Synopses & Reviews
One of the freshest thrillers in recent years is this unique blend of Stephen Hunter meets Carl Hiassen.
WANTED: Private firm seeks former military personnel for overseas assignment. Must be proficient in firearms and explosives. Experience in special operations a plus. Successful candidate must also play piano. $1.5K/day. Compensation package includes death benefits to next of kin.
John Harper is the most reluctant spy in the history of the craft. He's retired, quit, run in from the cold, traded in his gun for a Steinway baby grand, and settled comfortably into D.C., where the only dangers are jealous husbands and underdone hors d'oeuvres. But men who know how to handle Gershwin and a Glock are rare, and when a Panamanian resort hotel advertises for a piano player with lethal skills, the government sends Harper into the twisted company of American mercenaries, camera-shy Colombians, and a revolution set for New Year's Eve, when Harper is scheduled to play his farewell performance before the fireworks begin.
Beneath a Panamanian Moon brings long-overdue humor to an often grim genre while crafting a razor-sharp thriller that's fast, funny, and unforgettable. John Harper will stay with you long after you've closed the book on the final, explosive scene.
Review
"[V]ery well done indeed: sophisticated, witty, suspenseful, and perceptive. The author...appears to have a firm grasp of what makes his reluctant spy tick, and readers will leave the novel primed for another John Harper adventure." Booklist
Review
"[P]romising but unsatisfying....A likable hero, stylistic panache, but an unfocused plot: talent in search of a story." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"David Terrenoire, a first-rate writer, would have made a first-rate investigator. His research is impeccable, and his understanding of the way things work, from Washington to the dark places of the world, is impressive. But it's his insight into the quirks of human nature that makes this, his debut novel, such a tight run of suspenseful, and surprisingly funny, storytelling." John Douglas, author of Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit
Review
"David Terrenoire's Beneath a Panamanian Moon is a first-class debut funny, clever, and gripping." Brian McGrory, author of The Nominee and The Incumbent
Synopsis
This winning debut combines razor-sharp thriller writing with a brash sense of humor. When a Panamanian resort hotel needs a piano man with special skills, John Harper finds himself hip deep in American mercenaries and Colombians with an eye on history.
About the Author
David Terrenoire lives in North Carolina with his wife and two dogs, who, like their owner, are of indeterminate breeding.