Lagrange Calling

by Doug J. Cooper

A daring heist at Avium Pharmaceuticals leaves one dead and a shipment of pleasure drugs missing. The thieves employ unheard-of technology during the crime—a filter that renders them invisible to police surveillance—and escape Lagrange in a stolen spaceship. Interworld Marshal Cuss Abbott and partner Ygo track the criminals to Utopia, a lawless frontier town on Mars. Accompanied by the beautiful Detective Eve Boucher, they sprint in pursuit. During the weeks-long journey to the Red Planet, they strategize and plan, only to arrive unprepared for the harsh reality of life in a mining settlement ruled by criminal syndicates. Forced to rely on their instincts and each other in a hostile society, the line between revenge and justice blurs. Cuss publicly challenges the syndicate bosses in a breathtaking showdown, knowing a single misstep can unleash disaster in a place where criminals make the rules.

Genres: Science Fiction

400 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 15, 2023

About the author

When he is not writing science fiction novels, Doug fills his day working as a professor emeritus of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at UConn, and as founder and director of Control Station, Inc. His passions include telling inventive tales, mentoring driven individuals, and everything sci-tech. He lives in Connecticut with his darling wife and with pictures of his son, who is off somewhere in the world creating adventures of his own.

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cuss Abbot is back, still a man’s man, a bit of a hotshot and the Man Behind the Badge in the new frontier of space. Hidden in the shadows is his own sidekick and techno guru, Ygo while the beautiful and headstrong Detective Eve Boucher adds that dazzle to round out the team. Together they take on the latest lawless space cowboys who dare to steal and push the latest designer drug. Little did Cuss know what lurks in the shadows of the hostile syndicates that awaits their arrival.

Once again Doug Cooper mixes things up with incredible characters, a wild ride and that feeling of a old time Western in space with LAGRANGE CALLING, so fasten your seatbelts and prepare to blast off into another exciting, larger than life adventure! Filled with brilliant dialogue, and constant sense of action and movement from start to finish, this tale is a keeper that will have readers rooting for the good guys, no matter how closely they skate on the edge of the law.

Sometimes you just need a flawed hero or two to believe in and get excited about!

[David Pospisil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun adventure with Cuss and Ygo.

[William Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

As my readers know, I’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed all of Doug J. Cooper’s novels, including Lagrange Rising, the first Cuss Abbott novel. When he released Lagrange Calling (Cuss Abbott #2), it went on the TBR list. Here are my thoughts about the Interworld Marshall’s adventures.

Synopsis (from the author):
A daring heist at Avium Pharmaceuticals leaves one dead and a shipment of pleasure drugs missing. The thieves employ unheard-of technology during the crime—a filter that renders them invisible to police surveillance—and escape Lagrange in a stolen spaceship. Interworld Marshal Cuss Abbott and partner Ygo track the criminals to Utopia, a lawless frontier town on Mars. Accompanied by the beautiful Detective Eve Boucher, they sprint in pursuit. During the weeks-long journey to the Red Planet, they strategize and plan, only to arrive unprepared for the harsh reality of life in a mining settlement ruled by criminal syndicates. Forced to rely on their instincts and each other in a hostile society, the line between revenge and justice blurs. Cuss publicly challenges the syndicate bosses in a breathtaking showdown, knowing a single misstep can unleash disaster in a place where criminals make the rules.

What I liked about Lagrange Calling:
I enjoyed getting to know more about Cuss Abbott and Ygo. The speculative aspects of the technology in the book, as well as the police procedural parts, make for an exciting story. Add in the romance between the characters (and an unexpected twist on it), the Wild West-type setting for the showdown, and the book kept me turning the pages. The ending was also satisfying, but no spoilers from me. Overall, it’s a good science fiction read!

What I didn’t like about Lagrange Calling:
My only complaint was the way the book slowed toward the end. The rest of the book moved quickly, but the conflict resolution with the murderers occurred earlier than I expected. The final part may set the stage for another book, but was slow.

Overall impression of Lagrange Calling:
Lagrange Calling (Cuss Abbott #2) was a fast-paced, enjoyable book. The characters continue to grow, and the technology is interesting. The plot was twisty enough to keep things moving, and the ending was satisfactory, though a bit slow. If you enjoy science fiction and police procedurals, try this one!
My rating:
4.5 Stars rounded to 5 stars

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lagrange Calling – Another rocket ride on the frontier

Note: Doug was kind enough to provide me with an advance copy, but this review is 100% my thoughts about the book.

This is the second of the Cuss Abbot novels by Doug Cooper. Doug has done another great job painting a picture of the new frontier of the day after tomorrow. Humans have begun colonizing the Moon, stations located at Lagrange points between Earth and the moon, and have created a lawless outpost on Mars. Cuss Abbot is an Interworld Marshall, in the tradition of the Texas Rangers. His work takes him to the limits of the human space, and to the politics of this new frontier.

But Cuss is not alone. Ygo is his sidekick, conscious, link to the technologies of the world and sometimes protector. Hidden within their ship, Ygo hides from the world, not wanting to be seen.

