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ROCKLEDGE: INTRODUCING CADE CHASE
Rockledge is a crime thriller that examines the effects of a crooked, autocratic group of elites (politicians and contractors) on people who have been abused for many decades. This is the opener of a planned Cade Chase series. It is a crime thriller set in the fictional Rockledge, an impoverished town in the center of Appalachia, more precisely in extreme southwest Virginia.
The main character, Cade Chase, recently retired from the military. He has given insufficient thought to life afterward. He accedes to the urgings of a longtime friend and former JAG officer, to come to the town of Rockledge. He leaves Florida and heads to Rockledge uncertain that this move is wise.
On his first morning in Rockledge he runs across a hillbilly octogenarian named Dale Carter, who tells him finding a place to live will be tough. So Carter invites him to have a look at a home, one of three, he owns on a mountainside "out in the valley." The home he shows Cade is one of the grandest Cade has ever seen. Carter tells Cade the house is his if he wants it. Seems joining the military was the defining event of Dale's life. Without the military's 'gifts' he wouldn't have amassed the wealth he possesses. But he stipulates one condition: help protect him and his wife against what appears to be a dangerous crew of squatters camping in the woods on or near his property.
Cade is instantly fond of Dale, and agrees to help him. This agreement sets the story in motion. There's plenty of action from that point onward.
Yes, it's a thrilling story involving crime, but more important, it's a story of the evils of autocratic behavior by political elites. Cade is determined to bring the evildoers down. He quickly learns that extreme southwest Virginia has been a whipping boy for sixty years or more. Cade and a cadre of like-minded people strive to end the trampling of this region of the state.
You may find it on Amazon and Kindle books. If searching under my name, you need to search under John M. Vermillion, including the middle initial.
Thank you.
jmv
The main character, Cade Chase, recently retired from the military. He has given insufficient thought to life afterward. He accedes to the urgings of a longtime friend and former JAG officer, to come to the town of Rockledge. He leaves Florida and heads to Rockledge uncertain that this move is wise.
On his first morning in Rockledge he runs across a hillbilly octogenarian named Dale Carter, who tells him finding a place to live will be tough. So Carter invites him to have a look at a home, one of three, he owns on a mountainside "out in the valley." The home he shows Cade is one of the grandest Cade has ever seen. Carter tells Cade the house is his if he wants it. Seems joining the military was the defining event of Dale's life. Without the military's 'gifts' he wouldn't have amassed the wealth he possesses. But he stipulates one condition: help protect him and his wife against what appears to be a dangerous crew of squatters camping in the woods on or near his property.
Cade is instantly fond of Dale, and agrees to help him. This agreement sets the story in motion. There's plenty of action from that point onward.
Yes, it's a thrilling story involving crime, but more important, it's a story of the evils of autocratic behavior by political elites. Cade is determined to bring the evildoers down. He quickly learns that extreme southwest Virginia has been a whipping boy for sixty years or more. Cade and a cadre of like-minded people strive to end the trampling of this region of the state.
You may find it on Amazon and Kindle books. If searching under my name, you need to search under John M. Vermillion, including the middle initial.
Thank you.
jmv
353 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published April 4, 2021
5994 people want to read
About the author
John M. Vermillion
24 books298 followers"Blue Gunder" my newest, appears 16-19 September 25. After a career-ending injury sidelines NFL star Blue Gunder at just 23, he takes to the open highway in his Kenworth rig with only his Belgian Malinois, Thor, for company. His solitary journey takes an unexpected turn when he encounters the fiercely independent Marinda Jacobsen, whose harrowing tales of hitchhiking convince Blue to offer her a ride—with strict conditions. Their uneasy partnership fractures in Montana when Marinda violates Blue's trust during their stay at President Pack's cabin with Sheriff Mollison. As Blue becomes entangled in a dangerous drug cartel operation—one that claims a deputy's life, kidnaps Marinda, and blackmails baseball's greatest legend—he joins forces with U.S. Marshals to bring down the criminals. Amid the chaos, Blue finds himself falling deeply for Agent Dee Herzog, only to watch in horror as she's gunned down on her first mission. Blue's fate hangs in the balance as the story unfolds.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 22, 2021
Rockledge is the first novel in the Cade Chase series.
