"I sometimes wonder if people like me didn't have a good deal to do with making the world the way it is now..."
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The Odessa Concessions by Gordon Deverowe Xlibris
book review by Cynthia Collins
Put together the fast-paced Jason Bourne series by Robert Ludlum with the legal thrillers of John Grisham and you have The Odessa Concessions. The political and power-driven intrigue for control of Lockwood Petroleum involves an international cast of characters as well as three generations of the Lockwood family. When the grandfather, who is head of the company, dies under mysterious circumstances, his adult granddaughter searches for clues to find the killer.
In addition to themes of politics and power, sexual intrigue also plays a major role. The granddaughter, Leah Lockwood, combines business with pleasure and leaves the reader to question if she really loves her latest boyfriend or is she involved with him just because she needs his help in running the company. Even when the two agree to marry, one wonders if it is more of a business arrangement than anything else.
The story is not told through just one character's point of view. Instead, short episodes are told through the eyes of the person involved. Chapter lengths range from a few paragraphs to a few pages, each one filled with the suspense of never being completely sure which side the characters are on. There are levels within levels on both sides. Mr. Deverowe has done an excellent job keeping up the pace throughout the book with twists and turns every step of the way. The story is filled with people who, on an international scale, follow and are being followed, and those who are not what they seem.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review