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Mountain Crossing
One man’s search for his missing wife pulls him into a world that could kill him.
Florida, Summer 1980–Investigative reporter Jack Kendall is already shaken after witnessing a suicide on assignment when he comes home to find his wife, Becky, gone. She’s left behind only a brief letter—and a silence that hits harder than the shock he’s already carrying.
Jack’s grief quickly hardens into obsession. As a reporter, he knows how to ask questions. As a husband, he refuses to stop until he finds her.
What begins as a desperate personal search spirals into something far more dangerous. Becky’s disappearance is tied to a sophisticated international cocaine trafficking operation operating out of Florida—and reaching into the jungles and mountains of Jamaica. The deeper Jack digs, the clearer it Becky didn’t just walk away. She was pulled into a world where people vanish—and don’t come back.
Mountain Crossing delivers a tightly paced, immersive mystery featuring investigative reporter Jack Kendall, a man trained to uncover the truth even when that truth threatens to destroy him. After surviving an assassination attempt meant to silence him, Jack follows the trail to Jamaica’s Blue Mountains, where rival drug gangs, CIA operatives, and a ruthless kingpin are converging on a final, violent reckoning.
Guiding—and haunting—him is a recurring series of prophetic a mountain crossing, armed soldiers, and a mysterious young woman dressed in white. As Jack pursues physical evidence across Florida and Jamaica, the meaning of the dreams slowly emerges, unfolding on a second, symbolic level that blurs the line between intuition, obsession, and fate.
At the heart of it all is a choice Jack can’t how far is he willing to go for the truth—and what will it cost him when he finds it?
The first novel in the Jack Kendall Mysteries, Mountain Crossing is a gripping blend of crime, investigative journalism, suspense, and psychological depth. Drawing on real newsroom experience and vivid Caribbean settings, the novel explores addiction, loyalty, love, and the price of pursuing the truth when the truth doesn’t want to be found.
Mountain Crossing has been professionally polished to deliver a smooth, compelling reading experience—one that builds toward a powerful reckoning and a deeper understanding of what it truly means to go home.
Perfect for fans of journalistic thrillers, international crime fiction, and character-driven mysteries, Mountain Crossing introduces a tenacious reporter whose first investigation will change his life forever.
Pursue the truth—and discover where the Jack Kendall Mysteries begin.
Praise for Mountain Crossing
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “An action-packed thriller set against the dangerous beauty of 1980s Jamaica.” — Reedsy Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “What an exciting read… intense, immersive, and impossible to put down.” — Amazon Reviewer
Florida, Summer 1980–Investigative reporter Jack Kendall is already shaken after witnessing a suicide on assignment when he comes home to find his wife, Becky, gone. She’s left behind only a brief letter—and a silence that hits harder than the shock he’s already carrying.
Jack’s grief quickly hardens into obsession. As a reporter, he knows how to ask questions. As a husband, he refuses to stop until he finds her.
What begins as a desperate personal search spirals into something far more dangerous. Becky’s disappearance is tied to a sophisticated international cocaine trafficking operation operating out of Florida—and reaching into the jungles and mountains of Jamaica. The deeper Jack digs, the clearer it Becky didn’t just walk away. She was pulled into a world where people vanish—and don’t come back.
Mountain Crossing delivers a tightly paced, immersive mystery featuring investigative reporter Jack Kendall, a man trained to uncover the truth even when that truth threatens to destroy him. After surviving an assassination attempt meant to silence him, Jack follows the trail to Jamaica’s Blue Mountains, where rival drug gangs, CIA operatives, and a ruthless kingpin are converging on a final, violent reckoning.
Guiding—and haunting—him is a recurring series of prophetic a mountain crossing, armed soldiers, and a mysterious young woman dressed in white. As Jack pursues physical evidence across Florida and Jamaica, the meaning of the dreams slowly emerges, unfolding on a second, symbolic level that blurs the line between intuition, obsession, and fate.
At the heart of it all is a choice Jack can’t how far is he willing to go for the truth—and what will it cost him when he finds it?
The first novel in the Jack Kendall Mysteries, Mountain Crossing is a gripping blend of crime, investigative journalism, suspense, and psychological depth. Drawing on real newsroom experience and vivid Caribbean settings, the novel explores addiction, loyalty, love, and the price of pursuing the truth when the truth doesn’t want to be found.
Mountain Crossing has been professionally polished to deliver a smooth, compelling reading experience—one that builds toward a powerful reckoning and a deeper understanding of what it truly means to go home.
Perfect for fans of journalistic thrillers, international crime fiction, and character-driven mysteries, Mountain Crossing introduces a tenacious reporter whose first investigation will change his life forever.
Pursue the truth—and discover where the Jack Kendall Mysteries begin.
Praise for Mountain Crossing
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “An action-packed thriller set against the dangerous beauty of 1980s Jamaica.” — Reedsy Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “What an exciting read… intense, immersive, and impossible to put down.” — Amazon Reviewer
349 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 29, 2024
About the author
Jay B. Greene
14 books12 followersJay B. Greene
Author | Investigative Reporter | Storyteller
I spent more than forty years as an investigative reporter, chasing stories across police beats, healthcare companies, government offices, and courtrooms. Today, I bring that same instinct for truth into my fiction—writing crime novels and thrillers rooted in real-world drama, where the stakes are high, and the consequences are real.
I was born and raised in Sarasota, and I still live there. I studied environmental science and journalism at the University of Florida, two fields that continue to shape my work. Over the course of my career, I covered healthcare, government, crime, and environmental issues for newspapers across the country, and I still freelance for publications in Sarasota and Detroit.