Recently retired from the U.S. Army, General Cade Chase is unsure what his future holds. His friends, Leigh and Kelly Winn, invite him to spend time with them in the town of Rockledge, VA. Located in southwest Virginia, in the heart of Appalachia, the town is poor.
Upon arrival in Rockledge, Cade meets Dale Carter. Dale has several houses and invites Cade to stay in one, in exchange for providing some security for the property. It seems that a group called the Freedom Movement is camping in the woods near the property, and Dale wants to be sure they aren't trouble.
Cade finds out interesting information about the movement, why they are there, and what their goal is. Based on this, corruption is uncovered, politicians and businesses are involved, and people die.
Cade will be an interesting character in a new series.
Recently retired from the U.S. Army, General Cade Chase is unsure what his future holds. His friends, Leigh and Kelly Winn, invite him to spend time with them in the town of Rockledge, VA. Located in southwest Virginia, in the heart of Appalachia, the town is poor.
Upon arrival in Rockledge, Cade meets Dale Carter. Dale has several houses and invites Cade to stay in one, in exchange for providing some security for the property. It seems that a group called the Freedom Movement is camping in the woods near the property, and Dale wants to be sure they aren't trouble.
Cade finds out interesting information about the movement, why they are there, and what their goal is. Based on this, corruption is uncovered, politicians and businesses are involved, and people die.
Cade will be an interesting character in a new series.
June 2, 2021
This is not my first time cracking open a Vermillion book. The last one I read (Packfire) was a fantastic and well-written story with an optimistic take on a very idealistic hero (Simon Pack). Like that book, Rockledge is full of developed characters and interesting perspectives.
In this book we follow Cade. The characters here are modeled after real people, and they feel relatable even though they are put into extraordinary circumstances. Though Cade is the main character, the story starts off with Leigh and his wife, Kelly, arguing about Cade and his new home in Rockledge. The story really kicks off from there, keeping pace and flow in a way you’d expect a crime thriller. What sets this story (and hopefully the whole series) apart is how everything is real to Vermillion as the whole setting and character list are based on his own young life. The writing has more emotion and the characters speak to each other with a bit more…well, character. Sure, the plot is made up, but that means that Vermillion’s imagination can run wild. It’s a great story, and I look forward to the next!
In this book we follow Cade. The characters here are modeled after real people, and they feel relatable even though they are put into extraordinary circumstances. Though Cade is the main character, the story starts off with Leigh and his wife, Kelly, arguing about Cade and his new home in Rockledge. The story really kicks off from there, keeping pace and flow in a way you’d expect a crime thriller. What sets this story (and hopefully the whole series) apart is how everything is real to Vermillion as the whole setting and character list are based on his own young life. The writing has more emotion and the characters speak to each other with a bit more…well, character. Sure, the plot is made up, but that means that Vermillion’s imagination can run wild. It’s a great story, and I look forward to the next!
May 27, 2021
ROCKLEDGE: Introducing Cade Chase by John M. Vermillion is a complex thriller that throws people from different backgrounds together in a place with their own set of rules. General Cade Chase retired from serving the President; aimlessly he heads to the backwoods of the Appalachian Mountains. Leigh and Kelly invite Chase to visit their valley for a year, but no one anticipated the Freedom Movement.
John M. Vermillion introduces his newest series in ROCKLEDGE. The author excels in writing military and action fiction, with no shortage of drama. The pace builds as power, freedom, and greed step in. The mentality of the south is spot on as they stand up for what they believe is right and don't back down when they are wrong. The characters are strong-willed, stubborn, and with merit. Rockledge is another compelling novel by this author.
John M. Vermillion introduces his newest series in ROCKLEDGE. The author excels in writing military and action fiction, with no shortage of drama. The pace builds as power, freedom, and greed step in. The mentality of the south is spot on as they stand up for what they believe is right and don't back down when they are wrong. The characters are strong-willed, stubborn, and with merit. Rockledge is another compelling novel by this author.
May 12, 2021
‘His voice was his signature’ – A fascinating new character!
