Less Than a Shadow (Paperback)

by David Chacko (Author) "THE MOON, waning but breathless, poured pale light on the Bosporus..." (more)
Key Phrases: black money, Alfred Rydell, Mister Rydell, Rashid Aziz Ali (more...)

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

Product Description
When Alfred Rydell, a American journalist, is murdered in his Istanbul apartment, Inspector Onur Levent is ordered to find the killer quickly for the sake of Turkish-American relations.

But Rydell's family has political clout. Thus Jason Ender with the U.S. State Department is rushed to Istanbul to find the answers demanded.

When Ender meets Levent, the expected clash of culture, methods, and objectives doesn't happen. Instead their professionalism allows them to combine their resources and move on quickly.

Neither man believes there was a simple motive behind Rydell's death. As they probe ever more deeply, the scope of their investigation suddenly expands into a desperate search for terrorists.

Time passes too swiftly as Ender and Levent race to thwart the terrorist plan intended to collapse the economy and government of Turkey, the only democracy in the Middle East. And thus to bring chaos to the entire region.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Actiontales.com (December 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: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #322,579 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 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

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. ***

6 of 6 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

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.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

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

By A Customer

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.