THE ENEMY STALKS is the debut of the “Hawkman Series”, where the introduction of a fascinating detective known as Hawkman, a former Agency operative comes into play under an assumed identity, Tom Casey. Jennifer Morgan, the equally fascinating heroine, a young widow, lives across the lake. Together, with an aggressive falcon, they take on the dangerous double agent, Dirk Hinderson, a vicious murderer who hates Hawkman and has vowed to extinguish him from the face of the earth. He uses Jennifer as his means to get to his target. The action takes place in a secluded lakeside community in the Northwest where even the eccentric secondary characters have unique appeal. A read you won’t want to miss.

REVIEW

I really enjoyed reading this nifty spy vs. romantic spy fable set in the Pacific Northwest. It affirms once again, that love is blind. The Enemy Stalks focuses on Jennifer, a single woman living by herself in a sparsely settled lakeside community who becomes attracted to her neighbor, a bearded man with an eyepatch. The locals call him Hawkman because of his hobby with predatory birds. Jennifer and Hawkman live directly across a lake from each other along a narrow stretch of water. The distance between them is close enough for each of them to easily observe the other. Things can get a bit dull in the woods even with a satellite dish. She likes dogs and he keeps falcons for hunting. They both like pets. She feels a kinship.

Early on, the eccentric loner admits to her that he is obsessed with getting revenge for the killing of his late wife and that he has sworn to murder the perpetrator. He also warns her that she herself is in mortal danger just by being close to him. In the first chapter she finds him in his home lying in a pool of blood, the wounded target of a gunman. The assassin lies dead of gunshot wounds in the yard. This is not discouraging to the determined Jennifer.

As the plot thickens, "The Agency" becomes involved. Unmarked helicopters circle overhead and Jennifer receives phone calls warning her of rape and mutilation if she continues to associate with Hawkman. She can't tear herself away from him. She becomes Hawkman's willing partner in his plans for revenge. Although she had never liked having guns around the house, Hawkman gives her a gun and the courage to use it. He teaches her marksmanship just in time to help him kill two Iranian hit men.

The story has a nasty sneering villain who hisses and snickers when he speaks. Dogs bite him. He's so mean that even birds peck him.

This novel on cassette is a real mouse clicker and the strongest reason yet for investing in a palm pilot.

Reviewed by: Gene Herd, Executive Director, Hollywood Radio & Television Society

EXCERPT

CHAPTER ONE


Dirk Henderson punched the intercom on his desk. "Krubes, hold my calls."

"Yes sir."

Assuring himself privacy, he locked the office door from the inside, then paced the room. His fists clenched, he stopped at his desk and glanced down at the black and white photograph of a man releasing a hawk. "You bastard! The Agency tried to convince everyone you were dead, but I didn't buy it. That beard and long hair don't fool me. I'd recognize you with a sack over your head." A cynical chuckle escaped his lips. "How about that eye-patch? Is it for real, Casey?" he sneered.

Dirk's face turned crimson, clashing with his mop of thick red hair. "How the hell did that idiot miss you at such close range? They ought to call you Catman. You got more than nine lives and always land on your goddamn feet!"

He yanked out the desk chair, sat down and rummaged through the drawers for the voice changer. Placing it over the receiver, he keyed in a number and drummed his fingers on his thigh. When a male voice answered, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "Interested in a heavy job? You'll have only one chance. I'll leave instructions at the usual place."

He dropped the phone back on the cradle and flopped back in his chair. A muscle twitched in his neck while his fingers formed a pyramid atop his chest. After a few moments, he picked up the photo and flipped it with his finger. "Well, Hawk Man, as you now call yourself, your bird-lovin' days are numbered."