What do you think?
Rate this book
False Flag: One Hundred Years of Deception
On Sunday evening, February 15th, 1898 in Havana Harbor the 6,789-ton 2nd class battleship USS Maine floated peacefully at anchor. One moment later a double explosion ripped her apart, sending her to the bottom along with 260 of her 355-man crew. Only 16 sailors escaped uninjured.Was it an act of war by Spain? Or a calculated “false flag” attack by the United States to provoke a war?Fast forward to 1972. Private Investigator Tony April gets an enigmatic midnight call from wealthy and beautiful Barbara Anderson. Her explorer grandfather kept a diary that may hold the answer. Problem is, he’s buried along with his diary, on a remote jungle mountain in Ecuador.Now everyone wants in. The National Security Agency wants to suppress the information. The Rickover Investigation wants to publicize it. Barbara just wants to get her grandfather’s remains home. Sydney Street wants the Incan treasure map. And Tony suddenly wants to have a son. Can everyone get what they wish for?
204 pages, Paperback
Published May 7, 2020
9 people want to read
About the author
Jay Barrett
1 book1 followerA native of Lawrence, MA, Jay Barrett attended the US Naval Academy as well as Tri-State College where he received a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He worked for General Dynamics as a flight test engineer on intercept and guidance systems for fighter jets in the US and Europe. Subsequent to this he worked at AVCO as a project engineer in the
development of ballistic missiles prior to transitioning to the investment world. Jay also worked as a character model for an advertising agency, playing everything from a criminal to a priest. Ultimately he worked as a golf instructor to the corporate world.
Jay’s interests and accomplishments were many and include becoming a championship squash player in the US and Europe. His love of the sea led him SCUBA diving, searching for shipwrecks in New England and the Great Lakes.
The father of five, Jay now lives in Central Florida. False Flag is his first book, with a second one close to completion.
development of ballistic missiles prior to transitioning to the investment world. Jay also worked as a character model for an advertising agency, playing everything from a criminal to a priest. Ultimately he worked as a golf instructor to the corporate world.
Jay’s interests and accomplishments were many and include becoming a championship squash player in the US and Europe. His love of the sea led him SCUBA diving, searching for shipwrecks in New England and the Great Lakes.
The father of five, Jay now lives in Central Florida. False Flag is his first book, with a second one close to completion.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 20, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and Books Go Social for this free copy in return for an honest review.
This book, by its description really peaked my interest. A False Flag war/determination about the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor which led to the Spanish-American war.
It is a great subject for a fiction book and one that I had to applaud first time author Jay Barrett for attempting. Unfortunately the book did not really match the description and instead of focusing on trying to get information about the Maine tragedy, the author got wrapped up into lost Inca Treasure, an extremely rushed romance and a lot of pages that deal with times of the day and clothing descriptions.
I admire any retired individual who wants to write a book, but to leave so much good stuff on the table was a real shame. I imagine this plot in the hands of a more experienced writer and it would have been super. Instead we have too many holes in the plot and action. I did think parts of the book were good, and I hope the author continues to write and grow in his efforts. Obviously he has a great deal of knowledge but to write a story about trying to find out what really happened that night to the USS Maine and then really gloss over that entire plot with subplots left me cold. Plus there were too many cutesy references to the characters in the Maltese Falcon.
For a first effort it was a good try, but missed the mark for me.
This book, by its description really peaked my interest. A False Flag war/determination about the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor which led to the Spanish-American war.
It is a great subject for a fiction book and one that I had to applaud first time author Jay Barrett for attempting. Unfortunately the book did not really match the description and instead of focusing on trying to get information about the Maine tragedy, the author got wrapped up into lost Inca Treasure, an extremely rushed romance and a lot of pages that deal with times of the day and clothing descriptions.
I admire any retired individual who wants to write a book, but to leave so much good stuff on the table was a real shame. I imagine this plot in the hands of a more experienced writer and it would have been super. Instead we have too many holes in the plot and action. I did think parts of the book were good, and I hope the author continues to write and grow in his efforts. Obviously he has a great deal of knowledge but to write a story about trying to find out what really happened that night to the USS Maine and then really gloss over that entire plot with subplots left me cold. Plus there were too many cutesy references to the characters in the Maltese Falcon.
