Ana Manwaring's hit crime thriller, Backlash, receives a glowing review from Midwest Book Review.
"Prior fans of Ana Manwaring's thrillers will find Backlash: Venom and Vengeance from 'Nam a welcome addition to and expansion of the JadeAnne Stone adventures set in Mexico. The story centers on JadeAnne's father Quint, who remains in Mexico to investigate why his former superior office in Vietnam is trying to kill him. By the time he realizes that not just he, but his daughter JadeAnne, who has gone to California with her new love Dylan, is in Nadar's crosshairs, the man could be well on his way to apprehending his daughter. And so the drama moves from Colorado to Mexico in a nation-hopping chase that features an explosive plot and many satisfying twists and turns as Quint struggles to survive political subterfuge and zealots that have Mexico's best interests at heart.
These special interest forces that coalesce and struggle receive winning, engrossing feature via dialogues that capture not just action, but underlying intentions. Clashes are vividly portrayed as the story evolves: "He met the fight at the pantry door. Trampoza's man had one hand grasping at Horacio's throat with a large can of tomato juice in the other. Quint batted away his hand quashing the thugs' attempt to bean Horacio with the can. Quint grinned as Horacio balled his fist, sending an uppercut into the man's chin. The thug flew backwards into his arms."
When married to a story steeped in Mexican culture and mayhem, with the lingering effects of Vietnam relationships injected into the present-day picture of adversity and vengeance, the result is a vivid portrait of traitors and a dangerous man whose wrath and cleverness threaten everyone Quint has believed in and loved. Ana Manwaring does an outstanding job of crafting a story that stands alone on both its psychological and thriller components. Prior readers will appreciate the plot while newcomers won't need an introduction to past relationships to appreciate the characters and actions that represent international relationships and survival efforts. The tension is nicely built, premises are logical and embedded into the story's action-packed scenarios, and readers receive a high-octane work well steeped in Mexican affairs. Libraries and readers seeking thrillers that center around themes that challenge individual and national interests will find Backlash: Venom and Vengeance from 'Nam seamless in its action and characters and hard to put down."
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