Customer Reviews

Whiskey Gulf

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

 

 

In Whiskey Gulf by Clyde Ford, Charlie Noble, a maritime private investigator, is asked by a local yacht club to investigate the disappearance of two of its members while on their sailboat, Rebecca Anne. The Rebecca Ann was last heard from while in Whiskey Gulf, a small waterway between the United States and Canada. While no official is able to provide an answer regarding the disappearance of the couple or the sailboat, rumors abound. Could it have been an engine malfunction, could it have been a sailing error, despite the couple being experienced sailors, or did they get caught in a "live-fire" naval exercise?

There are enough twists and turns in what started out as a routine investigation for the storyline to turn into a military thriller. The author's love and knowledge of sailing and the Northwest come through in his writing. But, at times the details of boats/sailing protocols were a little too much and distracted from the story. I very much enjoyed the scenes that involved Charlie's Native-American partner, Raven, an ex-Navy seal. Raven provided the necessary background on the Native-American culture and location names that are more in tune with the nature of the locations than the American names on the maps. As an added plus, if you go to the author's Web site, he has provided a link to iGeo where the reader can click on locations mentioned in the book and be treated to a satellite image of the area.

This is the third book in the series, and while the mystery thriller stands by itself, it would have been helpful to read the prior books in the series to better understand the characters.

I recommend this book to fans of sailing, military intrigue, lovers of the Pacific Northwest, and fans of the Charlie Noble series.

The book was provided by the publisher for review purposes

Reviewed by Beverly
APOOO BookClub

This is the third installment in a series based on the character of Charlie Noble and perhaps I should have read the first two in the series as I believe I would have enjoyed the story quite a bit more than I did. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to find out whodunnit so kudos in keeping my interest. Yet, I felt like I was thrown into a the middle of a party where I was the only one who did not know anyone else in attendance. Oh, and it would be a party of boating and military enthusiasts to top it off. I know there is a starboard, a bow and an overboard when it comes to the sailing scene and there are numerous, detailed boat and military references throughout Whiskey Gulf so there were sections that were actually detracting. The story is fast-paced and there is a level of suspense that was wonderful. I did enjoy the banter between Charlie Noble and his sidekick Raven (actually Raven was my favorite part of the book) and I now want to visit British Columbia (some very nice descriptions).

It is obvious the author, Clyde Ford, knows his stuff. I have visited his website and he is by no means a newbie to the writing biz. I suppose the definitive subject matter is one of the reasons I am not familiar with his work. Overall, I did enjoy my time with Charlie Noble and his investigative adventures. I believe those that share Mr. Ford's passion would enjoy the experience tremendously.Whiskey Gulf

"Whiskey Gulf," by Clyde Ford, is the third of his Charlie Noble suspense series. Ford's vivid and descriptions and attention to detail show his love of sailing and the Washington-British Columbia area known as the Strait of Georgia. Mixing elements of Native American mysticism with international politics and modern naval technology, Ford creates a believable story for Charlie Noble.

Charlie is a retired Commander from the US Coast Guard Intelligence. Now a private investigator, he is investigating the disappearance of a couple who boated in the Whiskey Gulf area, which is a firing and testing range for the US and Canadian navies. The couple is not what they seem and Charlie must track down an ex-friend from Bahrain who is an agent of the Islamic Jihad Front that is tracking this couple. He is helped by Raven, ex-navy Seal and now medicine man, to find the couple as a special mission for the U.S. C. G.

This is a well-paced and well-written book. Even though it is a series, this is a by itself compete with background. The descriptions of the boats and sailing bring you right in the action, while his words bring out the beauty of the land. It sounded so beautiful I had to Google the areas. Charlie is a likable guy who has had an interesting life. His few close friends all provide good character depth. Action mixed with introspection make this a very good read.

2 1/2 star review.
There's a Mayday call to the Coast Guard in Whiskey Gulf, an area off Vancouver Island. The people on board a sailboat state that they must have hit a rock and become adrift. There are also military exercises in the area and boaters are warned to stay away.

