I'm delighted – and proud – today to welcome my own brother, Charles A. Salter — author of several novels and non-fiction monographs (as well as scores of articles). I’ve asked him to tell us about “Borrowed Bones,” the fourth novel in his Brad Stout Adventures series. And be sure to check out these review excerpts.
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Borrowed Bones
By Charles A. Salter
Borrowed Bones is based about 95% on scientific fact and true historical events. The Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute really does have a nuclear/radiological emergency response team, packed and ready to go at a moment’s notice to any trouble spot in the world. For instance, during my years there I was called upon to provide the Japanese government with a plan for reducing public panic and to train all the Japanese first response nuclear medical teams following the Tokaimura nuclear incident in 1999, the worst in Japan’s history up to that time.
The Arecibo Radio Telescope in Puerto Rico really is the largest in the world and did send the famed “Arecibo Message” to possible aliens in outer space in 1974. Cosmic ray radiation is of great scientific concern as a possible lethal hazard, and new kinds of radioactive matter such as positronium and other so-called “exotic atoms” are still being discovered.
Historically, elements of the Puerto Rican independence movement really did try to assassinate President Truman in 1950 and shot up the U.S. Congress in 1954. The leader of that latter shooting team was a woman (Lolita Lebron) who remained a hero in Puerto Rico until her death in 2010.
The fictional element in this novel comes from me tying together all of the above facts and many more and then posing the question, what if an unknown source from outer space responded to the Arecibo Message with a new kind of radiation beam capable of destroying the world? How could we identify and stop it?
Read Borrowed Bones to find one possible solution!
“… the story never lags, continually building intrigue and suspense ... an action-crammed thriller ... [with] many obstacles that readers will enjoy watching Stout overcome. Coursing action with a sci-fi flavor.” — Kirkus Reviews
“… a mysterious race against time to contain a disaster … an engaging read the whole way through … realistic and interesting … enjoyable for readers of mysteries … would recommend starting from the first adventure and working through the others.” — San Francisco Book Review
“The hair-raising, intense, and brilliantly woven mystery of Borrowed Bones will have readers on the edge of their seats.” — Readers’ Favorite
A lethal Unexplained Radiation Phenomenon in Puerto Rico baffles government scientists. The White House orders total secrecy and sends top radiation expert Major Brad Stout to help. Struggling to control the spreading menace, Brad must also battle a mysterious terrorist group which interferes at every step and clearly wants him dead.
If not halted immediately, the disaster will race across Puerto Rico and the rest of the world ... but there’s a saboteur on the inside.
And what motivates the lovely Lindsey Cowell to insinuate herself into Brad’s life? Is she trying to steal him away from bride Mary Lou? With the deadly clock ticking down, whose bones must Brad borrow to finally solve the puzzle? And can he get them in time?
This thriller grabs the reader by the throat in the first paragraph and doesn't let go until the last!
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Brad Stout Adventures [series]
The first trilogy of the series focused primarily on Major Brad Stout’s missions to protect the nation from radiation threats related to eBay sales and purchases of radioactive material. This trilogy was called THE EBAY DETECTIVE and included The eBay Plot (book #1), The eBay Code (#2), and The eBay Guardian (#3).
Borrowed Bones (#4 in the series now known as Brad Stout Adventures) introduces two new recurring characters to the familiar cast of the first trilogy and launches into a new direction of action thrillers with little eBay connection.
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Amazon digital format only 99 cents!
http://www.amazon.com/Borrowed-Bones-Stout-Adventure-Adventures/dp/1492702706/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1388678037&sr=1-1
Bio Blurb
Author Charles A. Salter served 28 years as an active-duty Army officer, nine of them at the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, the primary military lab responsible for radiation defense.