66 BOOKLIFE, MARCH 8, 2021
MYSTERY/THRILLER
A Disappearance: A
Robert Chase Novel
G.E. Forth | Open Door Publishing
350p, ebook, %5.99, ISBN 978-1-
7335461-4-0
This heart-stopping thriller,
the third in Forth’s Robert Chase
series, is set in a dangerous and
darkly fascinating post-Soviet
world. Covert CIA agents Robert
Chase and his wife and partner,
Samantha D’Aubrisson, search
for the kidnapped goddaughter
of a senior Russian security
officer. To find and dismantle an international sex trafficking ring
involving both ex-KGB and Chinese criminals, Chase and his
associates must travel the world, taking on spy agencies and
police in multiple countries.
Forth keeps the action at a boil. His action scenes are choreo-
graphed with meticulous detail and are populated with hard-
edged killers who bring down their opponents without hesita-
tion. Indeed, some scenes—the graphic rape of a child and
torture with a blowtorch—might be too grim for some readers.
But overall, action aficionados will delight in A Dissapearance’s
well-staged shootouts and imaginatively described violence: a
quickly dispatched guard “now sported a red badge on his fore-
head and another on his face.”
For all the engaging action, Forth doesn’t neglect character-
ization of his agents: Chase is capable of terrifying violence but
prefers to avoid firearms, and D’Aubrisson smoothly moves
between gunplay and love for Chase, perhaps her only loyalty.
Their associate Wolf stands out as a seriously disturbed
soldier—he is disappointed
when he loses a chance to kill.
Especially well-drawn is
Russian security chief Popov,
an unmoored ex-KGB agent
who has a complex frenemy
relationship with his opposite
number in the CIA—a compel-
ling metaphor for the fraught
dynamic between the U.S. and
Russia. Forth’s beautifully
paced scenes, loaded with red-
meat action, and the well-
developed characters will keep
readers turning the pages right
up to the satisfying
denouement.GENERAL FICTION
Stop Drifting: Become
the Switch Master of
Your Own Thought and
Pivot to Positive
David R. Ibarra | 3L Publishing
136p, hardcover, $21.99, ISBN 978-1-
733-91508-3
Ibarra’s debut blends familiar
lessons from the business self-
help genre with the narrative of
a man looking to change not only
his business but also his life.
Tom Stanley—slightly over-
weight, generally unhappy, and
no longer enjoying work at the Chevrolet dealership that he
owns—has fallen into the practice of sleeping in every morning
and then panicking about being late. Tom’s days are character-
ized by “dissatisfaction with himself and everyone around him,”
and he feels he has “become adrift at sea,” with each problem at
work a crashing wave that takes “away a part of his boat.” All of
this changes for Tom during a late breakfast with fellow car deal-
ership owner Daniel Santos at Tom’s favorite diner.
During their conversation, as Daniel questions Tom’s routines
and draws a diagram of the process of positive thinking, Tom
realizes that the source of his stagnancy is his frame of mind. In
the following months, Tom changes his life, his diet, and his
business by focusing on Daniel’s lessons. “When you’re in a
Positive-State-of-Mind you’re a believer and positive attracts
positive,” Daniel says. “The same goes for negative.” Daniel’s
crystal-clear message of enthusiasm shapes the narrative.
Despite some repetitive passages, Stop Drifting benefits
from strong pacing and Ibarra’s appealing use of dialogue as a
tool for imparting lessons. The
book demands some suspen-
sion of belief during moments
when Tom talks to himself,
and a critique of college educa-
tion for failing to teach the
“power of theming and the
science of success principles”
detracts from the theme. Still,
the work otherwise is persua-
sive in presenting the power
of the mind to affect everyday
reality and examining how we
can train our brains to
achieve. Grounded in self-
help appeal for those seeking
tips on how to change their
approach to life, Ibarra’s
compact novel zeroes in on
positive thinking and trans-
forming momentary changes
into lifelong habits.Vivid fight scenes
and an engaging
cast of black ops
agents make this
especially rewarding
for fans of spy
thrillers.Production grades
Cover: B
Design & typography: A
Illustrations: –
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-Production grades
Cover: A-
Design & typography: A-
Illustrations: –
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: B+This inventive debut
shares motivational
teachings in a
fast-paced narrative
about a business-
man rediscovering
his direction.Great for fans of
Stephen Covey and
Napoleon Hill.Great for fans of
Ian Fleming, Robert
Ludlum.PAID REVIEWS