Bureau 39

by Jeffrey Miller

For decades since the collapse of communism, North Korea, the so-called "hermit kingdom" has survived by making international crime a state enterprise. CIA operative Frank Mitchum’s area of specialty is Bureau 39 – the top-secret government unit responsible for financing the rogue state’s weapons of mass destruction. Mitchum uncovers the involvement of Jimmy Wu, a Hong Kong methamphetamine mogul, whose cross-border smuggling routes are vital to Bureau 39’s supply of WMD components. An explosion at a container terminal in Hong Kong, an arms dealer and smuggler arrested in Thailand, and the disappearance of a CIA asset plague the investigation.Even as the bodies pile up, Mitchum races to cut off Bureau 39's resources before it is too late; because the threat of the world’s first nuclear holocaust depends on it.

330 pages, Paperback

Published June 20, 2017

Reviews

[Samuel Hawley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A timely new thriller introducing the character of Frank Mitchum, a CIA operative in the vein of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan. Here he goes up against North Korea’s notorious Bureau 39, a secret government office tasked with raising money by whatever means necessary to prop up the regime—counterfeiting American $100 bills, manufacturing crystal meth, you name it. A fast-paced, engaging read, written by long-time Korea resident Jeffery Miller, who knows his stuff.

[Blaine Pardoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t generally read political action thrillers. I met Tom Clancy once when his Hunt for Red October had just come out. I met him at a gaming event where he was playing Harpoon. True story. Clancy was approachable but what stunned me was his off-the-cuff depth of knowledge about naval warfare and ship details. I read a lot of his books over the years but once he became a franchise/factory, I just dropped out of that genre. Sadly, with his demise, I just felt it would be hard for anyone to fill his boots.
I broke my streak this spring when I finally broke down and read a Jack Reacher novel. I liked it, despite constantly picturing Tom Cruise saying all of the lines. Honestly, I didn’t want to like it, but I found myself liking the witty dialogue and Reacher’s unique brand of thinking. Suddenly I was back reading political thrillers.
When I saw the cover for Jeffrey Miller’s Bureau 39, it kind of pulled me in. Don’t kid yourself, we’ve all bought novels because of a good cover…admit it. The synopsis grabbed me too. A mysterious North Korean Bureau that was covertly plying the drug trade to help secure ICBM’s with nuclear capability. I purchased it a few months ago and had no idea how timely the subject matter was going to be.
Actually – it’s eerie how accurate this book feels. Makes me wonder, does Miller have some sort of inside track we’re unaware of?
I won’t ruin the plot or story for you. Suffice it to say, it is a solid plot. Two things stood out for me. One was the dialogue of the characters. They were distinct voices in the story, and were not cheesy one-liners but carefully crafted phrases. There were times I chuckled at some of the references. Miller doesn’t waste scenes or character time with things that don’t propel the plot forward – and that is something that is both rare and worthy of respect. Good dialogue ensures good believable characters. Miller is masterful in this aspect of his art.
My favorite part of the book is that the author puts you there, in Korea. This is not blatant, but subtle. You are given a fantastic geopolitical and geography lesson throughout the smooth flow of this book. There are wonderful little details that I ended up Googling only to find that Miller was dead-on with his facts. This added sense of realism in the setting makes Bureau 39 a welcome addition to any political thriller bookshelf.
Given the current tensions between US and North Korea, this book couldn’t be timelier and adds to a captivating story and strong characters. This is a solid five out of five stars.

[Peter Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a hell of a story. Miller has crafted a work of fiction so believable and timely, that it’s scarily close to the truth. Methamphetamine production in North Korea – check. Missile components being smuggled through third party receivers – check. Drug deals gone wrong in South East Asia – check. Clandestine shenanigans in the streets of Seoul – check. But what raises this story above the rest is the superb cast of interwoven characters. Miller writes with the skill and nuance of someone who has walked these very streets. In Bureau 39, Miller has created a modern-day must read.

[John Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner from Jeffrey Miller

I have now read several of Mr. Miller's works and am always amazed at his ability to create great reads across numerous different genre's. This one is not only an excellent read, it's also very timely. Highly recommended.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frank Mitchum has a theory that the North Koreans might be running drugs in exchange for missile parts. When he asks his old South Korean friend David Song to check out a Chinese businessman he suspects of being involved, the bodies start piling up. What has he stumbled on? For his latest novel, Jeffrey Miller’s has engaged a cast from the CIA, DEA and South Korean intelligence and thrown them in with North Korean defectors and murky American, Russian and Chinese businessmen. The result is a fast-paced thriller that takes us from Hong Kong to Bangkok to Seoul and doesn’t let up until its explosive denouement near the border with North Korea.

[John Bocskay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very timely thriller, set in South and North Korea (with stops in Thailand and Hong Kong), that makes good use of the current tensions between the two countries to explore the dramatic possibilities of North Korea's Bureau 39, the government office that provides cash to the regime's inner circle by whatever means it can. Miller's book is larded with the type of detail and local color that comes only from living in a country for many years, and folks who live in South Korea will catch lots of little winks and nods to contemporary South Korean culture, politics, and history. The uninitiated may also find it as interesting for the picture it paints of the region as for the story it weaves from such rich raw material.

[Bradley K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever wanted to know how things work in the normally hidden world of the elite North Korean officials who are assigned to enrich the coffers of their leader? Here's a hint: they don't hesitate to break any laws and violate any borders as they lie, cheat, steal and smuggle. There's amazing authenticity here. Author Jeffrey Miller clearly knows his subject and you'll be hard-pressed to separate fact from fiction as the thrilling plot progresses.

[Bill Thibadeau · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new author for me to follow

A thriller in Korea with all of our cherished alphabet soup agencies. The book is a bit hard to put down. It is interesting, with good characters who surprisingly are sometimes killed offer. The reason I gave it less than 5 stars is due to a lack of great proofreading. I hate it when I am cruising along and hit something that is just plain wrong.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

CIA operative buts heads with DEA agents as hie tries to track down N Korean smuggling route that sends Meth to the west and returns military and missile components. Set in the Korea, Thailand, and Hong Kong. Action and intrigue as the various factions confront each other.

[John Podlaski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Bureau 39" by Jeffrey Miller and learning more about the cultures and customs of Korea. The author uses Korean words and their descriptions all through the storyline which gives it more authenticity, but the way he crafted the story made me feel like I was a bystander watching the story play out in real time. I don't normally read 'Political Thrillers' but have read and enjoyed most of the author's books and thought I'd give this one a go. I was not disappointed.

The timing of this story could not have come at a better time, as it revolves around North Korea and their threats of launching nuclear missiles at their enemies. Even today, with the punishment dished out by the world leaders, North Korea still manages to receive 'parts' to build their program. In Jeff's story, North Korea via their top secret political arm 'Bureau 39' become drug manufacturers and sell meth in exchange for missile components. Although, the process is secret and involves some of the biggest gangs in that part of the world. CIA agent, Frank Mitchum continues his investigation into this underworld activity and joins a host of other agencies who want to put a stop to this. It's been an ongoing battle, and nobody is to be trusted. All the characters - many with Korean names - made it difficult, at times, to keep track of them all. However, the author pulls no punches in showing how ruthless people can be in the 'underworld' of drug trafficking. Lives do not matter!

The story is fast paced and engaging - quite difficult to put down once the characters start getting killed off. When I finished, I thought the author was a 'government insider' and this tome was his way of sharing the true facts - as he discovered them. Kudos Jeffrey! Great book! Keep them coming!

John Podlaski, author
'Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel' and 'When Can I Stop Running?'