For a first effort it was a good try, but missed the mark for me.
February 2, 2021
“Large, illuminated snowflakes were floating down past street-lamps and clinging to people’s hats and coats. There was a pleasant rhythm to everything: the snow, the pedestrians, the slow-moving traffic.”
One hundred of deception. Or was it just a shadow of what actually happened? Either way, the mysterious circumstances around the explosion of the U.S.S Maine on the night of February 15th, 1898 have yet to be solved. Now, in 1792, the investigation is opening again, and suspiciously, the National Security Agency is seeking a diary that was lost all those years ago during the explosion. Somehow, Tony April has landed himself in the middle of all this, along with the company of the beautiful and clever Barbara Anderson. Tony just wants to help Barbara find the remains of her grandfather's body. However, they soon find themselves in murky waters when they link the death of the old man to the U.S.S Maine and a long, lost treasure….
There were many references in the story that I did not get at first, so I looked them up. It seems the author has adopted the mystery around the actual explosion of the U.S.S Maine in 1898 and weaved a plot to it. The author has taken a lot of facts that are real, for example, the investigation led by Admiral Hyman Rickover, yellow journalism [a term which refers to the journalists and media exaggerating news to increase sales and catch headlines. Origin: The term was coined in the mid-1800s in the USA], the States’ war with Spain, President McKinley [25th], Theodore Roosevelt (mentioned in just passing), and many more. The actual question of who caused the U.S.S Maine still seems to be unanswered today. I agree it was clever of the author to use it for his storyline. However, I thought that he could have weaved a fictional story as a substitute for the myth of the Inca treasure. It seems there is a real myth surrounding a long-lost treasure too[search for a Treasure of the Llanganatis on the web].
The author has also adopted this real-life myth for his story. I felt he lacked originality in this. The actual plot connecting both of these mysteries seemed flimsy in its explanation and flow to me. It was a bit disappointing.
I thought that the conversations between the characters were too mechanical, too artificial. The author could have made them more authentic. I mean no phone call always goes that smoothly in this decade itself! Much less in the early-70s. When any of the characters narrated a story, they came off like textbook generated answers— it was hardly realistic. The only character I enjoyed was Bob, Tony's best friend.
I also thought the switch between the different scenes could have used more work. Then the transitions would've been more smooth, instead of suddenly or abruptly jumping from one to another. It made me more difficult to connect with the story. The occasional grammatical errors and typos did not make it any better. Almost all chapters ended with a cliffhanger which was a bit annoying. The way the story was going about, considering all the elements I mentioned above, it had me sighing every few minutes.
I found it very absurd when Tony didn't have any proper reaction after getting dumped, except drinking for a while. Not to mention just hours later, he was already lusting after Barbara like a dog in heat. It seemed ridiculous to me. I mean what would you think of Barbara anything other than a rebound? The chemistry between them was forced and the two-second romance somewhere in the story felt like it was written by a thirteen-year-old. However, since romance wasn't the big part of the story, I was pretty quick to dismiss it.
The plot was quite good if you think about it. Just the way the author worded everything and its flow– it just didn't sit right with me. Dog and cat chase in the name of espionage, myths lacking originality and a swift romance which should have left the reader feel thrilling and breathless, unfortunately only succeeding in making me feel disgruntled and displeased— the book turned out to be a poor imitation of one of Dan Brown's a mystery/action novels.
It failed to capture me in its "enigma" or connect with me, finally leaving me with no choice but to abandon it a little after halfway through.
One hundred of deception. Or was it just a shadow of what actually happened? Either way, the mysterious circumstances around the explosion of the U.S.S Maine on the night of February 15th, 1898 have yet to be solved. Now, in 1792, the investigation is opening again, and suspiciously, the National Security Agency is seeking a diary that was lost all those years ago during the explosion. Somehow, Tony April has landed himself in the middle of all this, along with the company of the beautiful and clever Barbara Anderson. Tony just wants to help Barbara find the remains of her grandfather's body. However, they soon find themselves in murky waters when they link the death of the old man to the U.S.S Maine and a long, lost treasure….
