MEETING THE GRIM REAPER Murders? or Accidents?: Part 1 of a Series TALES OF TEN CITIES

by Colin Talbot

What can the explanation be for a succession of mysterious deaths within a short space of time among a team of Company colleagues travelling together and working together, in various countries across the globe? In at least a few instances, murder is the cause, but the identity of the perpetrator or perpetrators will remain unproven until late in the story. When it comes to crime, it is not just a murderer or murderers who will be exposed. There are some serious fraudsters at work, whose misdeeds come to light towards the end of the book.One of the protagonists in the story, an ambitious man, decided from the outset that, in his own words, he "would kill to get that job." He is already a rising star in the Company, but is he heading for a fall? Will his private life damage his promotion prospects? How will he react to the temptations of the flesh which will come his way, temptations in the form of alcoholic drinks, and women? The answers will be revealed. Midway through the novel he is wrongly charged with a serious crime, which as it happens does not involve murder. What will the consequences be? Will he be exonerated? The answers to those questions, too, will be revealed, eventually.Readers will become familiar with a large number of characters , each of whom plays an important part in the story. A subplot concerns a curse, placed on a jewelled necklace by its owner. Is there a link between this curse and some of the calamities, including deaths, which befall the individuals who handle the necklace? The answer to that, too, will be revealed. Readers will be able to escape to some of the far-off places to which the story takes them, where they can lose themselves for a while. It is a journey beginning in Rome, and following a route to include Bangkok, East Africa, Paris, and New York. The novel mixes mystery and suspense with some humour, and pathos. Events unfold quickly, with cliffhangers all the way, and plenty of twists and turns. Nasty situations faced by the protagonists include a car crash, cars being pursued, a confrontation with an armed whisky soaked security guard, a car trip along a hazardous earth track, arrests, confiscation of passports, an encounter with a pack of hyenas, tough times in police cells, courtroom appearances before judges, and an attack by a violent robber.Settings include an Irish bar, a party, a morgue, the subway, a car crash site during and after the crash, Parisian bars, street scenes, a cemetery, restaurants, hotels, airports, police cells, law courts, and the office of a private detective.There are dark moments in the novel, as well as humourous moments, and the ending is upbeat.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1687360944
• ISBN13: 9781687360946
• Release Date: February 2020
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 458 Pages
• Weight: 1.69 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 1.1" x 6.0"