A Review of Hong Kong Dangerous by Tom Fowler

So, I have discovered a new local Baltimore author by the name of Tom Fowler who writes mysteries about cyber sleuthing and solving crimes. Anyway, before I delve into Fowler’s first novel (The Reluctant Detective) in the series, I decided to read the prequel (a novella) that introduces C.T. Ferguson, the protagonist.

In the prequel, readers find C.T. living in Hong Kong for three years and working with a group of hackers (funded by him) who help Americans and dissidents escape the Chinese government. Unfortunately, he gets busted and thrown in jail where he is served a steady diet of rice and water. His captors want him to “rat” on his fellow hackers and when he refuses to do so, he gets beaten up. But C.T. using his wit (pretending not to understand the language) and skills, he makes one phone call to a longtime friend who then call’s C.T.’s father to find a way to get him out of jail.

Just so happens, C.T.’s father had to reach out to a gangster with connections in the US embassy to get C.T. released back to the US with the caveat he would never return to Hong Kong. Now that C.T. is back in Baltimore, his parents want him to do something that doesn’t involve computer hacking. Guess we’ll see what happens.

Overall, I liked the premise, the dialogue was realistic, and the characters were fairly fleshed out. Fowler used first and third-person point of views to inject a parallel story involving C.T.’s cousin, Rich a cop who works for the Baltimore City Police Department. However, what threw me for a loop was Rich being incorrectly referred to as a sergeant who wanted to be a detective on multiple occasions. I had to re-read this part because sergeants act in a supervisory role which is different from a detective who investigates and solves cases. So Rich was simply a police officer on the beat trying to be a detective. This shows how important it is to do your research before writing.

Despite this hiccup, it was an engaging story and I would probably read the first novel in the series to see what mischief C.T. gets into.

My favorite lines:

My eyelids grew heavy when I heard someone messing with the lock. The door opened a few seconds later, and Chun entered. I sat up in bed. He took a step closer and stopped. “Good evening.” I repeated the greeting, and he said, “Have you decided?”

“It’s not easy,” I said. “Throwing your friends under the bus—or maybe under the tanks—isn’t a simple call.”

“You’re running out of time.”

I should’ve figured on this. Part of me did, but I’d also hoped the rapport Chun and I developed would buy me a day of two. “How much longer?”

Rating: 3.5 stars

Comments

Interview with Jacqueline Seewald, Author of THE INHERITANCE

Author’s Bio: Multiple award-winning author, Jacqueline Seewald, has taught creative, expository and technical writing at Rutgers University as well as high school English. She also worked as both an academic librarian and an educational media specialist. Sixteen of her books of fiction have previously been published to critical praise including books for adults, teens and children. Her short stories, poems, essays, reviews and articles have appeared in hundreds of diverse publications and numerous anthologies. What inspired you to write your book? I enjoy writing romantic mystery fiction. The idea for this particular novel just seemed to evolve organically from my imagination. Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult? I would have to say reading the Bible was influential. As far as regular books go, I’m a big fan of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Is this your first book? How long did it take to start and

It’s A Book Thing Presents: An Interview with Debbie Stokes, author of The Stranger He Knew

Author’s Bio: Debbie Stokes was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. She has always had a desire to be a published author of a fiction novel, but fear stopped her. She often shares how her story ideas come to her in her dreams, and how she jumps up to write them down. Finally, one day, she pushed past her fear and allowed her vision to come to past. She is now a published author, and The Stranger He Knew is her first book. Debbie is a former CEO, blogger, and interviewer for her previous women's empowerment blog called, 3 Women Voices, where she shared empowering stories of how people overcame odds to live their best lives. She is also a former contributing writer for FEMI Magazine, a cultural lifestyle magazine, where she interviewed and shared people’s stories. When not writing, she enjoys singing, dancing, inspiring others, and spending time with family. Deliah Lawrence: What inspired you to write your book? Debbie Stokes: That is a funny story. One day, I went

National Poetry Month’s Feature: Poet Jahi Trotter

Poet’s Bio: Jahi Minkah Trotter was born in Atlanta, GA, and moved to Alabama when he was six years old. He has been writing poetry since he was 11 years old. He has written two poetry books: It Was Already Written (2016) and Adapting To Life: Poems and Quotes by Jahi Minkah Trotter (2020). He developed a love for filmmaking while receiving his bachelor's degree in social science. Jahi decided to continue his quest for filmmaking at Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta, GA. During his final two years at SCAD, Jahi was encouraged by his professors to go into acting while continuing to work behind the camera as well. This was a crucial time for Jahi. He lost his father in 2019 a month before taking an elective acting class that lead him into acting. He lost his mother in 2021 and continues to act and create films, including his thesis film "The Last Job," in which he acted and starred in. Jahi graduated with a master's degree in film and television from S

Vocal Expressions

Search This Blog