Dear Friends,
I’m writing to thank you for your continued support for my writing path, as circuitous as it may be. I have appreciated the kind words, the encouraging words, and those words of criticism, which, although they sometimes sting, are important in helping me hone my craft.
I want to let you know of the publication of my 5th novel, an eco-fiction thriller titled Mystique.
Quite a while ago, I became interested in the Unabomber (Ted Kaczynski). I followed him in the press and read his manifesto, which was titled Technological Slavery. And decided I would like to write a novel with an Unabomber-like character. I wanted to explore some of the themes that surrounded the Unabomber and his actions: How does one bring people of enormous power and money, people “outside the law,” to justice if the justice system doesn’t do, or can’t do, the job? If one decided to take the law into one’s own hands, what method(s) would one use? How would one elude capture? And finally, how is right and wrong determined, and is it subjective?
The main protagonist of Mystique, Alec Rusk, a former highly skilled chemist, is an ultra-competent and exacting eco-terrorist, or revolutionary, depending on one’s sympathies and ethics. He uses a toxin that is absorbed from a letter through the hands of the reader, which causes symptoms that mimic a cardiac arrest within two days of absorption. Alec targets men who he considers to have a history of circumventing environmental law for profit.
There are two other protagonists as well: Ariel Linnett and Elliot Tong.
Here is a brief synopsis of the novel:
Three people meet in rural Montana: Ariel Linnett, an insurance actuary; Alec Rust, a carpenter; and Elliott Tong, a businessman building a house. But each of these people has a far deadlier agenda. Alec is an eco-assassin who believes in meting out justice to criminals beyond the law; Ariel is a DC-based Federal agent, single-parenting a daughter, and involved in solving the murders of billionaire eco-criminals; and Elliott is a narcissistic African mine owner who places money above all else. Tied together in a Gordian knot that tightens with their every move, the three seem bound to a fate they cannot control nor escape. This slow-simmering thriller is rich in character, ambience, and twists that culminate in an inconceivable ending.
And a back-cover author blurb:
“Mystique is a complex thriller that draws the reader into vivid hidden worlds, where wit and violence collide. Its almost languid pace seduces; the characters are unique, and the twists unpredictable.” Kate Freiman, USA-Today Bestselling Author
If you are interested in buying a copy of Mystique, it is available for purchase either as an ebook or a paperback from:
Book View Café Press (https://bookviewcafe.com/) If you purchase from BVC the author retains 90% of the sale price.
Amazon Books (Search Paul S Piper Mystique)
And eventually Barnes and Noble
Or the novel can be ordered for you by your local bookstore.
If you don’t have the money to purchase it, encourage your local library to get a copy.
Thanks again for your interest in my work, and don’t hesitate to contact me personally if you have questions or comments. And let me know if you wish to be removed from this list.
BookViewCafe, Mystique’s publisher, is an author-owned and operated publishing cooperative. BVC is currently home to 33 authors. The cooperative was started in 2008 by Ursula K. Le Guin and several other writers.