Verbal Orders

by Larry Carello

NOT JUST ANOTHER HOSTAGE RESCUE... U.S. Navy helicopter pilot Johnny Jack McGirt has always been a wildcard, but his superiors and fellow officers are stunned when he turns down Rear Admiral’s stars to announce his retirement from active duty. After a career built around bold exploits in the cockpit and covert operations with U.S. intelligence agencies, he’s become far too accustomed to following his gut and making his own rules. The thought of sitting behind a desk holds no attraction for him, no matter what rank the position carries. So he’s more than ready when his long-time friend and former squadronmate, Bud Lammers, calls for assistance. Lammers, who left the Navy for the CIA, is trying to track down an American oil heiress who’s being held hostage in the volatile, Muslim-dominated southern Philippines. It’s supposed to be a straightforward mission to negotiate the woman’s release, but things take a deadly turn as McGirt and Lammers collide with an extremist rebel group known as Abu Sayyaf, Bearer of the Sword. And those guys don’t play by the rules either.

239 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 10, 2017

Reviews

[wesley Trunko · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrific read. Each of the characters are presented in a clear interesting light. It made them unforgettable. The story line is slick and makes the book tough to put down. Highly recommend. Liked this book so much I've just started Carello's "Rotorboys".

[Hallie Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

Enough of a mystery to keep you engaged enough detail to keep you interested . Good story line and good characters made for a good read

[Rob Ballister · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read and reviewed as part of MWSA awards program. Results in Sept 18!

[Military Writers Society of America (MWSA)]

MWSA Review
Captain Johnny Jack McGirt, command officer of the CH-46 helicopter squadron; North Island Air Naval Air Station; Coronado, California, has a dilemma. A wealthy Texas oil baron’s daughter has been kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf Group of terrorists and is being held somewhere on Basilan Island in the Philippines. His old Navy buddy, now overseeing CIA Asian Operations, Dr. Bud Lammers, needs his expertise for the secret rescue mission. One of McGirt’s previous assignments was a two-year stint as the Naval Attaché to the US Embassy in Manila. Lammers feels McGirt’s knowledge of the local culture will prove invaluable to the operation. McGirt makes the decision to retire from the Navy and join the team.

Verbal Orders by Larry Carello is a fast read, filled with a number of unbelievable plot twists. The flashbacks provide useful and detailed background information. The story will educate the reader on military operations in this part of the world, our alliances with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the difficulty all nations have when faced with a terrorist organization on their soil.

MWSA Review by Sandi Cowper (March 2018)