Thomas Kirkwood

(This Novel was previously published as FAITH: A Secret Life)Josh Miller, 18 years old, sits in a packed courtroom, accused of the rape and murder of his high-school girlfriend, Tess. The undisputed facts leave little doubt that he is guilty. Why did he do it? They were deeply in love. Their relationship, like Tess herself, seemed perfect. Was she involved with someone else? Did he find out and turn on her in anger? Everyone has a theory but none of them make sense. Yet all agree that Josh is guilty. Therefore, he must not be the gentle generous soul everyone believed him to be. No one bothers to inquire after Tess's state of mind in the weeks before her death. And why should they? She was beautiful, charming, gifted, never down or depressed. She was the delight of teachers and parents, the envy of classmates, an avid lover of life. She had no enemies. Yet the evidence does not lie. Tess is not only a young adult or coming of age novel; it is not only a complex mystery; not only a courtroom drama involving the police, an alleged crime and the application of law. It is also a powerful adolescent romance that takes an unexpected turn into a different world, the world of depression, psychology, mood disorders, counseling and, lastly, death and grief.WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT TESS (Previously published as FAITH)"Every writer has a rhythm in the words that tell their story. Thomas Kirkwood ... is a masterful conductor of the written word ... In addition to being a captivating read, this engrossing book is an opportunity to gain a better understanding of how mood disorders are frequently not recognized in teens. I will never forget the characters of this story. Anyone looking for a great read need look no further than this wrenching story of love and loss.""Protagonist Josh Miller, age 18, is on trial for the rape and murder of his 17-year-old girlfriend who, it is obvious, he loved dearly. The reader gets to follow the trial as well as the love story of Josh and Faith in sequential and alternating flashbacks, through Josh's eyes. Josh is intelligent, and has a unique sense of humor as well as some wonderfully quirky friends. Oh, and he does not think much of adult society. Very likely, he is right. PS The portrayal of mental illness was very much on the mark.""I'm not an adolescent anymore, not by a long shot. But I work with young people about the age of the characters in this story. The book is beautifully written. The story made me remember in a visceral way how strong the basic emotions of youth are, what it's like to fall in love for the first time and how easy it is to get hurt. If you have teenage children, you'll understand them so much better after reading FAITH. You'll also finish the book knowing some of the things you should watch for in "the perfect child." All of the great things of youth are here for the reader to relive, too, and all the shocking discoveries you make as the years go by. You'll cry but you'll also laugh . . . and you'll do a lot of both. I don't think I've read anything for a long time that has moved me like this novel. It's something that should be in every school library, on the bookshelf of every program for gifted students, and required reading for every dead-to-the-world school administrator or psychologist."As someone who deals with mental health issues, bipolar in particular, this book was incredibly moving and touching. It was very realistic and heartbreaking to see the struggles from the outside looking in. Then, to find out Faith is no longer living and her caring, devoted boyfriend is on trial is unfortunately not shocking. This book is all too realistic and as such, is very moving and touches a person deeply.

"History is a compilation of events that cannot happen." -- AnonymousTHE THIRTEENTH DISCIPLE: America After the Deal is a must-read, a gripping thriller rooted not only in fantasy but in contemporary American and international events. The book's fast-paced action and bold conspiracies span the globe but, unlike most military and political suspense novels, its epicenter is not Washington, Moscow or London. Rather it is a small town in middle America, a town with a long colorful history that has become a refuge of the rich and famous: Aspen, Colorado. The narrative accelerates irresistibly toward a shocking conclusion, but the underlying mystery gives no hint what that conclusion might be. The epic battle between good and evil features cyberwarfare, assassinations and other military techniques found in most thrillers. There is an element of international crime, a fiery romance, psychological manipulation, murder and undercover operations by spies not suspected of espionage. And there is, of course, a role for law enforcement, especially for the FBI and other government agents. But it is the unlikely cast of characters and the way in which their lives become intertwined that make this novel unique. The reader follows the Russian President, US Special Forces, the American President, intelligence operations by the CIA and FSB, successor to the KGB. All of this is not surprising in a military and political thriller; not surprising until one adds the 74-year-old director of the Aspen Historical Society, her sexy if naive assistant, a slow-talking Southerner from Louisiana and the aunt who raised him - adds these characters and elevates them to the same level of importance as that of "the usual suspects." For readers who have tired of series heroes mired in tough situations they will obviously escape, for readers looking for a new and possibly predictive type of story, a story that loses none of its nail-biting suspense by deviating from traditional themes, THE THIRTEENTH DISCIPLE is for you. Editorial Reviews of Kirkwood's previous work: "Solid tension, sudden danger, fierce action . . . catches fire." -- Kirkus Reviews"A moving love story as well as a novel filled with action and suspense ... strong sympathetic characters ... Thomas Kirkwood is a writer to get excited about." -- Rocky Mountain News "Nail-biting . . . Perfect " -- Norfolk Virginian Pilot"Powerful ... Truly riveting " -- Chattanooga News-Free Press"A bubbling thriller . . . The tension builds." -- Cleveland Plain Dealer"Suspense and intrigue ... A classic adventure." -- Mobile Press Register"Wryly drawn characters...absorbing."-- Kirkus Reviews "Tense drama...spectacular."-- St. Louis Post Dispatch "Riveting and fascinating."-- Lerner Newspapers "An absorbing tale...the stuff of which movies are made."-- Rocky Mountain News "Crackles ... a rousing good job." -- Akron Beacon-Journal

