Watch List

by Edward Y. Tanner

Hakim never thought about the terrorist watch list until the Transportation Safety Agency put him on it. Then his life fell apart. His wife left, his drivers license was revoked, and he was forced from his home.As Hakim flees his suburban Portland, Oregon home, he hopes to rediscover the anonymity and obscurity of his former life in the great National Parks. But an attack at Mt. Rainier makes him realize his plan could put his family, friends, and life in peril.Media attention begins to paint Hakim as a public enemy and an outsider in his native country. He tries to confront a government seemingly arrayed against him, but appearing in public becomes nearly impossible.Laying low in increasingly remote places, Hakim encounters a cannabis entrepreneur and a journalist who want to help. Can he trust two people he barely knows? Can he get back to the only life he's known?Hakim and his new friends must act quickly as a frenzied wave of fear pushes his pursuers toward acts of unspeakable hate.

Genres: Thriller

402 pages, Paperback

Published February 6, 2024

About the author

Edward Y. Tanner is a writer, translator, and author of the new thriller, Watch List . Edward’s journey as a storyteller developed out of his career in communication and public relations. After years of nomadic travel throughout Western Europe, the Mediterranean region, and the Americas, Edward’s plots incorporate the eclectic personalities he encountered along the way. He finally settled in Michigan’s upper peninsula and evokes the rugged, natural beauty of the Great Lakes region in his novels. When not writing, Edward is out hiking, fishing, or scouring the upper midwest for inspiration for his upcoming books.

Reviews

[Bssrlnd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watch List
by Edward Tanner

Hakim is planning a trip to handle his mother's estate with her family in Algeria. Hakim's wife, Addie, cannot go due to work commitments, so he and his father are leaving Portland for the airport. While in the line for the security check, Hakim is asked to leave the line and follow a TSA agent to another area. He noticed his father standing out of the line and talking to another agent. Hakim is taken to a secluded area and asked for his passport, driver's license, tickets, etc. Different agents come into the room and question him about the purpose of his trip, where was he born, and where he lives. Hakim's luggage gets searched multiple times while he's asked the same questions over and over. When Hakim asks about his father, the agents do not believe that this European-looking man is Hakim's father and deny access to him. After many hours, Hakim is released without any personal papers or belongings; but finds his father waiting for him in the airport. For many days afterward, Hakim and Addie believe the government made an error and he will be able to get his property back with a few phone calls. Hakim eventually finds out that he is on the "No Fly" list and cannot get his passport or belongings back. This is only the beginning of Hakim's concerns as his panic starts to build.

The author builds suspense in every chapter as Hakim tries to rectify what is happening to him. Every avenue he takes to unravel his situation becomes more convoluted, more confusing, and increasingly scary. The police are watching him and he cannot produce identification when asked. Each person he meets intensifies his unease and fear for his safety. At the beginning of each chapter is a timeline that gets smaller and smaller, but to what end? As a reader, I felt the tension increasing with each chapter and every move Hakim makes to stay safe.

Even though this book is fiction, it has a realistic and authentic feel to the experiences and spiraling emotions that Hakim lives through. I would recommend this book as it is relevant to today's society and societal issues. I would rate this book a 4 and recommend it for general audiences that enjoy action and mystery.
REVIEWED BY


Linda Besser
I am an avid reader and recently started writing book reviews. Prior to retiring as an educator, I had written textbooks and educational materials for the State. When not reading, I enjoy hiking, traveling, family and our two springer spaniels.

Watch List
Written by
Edward Tanner

[Jon Hammer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a good read!
Tanner is a talented new author who weaves a tale that shows the reader what it must be like to experience injustice at the most extreme level. The main character (Hakim) does nothing wrong but is persecuted and pursued by the federal government, right way conspiracy theorists, local law enforcement, and a bevy of other "villains." This is bad news for Hakim but good news for the reader as the plot takes on a new twist and turn (literally) every other page. I couldn't put it down.
Highly recommend.

[Kay Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book and it started out great, but I didn't love the writing as the book progressed. I still really thought it was a good eye-opener to discrimination, but found actions taken by the main character unbelievable as the book progressed.

[Laura Unger · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's definitely not my normal type of read, but Watch List tickled my political passions greatly. Seemed to have a new surprise at every twist and turn throughout