Deliberate Harm

by J.R. Wolfe

US soldiers Portia Marks and Imma Thoms found love during the second Iraq War, after Imma, a combat surgeon, saved Portia’s life from a roadside bomb. Immediately inseparable, the two of them returned to civilian life engaged and followed Portia’s postwar dreams to Zimbabwe, where they brought humanitarian aid to the struggling nation. But when Imma is arrested on false charges and executed for trying to escape prison, Portia returns home to Chicago bereft, numbing her grief by day with work and by night with alcohol.
Until one night, Portia is stopped by a stranger in the street who tells her that Imma actually escaped death and has been on the run ever since. But before Portia can find out anything else, the man is killed before her eyes.
Unable to dismiss the chance that Imma may be alive, Portia turns to two old friends from her Army days, now in the CIA, to help her find out the truth. Her search leads her to Zimbabwe, then to South Africa, and finally to London. Along the way, she stumbles upon plots within plots involving not only the People’s Revolution—a radical terrorist organization—but also the CIA and a mysterious Russian crime syndicate.
When Portia discovers that the People’s Revolution has a dirty bomb that they plan to set off at a highly public event somewhere in London, her search for her fiancée becomes a race against time.

318 pages, Paperback

First published July 20, 2015

About the author

J.R. Wolfe grew up with a mystery book in one hand and a pen in the other. She lives in California with her spouse and two spoiled Yorkies. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her skiing, mountain biking, and snapping photos, or on the bocce ball courts drinking wine with good friends. (from the publisher’s website)

Reviews

[Jane Shambler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad!

Ok maybe I'm being a bit mean with the four stars. But I can't help feeling cheated a bit. Now if this is a book two of a series then I will profusely apologize. The story kind off missed a huge bit about Iraq and Zimbabwe and jumped straight to the end. To me it felt like the meeting of the two main characters and the reasons behind the story were completely missed. I'm not exactly sure if you understand me but if you read you'll hopefully get it.

But ill admit apart from that the book is pretty good. Fast paced, a good mystery and plenty of travel. It's written well and the writing style is fluid. It's a little like a James Bond movie as stuff only starts to come together at the end. I feel there could also be a sequel as some things were left open. But there is definitely room for a prequel.


I enjoyed it overall and glad I read it. If you want sex this isn't for you but it's a good bad/good guy book. Enjoy

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m between 3 and 4 stars... I liked the writing style and the characters but there was just a bit plot part missing for me.... the reason for their meeting and the whole background didn’t really come across for me... other than that it was good solid book.

[DNS · Rating 4 out of 5]

"We had to conceal our feelings and pretend we weren’t human in prison, but we are human."

Emotional.