James Glenn Thompson >> the David "Possum" Porter series >> Book 5, The Army Payroll Plot (Q&A) > Likes and Comments

Hello, fellow thriller readers!

I'm James Glenn Thompson, an author of action-adventure thrillers, and I'm pleased to introduce my latest novel, The Army Payroll Plot. (Published on Amazon September 15, 2026)

A forgotten Army payroll. Five missing soldiers. A fortune in Spanish gold. And someone is willing to kill to keep the truth buried.

When David “Possum” Porter is asked by a senior CIA executive from his past to investigate an obscure 1889 Army payroll mystery, he isn't particularly interested in resurrecting a problem that has been buried for more than a century.

But the deeper Possum digs, the stranger the mystery becomes.

Five soldiers disappeared while escorting the payroll from Fort Concho. A Fort Worth VIP vanished with them. Official records have mysteriously disappeared. And an old soldier's dying words suggest that the missing cargo may have included Spanish doubloons dating back to the early 1700s.

Then Possum discovers that other people are looking for the same treasure—including drug cartel operatives and intelligence agents with agendas of their own.

With his wife, Maite, beside him—and Clyde, the strange voice in his head, offering advice that isn't always helpful—Possum follows a trail leading from an old ledger and the vanished soldier William Jackson to Spanish treasure from the wrecks of the 1715 Plate Fleet.

The trail leads toward the Texas-Mexico border.

And people are willing to kill to keep the secret buried.

The Army Payroll Plot combines historical mystery, buried treasure, espionage, cartel intrigue, and fast-moving action, with a touch of the offbeat humor that comes from having Clyde along for the ride.

A little about me

I've had a somewhat unusual path to becoming a novelist. I spent four years at sea as a deck officer in the U.S. Merchant Marine and visited more than 45 countries. I later earned a BS from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and an MBA in Finance from the University of Illinois.

My career took me through business, technology, and entrepreneurship before I retired and turned much of my attention to writing and photography.

Those experiences—and especially a lifelong curiosity about history and the world—have found their way into my fiction.

I live in Central Texas with my wife, Catherine, and our Golden Retriever, Charlie. I'm the proud father of four and grandfather of six.

If you enjoy action-adventure thrillers with historical mysteries, espionage, treasure hunts, and a touch of humor, you may find Possum Porter's latest adventure interesting.

I'd be glad to meet other readers of the genre here and hear what you're reading.
The Army Payroll Plot
— James Glenn Thompson

ARC Readers Wanted — The Army Payroll Plot

I'm looking for a few readers interested in action-adventure and historical conspiracy thrillers who would be willing to read an advance copy of my new novel, The Army Payroll Plot.

A forgotten Army payroll. Five missing soldiers. A fortune in Spanish gold. And someone is willing to kill to keep the truth buried.

The story combines a present-day West Texas investigation with an 1889 Army payroll robbery, Spanish treasure, CIA intrigue, and a dangerous conspiracy.

I'm offering a complimentary EPUB to interested readers. I'm looking for honest feedback, not a positive review or a favorable rating.

If this sounds like your kind of thriller, please send me a Goodreads message, and I'll provide the details.