The Orpheus Deception by David Stone was a fascinating and surprising read. An audio book narrated by Erik Davis, the 12 CD kept me company on my recent road trips. It was a novel rich in details–in allusion and facts, in military weapons, tactics and equipment. From this novel, I learned much about the CIA, the British SAS, the Serbian mafia, the Italian Carabinieri, And the Sid of Singapore. Italy, and specific areas such as Venice, Florence, Singapore with its brutal dictatorship and unimaginably cruel Changi prison.  There is a wide spectrum of characters that paints a vivid picture of the human condition–the insane, victims of crime and government and circumstance, pirates, crime lords, politicians, and merchant marines. The dynamic and twisting plot reveals the price that people can pay when they love someone deeply.

In short, I learned much more from this novel than I expected, and that means I have to give this novel a high rating, tinged with the envious hope that someday I will be able to write this well.

It’s no wonder he can write so well on these topics. From his website, here (well worth exploring) I copied this short bio:

DAVID STONE is a cover name for a man born into a military family with a history ofcombat service going backtoWaterloo.STONE, a military officer himself, has worked with federal intelligence agencies and state-level law enforcement units in North America, Central America, and South East Asia. Retired now, STONE lives in an undisclosed location with his wife, photographer and researcher Catherine Stone.
I am eager to read Stone’s other novels and will probably order them this week.