Code of Conduct (Paperback)

by Rich Merritt (Author)
Key Phrases: Rich Merritt, Colonel Spencer, San Diego (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Memoirist Merritt (Secrets of a Gay Marine Porn Star) delivers a thought-provoking fiction on the problem of being gay in the military. As Clinton begins putting the don't ask, don't tell policy into place in the early 1990s, closeted and disturbed Naval Investigative Service Agent Jay Gared goes on a mission to catch violators of Article 125 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice—i.e., the rule that states sodomy is a criminal act. Chief Petty Officer Eddie L. Johnson, who has been switching blood test vials for six years to get around the service's mandatory HIV test, gets into Jay's sights. When Eddie catches Jay snooping in his home, Jay shoots Eddie and fakes Eddie's suicide. Shocked friends and family know better, and for a group of close-knit gay and lesbian military personnel, the suicide is a call to arms. Marine Gunnery Sgt. Donald A. Hawkins, a gay rights advocate, vows to learn the truth. Merritt raises provocative questions and delivers a graphic crime tale.
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Product Description
"You've gotten away with it for so long, you think you're immune to the danger..."

At thirty-three, Don Hawkins has spent the better part of his life, in every sense, as a U.S. Marine. Enlisting to escape an alcoholic father and stepmother, he became the unofficial leader of a group of gay servicemen and women, all compelled to guard their sexual identity as faithfully as they serve their country. But with newly inaugurated President Clinton's promise to lift the ban on gays in the military, Don is optimistic that a brighter era is dawning--and not just politically.

Ten years now since his lover died in Beirut, Don is finally ready to love again, and falls headlong for Patrick, a handsome young helicopter pilot. As their relationship develops, Don lets his guard down--in potentially dangerous ways. Because forces are at work in the Naval Investigative Service, in Congress, and even in the bars and clubs that Don views as his turf, with a vicious agenda that will have unforeseen consequences...

Drawing on his own experiences as a Marine, Rich Merritt has crafted an extraordinary story of love, loss, duty, betrayal, and hope. Most of all, Code of Conduct is a deeply compelling exploration of the power of loyalty--to friends, lovers, country, and the unwavering dictates of our own hearts.

Product Details

• Paperback: 456 pages
• Publisher: Kensington; FICTG edition (January 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758222742
• ISBN-13: 978-0758222749
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #438,643 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Immune to Danger, December 20, 2007

By	Amos Lassen (Little Rock, Arkansas) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Merritt, Rich. "Code of Conduct", Kensington, 2008.

Immune to Danger

Amos Lassen

Rich Merritt who gave us his memoirs in "Secrets of a Gay Marine Porn Star" has a new novel "Code of Conduct". He based the novel on his own experiences in The United States Marine Corps and has created a story of love and loss, duty, hope and betrayal.
Don Hawkins, a thirty-three year old Marine, enlisted in the corps as a way to escape living with his alcoholic father and his wife, his stepmother. He finds himself as the unofficial leader of a group of gay and lesbians in the service who have been forces to hide their sexualities as they serve their country. With President Bill Clinton's campaign promise to lift the ban on gay men and women, he finds a new optimism and feels a new age is dawning.
Don's lover had been killed in Beirut ten years before the book opens and Don feels he is now ready to love again. He falls for Patrick who just happens to be very handsome and a helicopter pilot. As they begin to build their relationship, Don lets his guard down and he discovers that he has become the target of several that have a very vicious agenda against gays and unforeseen consequences begin to take shape.
Rich Merritt knows how to tell a story and he gives us moments of tension in this book. It is honest, inspiring and sincere and contains elements of humor, sex and courage. We all know how difficult it is to live and maintain two separate lives and it is not often that an author can successfully pen the words that truly and with brutal and compelling honest the words that describe such a situation. Rich Merritt manages to do so and with great style.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Riveting Read, December 21, 2007

By	Bouzwha "Eclectic Reader" (Arizona USA) - See all my reviews

I have anticipated reading 'Code of Conduct' ever since I heard this author read an excerpt at a Writers Festival, and after reading the author's humorous, moving, and heart-wrenching detailed account of his trials and tribulations of coming of age, and coming out in Secrets Of A Gay Marine Porn Star. Code of Conduct was well worth the wait.

Once I started reading 'Code', from the first page, it was literally a page-turner that pulled me into the reality of the situations, and took me on a rollercoaster ride of intrigue, suspense, heartache, and satisfaction. I couldn't stop until I finished. This story took me way beyond my connection to the Marine Corps, or a nostalgic trip through Southern California. It reinforced my antipathy for bigotry in all its forms, with its honest depiction of the way it was/is, and probably won't change in my lifetime.

I am an avid voracious reader with eclectic tastes. Only a few writers have pulled me into a story and kept me reading, non-stop, to the end. Rich Merritt has been added to that list.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Could not put it down, January 4, 2008

By	Sue Huybensz - See all my reviews

Code of Conduct takes place right after Clinton was elected President and before his "Don't ask, don't tell" policy was put in place. I could not put this book down. That is how exciting it was. It covers the lives of a group homosexual men and women in the Marines and Navy who are friends and their relationships and how these relationships are affected by the policies of the military towards their sexual orientation. The novel first grabs you with a murder mystery, then two romances. When a serious accident occurs on during an air show, a gay pilot is blamed as part of a government cover up. The novel explores love, loyalty, courage, dedication and honor in a very moving way that you will never forget.

At that time, there were witch hunts for gays in the military, and you might wonder, who would endeavor to catch folks in the act of sodomy? Self loathing closeted gays would, that's who. You may say, oh, but those don't exist do they? Just have a look at the news recently and you can see that they do. Rich Merritt's book is full of compelling characters such as these and more. My question is who is going to produce the movie? The novel certainly has enough action scenes to support a feature film.

This is a very important book for all Military personnel to read so that they will understand how their gay counterparts feel about having to hide or worse yet, lie about their sexual identities to serve their country. This book serves that purpose perfectly as does Rich's first book, Secrets of a Gay Marine Porn Star. All Americans with any interest in the Military in this country or in Politics should read this book.