Touched Back

by John Vance

“…deftly-written novel full of action, surprises and great, well-developed characters.” –John Hazen, author of Fava and Zyklon The murder of a football coach affects not only his university but also the White House, which counts as alums the president, First Lady (the coach’s step sister) and other members of the administration. Another alumnus, Daniel Wells—a Silver Star recipient while serving in Iraq and currently head of a veteran’s organization—is also caught up in these events. Who and how many are responsible for the coach’s and several additional and related killings in the Washington area—and is Wells also a target? And just how closely related is the First Lady to these events? Fifteen years earlier Wells planned to marry her, but something happened that precipitated an end to the relationship—the full details Wells never knew. Will Wells finally learn what caused their break-up, and how her troubled past is associated with the recent murders in the Capital City?

261 pages, Paperback

Published April 11, 2019

Reviews

[SOM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Touched Back is an excellent mystery/thriller filled with danger and surprise. It touches on a number of issues--from the treatment of war veterans to the complex nature of personal relationships. The main character, Daniel Wells, is a decorated veteran of the Iraqi War, where he lost his left hand in battle. Wells was before that a quarterback for his college team, whose present head coach is murdered as the novel begins. The college also boasts as alumni the current President of the United States and First Lady. For me, the First Lady is the most interesting character in the book. Vance is very effective in featuring her story. Vance’s style of writing pulls the reader into the political intrigue. The other characters are likable and corrupt, provocative and mysterious. This novel successfully blends with Vance's other Washington novels Death by Mournful Numbers and Convergences. A most satisfying read.

[Jim Liston · Rating 4 out of 5]

The murder of coach Reilly doesn’t cause many at the university to grieve, but the death of the man he replaced, coach Ketchum, is a different story. Who is behind the murders? Does it have anything to do with the football team’s upcoming New Year’s Day bowl game?

Touched Back is a political thriller that kept me guessing about the killer to the very end. I was surprised to find out what motivated the murderer. The main character in the story, Daniel Wells, is likable, and I was concerned about his life.

My only complaint is the lack of careful proofreading that interfered with an otherwise enjoyable read. I’d gladly give Touched Back five stars if this were corrected. Don’t let this stop you from reading this murder mystery; I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. I was glad to see that the author has several books. I’m looking forward to reading more of his work.

[Martha]

Very good and intriguing book. It kept me guessing until the very end. There were quite a few twists and turns.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jealous

This book leaves you with many possible killers but the final ending leaves you surprised. Good characters, good plot ,and good reading.

[J.D. Schechter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too much information

An outstanding if overly intricate plot that would benefit from fewer details - do we really need to know the address of every bar and restaurants? And a 25MMS (1 inch diameter) pistol?

[Diane R. McKern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Had me fooled to the very end.