Tampa Star (Blackfox Chronicles Book 1)
Ever wonder what would happen if there was no living witness left to report a horrific crime? Did it even occur? In 1974, Char Blackfox heads to Florida in to rebuild a life shattered by the war in Viet Nam. He’s a Seminole Indian and former Green Beret who leaves the army and moves to Tampa Bay with the vain hope of a new beginning. He gets a job, meets a beautiful woman and life seems to finally be going his way; until reality smacks him in the face. He throws in with the wrong crowd; a s
Price:
Quite a trip!,
This book get 5 stars for one simple reason- it held my attention the entire time. That is a feat in its self. The story moves quick enough through what can be, but wasn’t, boring character intros and into the meat of the story. At times, I found myself disappointed with Char’s decisions- relating too much to this character. I don’t want to give up too much, but when the plot shifted, the story became more my style of reading. True statement- “There is
no problem that can’t be solved by the proper use of high explosives”
Was this review helpful to you?
|T.S. O’Neil’s Tampa Bay Lightning?,
Char Blackfox is a decorated Green Beret veteran who finds himself on the scene as Australian entrepreneur Simon Block is on the verge of launching his luxury casino boat, the Tampa Princess. The maiden voyage is scheduled for Halloween night, and Block’s Million Dollar Bandit is its featured attraction. The tempered-glass slot machine holds a million dollars in gold coins, the payoff for a lucky winner to top off the VIP extravaganza. A disenfranchised Rhode Island mobster, Sally “Boots” Buzzutto, masterminds a plot to rob the Princess of its bounty. Blackfox and his friend, Jimmy O’Brien, are recruited for the job, but during the commission of the robbery the hurricane strikes. The storm wrecks the Princess, and Char escapes but Jimmy is eventually arrested and sent to prison along with the secret of the missing bullion.
O’Neil fast-forwards to 2004 South Florida, where Char’s son Michael returns from the Middle East after a medal-winning tour with Marine Recon. They learn that Jimmy is the target of a number of speculators seeking the whereabouts of the missing gold. A prison break results in Jimmy falling into the hands of a gang assembled by a Middle East vet-turned-lawyer in search of the treasure. Char and Michael rescue Jimmy, and together they set out to recover the gold hidden in Fort De Soto Park after the shipwreck. Only Sally Boots and his henchman, crooked cop Guy Handley, are out to double-cross Char Blackfox one last time as the forces collide in a memorable climax to this rollercoaster ride.
Set in an authentic backdrop with true-life military detail and hardcore cops-and-robbers action and adventure, T.S. O’Neil’s Tampa Star (The Blackfox Chronicles) is one you won’t want to miss.
Was this review helpful to you?
|I can’t believe it’s fiction!,
T.S. O’Neil’s Tampa Star begins by telling us the backstory of a ship long at sea. It’s been refurbished more than once and found a new use each time. This is just like the characters we meet in the book. These people are survivors who’ve been through so much. Whether it’s war torn jungles, botched bank heists, or banishment from loftier seats of mafia power each character has a unique history. When an old boat finds a new use, these men again have a purpose.
This is a great read for anyone who enjoys crime thrillers. What sets it above everything else I’ve read in the genre recently is the attention to detail. You can almost smell the perfume of strippers, the bourbon bottles, and the glimmering sweat of hard worn men looking at their golden prize.
Was this review helpful to you?
|