Charlie North is a maratime private investigator. He's hired by the club that the boaters belong to. They want to know what happened to the people on the boat.

Charlie tries both the U.S. and Canadian officials and is stonewalled at both stops. However, he meets Maya Shimazu, an investigative reporter who just wrote a news article about the missing boat. She thinks she has info on the missing boat. She and Charlie use the boat the newspaper supplies Maya and they travel to the area where the boat disappeared. They find pieces of fibreglass with explosive burn marks on the edges. As fog sets in, they are amazed to see a torpedo sail by, just twenty feet from their boat.

Charlie keeps investigating, he hooks up with is friend, a Native American named Raven. We have lots of information about the history of the area, a great deal about Mt. Rainier, and unnecessary information about the working of boats. This may be interesting to other boaters but not to me. It all detracted from the flow and from the suspense of the story.

The author has a good concept for a plot, but makes the same mistake as many other authors. He fills the novel full of technical details and jargon. It is like he is trying to show off his knowledge of marine engines and such, none of which figures into the actual plot. As to the writing, he would have done been writing a prolouge containing the backstory rather than scattering it through the plot. The story is good, but not an award winner. It had the potential for being a top thriller novel if written differently.

I had not read any of Clyde Ford's books, but purchased it because of our first boating experience in the "active" Whiskey Gulf. I loved reading the book as I could see each place described vividly as we love exploring the San Juan and Gulf Islands and into Desolation Sound. I enjoyed it so much that I immediately ordered his first two books about this hero and can't wait to dig in to them.

This is just my second book by this author and I am enjoying them a lot. Not only does Mr Ford describe the scenery well, his descriptions of the food served is also mouth watering. I have lived in WA state since 1956 and really enjoy reading about all these great locations.

The editorial reviews do not give this author proper credit, describing the plot with shortcomings. I certainly haven't found any so far.

Looking forward to more books by this author.

Anyone who has visited the Pacific Northwest will enjoy Clyde Ford's Charlie Noble series. Ford has a gift for making the scenery and quirks of the San Juan and Gulf Islands come alive. Whiskey Gulf reminds us that there are treacherous elements plying these waters, too, and all boaters better know where they are at all times, and keep a watchful eye out for the unexpected.

Pamela S. Beason
Author of On Shaky Ground, Wild and SAVE Your Money, Your Sanity, and Our Planet; 5 Lessons and 125 Tips for a Thrifty Lifestyle

Just a great story. We have a 36 ft. Willard like the author and cruise the waters of his adventures. It is all so exciting, like the book characters are right there with us.

In the waters of Whiskey Gulf in British Columbia, joint naval maneuversby Canada and the United States are going on when the damaged and filling with water sailboat Rebecca Anne enters the exercise zone. The Kinsleys reach the Comax Coast Guard who transfers them to Winchelsea Control before they are cut off and never heard from again. The Kulsham Yacht Club hires former Coast Guard investigator turned maritime private sleuth Charlie Noble to learn what happened to the couple.

He goes to the area in Whisky Gulf where the sailboat allegedly landed and finds fiberglass pieces and other evidence that supports the theory the Rebecca Anne blew up. Charlie sees two torpedoes going through the water near him. Charlie later learns they were used as a decoy to show the buying country Baharin that the guidance system still needs work. Intelligence confirms that the Kinsley's (not their real names) are needed to testify against a terrorist in the States while the Canadians hide them to keep them safe until they do. An assassin is coming to kill them; a person Charlie once called friend until he shot his brother and that former pal plans to take out Charlie too for killing his sibling.

Action, action, and action to the nth degree makes WHISKEY GULF an absorbing thriller filled with characters who for the most part are hyperbole to insure the action never decelerates. Charlie is retired, but feels duty bound to help destroy a terrorist cell. His partner Raven brings depth to Charlie as he is like a father figure to him. Clyde Ford provides a thriller faster than a speeding Mustang filled with surprising twists and revelations.

Harriet Klausner