Author John M. Vermillion has experienced a rich military life – West Point graduate (along with degrees from the School of Advanced Military Studies and the National War College), Infantry Colonel in the US Army, followed by working in Airborne and Ranger programs in Germany, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Iraq. He has become honored for his writing skills, having completed nine volumes of his popular Simon Pack series. In his notes John states,’ This is my first book set in the area where I grew up. Rockledge is that fictional town…There is an actual “\’Dale Carter’…There was an actual ‘Cade Chase ‘ as well. He was my friend, and died much too young. Nearly everything about him is true.’ Not only does that serve as an introduction to the lead character of his series, but it also serves as a point of insight into the author’s persona.
After generously offering a cast of characters list to keep the reader focused, John adds a bit of insight as to the primary character: ‘Cade Chase, recently retired from the military. He has given insufficient thought to life afterward. He accedes to the urgings of a longtime friend and former JAG officer, to come to the town of Rockledge. He leaves Florida and heads to Rockledge uncertain that this move is wise. Cade is determined to bring the evildoers down. He quickly learns that extreme southwest Virginia has been a whipping boy for sixty years or more. Cade and a cadre of like-minded people strive to end the trampling of this region of the state.'
John provides a condensation of his plot as follows – ‘What happens after he leaves the military? Cade Chase doesn’t have the answer. He winds up in Rockledge, a poor town in Appalachia. While helping an octogenarian benefactor, he encounters what could be a threat from squatters bedded down in forestland near his property. Turns out the more direct threat comes from brutish men who attack those squatters near his friend’s home. Two attacks on the campers propel Cade into action. With a stunning lady lawyer at his side, Cade quickly learns that the obvious problem is actually the lesser problem. Bringing to justice the people who murdered and brutalized the campers is not hard. Beating down thugs who try to maim him is easy. The much greater problem is mobilizing public will to cast off the shackles greedy, autocratic ruling elites have had them in for decades. Cade is on the case.’
Skilled writing that places the reader comfortably in the story, this book is not only a fine action tale, but it also is a portrait of a man driven to make life better in the face of social injustices. A great story. A fine philosophical stance.
Author John M. Vermillion has experienced a rich military life – West Point graduate (along with degrees from the School of Advanced Military Studies and the National War College), Infantry Colonel in the US Army, followed by working in Airborne and Ranger programs in Germany, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Iraq. He has become honored for his writing skills, having completed nine volumes of his popular Simon Pack series. In his notes John states,’ This is my first book set in the area where I grew up. Rockledge is that fictional town…There is an actual “\’Dale Carter’…There was an actual ‘Cade Chase ‘ as well. He was my friend, and died much too young. Nearly everything about him is true.’ Not only does that serve as an introduction to the lead character of his series, but it also serves as a point of insight into the author’s persona.
After generously offering a cast of characters list to keep the reader focused, John adds a bit of insight as to the primary character: ‘Cade Chase, recently retired from the military. He has given insufficient thought to life afterward. He accedes to the urgings of a longtime friend and former JAG officer, to come to the town of Rockledge. He leaves Florida and heads to Rockledge uncertain that this move is wise. Cade is determined to bring the evildoers down. He quickly learns that extreme southwest Virginia has been a whipping boy for sixty years or more. Cade and a cadre of like-minded people strive to end the trampling of this region of the state.'
John provides a condensation of his plot as follows – ‘What happens after he leaves the military? Cade Chase doesn’t have the answer. He winds up in Rockledge, a poor town in Appalachia. While helping an octogenarian benefactor, he encounters what could be a threat from squatters bedded down in forestland near his property. Turns out the more direct threat comes from brutish men who attack those squatters near his friend’s home. Two attacks on the campers propel Cade into action. With a stunning lady lawyer at his side, Cade quickly learns that the obvious problem is actually the lesser problem. Bringing to justice the people who murdered and brutalized the campers is not hard. Beating down thugs who try to maim him is easy. The much greater problem is mobilizing public will to cast off the shackles greedy, autocratic ruling elites have had them in for decades. Cade is on the case.’
Skilled writing that places the reader comfortably in the story, this book is not only a fine action tale, but it also is a portrait of a man driven to make life better in the face of social injustices. A great story. A fine philosophical stance.
