Less Than a Shadow [Paperback]

David Chacko (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 27, 2003

Hotter than today's headlines. Turkey, the front line of democracy in the Middle East, is about to suffer a devastating terrorist attack. Jason Ender stands alone on the rim of chaos with orders to prevent it, whatever the price.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A terrorist thriller that's as hot as today's headlines." ActionTales.com -- ActionTales.com

David has done his hometown proud. -- Daily News, McKeesport, Pennsylvania

Less Than a Shadow is an outstanding piece of fiction . . . Chacko’s view of this world is profound. -- Murder and Mayhem Bookclub, Pamela James

From the Publisher

David Chacko has set his tenth novel, Less Than a Shadow, against the backdrop of Turkey, the front line of democracy in today's volatile Middle East. He leads you into a world few people know--the modern labyrinth that gave the word Byzantine its name. It's dark here, and the light ahead never shows for long.

Chacko lives a part of each year in Istanbul. This experience, and a natural interest in people, puts him in position to provide keen insights about the citizens of this land, the way they live, their hopes and their dreams. The reader feels as if he or she is actually living alongside them. Chacko's characters are strong, all set against the economic and political background we live within, but which few see as it really is.

Less Than a Shadow opens with the murder of a well-known journalist in his home in Istanbul. Upon the demands of the man's wealthy family, Jason Ender, a "field reconnaissance" agent for the U.S. State Department, is assigned to investigate. The path leads deep into the power structure of the Middle East that the United States is trying to shape. Shadowed by the specter of the Mafia, and violence that explodes apparently at random, Ender's investigation concludes on an autumn night when the entire city rocks to the beat of Armageddon.

Chacko uses more long narrative passages than most authors do. But they're beautifully written. And they carry the story forward quickly.

Less Than a Shadow will leave you pondering the fate of democracy in the Middle East, and a scary sense of the turbulence and terrorism which abounds. But it will also leave you with an upbeat image of the Turkish people, determined to win through at any cost.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 236 pages
• Publisher: ActionTales.com (December 27, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972373772
• ISBN-13: 978-0972373777
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,027,947 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David Chacko has written nineteen novels. Many are in the espionage and mystery genres with occasional outbreaks into common sense. He can usually be found in Istanbul or New York. The consistent factor here is that both places have good food, beautiful women, and memorable views of the sea.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Less Than A Shadow is more than a good read, March 18, 2004

By 

K. Ann Barnett (Las Vegas NV) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Less Than a Shadow (Paperback)

LESS THAN A SHADOW

by David Chacko

When a high-living journalist, Al Rydell, turns up dead in Turkey, Jason Ender is dispatched by the American State Dept. to investigate the murder. Ender learns that Rydell had travelled to Turkey to interview a mullah for his book. But when Ender searches Rydell's apartment, the manuscript is gone. Ender then begins a dangerous escapade of investigation by pulling a string in a Turkish tapestry of drugs, terrorists, and political intrigue.

Ender follows his leads from the list of informants, thugs and suspicious characters that made up Rydell's nefarious associations - and the other kind, including Rydell's beautiful, high-paid companion. His equally beautiful artist-sister, Veronica, becomes Ender's lover and partner in solving Al's murder as they travel a maze of misdirection and mayhem. At the end of the trail, Ender fingers Rydell's murderer. Should he turn the killer over to authorities or is there another means of poetic justice?

LESS THAN A SHADOW is a classic, yet contemporary whodunit with a narrative so tight that it squeaks, dialogue so realistic you'll look around you to see who said what you just read, and a story line that will engage you from beginning to end. ***

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A New View of a Very Old Place, February 17, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Less Than a Shadow (Paperback)

LESS THAN A SHADOW is a great adventure that is well-written too. If you don't think that espionage is back, you'll find out when this one lures you into a dark world and takes you by the throat. The streets of Istanbul--the byways of a dead reporter's beat--are the ways that will lead you to know the people and places of a fascinating land.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Compelling Story, a Fascinating Place, January 24, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Less Than a Shadow (Paperback)

LESS THAN A SHADOW is a carefully made story of the present day Middle East and the city of Istanbul. What seems to be a simple murder mystery that must be solved by Jason Ender, a State Department investigator, becomes the shadowy trail that leads to the Mafia and beyond. The death of one American reporter spreads like oil in water, coloring all the things it touches. In the end, only Ender stands between complete chaos and all the things he loves.