We start with a “simple” robbery, with the theft of the designer drug of the day. But things take a number of twists and turns. We soon are hip deep in local politics, workplace issues, and how far parents will go to protect their child.

Cooper main strengths are in crafting great characters. Cuss is there, with all his strengths and all his faults. But at the end, Ygo sums up Cuss nicely, “He’s
different from anyone else I know. He’s a guardian. A sentinel.”

So, in the tradition of The Lone Ranger, the Musketeers, and others who put themselves into harm’s way to protect others, we have tomorrow’s hero. And that makes for a fun and fast read.

Overall, I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for a little escape, a little fun, and another rocket ride through the cosmos.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book following the investigations by Interworld Marshall Cuss Abbott and his ever present partner Ygo. I enjoyed the first book and I enjoyed reading the second in the series. I hope that Mr. Cooper will bring us more of their exploits.

Avium Pharmaceuticals, located on Lagrange's tube city Demeter parked between earth and the moon, was robbed of 10,000 doses of Pulse, a powerful pleasure drug, there was murder, and the criminals were invisible to the city's population tracking system (POTS). They were able to escape Cuss and Ygo are assigned the case and Detective First Eve Boucher joins them. Their hunt for the criminals takes them to Nova Terra on the moon and eventually to Mars.

The writing is fast paced with a delicate balance between description, explanation, and action. Cuss's personality becomes richer from the Book #1. Ygo's humanity emerges to a much greater degree. The pathos of his trapped, sequestered life is more apparent especially when. he spars with Cuss and interacts with Eve.

The storyline keeps my interest, the descriptions of life away from 21st century earth are sparingly written. It is Cuss and Ygo and now Eve who drive the story.

I look forward to my next visit with the Interworld Marshals and may try his earlier work the Crystal Series in the meantime.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and Fun, But Not As Good as LaGrange Rising (Book #1 of 2)

This was a mostly good continuation of the 1st Book in the Series, but not as good; I’m not sure I can point a finger at ‘Why?’ — other than just my perception.

Surprisingly, ‘LaGrange Calling’ mostly takes place on Mars, in a society run by thugs more than governments — so, how an Interplanetary Marshall Service fits into THAT picture, kind of leaves me wondering what The Author was up to.

The ‘good guys’ and ‘gals’ were interesting characters, and The Author certainly included more sexual encounters in this Book (versus the first) — but, truthfully, The Author needs to dive a bit deeper into the sex than the broad strokes he uses.

The Main Character is still practically a super-hero full of talents, but The Author blew his chance to make the up-and-coming woman Marshall to be stronger and more resilient than he made her. But, good for The Author for using this Book to better describe Ygo and his physical being and personality.

So — overall, I definitely recommend reading this entire Cuss Abbott series.

[Kerry Reis · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a major drug theft from a pharmaceutical company in a community on the Lagrange colony orbiting Earth turns bad leading to a death and a potential kidnapping, Interworld Marshal Cuss Abbott is assigned to investigate and track down the perpetrators, who have seemed to have escaped on a cargo ship back to Earth. However, when the investigation seems to reveal that the cargo ship with the criminals is being redirected with an orbital slingshot move out to the Utopia mining colony on Mars, Cuss joins up with fellow marshal, Eve Boucher, on a journey to intercept the perps, while dealing with a distant colony run by a couple of syndicates in a Wild West fashion. In the second novel of the new Cuss Abbott sci-fi police procedural series, author Doug Cooper has amped up the drama and added some blur to the boundaries of justice, while maintaining a scientific basis in creating the futuristic world that the characters must navigate. The complex tale is very engaging.

[J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lagrange Calling by Doug J. Cooper
I received an ARC of this book. This is the second in the Marshall Cuss sci-fi mysteries, and was better in some ways than the first. I thought this book moved faster (except for the end - see below) and the criminals were more engaging. Well, some of them. The high-tech and creative crime that started the investigation caught my attention right away. From there things get worse, people die, and Cuss has to chase criminals all the way to Mars. Cuss’ new partner, how she comes to be that, and how she finally learns the truth about Ygo add fun elements to the reading. The only weak point in this action-packed book is that the ending seems to be a bit anticlimactic. Perhaps that’s on purpose because at least one element just might hint at another book coming.

[Kelly Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great mix of space sci-fi and a police procedural. The pace is good and the level of suspense is just right. Cuss Abbott is like the FBI but without the corruption. The book is well-edited, unlike so many kindle books. In other words, this is a real author. The plot is logical and believable. I would read more in this series.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed it! Great characters, interesting plot, lots of action, an old fashioned Western vibe and the expectation that there’s more to come.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.

[William N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Neat package

This turned out to be much better than I expected. Odd, but good. I really have come to like Ygo. (Read the book.) I am greatly saddened that there are no more volumes in the very short series. I'd be out looking for any more volumes if there were any.

[J.D. Schechter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun read

Starts o$ slow, but quickly builds up to speed. Larger than life characters, believable dialogue, and more fiction than science. Leaves you wanting more

[Scott Shjefte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Space opera police thriller. Purchased on March 23, 2024 for free. Enjoyable read but not much depth. Read Kindle book using Alexa audio asset.