May 23, 2021
Rockledge: Introducing Cade Chase by John M. Vermillion is set in a poor area of the Appalachian mountains, Rockledge in southwest Virginia. This fictional place sets the stage for an interesting story that grips you from the beginning pages. Cade Chase is the central character and having recently retired moves to the area in exchange for watching property owned by Dale Carter. Someone is camping on the property and Cade must uncover just what it is they are actually doing, or if they are the real problem. This is a compelling story, one that examines issues that are pertinent today and in the future. There's plenty of local language that adds a lot of character to the story and a strong plot that keeps the action moving along. While a short novel, it's impactful. Highly recommend.
July 30, 2021
A great thriller novel
“Rockledge” is an absorbing thriller story that should be in every library. It was written by John M. Vermillion. It is the first book in the series called “Introducing Cade Chase” which deals with crime.
The protagonist is a retired military who comes across a terrible crime and tries to solve it. Throughout the investigation, there are a lot of turns and twists that made the novel unputdownable. I liked it very much!
The setting is well-developed and the characters, as well. Also, their dialogues are clear making it simple to follow the events. It has suspense but at the same time, action. I definitely recommend it; I will surely keep on reading the series.
“Rockledge” is an absorbing thriller story that should be in every library. It was written by John M. Vermillion. It is the first book in the series called “Introducing Cade Chase” which deals with crime.
The protagonist is a retired military who comes across a terrible crime and tries to solve it. Throughout the investigation, there are a lot of turns and twists that made the novel unputdownable. I liked it very much!
The setting is well-developed and the characters, as well. Also, their dialogues are clear making it simple to follow the events. It has suspense but at the same time, action. I definitely recommend it; I will surely keep on reading the series.
July 31, 2021
To be totally honest, from the moment I began to read the first page till the very last of this brilliant work, I was immersed in a different world, one full of corruption, fears, advantages and violence. I felt all the time as if I was there in the middle of the action fearing for the protagonists and waiting for more adventure.
I love how John M. Vermillion presents a full spectrum of diverse characters. Each of them with their own battle to face but has their own unique power of healing through patience, compassion, forgiveness, and self-acceptance, to share.
The unique plot is so fascinating that I could not put this novel down. I would consider this more of an adult read since some events are sensitive. I was excited to read another new installment of this talented writer.
I love how John M. Vermillion presents a full spectrum of diverse characters. Each of them with their own battle to face but has their own unique power of healing through patience, compassion, forgiveness, and self-acceptance, to share.
The unique plot is so fascinating that I could not put this novel down. I would consider this more of an adult read since some events are sensitive. I was excited to read another new installment of this talented writer.
August 19, 2021
The prose was unique and, for me, distracting. The author uses several “ asides” which I also found distracting. Dialogue was stiff as characters blathered on about thing most people think but wouldn’t say. Lastly, on the downside of the ledger, I felt character development was poorly executed. Women and children presented too much like adult men. The main protagonist really comes across as Dudley Do-Right. In a movie they would have had halos floating over their heads.
Though a bit slow to get started, there is a thrilling plot with enough twits to keep the reader guessing. Vermillion weaves a plausible and detailed story of corruption in high places. The message is that the least among us here in the United States can stand up to power and effect change. By the back half of the book, I found myself eagerly turning pages to see what would happen next.
Though a bit slow to get started, there is a thrilling plot with enough twits to keep the reader guessing. Vermillion weaves a plausible and detailed story of corruption in high places. The message is that the least among us here in the United States can stand up to power and effect change. By the back half of the book, I found myself eagerly turning pages to see what would happen next.
July 22, 2021
Action packed journey through the Appalachian mountains
Cade Chase has returned home to Rockledge to assist his friend when he finds some campers squatting in the forest by the land his friend owns. When the campers are attacked and killed, Cade jumps into action and works to solve the problems facing his small town. Political corruption is a mainstay and has been a problem in society for years and this small town is no exception. Follow Cade and see if he can save the town and his life. The characters are well developed and relatable and the story is fun and easy to follow. This one is well worth the read.
Cade Chase has returned home to Rockledge to assist his friend when he finds some campers squatting in the forest by the land his friend owns. When the campers are attacked and killed, Cade jumps into action and works to solve the problems facing his small town. Political corruption is a mainstay and has been a problem in society for years and this small town is no exception. Follow Cade and see if he can save the town and his life. The characters are well developed and relatable and the story is fun and easy to follow. This one is well worth the read.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews