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Title/Author

Deadly Distractions
Stan Turner Book 5

William Manchee

Average Review Rating Average Rating 9/10 (1 Review)
Book Details

Publisher : Lean Press

Published : 2004

Copyright : William Manchee 2004

ISBN-10 : PB 1-932475-02-8
ISBN-13 : PB 978-1-932475-02-9

Publisher's Write-Up

After two tough years practicing law, Stan and his family take a well deserved vacation to Colorado. Unfortunately the vacation is cut short when a client is found standing over the body of a dead IRS agent. It appears to be an open and shut case since Dusty Thomas has had a long feud with the dead agent Bobby Tuttle, and more than enough motive to kill him, yet he claims to be innocent.

Stan's new partner Paula Waters convinces Stan to finish his vacation promising to handle Dusty Thomas' arraignment and get an investigation underway. While Stan is away, she makes good on her promise and even manages to arrange financing for Dusty's defence. But Stan is mortified when he reads in the Colorado papers that a radical paramilitary group, the Citizens Defence Alliance or CDA, is doing the funding.

Since the CDA denies the legitimacy of the federal income tax and has been a target of federal prosecutors for many years, Stan and Paula immediately come under the close scrutiny of the FBI and the press. To further complicate matters, Stan's best client and close friend, Tex Weller, is reported missing by his wife. When Stan investigates his disappearance he finds a letter that leads him to believe Tex is in Ecuador.

While Stan is searching for Tex in Ecuador, Paula continues her investigation of Bobby Tuttle's murder and quickly discovers a long list of enemies with motive to kill him. But her investigation is sidetracked when she learns Stan is missing and may have been kidnapped. As weeks go by and Stan isn't found, she is forced to turn her attention back to the Dusty Thomas case and leave the search for Stan up to the FBI and the local Ecuadorian authorities. Barely able to concentrate, she plods on and day by day and soon becomes convinced that Dusty Thomas is innocent.

Author Website - http://williammanchee.com/

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Reader Reviews

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Review by Molly Martin (310313) Rating (9/10)

Review by Molly Martin
Rating 9/10
Stan Turner, Dallas based Attorney, husband and father along with his family are on vacation in July 1986. Stan’s wife Rebekah is looking forward to having some special time with Stan. The kids are hoping for fishing and white water rafting. Stan has a brand new partner; Paula Waters who has brought some much needed cash as well as ‘a head for business’ into the firm, and is set to enjoy some time away from Dallas and the pressures of his law practice. It isn’t long before Stan finds himself flying to Texas to meet with an old friend. Dusty Thomas, a bad luck kid from way back, is accused of shooting and killing a federal officer. Bobby Tuttle was just doing his job in trying to confiscate some the Thomas farm machinery for back taxes. The worst of it is: there are witnesses who saw Dusty, weapon in hand, standing over the body. Before the tale plays out Ecuador, a radical paramilitary group known as the CDA…Citizen’s Defence Alliance, a DC income tax protest, scrutiny of both Stan and Paul by the press and the FBI, soft ball sized hail stones, a woman with a crush on Stan, 1.8 million dollars and a hit and run all figure in what appeared at first glance to be a simple case.

As always Manchee has a tale to tell, and he does so in the same fast paced, action packed thriller rounded out with a well developed theme manner as he so known for from past works. Manchee’s penchant for presenting an intriguing tale wherein little is as first seemed is getting better with each book he writes. Manchee’s writing skills are becoming finely honed. On the pages of Deadly Distractions there are enough twists and turns to please and perhaps lead astray even the most discerning reader. Action addicts will be pleased, the lively tale has something for everyone who enjoys a good yarn, an intriguing mystery and just plain a good read. Manchee’s genius for taking knowledge from his own attorney background experience and bolstering his scenes is evident from Deadly Distractions’ outset.

Writer Manchee’s legal thriller brings us in contact again with Stan Turner, one of my favourites of Manchee’s characters. Watching the amicable, at times bumbling Stan trying to balance family with work against a woman determined toward more than a casual relationship brings more than one smile to the lips of any reader who may have found themselves in any part of the particular scenario.

Manchee’s characters are well developed, dialogue is gritty, believable, hard hitting at times, and milieus are filled with sights and sounds and enough description to draw the reader into the setting. Deadly Distractions is a gripping tale grasping the readers interest from the opening lines as we nod in agreement with Stan ‘never call your office while you’re on vacation’ across all 300 pages and right down to the last paragraphs where we discover Dusty’s luck remains the same.

Excellent book for a long lazy afternoon when you have time to savour a well written thriller, watch the red herrings. Manchee does his usual excellent job leading the unsuspecting astray!
Molly Martin (31st March 2013)

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