by JamesWebb (Author)
Brandon Condley survived five years of combat in Vietnam as a marine only to lose the woman he loved to an enemy assassin. Now he is back, and working to recover the remains of unknown American soldiers. On a routine mission, Condley finds a body that doesn't match its dog tags - a body that propels him into a vortex of violence and intrigue where past and present become one. As the mystery of the dead man unravels, a link is revealed to two notorious assassins, 'Salt and Pepper', who led a deadly Viet Cong ambush against Condley's own men. Galvanized by a fresh trail to these long-lost deserters, Condley has finally found a purpose: under the auspices of his government job, he is going to hunt down the traitors. On his own, he is going to kill them. Condley's hunt cannot be kept secret from his former enemies, or his friends. And in the shadows that linger from Vietnam's long season of darkness and terror, he has no way of knowing which side is more dangerous.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 384
Publisher: Orion
Published: 16 Jan 2003
ISBN 10: 0752853740
ISBN 13: 9780752853741
Book Overview: This is a classy thriller of the highest order. Following in the tradition of Le Carre and Martin Cruz Smith, Webb portrays a country that has never recovered from its past. It's bleak, powerful and compelling in equal measures and marks the author as one of the most talented writing in this area. 'This gripping tale is a page-turner, but it is also much more: a compelling, insightful, and beautiful portrait of a fascinating place, as well as a moving saga of revenge, love, loyalty, honor, and, ultimately, redemption. Despite its tragic themes, the novel is an affirmation of life' BOOKLIST