There were many references in the story that I did not get at first, so I looked them up. It seems the author has adopted the mystery around the actual explosion of the U.S.S Maine in 1898 and weaved a plot to it. The author has taken a lot of facts that are real, for example, the investigation led by Admiral Hyman Rickover, yellow journalism [a term which refers to the journalists and media exaggerating news to increase sales and catch headlines. Origin: The term was coined in the mid-1800s in the USA], the States’ war with Spain, President McKinley [25th], Theodore Roosevelt (mentioned in just passing), and many more. The actual question of who caused the U.S.S Maine still seems to be unanswered today. I agree it was clever of the author to use it for his storyline. However, I thought that he could have weaved a fictional story as a substitute for the myth of the Inca treasure. It seems there is a real myth surrounding a long-lost treasure too[search for a Treasure of the Llanganatis on the web].
The author has also adopted this real-life myth for his story. I felt he lacked originality in this. The actual plot connecting both of these mysteries seemed flimsy in its explanation and flow to me. It was a bit disappointing.
I thought that the conversations between the characters were too mechanical, too artificial. The author could have made them more authentic. I mean no phone call always goes that smoothly in this decade itself! Much less in the early-70s. When any of the characters narrated a story, they came off like textbook generated answers— it was hardly realistic. The only character I enjoyed was Bob, Tony's best friend.
I also thought the switch between the different scenes could have used more work. Then the transitions would've been more smooth, instead of suddenly or abruptly jumping from one to another. It made me more difficult to connect with the story. The occasional grammatical errors and typos did not make it any better. Almost all chapters ended with a cliffhanger which was a bit annoying. The way the story was going about, considering all the elements I mentioned above, it had me sighing every few minutes.
I found it very absurd when Tony didn't have any proper reaction after getting dumped, except drinking for a while. Not to mention just hours later, he was already lusting after Barbara like a dog in heat. It seemed ridiculous to me. I mean what would you think of Barbara anything other than a rebound? The chemistry between them was forced and the two-second romance somewhere in the story felt like it was written by a thirteen-year-old. However, since romance wasn't the big part of the story, I was pretty quick to dismiss it.
The plot was quite good if you think about it. Just the way the author worded everything and its flow– it just didn't sit right with me. Dog and cat chase in the name of espionage, myths lacking originality and a swift romance which should have left the reader feel thrilling and breathless, unfortunately only succeeding in making me feel disgruntled and displeased— the book turned out to be a poor imitation of one of Dan Brown's a mystery/action novels.
It failed to capture me in its "enigma" or connect with me, finally leaving me with no choice but to abandon it a little after halfway through.
October 20, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and Books Go Social for this free copy in return for an honest review.
This book, by its description really peaked my interest. A False Flag war/determination about the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor which led to the Spanish-American war.
It is a great subject for a fiction book and one that I had to applaud first time author Jay Barrett for attempting. Unfortunately the book did not really match the description and instead of focusing on trying to get information about the Maine tragedy, the author got wrapped up into lost Inca Treasure, an extremely rushed romance and a lot of pages that deal with times of the day and clothing descriptions.
I admire any retired individual who wants to write a book, but to leave so much good stuff on the table was a real shame. I imagine this plot in the hands of a more experienced writer and it would have been super. Instead we have too many holes in the plot and action. I did think parts of the book were good, and I hope the author continues to write and grow in his efforts. Obviously he has a great deal of knowledge but to write a story about trying to find out what really happened that night to the USS Maine and then really gloss over that entire plot with subplots left me cold. Plus there were too many cutesy references to the characters in the Maltese Falcon.
For a first effort it was a good try, but missed the mark for me.
This book, by its description really peaked my interest. A False Flag war/determination about the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor which led to the Spanish-American war.
It is a great subject for a fiction book and one that I had to applaud first time author Jay Barrett for attempting. Unfortunately the book did not really match the description and instead of focusing on trying to get information about the Maine tragedy, the author got wrapped up into lost Inca Treasure, an extremely rushed romance and a lot of pages that deal with times of the day and clothing descriptions.
