and the persona are complete fiction but ideas have been gleaned and exaggerated from some “life experiences and characterizations” and events. For example, trans border drug smuggling by helicopter in the Okanagan is well known and some aircraft have been confiscated. In another example, the Taliban and Al Qaida used a resort in the Maldives for conferences when your author was working in the Maldives. Some towns have been fictionalized but other well-known landmarks are retained. The Chieftain is portrayed as a sociopathic “anti-hero” – well respected in his environmental activities and leadership roles with no remorse for killing adversaries. He is not “killed off” in the story - although much of his well-ordered world is lost – as your author has at least three more episodes in mind.

408 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 21, 2013

Reviews

[Pat Stanford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read, but too long

I was looking for an action adventure book and several authors popped up, including this one. It sounded promising and I purchased it several months before getting to read it.

It starts with people walking silently on the Canadian border - a smuggling business that was a well oiled machine until they killed two Border Patrol agents. Turns out that the weapon used to kill them was the same used for killing an Taliban leader.

This gets the FBI involved and two of their own are killed.

Nighthawk Crossing is a story smuggling- human trafficking, drugs an firearms are all in the story.

It is a little too detailed in several spots, and there is a lot of technical talk I found boring.

A lot of the dialogue was unnecessary banter and much of it didn't move the story.

It was a very long book and I think an editor could have helped tighten it up to make it more concise and interesting.

Overall, though, it was a good read.

[Siobhan D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed listening to Henry Marshall, his strong narration , is perfect for this fast book.

You will find smuggling, of guns drugs in the Pacific Northwest. FBI and CIA, Russian arms dealer. Twist turns and shoot outs.
I kept wanting to listening and find out what would happen next.
Great characters.

[Tanis Buckton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyable - loved that it was set in the Okanagan!!

[C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it very much.