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James Houston Turner

Goodreads Author

Born

Baldwin City, KS, The United States

Website

http://www.jameshoustonturner.world

Genre

Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers, Suspense

Member Since

March 2011

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/jameshoustonturner

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Winner of numerous awards, including “Best Thriller,” bestselling author James Houston Turner is known for his Aleksandr Talanov series of action thrillers. Talanov the fictional character was inspired by the actual KGB agent who once leaked word out of Moscow that James was on a KGB watchlist for his smuggling activities behind the old Iron Curtain.

Holding a bachelor’s degree from Baker University and a master’s degree from the University of Houston Clear Lake, James is also a cancer survivor after doctors in Australia removed a tumor the size of an orange from his face. “I was told if I lived eighteen months I would probably live to be one hundred. That was in 1991, so I am happy to report I am well on my way toward that goal. These expe ...more

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Oh James just read your bio. What a strong chap you are with one good woman behind you. Don’t give up your dreams So you wrote a spud book?

James Houston Turner The Spud Book was my first big break as a writer, Sue. I first self-published it, got myself on some TV shows, then sold the publishing rights to St. …moreThe Spud Book was my first big break as a writer, Sue. I first self-published it, got myself on some TV shows, then sold the publishing rights to St. Martin's Press, who republished it, after which French's Foods (famous for its mustard) sent me on a nationwide television "Spud Tour," where I cooked potatoes for TV hosts and their audiences. I have never had anyone hand me the company credit card and say, "Go buy whatever you need for this tour." I had SOOO much fun shopping, including a bottle of Champagne to celebrate the deal and a haircut (I was pretty shaggy at the time). Thank you, also, for your gracious words. I am blessed indeed to have Wendy as my wife. We are the proverbial "hand and glove," with complementary strengths. We make a good team, and I have the added privilege of working at my laptop in the same room as the kitchen, where she pursues her love of cooking (being as she is the author of The Recipe Gal Cookbook). In fact, there is a pot of Texas chili cooking now and I am the official taste-tester. Gotta run...(less)

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What are you currently working on?

James Houston Turner I am currently editing my upcoming new Talanov thriller, Dragon Head, which will be published in 2018 and picks up chronologically where Department Th…moreI am currently editing my upcoming new Talanov thriller, Dragon Head, which will be published in 2018 and picks up chronologically where Department Thirteen and Greco's Game leave off.

In Dragon Head, I take Talanov in a new direction when he meets a family of three Chinese orphans in a community center in San Francisco, where he is placed in an impossible situation when the youngest - an eleven year-old girl - is kidnapped by a Hong Kong crime lord, who threatens to kill her if his demands are not met. When Talanov wants to rescue the girl and take down the crime lord, he is ordered by the CIA to let her die for the sake of national security.

Which brings us to the Bible verse Talanov discovers on a sign in the community center. The verse is Hebrews 13:5, which says, "I will never desert (or abandon) you." The Bible says it's a promise made to us by God, but are we willing to make the same promise to those we love? Talanov didn't ask for the love of these three annoying kids. But what happens when love of three annoying kids finds you? His grappling with that promise is the backbone of this story, and, hence, gives us the story's tagline: "I will never desert you. How far would YOU go to keep that promise?"(less)

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James Houston Turner’s books

Average rating: 4.14 · 242 ratings · 97 reviews · 16 distinct works

	Greco's Game (Aleksandr Talanov Thriller #2) 4.33 avg rating — 72 ratings — published 2012 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	November Echo (Aleksandr Talanov Thriller #3) 3.77 avg rating — 60 ratings — published 2013 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Department Thirteen (Aleksandr Talanov Thriller #1) 4.35 avg rating — 37 ratings — published 2011 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Identity Factor 4.44 avg rating — 32 ratings — published 2007 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Dragon Head (Aleksandr Talanov thriller, #4) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 30 ratings — published 2020 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Second Thirteen 4.13 avg rating — 8 ratings — published 2000	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Search for the Sword of St Peter 3.50 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 1996	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Spud Book it was ok 2.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 1982 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Department Thirteen (Aleksandr Talanov Thriller #1) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 1999 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The earth of your soul: A collection of poems 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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James Houston Turner's Blog: News and Updates

Greco's Game Optioned For Film

Bestselling Author James Houston Turner's Novel, Greco's Game, Optioned By Wonderfilm and TideRock After Bidding War

BEVERLY HILLS -- Wonderfilm Media and TideRock Media have acquired the film and television rights to James Houston Turner's bestselling Aleksandr Talanov series of action thrillers about a former KGB agent who became a spy for America.

Set in Los Angeles against the backdrop of human Read more of this blog post »

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Published on January 28, 2018 08:21 • Tags: aleksandr-talanov, books-to-movies, greco-s-game, james-houston-turner, talanov-thriller-series

Series by James Houston Turner

Aleksandr Talanov Thriller (3 books)
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James Houston Turner (Goodreads Author)

4.14 avg rating — 169 ratings

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James’s Recent Updates

James Houston Turner is now following Morgan Capehart's reviews
Mar 01, 2026 10:40AM · like

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Quotes by James Houston Turner (?)

“Sometimes, the hard knocks of life are blessings in disguise.”
― James Houston Turner

tags: inspirational

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“I will not be defined by the marks left on me by the world, but by the mark I leave on the world (referring to the facial scars he still carries from his successful 1991 battle against cancer, which caused him to be turned down for a customer service job because he was "too ugly").”
― James Houston Turner

tags: inspirational, persistence

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“Moscow:”
― James Houston Turner, Department Thirteen

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