I admire any retired individual who wants to write a book, but to leave so much good stuff on the table was a real shame. I imagine this plot in the hands of a more experienced writer and it would have been super. Instead we have too many holes in the plot and action. I did think parts of the book were good, and I hope the author continues to write and grow in his efforts. Obviously he has a great deal of knowledge but to write a story about trying to find out what really happened that night to the USS Maine and then really gloss over that entire plot with subplots left me cold. Plus there were too many cutesy references to the characters in the Maltese Falcon.
For a first effort it was a good try, but missed the mark for me.
May 24, 2020
Great page turner! Loved this book!
May 25, 2020
From action and adventure, to mystery and romance - this novel has it all! I felt like I was with the characters through the whole journey; whether they were in the North End, or on the expedition through Ecuador. A great page turner and story!
May 24, 2020
A great read - Tony April was an excellent lead character. Worthy of the big screen!
September 27, 2020
This is my book - How can I not rate it 5 stars!
I think you'll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
...Jay
I think you'll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
...Jay
November 30, 2020
In Havana Harbor on a night in 1989 the USS Maine blew up. Dr Gregory Anderson was on the ship docked next to it. He was going to Ecuador to get medicine from trees to help fight Malaria. Now 76 years later his granddaughter working with Admiral Hyman Rickover is trying to recover her grandfather's remains from Ecuador. There seem to be a number of people who are interested in the diary believed to be buried with him. She hires Tony April to take her there because he had been in the area when he was in the service. Some are after Inca gold believed to be in the same area they are going to but Miss Anderson has made it clear she is not after the gold. An interesting story which moves along fairly quick and is sure to keep your interest.
October 20, 2020
This novel had all the maknigs of a great adventure but ultimately let itself down. Too much build up and not enough payoff, poor editing and errors all the place. I do firmly believe that if it had been properly scrutinised and the ideas played with more and fleshed out then it could have been a great read. Saying all that, it is a first novel and there's every chance that future tales will get the pre-release attention that they need to really shine.
May 27, 2020
An Eye Opener!
I had never heard the term "false flag" before. This book showcases one, the sinking of the USS Maine, and refers to others. Now, I'll question every international incident and wonder if it is a false flag.
Besides opening my eyes, I enjoyed the book - action, love interest, and even a dog!
I had never heard the term "false flag" before. This book showcases one, the sinking of the USS Maine, and refers to others. Now, I'll question every international incident and wonder if it is a false flag.
Besides opening my eyes, I enjoyed the book - action, love interest, and even a dog!
May 23, 2020
A fast-paced, informative, and dramatic page-turner that kept me intrigued from beginning to end. This book has a little bit of everything I love: romance, history, suspense, action, and humor! It would make a fantastic movie with thrilling scenes from Boston to Ecuador.
Read
June 1, 2020 You would think this first-time author had already penned several books.
His subject matter flows along smoothly and certainly holds the reader's
interest. Reportedly there is a second novel in the offing and if only
half as good as the first would definitely be worth reading.
His subject matter flows along smoothly and certainly holds the reader's
interest. Reportedly there is a second novel in the offing and if only
half as good as the first would definitely be worth reading.
July 3, 2020
Romantic Mystery
I lived in the North End for six years, every detail came to life in my vision. Also I have relatives living in Weston, the story was very relatable and kept my attention. I hope there's a sequel!!
I lived in the North End for six years, every detail came to life in my vision. Also I have relatives living in Weston, the story was very relatable and kept my attention. I hope there's a sequel!!
October 13, 2020
Conspiracies have always surrounded the sinking of the battleship Maine. In False Flag, history and fiction are mixed expertly to entertain and educate. I received an advanced digital copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
June 16, 2020
Great read! Enjoyed the local Boston flavor and the history. Full of twists and turns!
I highly recommend it!
I highly recommend it!
July 15, 2020
If you're looking for a clever meld of history, mystery, and romance Jay Barrett's first novel, False Flag: One Hundred Years of Deception has it all. Check it out!
June 4, 2020
Great suspense with lots of twists and turns.... full of history along the way. Looking forward to his next book!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews