The Patriot Paradox: The Reluctant Hero, #1

By William Esmont

Ex-CIA analyst, Kurt Vetter is no stranger to tragedy and loss.  Swearing off any connections to a life he once lead, he retreats to South America--on a self-imposed exile.  But when he receives a mysterious package of encrypted files from his dead brother, he's drawn back into a dangerous world of treason and espionage--a world he swore he'd left behind for good. 

It's up to Kurt to uncover the message that his brother was desperate to convey--a message that could be the difference between life and death.  When the files lead him across the world, he encounters Amanda Carter, an enigmatic woman linked directly to his brother, who just might have the information he needs to decipher what's hidden inside the files.  Together, they uncover a plot far bigger than anything he ever anticipated--a rogue CIA mission to detonate a nuclear bomb.

But with time running out and his brother's assassins closing in, Amanda and Kurt must face this alone. With millions of innocent lives at stake, they race against the clock to stop the attack.  If they fail, the results could be explosive.

Series Details:
Book 1 - The Patriot Paradox
Book 2 - Pressed
Book 3 - Blood in the Streets
  or get all three book in one volume with The Kurt Vetter Trilogy

• Language: English
• Publisher: William Esmont
• Release date: Oct 7, 2010
• ISBN: 9781502229854

William Esmont

William Esmont writes about zombies, spies, and futures you probably wouldn't want to experience from his home in southern Arizona. He counts Stephen King, Vince Flynn, and Margaret Atwood as his influences. When not writing, he likes to spend time riding his bike or hanging out with his wife and their two Great Danes.

Book preview

ONE

Mike Vetter hated this kind of weather. Rain. Endless, miserable rain. Relentless torrents of misery pissed from swollen black clouds above the treetops. Aside from the occasional flash of chalky white lightning and the pathetic illumination from his headlights, he could see nothing of the road ahead.

This is what it feels like to drown.

He tightened his grip on the steering wheel and peered through the furious slip-slap of his wipers. He blinked and rubbed his eyes. Red lights twinkled through the shifting curtains of rain.

Shit! Mike jumped on the clutch and brake simultaneously with all of his might. His Audi hydroplaned for an interminable moment, the rear end threatening to break loose, and then juddered hard as the tires bit pavement and the antilock brakes kicked in. A moment later, he jolted to a stop inches behind an old Ford Explorer.

He tensed, bracing for impact from the rear. When it didn’t come, Mike opened his eyes in time to see a semi-trailer roar by on his left, missing his side mirror by inches. He checked his rear-view mirror and breathed a sigh of relief. It was clear.

The traffic lurched to life again, and Mike pushed the Audi back up to speed. Through a brief gap in the rain, he saw what he had been looking for, an office park at the bottom of the next exit ramp.

Almost missing his turn, he cut across two lanes of traffic, triggering a barrage of angry horn blasting. A minute later, he pulled to a stop a few yards short of a lone FedEx drop box and knocked his car into neutral.

He looked around to make sure he was alone, then opened his glove box and dug out a small flash memory card. He placed it in the FedEx envelope in his lap and sealed the envelope tight, going over it twice to make sure it was secure. As an afterthought, he took his gun from the front seat and stuffed it into the glove box.

He fished a billing label from his pocket and jotted down a long string of digits. The account number was stolen, but the seller from Craigslist had guaranteed it would be good for at least a week. That was six days more than he needed. He paused for a moment, tapping his pen against the steering wheel and chewing his lip as he considered whether he had made the right decision.

Screw it. He scribbled a name and address on the label and stuffed it into the pouch on the front of the envelope. He inched the car forward until he reached the drop box.

The rain swept in, drenching him to the skin as his window descended. He stretched out, stuffed the envelope into the drop box slot, and jabbed the window button, restoring the barrier between him and the storm.

Mike got back onto the interstate. This is it. Technically, he had committed high treason. Was it really treason, though, if he was doing the right thing? If he was the only one willing to stop a lunatic? A wave of doubt washed over him. Maybe we were right. Maybe. He pushed the thoughts aside. It didn’t matter anymore.

He saw a hole in the traffic and mashed down on the accelerator. He drove on autopilot for the next twenty minutes, not really paying attention to where he was going, just moving.

The rain tapered off as he approached the Haymarket exit. His car chimed, jolting him back to the moment. What the hell? He checked the instrument cluster and saw that the fuel light was on. Scanning the road ahead, he saw a well-lit, but empty BP station at the bottom of the exit. He cut the wheel hard and darted down the ramp and into the station, pulling around to the pumps farthest from the highway.

Mike killed the engine, got out of the car, and reached for the premium nozzle. On the other side of the island, a metallic-blue Cadillac sedan rolled to a stop, wet tires chirping on the dry cement pad. Startled, Mike turned at the noise. Riding low to the ground, the Caddy looked fast even standing still. On any other day, he would have been impressed. Turning back to his pump, he swiped his credit card and stabbed the nozzle into his tank. From the other car, he heard the hum of an electric window rolling down. He glanced over, curious.

Mike Vetter. It was more of a statement than a question. The man who had spoken from the front passenger seat was about Mike’s age, clean-cut and nondescript with shaggy brown hair and a medium build. Agency.

A wave of crippling nausea washed through him as he realized they had caught up with him. He was going to die right here, right now. Years of training kicked in, sending him scurrying away from the Cadillac, seeking cover behind a thick concrete pillar that stretched from the ground to the roof far above. My gun, he thought in a panic, it’s in the car!

Peeking around the pillar, he saw the man in the Cadillac signal to his driver. Mike made a break for his Audi. With a guttural roar, the Cadillac jumped forward and cut hard to the right, blocking his exit.

At that moment, Mike reached his door and hauled on the handle. Some sense of morbid curiosity, however, made him look up at the Cadillac. Mike recognized the look, the dead eyes, the feigned indifference at the razor-thin line between life and death. It was impossible to miss, for it was the same look he himself had cultivated a lifetime ago as a new CIA recruit at Langley.

He froze. That was all the time the man in the Cadillac needed. As Mike stared, the man drew a compact matte-black pistol from his jacket, leveled it at Mike’s face, and pulled the trigger.

Mike’s last thoughts, of his wife and children, flew through the back of his skull at four hundred and fifty feet per second.

TWO

"Una más, por favor," Kurt mumbled from the end of the bar as he raised his glass toward the pretty bartender. She nodded. No more than nineteen, her dark eyes lingered on him just a little too long, probably curious as to what he was doing in this corner of Peru.

She topped off his glass, giving it a slight twist at the end to bust the foam, and slid it across the scarred bar to his waiting hand. "Veinte soles, señor," she said, with a demure smile.

He fished a tattered wad of bills from an inner pocket of his leather jacket, ruffled through them, squinting in the dingy light of the bar, and handed over a hundred Sole note. "Muchas gracias."

Her eyes lit up at the sight of the cash, and she straightened and threw her shoulders back, giving him a spectacular view of her cleavage. Her flirting wasn’t lost on Kurt, but instead of acknowledging it, he took his beer, turned, and ambled out the front door.

She has potential, he noted, and she’s definitely interested.

"Señor!" Kurt turned and found the bartender at his side, holding a crumpled fistful of bills, his change.

He waved her off with a smile. "No. Gracias. For you. Muchas gracias."

He didn’t have to tell her twice. With a sly grin, the girl tucked the money into her blouse. "Gracias señor. I very much thank—" He dismissed her with a friendly wave, handed her his half-empty glass, and continued on his way.

He was tired. Tired of the road, tired of drinking his days away alone and waking up with a different woman every week. It was a fatigue he never could have anticipated, and he couldn’t figure out how to take the next step, to move beyond it. This trip was supposed to be his salvation, a chance to reconnect with the world and rediscover who he was. Instead, it had turned into a slow grind that was killing him.

Shielding his eyes against the early afternoon sun, Kurt paused outside the door and scanned the plaza spread before him. Blue tarps dominated the vista. Stretched across makeshift stalls, they served as storefronts for the hundreds of vendors hawking their wares to the tourists who flowed through the city on the way to and from the Inca trail. The tarp closest to him chuffed as a gust of wind caught it from below, reminding him of the sound of sails snapping tight at the Chesapeake Harbour Marina.

No. He shook his head. I’m sick of this goddamned place. He turned to the right and picked his way down the fractured sidewalk toward a side street that led to a park that didn’t allow street vendors. Kurt was relieved to discover that the park was mostly deserted. Aside from a young mother and her three children, he was alone.

He chose a bench on the far side, more for the view of the mountains towering over the city than for its comfort, and took a seat. The three children scurried around the plaza chasing pigeons and screaming in delight every time they got close. Their mother appeared content to let her children burn off their energy, as she split her time between a magazine and watching them play.

Despite the blazing sun high overhead, the air still held a slight chill. Kurt shrugged back into his jacket, leaving it unzipped in a fruitless attempt to achieve a comfortable temperature. As he fiddled with his zipper, his wrist bumped against the mobile phone stashed in his breast pocket. He took it out. It had been three full weeks, no, four, since he had last spoken with anyone back home.

He flipped the phone open with his thumb and pressed the power button. It took only a moment for the phone to come to life and snatch a signal from the thin mountain air. Once it did, he saw that he had a voicemail. He accessed his voicemail and put the phone to his ear.

There was the usual burst of machine-gun Spanish as the automated recording told him how to place a call on his home network. He already knew the routine.

You have two new messages; press one to listen to your new messages, said the soothing computer voice on the other end.

He pressed one before the voice could list the other options.

After the date and time information, he heard, Kurt. Hey. It’s me. Listen. I’ve got to talk to you. There was a long silence. It’s really important. Call me as soon as you get this. Kurt made a mental note to call his brother as he deleted the message.

The next was from his mother. Kurt. There’s been an accident. Mike—he’s dead. Please, please come home. Her voice dissolved into sobs, and a moment later, his father came on. Kurt, it just happened. We don’t know the details yet. His father’s voice choked up for a moment, and then continued, Call me when you get this.

Kurt closed his eyes and bit back a scream. He didn’t delete this message. He closed the phone and, staring at the mountains high above without seeing them, he slumped on the bench. His stomach roiled, and he felt as if he were about to vomit. With a concentrated effort, he managed to swallow back the bile that had crept up his throat, associating the sour taste with the direction his life had taken.

His trip was over; that much was clear. It was time to leave.

THREE

Jack Carson hoisted himself from his chair and went to the tinted window overlooking the lush green lawns surrounding the CIA campus. A steady rain fell, but nothing like the night before. He returned to his desk, settling into the plush, black leather executive chair that was his home away from home.

At sixty-one years old, Jack was a big fish in the small pond of the National Clandestine Service, the arm of the Central Intelligence Agency responsible for in-field intelligence gathering. The spies. He had entered the agency thirty-five years earlier, straight out of Harvard Law, after deciding a career wearing a suit for the FBI wasn’t for him. A veteran of the Cold War, he had completed tours of duty in several Eastern Bloc and Southeast Asian countries before finally succumbing to the lure of a stable desk job. Despite the comfortable life within the CIA management structure, a fire still burned deep within, an all-consuming desire to finish the war his government had all but forgotten.

Standing a hair over six foot three, with a full head of steel-gray hair and a razor-sharp intellect, Jack cut an imposing figure within the halls of the agency. He was comfortable with his power and had no compunction about wielding his considerable influence to further his goals.

With a deep sigh, Jack picked up his phone and punched in a four-digit number. My office. Bring Mason.

A minute later, there was a knock on his door. Come in, he bellowed.

The door opened without a sound, and a man and a woman entered, the woman pushing the door shut behind her. Only thirty-one-years-old, Helen Bartholomew was an accomplished field agent with extensive experience hunting terrorists in the former Russian republics. She was also a savant at intelligence synthesis, able to see through the torrent of data that inundated the agency and pick and choose the pieces she needed. That was the reason Jack had pulled her into his division in the first place. On the pretty side of beautiful, she was the quintessential spy, able to blend into almost any crowd and learn any language.

The man beside her was another story altogether. Mason Perot was short and swarthy and always had an easy grin on his face. Ruthless, yet dependable, he had served with Helen on several missions and he knew how to make things happen.

Since the pair had begun working for him, Jack had suspected some sort of romantic entanglement, but he had never been able to put his finger on it. Regardless, they worked well together, and that was the only thing that mattered.

He reached under his desk and pressed a discreet button connected to a white noise generator. Although the office was soundproofed and swept for electronic listening devices daily, he felt there was no such thing as too much privacy. Have a seat, he said, waving at the chairs opposite his desk.

Helen sat and crossed her legs. Mason’s girth made it a tight fit in his chair, and he grumbled as he squeezed himself in.

I just got off the phone with our friends, Jack said. Everything is in place.

Helen and Mason both nodded, waiting for the other shoe to drop. They knew Jack wouldn’t have called them in for a routine status update. They were right.

Jack adjusted his tie and narrowed his eyes. "What I need to know from the two of you is why in the hell I have complete operational control on the other side of the planet, yet one of my own people can walk out of the

Reviews for The Patriot Paradox

[lilbooks22-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

While this book was not a bad story, I am only giving it two stars because for me the story just didn't have...'it'. I am not sure what it was, but it just was not for me.

[spacechick365 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It is a great short story full of action with a very intriguing plot. It was only a few hours long but I couldn't stop listening to it.

[cyorgason-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

** I received a copy of the audiobook through the member giveawaysI thought the story was pretty good. It is very fast paced and I thought that it could actually have a little more detail, but the action certainly keeps coming. Future books will be interesting to see how Vetter becomes more involved, since the "reluctant" part of the title certainly fits this book.

[iadam-2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received this free audiobook from the author in exchange for an honest review. This is a fast paced, action packed conspiracy techno thriller involving a rogue U.S. government group who must be stopped as they deal with the Cold War on their own terms. I found this book difficult to turn off; just wanted to find out what would happen next. Kevin Pierce does an excellent job as narrator and I found him easy to listen to. The book has a cliffhanger ending and I will be reading the next book in the Reluctant Hero series to find out what happens with Kurt, Amanda, and The President. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an action packed, fast moving techno thriller.

[calicocat901 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received this book as part of a LibraryThing Giveaway. I have always liked the spy thriller genre, and this book does not disappoint. I liked how the plot unfolded, the locations, the use of technology, and how all the characters, both good and bad, were well-developed. I thought the ending was predictable, but I am looking forward to the next story in this series.

[leesalogic · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received this book via Library Thing's Member Giveaways.This was a fast-paced thriller. Not quite as fast-paced as, say, an episode of 24, but pretty close! The book started off with a lot of tension and given that the author doesn't spend a lot of time on character development before thrusting us into another tense situation, we don't have much time to guess at the motivations or backgrounds of the main players. My guess is that this will develop over the series. Much like in Law and Order, we get snippets of the characters and what motivates them, but mostly it's the action we're looking for and action is what we get, with our understanding of the characters developing over several episodes.This is a great afternoon read. Less than 200 pages, it's much like watching a series on TV, where you get a teaser for the next episode. Classic!

[kristincedar · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Certainly a new twist to the Bond-themed novels on yesteryear, Patriot Paradox is the story of Kurt Vetter, and the circumstances surrounding his brother Mike's death. A thriller set through Europe and Asia, a spurned on by the lovely and secretive Amanda, as well as the agency meddling who has a stake in keeping the secrets of Mike's death hidden, this is a pretty decent book.

[bookworm247_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'm so glad I was given this book to read by the author for a read and review.Mike Vetter has information on a top secret terrorist plot to set off an explosive bomb to go off in downtown Moscow. He steals the evidence and sends it to his brother. Mike is murdered afterwards.Kurt Vetter receives the evidence and knows its something BIG. He listens to audio and reads written transcripts. Mike tells him (through the evidence) to find Amanda Carter.Mike and Amanda are aware they are being followed. Can they stop the bomb in time? or will they die with the rest of them?Wow, this was a fast paced thriller of a read. It's super easy to understand and the story flow is nice. The characters are likable.The ending had a twist and makes you want to read the next book in the series. I definitely want to read more of this author.

[hydrografie_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Received this through LT Member giveaway.Classic spy type novel that (almost) achieves the level of Ludlum. In general good plot, but the characters could have been developed even further. Never imagined that there are websites that let you calculate what happens if you set of a 150 kton nuclear bomb in moscow. The websites are there and the story revolves around this fact as well as a rogue cia group trying tonset it off. Count in an ex cia analyst whose brother is murdered and an intelligent pretty woman with a background in intelligence, et presto you have an action packed spy story.Big spoiler (or cliffhanger) is the end. Personally i like my books to be finished. I do not mind a teaser, but not as part of the main plot. Please forego that next time.

[sara2012_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received this book from a librarything.com giveaway. I absolutely loved this book from start to finish. I loved how the characters interacted with each other. I loved how the story was constantly moving. There was never a dull moment. I am a big fan of William Esmont. I have read a few of his books before. I will definitely read more of his books as they are published.

[rufusraider · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a very interesting novel. It is a story about a rogue group within the CIA trying to assassinate the leadership of another country. The story line was fairly believable unlike some of the thrillers. The characters were not performing unbelievable feats to accomplish tasks.The story releases the plot information at a very good pace to keep the reader in suspense as to the final ending. It was very easy to read while picking it up as you have time to read when busy with other activities.

[mirrordance · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Thrillers are not always my genre. This offers a classical plot in a post cold war scenario. Narration seems sometimes discontinuous, some nice ideas but soon after you already know how all is going to evolve and end. An open final which already paves the way to a sequel.

[vivapdx_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very good, I usually don't like spy novels but this one kept me intrigued, and I liked the suprise ending

[joycedlee · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Love love, love, this book. Fast paced and it grabs you from the beginning. Two brothers are trying to do something for the good. Would recommend great book. Good job Mr. Esmont

[dbower_21 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a fast paced thriller that you will not be able to put down. It is a story of international espionage with great characters and non-stop action. It is short but definitely worth the read. I look forward to the next book in the series!

[qstewart_5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

William Esmont's "The Patriot Paradox" is a action packed story that grabs you from the beginning and does not let go till the actions culminates in the end scenes. It starts with a man searching for a location from which to post a package to someone. What happens to him draws the reader in to the action and the question has to what has he mailed. It is a story of a rogue group in our government who in their own way is still fighting the Cold War. it falls to an unlikely hero (Kurt) and a mysterious woman (Amanda) that he is sent to meet with the information that will expose the actions of the rogue group. Kurt and Amanda find themselves being tracked around the world as they try to stop the destruction of an old enemy of the United States. In the new world politics the old enemy is now friendly with the United States and its destruction can lead to all sorts of problems which of course could mean nuclear war. So the two of them race to stop the conspiracy while the rogue group is doing all that they can to stop them. Esmont has researched and brought together various groups that makes the threat seem genuine. For those of us who remember the Cold War tensions and the brinkmanship that was practiced by the superpowers then the feasibility of such an event does seem real and possible. No doubt there were plenty of Cold War warriors who did not want to let go of the Soviet Union as an enemy and international bad guy. They had spent their entire careers with the destruction of this dreaded enemy as their goal and them almost overnight that enemy was swept away. So the possibility of a rogue group still holding onto those goals is a very likely possibility.The book is short but very engaging and exciting to read if you are into action spy thrillers. I look forward to future installments of Kurt and Amanda adventures that are hopefully planned. Very good and interesting book.

[shelleyraec · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Patriot Paradox is a thrill ride of conspiracy and sabotage. Fearing for his life, Mike Vetter sends his brother sensitive information, making him the target of a rogue group of CIA agents who plan to annihilate Russia with a nuclear missile.The plot is strong, I like the basic premise and though it's not exactly an original idea, Esmont has thought out events carefully. The detail he uses seem genuine which gives the plot a sense of possibility. The action is fast paced as Kurt and Amanda run from Carson's team. The deadline and desperation gives the story a sense of urgency that pulls the reader along. It's quite a short book at just over 250 pages and the conclusion is an unexpected cliffhanger which brings the story to a screeching halt. I can only assume that a sequel is in the works.Despite the non stop action, Esmont has taken care to develop believable characters, providing enough context for the reader to build a sense of their motivations. I did feel Kurt's characterisation could probably have been stronger in that he seemed to move with the plot rather than direct it. His partnership with Amanda puts him in a passive role, particularly in the last half of the novel. I liked Amanda's attitude, when Kurt brings her the information. She doesn't hesitate to do the right thing and is smart and determined.The Patriot Paradox is an engaging action spy thriller that has a great sense of timing. It's a quick and exciting read, sure to satisfy the reader.

[meadowmist_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Two brothers….dangerous jobs….tragedies.Kurt and Mike Vetter both were employed in dangerous jobs...Mike knew something was in the works and mailed secret information to his brother's house so it wouldn't be found in his home. When Kurt opened the package and scanned the disk, he knew he had to find out what this classified information meant, and he left for London to try to find out. When he landed in London, so did the "enemy." Kurt was being trailed, but didn't know it.Kurt had to find Amanda, the only contact he thought he could trust. Once he found her, hopefully things would be cleared up, and she could find what secret mission was being planned. Meanwhile, Amanda's friend Nigel was decoding the disk, and from 2,000 miles away in the USA, Jack Carson and his team were planning to take care of Nigel. There was something big going on, but it wasn't fully clear to Kurt or Amanda what it was, but Jack definitely knew. As Nigel's computer decoded the information, he was becoming more upset. "The data was incomplete, but this much was clear: it was real and it was in motion." Page 116. Something deadly was being planned.Did the plan get carried out or was it stopped? If you like on-the-edge-of-your-seat action, you will love Patriot Paradox....modern-day espionage. 5.5

[hideandread · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have to say, when I initially saw the length of this novel, I was skeptical about much could really lie within less than three thousand Kindle locations. Color me surprised, then, when Esmont delivered a hard, driven story with a complex conspiracy and an unexpected emotional range.This novel had me constantly agitated, afraid for the fates of various characters as rogue CIA agents set about eliminating obstacles to their nefarious plot. The amount of information gleaned from simple communications was astounding but surprisingly believable, and I found myself eying my cell phone suspiciously as I read, wondering if so simple a device would be the means by which Kurt and Amanda got caught. Was it? I'm not telling.Unlike many a thriller, Esmont delves into the tender side of his main character without forcing it. Kurt's initial homecoming was gut-wrenching despite its brevity, with a palpable sense of loss and despair. It made it easier to connect to him, something that becomes incredibly important when the protagonist is too busy running from killers to worry about forging a relationship with the reader.In spite of his skillful use of words, however, the author does seem to struggle with semicolons and commas, as well as quotation marks, as well as occasional redundancy. The punctuation tended to be off every so often, which was distracting but thankfully not intolerably so. The overuse of words was sporadic enough to be understandable. Still, a bit more proofing would definitely benefit the text.I did have some difficulty buying into the emotional connection between Kurt and Amanda, which seemed to switch from reasonable to far too fast, and therefore unbelievable, close to the end of the book. The finale itself was rushed, and the last few pages felt something like riding a go-kart down a steep hill with a very solid (and inappropriately placed) wall at the bottom: one second, you're having a wonderful, freeing ride, and the next, you're smashing into an unyielding surface and wondering what on earth just happened.The Patriot Paradox is a short but very worthwhile read, and I look forward to more works by this author.Stimulated Outlet Book Reviews(Review copy provided by the author)

[bemislibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kurt Vetter’s brother was killed and he must use the information sent to him to prevent the why from happening. He hooked up with Amanda, his brother’s former co-worker to spoil a plot concocted by a Washington intelligence rouge group. The fast pace did not allow or significant character development. This is the first book in the Reluctant Hero Series.

[silversreviews · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Two brothers….dangerous jobs….tragedies.Kurt and Mike Vetter both were employed in dangerous jobs...Mike knew something was in the works and mailed secret information to his brother's house so it wouldn't be found in his home. When Kurt opened the package and scanned the disk, he knew he had to find out what this classified information meant, and he left for London to try to find out. When he landed in London, so did the "enemy." Kurt was being trailed, but didn't know it.Kurt had to find Amanda, the only contact he thought he could trust. Once he found her, hopefully things would be cleared up, and she could find what secret mission was being planned. Meanwhile, Amanda's friend Nigel was decoding the disk, and from 2,000 miles away in the USA, Jack Carson and his team were planning to take care of Nigel. There was something big going on, but it wasn't fully clear to Kurt or Amanda what it was, but Jack definitely knew. As Nigel's computer decoded the information, he was becoming more upset. "The data was incomplete, but this much was clear: it was real and it was in motion." Page 116. Something deadly was being planned.Did the plan get carried out or was it stopped? If you like on-the-edge-of-your-seat action, you will love Patriot Paradox....modern-day espionage. 5.5

[macygma · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Patriot Paradox by W EsmontThe last thing Kurt Vetter expected to hear was that Mike was dead. Since he was on a vacation trying to recover from the death of his wife and daughter this was not good news. His older brother, the one who “played by the rules”, worked in Washington and the one Kurt had always looked up to – gone. Stranger than that was the manner of death, run down? In the ‘burbs? Not likely. The more Kurt pokes the worse things get until, with very secret documents that had been mailed to him minutes before Mike’s death in his possession; he travels to England to the one person Mike thought could help.Paranoid secret agents, a plot to end it all for one messed up country. What had Mike been killed for and why are people trying to kill Kurt for Heaven’s sake. The one person who might be able to help, Amanda Carter is polite but more secretive than Mike had ever been. Can Kurt trust her or is she in on the whole thing?I reviewed William Esmont’s first book, Fire: Elements of the Undead last year. It was a great read but this tale, this story outdoes it by far. The plot is impressively written, the characters make you hope that this isn’t just a one book thing and it was good to read something done so well.

[tumbleweeds_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book held my interest from the first page – fast moving action and suspense. Readers who enjoy Robert Ludlum, Kyle Mills and Nelson DeMille will enjoy this book. I’ve noted some other reviewers commenting on how poorly the book was edited. I’m assuming that the author must have re-edited it, as I found no spelling or grammatical errors, and I’m usually pretty good at catching those (which are like chalk scraping on a blackboard when I see them). I found the book to be well written, and found the character development to be very good, as well. The only reason why I’m giving it four stars instead of five was the ending – if the last page or two hadn’t ended with a cliff-hanger, which was as subtle as a flying brick to get you to buy his next book (which I would have done anyway), I would have given it five stars. At only 268 pages, it was a relatively short book and certainly could have been twice the length. It was definitely an engaging read and an all-too-possible plot that kept me in suspense until (almost) the end. Recommended!Disclaimer: I was fortunate to have been given a copy of this book by the author through LibraryThing in exchange for agreeing to provide a fair and honest review.

[memasmb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A copy of this book was received from the Member Giveaways Program of LibraryThing. This spy thriller begins with an agent, Mike Vetter who is desperately trying to find a way to send his brother, Kurt some highly sensitive information that needs to be made public about a rogue group functioning out of CIA. Their out dated scheme is to eliminate one of America’s old enemies, the Soviet Union.Mike succeeds in mailing Kurt a computer disc and a message to contact an old friend, Amanda who he trusts. Thus begins the story of Kurt and Amanda being tracked all over Europe in a race against time to stop this fool hearted plan and eradicate all those involved…and did I forget to mention they only have 24 hours!One of the scary parts of the story, details how security agencies from many countries can track our telephones, e-mails, flight plans, and personal information. I recommend this book to fellow readers who like a fast paced ride with lots of action. Keep an eye out for the next books from William Esmont.

[wrighton9time · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Article first published as Book Review:The Patriot Paradox by William Esmont on Blogcritics.Drawn back into a world of espionage by the death of his brother Mike, Kurt Vetter is already suffering the loss of his wife and child, Kurt is doing his best to forget his prior life. A plea from his mother brings him back to the states, to just one more pain filled memory. The death of his only brother. Following the funeral, Kurt receives a package from Mike; a package Kurt now knows caused his death. He is immediately aware that with his newfound knowledge gleaned from the package, he too is in danger. Mike leaves a request for to Kurt contact Amanda Carter in the case of his death and turn the information over to her. Mike copied the information, hoping to bring down the rogue faction of the CIA willing to start a war to get what they wanted. One-step ahead of the CIA, Kurt tracks down Amanda through the internet, and to London.Amanda too is in intelligence and a good friend of Kurt’s brother. She grieves at his death; he had put himself on the line for her in the past and saved her life. His request for her help puts her in high gear. She takes the information to a friend to decipher, and she and Kurt try to stay ahead of their pursuers.Immediately death begins to take a toll, the apartment of Amanda’s friend is incinerated, along with the information she gave him. However, she receives a summary of his findings, and understands the reason for Mike’s murder. Amanda and Kurt must track down the bomb and find a way to diffuse it before it is too late. Can they save a people and their way of life? How will they know who to trust when there are spies in the very heart of the U.S. CIA. William Esmont has written a wonderful story of espionage and lingering distrust left from the end of the cold war. His characters are very human and extremely likable. In The Patriot Paradox, he has built a possibility of mammoth proportions. What would happen if a rogue group took it upon themselves to destroy a world power? Would they succeed?Kurt is a great but unlikely hero, trying to bury himself in escape. His brother’s death brings him back to a reality he is not ready to face. His prior work with the CIA keeps him guessing just ahead of those that are now wanting him dead. He is somewhat of a klutz and yet he draws you in. With an edge of your seat suspense you can only standby and watch as he continues to escape the traps laid for him.Amanda Carter is polished and knowledgeable, the opposite of Kurt in every way. She is secretive and beautiful, and he finds himself drawn to her. She is the strength of their unlikely partnership, looking for understanding of the mess they are in. Without backup, they are sitting ducks, unable to stay ahead of their nemesis. The CIA has the technology to find and follow them wherever they are, and it is an intricate game of cat and mouse, staying one-step ahead.This is a great story by William Esmont, it is fast paced and gripping in areas. It is thought provoking and keeps you entertained. The characters blaze their way, and will be fun to follow in further works. If you like action and spy thrillers you will enjoy this rendition. Well Written, this book keeps you turning the pages. Once started I found it hard to put down.This book was received as a free copy from the Author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the information.