From Us

by Randall Jarmon

America's in trouble. The Senate's at war with itself while the House founders anew. Some judges twist laws. Some journalists bend truth. Violent riots light up evening skies. A Swiss financier plans two murders to tip the balance of power his way. What's to stop him? Three white-collar a disgraced ex-spy, a blonde with a drinking problem, and a cop forced to retire early. They dare not contact U.S. authorities. Nonetheless, these misfits are driven by self-preservation. They have exotic skills and dangerous friends. They even have a chance. ----- This multifaceted novel is a romantic suspense story, an action-adventure, a crime story, a tale of redemption, and a political satire. Gentle humor somehow holds it all together, no matter how quickly the pages turn. FROM US offers both men and women a good autumn night or two of escape reading by the fire. Here’s what goes Until getting fired, Rudy Baskin was the best detective in the New York City Police Internal Affairs unit. He retreated to graduate school. Four years later he had two software engineering degrees and a nice little business on the Dark Web, anonymously trading stolen industrial secrets. He quickly made millions. Lucinda Ashley’s tiny consulting firm also sells stolen secrets. She wants Baskin as a contractor. Furthermore, after three failed marriages, Baskin seems her last chance at a family. It’s a very long shot. She’s a refined beauty, he’s a reclusive boor. Two Russian sisters will help her transform Baskin, however. The sisters once were KGB superstars. Baskin and Ashley’s small firm soon find themselves set up to take the blame for planned assassinations of two U.S. senators. It’s all about getting control of the U.S. Supreme Court. The police can’t help, so the little firm enlists both its friends and Mossad. Notwithstanding the world-class talent in the ring, the fight between good and evil will be a close one this time. The greater story, however, might be the clean, beguiling romance that develops between Baskin and Ashley. Jane Austen, herself, would have approved, even though some of the intimate, heartfelt conversations occur by satellite phone. The novel's ending is one of those warm, unexpected, and family-friendly ones some readers might feel good about for days.

MIKVELK Publishing, LLC
Coppell, Texas USA

405 pages, Paperback

Published September 29, 2020

Reviews

[Darryl Greer · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Randall Jarmon’s latest thriller, "From Us", the United States is in dire straits. The Senate and the House of Representatives are in turmoil, with the major parties at each other’s throats. Judges considered left of centre are bending the laws of the land to reflect their “progressive” views, while those more conservative jurists are pulling in the opposite direction. The newly elected president has lurched the country to the Right and the largely leftist media are rebelling. Sound familiar so far? Such is the background to this fascinating story; hopefully, that is the point where it parts company with reality. A wealthy Swiss financier decides to turn tables by orchestrating two high profile murders. If he succeeds, it may tip the balance of power in the Senate in the opposite direction. A clandestine organisation is engaged to stop him but they require assistance. Enter one Rudy Baskin. Rudy is an ex-cop — NYPD — where he finished up in Internal Affairs and was hated by just about everyone in the force. He is a whiz at IT and has useful friends in high — and low — places. And, with a bit of luck and a fair wind, he just might be able to pull off the impossible.

Randall Jarmon has a style of his own. "From Us" is written in the first person which is not that unusual but interspersed with Rudy’s narrative are encrypted satellite phone conversations, e-mails and articles extracted from newspapers and blogs. At first, I found this device a bit distracting but it soon grew on me. It is a unique method of showing the reader, in a narrative written in the first person, what is going on elsewhere. I suspect that like Rudy, the author has a better than average knowledge of IT himself, otherwise he has an exceptional imagination when it comes to modern technical devices and what they are capable of. It is refreshing to see the main character in a novel who isn’t perfect in every way. Rudy is in his fifties, he’s overweight, not very good looking and gets involved in criminal activities. Yet somehow, he is endearing and you find yourself egging him on, both as to what he has been hired for and his personal relationship with Lucinda, his boss and love interest. It is clever characterisation. As for the story itself it is a genuine thriller, with twists and turns in the plot right through to the surprising and pleasing ending. "From Us" is topical and right up to date. It’s an incredible tale, a real page turner and a riveting read.