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Broken Honor    by Patricia Potter Amazon.com order for
Broken Honor
by Patricia Potter
Order:  USA  Can
Jove, 2002 (2002)
Paperback
* *   Reviewed by Martina Bexte

Patricia Potter's engaging story is one that was actually inspired by events reported in recent newspaper articles: more than fifty years after World War II, high ranking American generals were linked to the disappearance of captured Nazi gold and other treasures, for which they and their subordinates were responsible. Using this intriguing hook, Ms. Potter has expanded it into an equally intriguing and fast paced piece of fiction. In the author's well written and well paced story, three sets of grandchildren must face the accusations that arise when the integrity of their respective grandsires is placed in question. For each of the grandchildren involved it boils down to truth, family and honour.

Amy Mallory is a history professor working towards much-sought-after tenure at a Memphis college. Dedicated to her profession, Amy is close to her goal and oblivious to the fact that her dead grandfather, with whom she'd had a love / hate relationship, is being accused of war time theft. In less than a few days, her home is destroyed by an arsonist, one of her closest friends is murdered, and men try to kill her, not once, but twice. The second attempt lands her in the hospital, recovering from a gunshot. While recuperating, and trying to understand and somehow come to grips with events, she's visited by Colonel Lucien Flaherty.

The Colonel is career army, formerly in Special Forces and now a member of CID, a branch of the military that specialises in investigations. Flaherty too, wants answers about his own grandfather, the second general implicated in the articles. He refuses to believe the honourable old man was a thief and intends to prove it, even if it costs him his much-loved career. Dustin Eachen, grandson to the last general named, is a high ranking member of the State Department. His only interest in the accusations against three dead generals is that the whole thing go away and not jeopardise his family name and his rising career.

More murder attempts follow, and a flight half way across the country in hopes of staying one step ahead of villains with seemingly unlimited connections. Long-buried family secrets, government and military collusion, and two couples finding unlikely love while trying to stay alive, rocket this story to a more than satisfying conclusion for romance afficionados, and also those readers who like a little more action. Ms. Potter even includes a delightful dog in her story. Of course she doesn't forget to tie up all the lose ends, including who stole the Nazi loot, and why.

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