Painkiller
By Will Staeger
3.5/5
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Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this ebook
With page-turning ferocity, Will Staeger delivers a stylistic blend of riveting action, thrilling suspense, and starkly alluring characters in this classic tale of espionage laced with a twist of modern-day terror . . .
The quasi-retired, Virgin Islands-based CIA operative known only as W. Cooper lives his life free-diving and philandering along a quarter-mile of white sand—a necessary slice of paradise for a man seeking to kill the pain of torturous memories. His life of leisure is rudely interrupted, however, when he's tapped by the local police to "dispose" of a bullet-ridden, mysteriously scarred body deposited on the island's shore by a passing hurricane. Sensing the cops are merely looking to duck the labor of a proper homicide investigation, Cooper declines—only to encounter a haunting form of déjà vu that brings with it a strange sense of comradeship with the anonymous victim. Knowing he'd be better off leaving well enough alone, Cooper decides to investigate where no one else seems willing.
At CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, junior analyst Julie Laramie discovers, almost by accident, evidence of a massive, clandestine military buildup in China—and elsewhere. Alerting her superiors in her typically alarmist fashion, she's reprimanded for violating Agency protocol and told to leave policymaking to the elected officials. Like Cooper, Laramie knows she should walk away, but her gut drives her on a course toward career suicide—and a bounty of evidence only she seems to see. What she sees? A labyrinthine, untraceable terrorist plot designed to cripple the United States.
Led down parallel paths littered with a uniquely dark and compelling cast of enemies—a zombifying Haitian witch doctor, a slave-trading albino serial killer, and a Creatine-boosted behemoth bodybuilder to name just three—Cooper and Laramie find themselves drawn together from opposite ends of a terrifying conspiracy. With the clock ticking down, the two realize they may be all that stands in the way of the annihilation of the existing world order.
A dynamic and complex story featuring powerful writing, magnetic characters, and a terrifyingly realistic premise, Will Staeger's debut marks him as the newest star on the thriller horizon. So beware . . . like the Caribbean cocktail with which this book shares its name, Painkiller is deceptively tasty—and exceedingly dangerous.
Will Staeger
Will Staeger has worked for ESPN as an executive producer of original entertainment, and in Hollywood as a feature-film development executive. He lives with his wife and children in Connecticut.
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Reviews for Painkiller
3 ratings3 reviews
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Virgin Islands based CIA operative known as W. Cooper lives his life diving and hanging around with beautiful women there on vacation. One night he's asked by the local police to dispose of a bullet-ridden, scarred body deposited on the island's shore by a passing hurricane. He believes the police just want to avoid the trouble of investigating a body that's just washed up on the beach, so Cooper decides to investigate for himself.
Meanwhile, CIA junior analyst, Julie Laramie, discovers evidence of a covert military buildup in China. When she informs her supervisors she's reprimanded for violating Agency protocol and told to leave policy making to the elected officials. Like Cooper, Laramie knows she should walk away, but she can't and won't do it. Naturally, the Caribbean murder case Cooper is working on is linked to Julie’s Chinese conspiracy. The two partner up to save America from a variety of deadly outcomes.
This was the first book I've read from Will Staeger and it wasn't bad. It has lots of action, appealing main characters and a realistic premise. I would definitely consider reading the sequel, Public Enemy. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5W. Cooper is a grizzled anti-hero that is so dislikable, you can't help but like him. The story got off to a slow start (and Staeger seemed to spend too many words showing the reader how many words he could use), but once Staeger settled into his writing and the plot got going, it was a very enjoyable read.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Great characters and a good story. W. Cooper, BVI agent living the life of riley and CIA rookie saves the world from Nuclear devestation