The Colonel's Namesake

by Stephen Crowe, Michael Childers

In Part One, Josh Madison bolts from his hometown after being jilted at the altar and joins the Army, serving as a Green Beret in Vietnam. He is severely wounded in an ambush as his whole command is wiped out. Recovering, he meets a lovely Vietnamese Army nurse who rescues him from his past hurts, as they marry and have a son. His wife is killed seven years later by North Vietnamese agents, and in the fall of Saigon five years later, he believes their young son is killed as well. In Part Two, bitter and broken, Josh returns to his hometown of Mayfield Park, Missouri, to sort out his life and try to discover his identity in life. He is welcomed by Clive Corey, head of a powerful family business syndicate, whose flattery lures Josh into their trap as they use his talents to enrich their businesses and personal fortunes. Along the way, he meets the beautiful and mysterious Ronni Oâ€Riordan, whom Josh discovers has a troubled past of her own, and they fall deeply in love. Revelations by an old friend, coupled with a failed attempt on Ronniâ€s life and that of her family, soon lead Josh to the truth about his unholy alliance with the Coreys, and he plans a cold, calculating revenge. With the help of an old friend, as well as a formerly brilliant lawyer who had fallen victim to the Coreys and his own battles with alcohol, Josh formulates a brilliant plan to bring Clive Corey and his brothers to justice.

516 pages, Paperback

First published November 25, 2003