Executive Actions

Executive Actions: Gary Grossman

I have a reason to want them eliminated from the race. As the book starts we hear to the voice the assassin who is planning his strategy, taking time to he thought eliminate any evidence that he was present and then hopefully pulling the fated shot that would take out Democratic candidate and Congressman Teddy Lodge. But, the speech is ready, the primary is about to occur but during a special parade where he and his wife are exposed to the public, the killer aims, has the candidate in sight but something happens and can never be reversed as instead of Lodge the bullet kills his wife, Jenny. Lodge is distraught, will not deal with the public and the media is hounding him for statements. But, as he is dealing with her death and the failed assassination, we hear the killer dealing with leaving no trace, flirting with a hotel maid as she switches gears from one person to another thinking that he has everyone fooled. President Morgan Taylor is worried about the primary wanting another term but this murder might throw the weight in Lodge’s direction. Hearing the voices of the FBI and those in charge of the case we learn that not everything this killer did was sanitized and that some forensic evidence was left but will it be enough to identify him?

Things are not quite what they seem when Steven Hoag boards a train to work and meets Frank Dolan. Conversation, friendly chat, the noise on the train deafening so that no one heard the bullet that took Hoag’s life nor did anyone pay him any mind. When a worker comes on the train he finds Hoag, calls for help but will they connect to two murders?
President Morgan Taylor instructs Special Agent Scott Roarke to dig into Lodge’s family, life and more to unravel this deadly plot. But, there are many more players and this plot has been lying dormant for more than 30 years and will change our allegiances in the Middle East. Ripped right out of the headlines with actions and scenes that are so vividly depicted and true to life, we wonder how close to what happened to JFK is this incident?
There are some dangerous players loyal to two sides as you meet the double agents that send information to two brothers in Libya vying for more control and one so power hungry he would kill anyone on the spot as the Middle East hungry heir to the throne, including his own brother.
This long time sleeper spy cell in Russia is operating in the United States and they intend to manipulate the presidency and the upcoming election. It’s not unusual to have trained spies her that one would think were born and bred Americans. The author relates the history of the KGB’s, Andropov Institute where these spies are trained and become American Clones. So, will banks, credit card companies or other financial institutions get red flags when these people apply for loans or credit? Look around you as you walk in the city at the many different people of different races and do you wonder why they are all here and for what reason?
There are many other voices that we hear as several Middle Eastern power hungry rulers are trying to undercut peace, two brothers fighting for control, moles everywhere even here, and Scott Roarke and Katie Kessler come together in a most unusual way to learn more about Lodge, his past, his family, what his parents left him in their will and much more as this lawyer and this Secret Agent develop a tight bond. But, Mr. Marcus her boss sees her in the wrong place at the wrong time, needing the files that she leaked to Scott and daring her to take another case file and tell him what she is working on. Will he believe that she did not touch the Lodge files? Will he learn something and will she be in danger?
Things take on many different turns as author Gary Grossman takes us deep inside the voices of two Muslim brothers that want control over Libya and will stop at nothing to accomplish their goals. Fadi and Abnar Kharrazi are the two brothers who await their father the General’s decision as to who will take the primary role of ruler of Libya after he is gone. Dealing with a mole for both sides named Omar Za’eem they are both fed information that will either hinder one side or foster the other one. Steven Hoag was really a Russian Spy and a graduate of the Andropov Institute and was feeding information to someone on our side but before he could give what he had recently learned a man named Frank Dolan/ really not his real name, took him out on a train. But, there are more that would pay the price as someone was orchestrating the deaths of even more when Marcus was taken out as he left a meeting and never saw it coming. He too was a spy for the other side. Added in Jenny Lodge, Haywood Marcus, Steven Hoag, Lodge, and more who might pay the price in more ways than one.
Scott Roarke needed help to enhance a picture of Lodge through age progression and a man named Touch Parsons nickname created the images but needed more. Going to the President with his findings and the final image will shock readers as we may know the real mastermind behind Jenny Lodge’s demise and Teddy Lodge’s rise to fame and getting the nomination for his party along with Governor Lamden.
