Chasing The Lost: Book Review

It's not often I get to read a finished book ahead of the publication date. Sure, I've beta read and critiqued for people, but receiving an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) (even a digital edition) had never happened to me before. Until last week.

On twitter I'd lamented the fact that I always forget to look for Bob Mayer's books whenever I'm in a bookstore. Jen Talty, who is Bob's partner at Cool Gus Publishing, messaged me and asked if I'd like to read and review Bob's newest book, "Chasing the Lost".

Horace Chase is a former special forces soldier and policeman looking for the quiet life. Leaving behind a bad break-up, and an even worse run in with the Russian mafia on a case gone wrong, Chase puts Colorado in his rear-view mirror and moves to the house he inherited from his deceased mother on Hilton Head, South Carolina.

Retired life wants no part of Horace Chase.

In less than an day on the island, Chase is confronted by a contentious neighbor, a damsel in distress over her kidnapped son, more Russian mobsters, and dealing with his gunshot dog, Chelsea.

What follows is a roller-coaster ride of emotions, ghosts from Chase's past and gun battles to rival anything in print. Stitching all this together is a plot with enough twists and turns to leave a champion maze rat lost and drooling in a corner. The shocking ending, with twists right up to the last pages, proves the special forces mantra that Chase knows all too well: Nothing is as it appears.

This was the first book of Bob's I've read, and it's a good jumping in point for sampling his work. Chasing the Lost is a stand alone book told within the frame work of Bob's Green Beret series of books. Finding more of his work the next time I'm in a bookstore is definitely high on my agenda.

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Bob Mayer is a NY Times best selling author and retired Green Beret with over 50 books published.

"Chasing The Lost" is available May 7th in both print and e-book formats.