Shock Wave (A Billy Tasker Mystery) [Kindle Edition]

James O. Born (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

An eccentric cast and a credible plot lift Born's second Florida-set crime novel (after 2004's Walking Money). Bill Tasker, agent in Florida's Department of Law Enforcement, is recovering from his divorce as well as from nearly being set up for arrest by a rogue FBI agent. He comes up against the usual local lowlifes when he busts the would-be seller of a black market Stinger missile. He suspects others might be involved, at first believing Daniel Wells, a repairman with a beautiful wife, to be in on the business. When evidence turns up that suggests otherwise, Wells is released—after which it is revealed that he might have been responsible for a recent deadly bombing and could be planning something even bigger. With the help of his friend, Miami cop Derrick Sutter, and the limited assistance of ATF agent Camy Parks, Tasker starts to dig. Wells has an uncanny ability, however, to stay just ahead of his pursuers. Brisk if a little confusing at the beginning as the plot threads are worked into place, the narrative picks up considerable speed and comes to a satisfactory, if open-ended, conclusion. Agent, Peter Rubie. (Apr. 21)
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Review

Born mixes believable characters, a fast-moving story, crisp dialogue, and a nice blend of humor...(Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel).

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Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 420 KB
• Publisher: Berkley (March 7, 2006)
• Sold by: Penguin Publishing
• Language: English
• ASIN: B001R11CFS
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)

More About the Author

I was always interested in writing and even took a shot as an undergrad at Florida State but aside from one article on street construction in Tallahassee I was unsuccessful.

I moved on to police work. When I was new to police work, as an agent with U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, I had an unrealistic view of what my job would be like. On television, DEA agents are in shoot-outs and get the chicks but in real life they follow suspected drug violators around until they can make a case. If you're a new guy, no one in the DEA much cares about family life or other interests, you just drive. I read a lot of Tom Clancy and W.E.B. Griffin because I liked the idea of learning something about the military. I would read the occasional police book but felt the books didn't reflect my experience as a cop. I was not a CIA trained assassin. I could not rip a shotgun out of someone's hands without suffering a catastrophic injury. I didn't crawl out of crushed police cars and shake off the injury. Neither did any cop I knew. So I wrote a book based on real police work with a ficitonal plot.

The most exciting part of being an author is that my editor, Neil Nyren, is also the editor of my two favorite military writers, Tom Clancy and W.E.B. Griffin.

The third book in the series, Escape Clause, was released in February, 2006. The story follows the main character to a prison to investigate an in custody death that isn't what it appears. By chance, I was assigned to investigate a death at South Bay correctional, the area I had used as a model for the town and prison in my book. Talk about life imitating art. Then, once at the prison, a Department of Corrections Inspector asked me if I was the guy who wrote the books. I gave him a post card for Escape Clause and watched his face as he realized I had written about the Department of Corrections.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another winner from this Born talent!, April 27, 2005

By 

David Montgomery "Book Critic" (davidjmontgomery.com) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shock Wave (Hardcover)

Florida Department of Law Enforcement Bill Tasker had a bad experience working with the FBI in last year's Walking Money. His career and reputation, not to mention his life, were nearly ruined by a crooked government agent.

As Shock Wave begins, Tasker is again working with the feds and he's not very happy about it. He doesn't have much choice, though, as he teams up with the G-men in pursuit of a hillbilly arms dealer with a stolen Stinger missile.

The FBI thinks they've got the case all wrapped up, but Tasker isn't sure. Over the objections of the federal agents, he continues to investigate and finds that the intrigue runs much deeper than anyone suspects.

At the center of that mystery is a terrorist bomber planning the biggest "event" of his life. Somehow, though, he manages to stay just one step ahead of the authorities. Tasker begins to wonder: is the killer that smart of is he just lucky? Or is somebody on the inside helping him?

Aided by his best friend, Miami cop Derrick Sutter, and ATF agent Camy Parks, Tasker has to catch the bomber before time runs out. If they fail, numerous lives will be lost, possibly including their own.

In the character of Bill Tasker, Born has created a winning protagonist. A dedicated cop and committed father, Tasker struggles to balance the demands of his job with his obligations to his family. Like the rest of us, he doesn't always make the right choices, but his heart is in the right place and he earns our respect for his efforts.

The plot of Shock Wave is tremendously entertaining, combining edge-of-your-seat action and suspense, an intriguing game of cat and mouse, and occasional passages of laugh-out-loud humor.

After a career in law enforcement stretching nearly two decades, James O. Born knows the way cops think, act and talk, and he draws on that experience to write with the insight and authenticity that few authors can match.

That expert knowledge wouldn't be enough, though, to create such a winning book. Doing that takes serious writing chops, the kind of ability that most folks can't muster. Born is the exception, though. With both street cred and talent to spare, he is ideally positioned to write top-notch crime fiction, something which Walking Money promised and Shock Wave confirmed.

James O. Born is the best thing to happen to Florida crime writing since Elmore Leonard hit the Sunshine State. This guy is the real deal.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars James Born Scores Again!!!!, June 6, 2005

By 

Anthony J. Chapman "Big Time Reader" (Staten Island, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shock Wave (Hardcover)

James O. Born has scored another winner with Shock Wave. His first book was a huge success and this one is even better. Mr. Born brings characters to life that everyone can relate to in a setting and story that will have you on the edge of your seat. The underlying humor by the members of law enforcement in his book will have every law enforcement member who reads this book laughing till they cry.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great police thriller, April 27, 2005

By 

C.J. (US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shock Wave (Hardcover)

Shock Wave is the second novel from ex-cop James O. Born and it is dynamite, both figureatively and literally. This book moves so fast and smooth that I really hated to put it down.

State cop Bill Tasker must move quick to fix his own mistake and he doesn't find much help from the FBI. The bad guy is fresh and interestingand somehow Born makes us root for him at one point.

I believe this is my favorite book so far this year.