My fiction reflects that background.
The Jack Kendall Mystery series follows an investigative reporter who uncovers dangerous truths others would rather keep hidden. These stories move from Florida to Jamaica, Bogotá, and beyond, blending international intrigue with the gritty reality of journalism. The series includes Mountain Crossing, Becky, Bone Valley, and Nokomis Hospital, with the next installment, Breakthrough Lies, scheduled for release in August 2026.
At the same time, I’ve taken a different path into the unknown with the Tim and Peggy Smith Space Adventure trilogy, a family-driven science fiction series inspired in part by a challenge from my two sons. Beginning with Danger From Space and continuing with Flight to the Stars, these novels explore discovery, resilience, and humanity’s place in the universe. The next book, Children of the Stars, is set for release in late 2026.
Whether I’m writing about crime in Florida, corruption in the real world, or exploration beyond the stars, my stories are driven by the same idea that guided my career in journalism:
The truth is never simple—and it’s always worth pursuing.
Author | Investigative Reporter | Storyteller
I spent more than forty years as an investigative reporter, chasing stories across police beats, healthcare companies, government offices, and courtrooms. Today, I bring that same instinct for truth into my fiction—writing crime novels and thrillers rooted in real-world drama, where the stakes are high, and the consequences are real.
I was born and raised in Sarasota, and I still live there. I studied environmental science and journalism at the University of Florida, two fields that continue to shape my work. Over the course of my career, I covered healthcare, government, crime, and environmental issues for newspapers across the country, and I still freelance for publications in Sarasota and Detroit.
My fiction reflects that background.
The Jack Kendall Mystery series follows an investigative reporter who uncovers dangerous truths others would rather keep hidden. These stories move from Florida to Jamaica, Bogotá, and beyond, blending international intrigue with the gritty reality of journalism. The series includes Mountain Crossing, Becky, Bone Valley, and Nokomis Hospital, with the next installment, Breakthrough Lies, scheduled for release in August 2026.
At the same time, I’ve taken a different path into the unknown with the Tim and Peggy Smith Space Adventure trilogy, a family-driven science fiction series inspired in part by a challenge from my two sons. Beginning with Danger From Space and continuing with Flight to the Stars, these novels explore discovery, resilience, and humanity’s place in the universe. The next book, Children of the Stars, is set for release in late 2026.
Whether I’m writing about crime in Florida, corruption in the real world, or exploration beyond the stars, my stories are driven by the same idea that guided my career in journalism:
The truth is never simple—and it’s always worth pursuing.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 14, 2024
Marvelous New Mystery Author
Jay Greene creates believable characters and enticing plot arcs for each of them. Having read all the usual mystery writers, I know when I am captivated by a new author. I look forward to Jay Greene's next installment in this series.
Jay Greene creates believable characters and enticing plot arcs for each of them. Having read all the usual mystery writers, I know when I am captivated by a new author. I look forward to Jay Greene's next installment in this series.
August 1, 2024
Reporter turned novelist
Jay Greene has successfully pivoted from a career in journalism to novelist. I enjoyed Mountain Crossing, first book in a series with reporter Jack Kendall as the main character. Looking forward to book #2.
Jay Greene has successfully pivoted from a career in journalism to novelist. I enjoyed Mountain Crossing, first book in a series with reporter Jack Kendall as the main character. Looking forward to book #2.
August 12, 2025
Intense, riveting, and could not put down until I finished! Very interesting plot and unexpected ending. Good read!
June 3, 2026
"I love you, Betty! Forgive me. You aren't to blame!"
Jack Kendall is our protagonist in Mountain Crossing, and this is our first insight into him as an investigative reporter in Jay B. Greene's new series. I enjoyed the whirlwind way in which the story progresses, jumping from one manic scene to another, with a number of very unlikeable characters who, quite frankly, would be far better off walking into the Jamaican mountains and never returning! 😆
I think I liked Jack... I'm still on the fence 🤔. I'll let you know after the next book! What I can say is that he's definitely better off without his wife. When she goes missing, I'm not sure I'd have been bothered to go and find her! 😂
There are a few strange characters who tag along with Jack as he sets out to find his wife, and it seems that, in his eyes, they're completely disposable. They're there to help him in his mission, and he doesn't much care what happens to them afterwards — an interesting and somewhat unique take on teamwork! 😅
Mountain Crossing is definitely a book I'd recommend if you enjoy suspense, mystery, and thrillers. I'll be picking up the next instalment as soon as my schedule allows 📚.
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read and review Mountain Crossing.
Jack Kendall is our protagonist in Mountain Crossing, and this is our first insight into him as an investigative reporter in Jay B. Greene's new series. I enjoyed the whirlwind way in which the story progresses, jumping from one manic scene to another, with a number of very unlikeable characters who, quite frankly, would be far better off walking into the Jamaican mountains and never returning! 😆
I think I liked Jack... I'm still on the fence 🤔. I'll let you know after the next book! What I can say is that he's definitely better off without his wife. When she goes missing, I'm not sure I'd have been bothered to go and find her! 😂
There are a few strange characters who tag along with Jack as he sets out to find his wife, and it seems that, in his eyes, they're completely disposable. They're there to help him in his mission, and he doesn't much care what happens to them afterwards — an interesting and somewhat unique take on teamwork! 😅
Mountain Crossing is definitely a book I'd recommend if you enjoy suspense, mystery, and thrillers. I'll be picking up the next instalment as soon as my schedule allows 📚.
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read and review Mountain Crossing.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews