The Osiris Alliance by Jack Ford

The Osiris Alliance by Jack Ford. Ovation Books Publication. April 2009. ISBN #: 9780981453453

Federal prosecutor Adam Stark, former Army Ranger, and Megan Delaney, lawyer turned TV journalist, are two highly intelligent people with the street smarts to meet just about any problem they confront. But there are some life and death challenges that try the patience and skills of the sharpest of even experienced lawyers. The story centers around the prevention of someone from smuggling nuclear arms components, called "yellowcake," to someone in an independent Russian state. Everyone and anyone's involved it seems, an arrested drug dealer/thief, a lawyer catering to the poor who are facing conviction and jail time, a fellow friend serving the law, an attorney seeking the Governor's position, a Judge headed toward a nomination to the Supreme Court, and maybe a very old man connected to the highest people in the American government. Who can Adam and Megan to trust and who to investigate? Can they even trust each other?

In between the action-packed pages of this conundrum, the reader finds a seemingly unrelated account of the notorious kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh's baby son in 1932. There are plenty of clues even within there that should set off warning bells to the astute reader - if one catches them and doesn't forget them with the switch back to the high stakes action of the main story including several untimely and brutal murders.

Jack Ford's first novel demonstrates he has widely read in the mystery/law thriller genre. While some parts of the book might seem a tad contrived, the basic two stories keep the reader wanting more and rapidly turning the pages of this novel that finely resembles some of the best of its type! A writer to enjoy and watch for further development, to be sure!