Customer Reviews

Precious Cargo

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I couldn't wait to read Precious Cargo after reading the first Charlie Noble book, Red Herring. I was not surprised that I also couldn't put this book down. Clyde Ford takes you, with his characters, through a spellbinding story and has you experience beautiful destinations. His characters become real as you are able to share their journey. A great mystery fan, I so admire Charlie's theories and deductions. Raven entering into the scheme of things adds depth. Great action, great scenes, heartfelt characters, great author. What more could you ask for, but more books. Thanks, Clyde.

Precious Cargo, by Clyde Ford (Vanguard Press 2008)

Imagine being on a fishing expedition with your sweetheart on a peaceful stretch of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. When you are done with the joys of the evening and lift the anchor, the dead body of a woman is impaled on the flukes of the anchor.

What would you do? Clyde Ford called Charlie Noble, a former Coast Guard officer who has become a marine PI. Charlie has other thoughts in mind for his time, specifically with his own new ladyfriend, Kate Sullivan. But he wants to assist the couple who actually discovered the body.

Our hero engages a Native American diver, Raven, who has relationships with nautical and nature people all around the waterways. In the course of the adventure, it is discovered that the young lady who became a submerged corpse was ensnared in the sex trade beginning in Mexico and ending in Pacific Northwest. The bad guys, from Texas, come into the peaceful waterways in a huge yacht that looks like it should have been in the harbors on Monte Carlo for its parties not the inlets of these straits.

Clyde Ford writes an excellent, engaging, and easily readable story. Against the background of murder in the human trafficking business, and beauty of the natural settings, the romance of Charlie and Kate is an endearing story all in its own. Two people with their own lives lived before meeting have their own needs, which they struggle to comes to grips with, as Charlie engages in the life-and-death struggle to solve the crime. At least one of the struggles has a clever and charming twist, so silence is best on this.

I read the book straight through, fascinated with what would happen to the lovers and the unfolding of the central mystery.

A hearty recommendation for a fine story written by a world class author.

If you are into mysteries and have not read Clyde Ford books, you have missed out on a super writer. His books have realistic characters and great plots are interwoven with his knowledge of boating in the Northwest. Don't miss his books!

Washington State has such a wealth of marine and land settings to explore, along with complex political and social environments, and Clyde W. Ford successfully interweaves them all to make them come alive. Whether the scene is tranquil or terrifying, I always feel as though I'm right there when I read one of the Charlie Noble novels. Precious Cargo realistically reveals the human ugliness that often lurks behind the natural beauty of our coastal waters and mountainous countryside.

Pam Beason
Author of Wild and SAVE Your Money, Your Sanity, and Our Planet; 5 Lessons and 125 Tips for a Thrifty Lifestyle

I was drawn in from the first page of Precious Cargo and looked forward to reading whenever I got the chance, I'm sorry to say goodbye to Charlie Noble & this book. I look forward to reading more from Clyde Ford.

Precious Cargo is fantastic reading!! This novel is filled with adventure, many interesting characters - especially Charlie Noble who I quickly fell in love with - and a story which will astound you. So vividly written, I felt I was right there in the midst of everything. Charlie Noble's quest to search for truth is inspiring. This is my first Clyde Ford novel and I am "HOOKED"! Clyde Ford is a brilliant author.

This is, like all of Mr. Ford's work, excellently written. His only shortcoming, as far as I can see, is that he doesn't write fast enough! There are too few of his works available. What truly puzzles me about this one is the listed publication date - 2008. I read this book more than a year ago and one of the local libraries has it listed with a 2006 publication date. Somehow, it's being treated as "brand new", but I've no idea why.

I just finished your recent book Precious Cargo. I greatly enjoyed your writing, character development, and story line. It is a sad statement on the condition of illegal immigrants and what they face trying to make a better life for themselves and their family's. I really liked Charlie Nobel, Nobel Lady and Raven, not to forget Kate. I hope this is the beginning of a continuing series.

Please continue to write as you have a great gift. Your writing allows me escape and think about the human condition. Isn't that what it is all about?

I've been a sailor along the beautiful New England coast for over 50 years. Clyde Ford has now opened my senses to the exciting sailing areas of the Northwest with his thrilling and descriptive Charlie Noble adventures. The fact that Clyde wove a Nonsuch sailboat (my favorite) into the the story just added to my enjoyment.

I really loved this book. It is exciting, informative and easy reading. I only met Mr. Ford briefly at a book signing, but the tenor of the book feels like Mr. Ford, himself: charming, knowledgeable, sophisticated and fun. Lots of information regarding marina life, boating, boats and the the whole marina thing. I like the way he structured the book and his characters jump off the page. Each is exclusively expressive and well-defined.