Vodka Caliphate

by Lee A. Sweetapple

Doctors Tanya Melnik and Gwen Stillwater are on a mission in São Tomé. The two women, both with connections to the intelligence community, are surveying local coral reefs. But before they can complete their study, both researchers are kidnapped. Their captors want to cover up the environmental damage resulting from a recent oil spill near the coral reefs. But what the captors don’t know is their victims have a secret Jim. Now married to Gwen, Jim was Tanya’s undercover partner when she was an intelligence officer. When the two women disappear, Jim at first fears they have died in an accident. But when he realizes foul play is involved, he calls on his old friends to help him find and retrieve Gwen and Tanya. Jim soon receives a ransom demand, but the attempted exchange fails—although Gwen and Tanya are rescued, the captors take Jim instead. During his time in captivity, Jim realizes the scope of the plot is much bigger than he had first thought. His captors are no small-time criminals but international terrorists. And what they are plotting could destabilize the world economy if Jim dies before he can tell anyone what he has discovered.

272 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2017

About the author

Lee A. Sweetapple hails from Miami Springs, Florida. He received a bachelor’s degree in politics and public affairs from the University of Miami. He continued on to graduate studies in geographic and cartographic science, international law, and international diplomacy. Sweetapple proudly worked in US Army military intelligence and retired in 2003 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Sweetapple is enjoying his retirement in the foothills of the Shenandoah Mountains with his wife and children.

WASP Sting was inspired by Sweetapple’s enthusiasm for World War II aviation; he flew a P-51C Mustang for his fiftieth birthday. He also serves as a colonel in the Commemorative Air Force and supports the organization’s Red Tail Squadron education outreach program.

Sweetapple has written thrillers Vette Head’s Not Dead, Key West Revenge, Templar Codes, WASP Sting and Vodka Caliphate. all available through Amazon.com. He enjoys sword collecting, hunting, skiing, and SCUBA diving.

Reviews

[Dom Chang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've known Lee Sweetapple since the early 80's when both of us were Army ROTC cadets in the University of Miami detachment. I mention this to impress on you that I am familiar with Lee, his work and his sometimes adventurously storied career in the service of the country. While I served in the Regular Army, Lee spent his time working in the "dark side" of the house, and his writing reflects his experiences.

Vodka Caliphate, his latest book in a series of five, is another Jim Stillwater adventure...this time in the wilds of coastal Nigeria and the nearby island of Sao Tome. Lee draws from his experiences with his U.S. government work in Africa to tells us a tale of kidnappers, terrorists, ex-Russian Spetznaz and the perils affecting coastal ecologies which are under the threat of oil extraction industry related attacks.

Jim Stillwater's wife's kidnapping ends up not only involving Jim of course, but also several of his comrades from previous Lee Sweetapple books. These various and colorful characters add to the Jim Stillwater story and are something which evokes memories of team work and unquestioning support among brothers and sisters in arms.

Though a short read, it is action-packed, and a worthy addition to your collection of action thriller books.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a goodreads win. I liked it. There was always action happening. It was a little confusing at first going back to military time. The characters, action, plot was all very good.