Morgan Taylor is astute and so is his staff as they uncover something so heinous so diabolical it dates back over 30 years and you won’t believe what they uncover. Lodge is now the President Elect but when Katie Kessler is brought into the mix she is asked to read the constitution and take some copious notes. What she uncovers you won’t believe as you read the constitution, study the 14th amendment along with the 25th amendment and you too will slowly be enlightened into a plot that would destroy our nation’s credibility and security. Reporter Michael O’Connell meets with Rourke and hands him a picture that will explain it all but not before Touch Parsons does so age progressions in two different directions. What he realizes you won’t believe.
Sami Ben Ali took his time when trained at Langley learning about two agents who hadn’t been patient enough. The CIA even managed to smuggle out photos of the Kharrazi’s Abu Salim Prison which if there were pictures would horrify readers at that carnage done to these tortured bodies. Walid Abdul Latif is another player and even more dangerous. Ordering Ben Ali into Fadi’s office to put away files was his chance to find out about Ashab al-kahf whose history is described. Alfred Nunes was the lawyer for Teddy Lodge’s family so why would someone take him out? A simple fishing trip and a man pretending to enjoy his company and sodium morph ate in his coffee and his life is snuffed out in a tragic and painful way.
Imagine wanting to be president of the United States and doing it in a way that no one knows who you really are, where your origins are until one man finds a picture that creates a dialogue and a story that no one will ever forget.
Chuck Wheaton is a wiz with a camera or video and when he replays the death of Jenny Lodge what he finally sees will shake up the President, his cabinet and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and others who are involved in the inauguration. While Ibrahim Haddad watches without anyone knowing, gets updates from Fadi and then realizes he must vanish too. Lodge thinks he is in place until they uncover the link to Sadaam Hussein, his son and how they infiltrated sleeper cells into our country, Americanized these people to become part of our work force and then hopefully take over the government of the United States. It is explained how over the past 30 years they grew up, entered college and launched successful careers right under our noses with no one being the wiser. The ultimate goal, still operational, and I quote: is to destabilize Israel by illegally influencing the government of the United States and changing public opinion here. Vinnie D’Angelo and CIA agent is captured and tortured for information but will he fold?
Red Banner graduated many people with unique talents by offering many courses that couldn’t be found anywhere. Even Putin went through the school before serving in East Germany. Most relevant was the special curriculum named Red Banner 101. 101 for introductory students went in as Russian and came out as Americans. They were immersed in their training and the purpose as you the reader will learn was to graduate many who would pass as Americans and you would not know the difference. Scott began to understand this as on page 329 it was vividly described with examples in detail. Sidney McAllister, Frank Dolan, Hoag who was really Kusnitzoff and many others that have yet to be discovered infiltrated, killed and disappeared. But, Hoag became a liability, Haywood Marcus too and anyone standing in the way of a plot so devious, almost too perfect was executed and extinct. So, McAlister killed Jennifer Lodge and ho record of him. Frank Dolan/AKA McAllister killed Hoag. When Wheaton plays the video of the death of Mrs. Lodge what he finally sees and tries to impart to the people present takes him effort and much more before they buy into it. But, Taylor is smart and he decides to create Operation Quarterback Sneak : Swift, Daring and Dangerous. He establishes his team and what you experience when they go into Fadi’s office and lair you won’t believe how they come out and what they find. Hold your breath for the most dramatic, unexpected ending that will make you wonder if this could be happening right now before your eyes. Who will be the next leader of our country? What role did each one play? What does Morgan Taylor uncover and will he be too late to stop it? Teddy Lodge, Geoff Newman, Henry Lamden: Who can we trust?
As Katie Kessler almost out of breath explains the legalities behind the fourteen and Twenty fifth amendments and their meaning will the person she relates it to stop what others have started but can they?
Ripped right out of the headlines and definitely give us much pause for thought as author Gary Grossman reminds us what happens sometimes when things go sour and we need to reassess our: Executive Actions. The issues of trust, betrayal, traitorous behavior, hate, control, power, greed, disloyalties, distrust and the fear that this could really happen are brought out in this thought provoking novel.
Fran Lewis: just reviews/MJ magazine