Synopsis (from
the publisher):
When Josh Hagarty is recruited by the charitable organization NewAfrica
to manage a farming project in an underdeveloped African country, he
signs on, figuring that he can put his newly acquired graduate degree
in engineering to good use. However, when Josh gets situated in Africa,
he finds that NewAfrica may not be the philanthropic charity it
purports itself to be.
As Josh delves deeper into his work, secrets begin to unravel, throwing
him into a world of violence, turmoil, and political corruption. He
soon learns that Gideon, the man responsible for heading the local
organization, is not only a relative of the African country’s
president, but also a strong-arm thug with a tendency towards
aggression and dishonesty. In his hunt for both truth and justice, Josh
also discovers that his predecessor may have been murdered to cover up
something he had discovered about the project, something that should
have remained buried. And why has Gideon uprooted the very people that
Josh thought he was supposed to be helping? Is NewAfrica merely a scam?
With the help of Annika Gritdal, a beautiful Scandinavian aid worker,
and journalist J.B. Flannary, Josh must fight to uncover the truth
behind NewAfrica. In doing so, the trio must struggle to survive by
evading those who are trying to prevent them from uncovering a
dangerous secret—a secret that might just get them killed.
— ◊ —
— ◊ —
Lords of Corruption
Non-series
Kyle
Mills
Vanguard Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59315-499-2 (1593154992)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59315-499-8 (9781593154998)
Publication Date: March 2009
List Price: $25.95
— ◊ —
Review: Kyle
Mills explores the relationship between official governmental agencies,
non-governmental organizations (NGOs), wealthy donors, organized crime,
an impoverished nation on the edge of civil war, and a single naive
young man in Lords of Corruption, the author's fifth non-series
thriller.
Josh Hagarty is an ex-con with a graduate degree. Unfortunately,
potential employers can't see past the ex-con part. Except one.
NewAfrica, a NGO that provides assistance to people in need, wants Josh
to manage their operation in Africa. Josh doesn't necessarily want the
job, but he needs to provide for his family and their offer of
employment is extremely attractive. Once Josh lands in Africa, however,
he realizes the task is beyond his capabilities. Mostly, he is
completely unprepared for the rampant corruption that exists. But when
he tries to back out, to quit, he's met with surprising resistance. And
when he tries to learn more about his own organization, he puts his
life, and those of his family back home, in danger.
Almost by definition, thrillers are supposed to proceed at a rapid
pace; most are described as "page-turners". But Lords of Corruption moves at such a
glacial speed that it gives readers plenty of time to ponder the gaping
plot holes that are at the core of this ill-conceived novel (a thriller
it is not).
Probably the most glaring plot problem is why Josh Hagarty is hired in
the first place. NewAfrica is a multi-million dollar fraud, raking in
cash from government agencies and clueless donors and laundering it
through an unnamed country in Africa. Why would its criminal operators
risk this cash bonanza by spending a paltry $30,000 a year on a
neophyte? It's clear NewAfrica is capable of staging all the photo ops
it needs to keep donations flowing in and government agencies funding
its operations. What role does Josh play here? Why is it even necessary
to hire him? In fact, it isn't, so the whole premise of the book is as
fraudulent as as everyone involved in NewAfrica. Some irony there. If
Josh had had a legitimate purpose for being in Africa there might be
the foundation for a story here.
Still the plot dictates that Josh be in Africa in the midst of all this
strive and chaos and corruption, so be it. But he has this miracle
satellite phone that has a battery that never runs down, and never
needs charging, and even operates underground. He can call anyone,
anywhere in the world, at any time. But does he ever call for help? No,
that would be far too logical.
And that's really the problem with Lords
of Corruption. Little makes sense. Josh never seems to have any
money or anything of value, yet his Land Rover always has a full tank
of gas even after driving hours over rugged terrain. Other characters
don't seem to have any problem entering or exiting the country at will,
yet Josh is trapped, unable to leave. And so on.
The last quarter of Lords of
Corruption actually is a thriller in every sense of the word and
is really quite interesting in its own way, but by the time the author
deigns to get to this point all credibility in the story, and reader
interest therein, has long since been abandoned.
Special thanks to FSB Associates for providing a copy of Lords of Corruption for this review.
Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Have you read Lords of Corruption? How would you rate it?
Novels by this author …
Burn
Factor
HarperCollins (Hardcover), April 2001
ISBN-10: 0-06019334-4 (0060193344)
ISBN-13: 978-0-06019334-8 (9780060193348)
Smoke
Screen
Putnam (Hardcover), September 2003
ISBN-10: 0-39915098-6 (0399150986)
ISBN-13: 978-0-39915098-2 (9780399150982)
Fade
St. Martin's Press (Hardcover), June 2005
ISBN-10: 0-31233577-6 (0312335776)
ISBN-13: 978-0-31233577-9 (9780312335779)
The
Second Horseman
St. Martin's Press (Hardcover), August 2006
ISBN-10: 0-31233575-X (031233575X)
ISBN-13: 978-0-31233575-5 (9780312335755)
Lords of Corruption
Vanguard Press (Hardcover), March 2009
ISBN-10: 1-59315-499-2 (1593154992)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59315-499-8 (9781593154998)
Omnimystery keywords for Lords of Corruption ...
Location(s) referenced: Kentucky, New York City, Africa.