She is a model citizen of the East German Police State . . . She is a respected scientist and mother . . . She is a beautiful woman in love with a man on another continent . . . And she is an assassin. She asks, the reader asks, if murder is a crime when evil is the victim.Against the backdrop of the Cold War, a passionate romance blossoms between K te Frassek, the young wife of an East German government agent, and Clay Bentley, an American exchange student who has left Boulder to study in West Berlin. After two years of daily, often suspenseful, border crossings, Clay returns to the States, his abrupt departure unnoticed by the Stasi - the secret police. He becomes a prominent physician, marries a hometown girl and leads what appears to be a normal life. But his love for K te endures, and her distant call for help proves irresistible, setting the stage for a psychological thriller of rare intensity. Clay returns to the East, unaware that he will become part of an assassination conspiracy of international consequence. This classic work of German historical fiction is not just a gripping page-turner. It presages real events that, soon after its publication, change the contours of European political and military reality.THE QUIET ASSASSIN is more than a novel about spies, danger, love and politics; it is also a riveting thriller that exposes underground forces academia failed to see. Vigilante justice on a national scale did occur. It is unknown though not improbable that someone like the female protagonist of this book helped to unleash itWHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING: "Solid tension, sudden danger, fierce action . . . catches fire." -- Kirkus Reviews "A moving love story as well as a novel filled with action and suspense ... strong sympathetic characters ... Thomas Kirkwood is a writer to get excited about." -- Rocky Mountain News "Nail-biting . . . Perfect " -- Norfolk Virginian Pilot"Powerful ... Truly riveting " -- Chattanooga News-Free Press"A bubbling thriller . . . The tension builds." -- Cleveland Plain Dealer"Suspense and intrigue ... A classic adventure." -- Mobile Press Register"Wryly drawn characters...absorbing."-- Kirkus Reviews "Tense drama...spectacular."-- St. Louis Post Dispatch "Riveting and fascinating."-- Lerner Newspapers "An absorbing tale...the stuff of which movies are made."-- Rocky Mountain News "Crackles ... a rousing good job." -- Akron Beacon-JournalWHAT READERS ARE SAYING: "Finally an author who knows how to write with passion ""A terrific thriller that I couldn't put down, I'll have to read more by this author. The research was amazing.""This is an excellent page turner with good characterizations and more than ample detail. A good suspense story with tension right up to the end.""Well written, moving story. I wasn't able to put it down.""Riveting is a great word for this 5 star book ""The author did a great job at building up the characters of the book, as well as keeping me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. I personally loved this story and will look forward to reading more by this author.""I really enjoyed reading this and would recommend it to those who want edge of their seat excitement. This story makes me wonder what life would be like to live it as two different people. Definitely five out of five stars."SELECTED BY BOOK-OF-THE-MONTH CLUB

Small candles nestled in a silver candelabrum are ceremoniously lit to announce the start of a medieval auction. Sadly, however, we are not in the middle ages but in the first decade of this century. On the block are scantily-clad teenage girls . . . Although the story is a novel, these future sex slaves - casualties of the global flesh market - are not fictional. "Natasha girls" number in the millions, and the international crime syndicates who sell them into prostitution are now active in the US.This fast-paced novel features a strong female protagonist who fights back against evil. Her resistance transforms what could have been an account of unmitigated horror into a suspenseful and uplifting thriller. Krist na Sondheim was among the early victims of THE TRADE. Years after being sold and put to work, she manages to break free of her captors and build a new life in the States. That life turns ugly when she is found, separated from her child and sentenced to 25 years for murders she did not commit.The action-packed narrative begins with Krist na's prison break. She must avoid capture but also find her young daughter. She must avoid assassination by the international crime syndicate that framed her, but she cannot hide. The chase moves to Europe. The FBI, the police and intelligence services of several nations and the ubiquitous tabloid press mount a frenzied search. They are unaware that kingpins of the trade share their objective. A novel of suspense becomes a psychological thriller when Krist na receives an ultimatum from the man she fears above all others. The chase becomes a sprint; nail-biting by the reader ceases to be a clich . Still to come: Rasputin, a fake Russian Orthodox priest; Vesh, the leader of an East European Gypsy tribe; and Teresa, estranged daughter and bargaining chip. We are swept up in the action and do not realize we are being led into the heart of the world's most unsavory business. But we have arrived here and, like so many, have fallen in love with a stunning beauty of unimaginable courage. We cannot help but ask ourselves the question we wish to avoid: can a woman so perfect yet so traumatized ever find romance. The mystery spills over into Book Five of the Villains from Hell Crime Thriller Series.Editorial Reviews of Kirkwood's previous work: "Solid tension, sudden danger, fierce action . . . catches fire." -- Kirkus Reviews"A moving love story as well as a novel filled with action and suspense ... strong sympathetic characters ... Thomas Kirkwood is a writer to get excited about." -- Rocky Mountain News "Nail-biting . . . Perfect " -- Norfolk Virginian Pilot"Powerful ... Truly riveting " -- Chattanooga News-Free Press"A bubbling thriller . . . The tension builds." -- Cleveland Plain Dealer"Suspense and intrigue ... A classic adventure." -- Mobile Press Register"Wryly drawn characters...absorbing."-- Kirkus Reviews "Tense drama...spectacular."-- St. Louis Post Dispatch "Riveting and fascinating."-- Lerner Newspapers "An absorbing tale...the stuff of which movies are made."-- Rocky Mountain News "Crackles ... a rousing good job." -- Akron Beacon-Journal

A KGB plot to destroy America is discovered by an American pacifist and his journalist lover. The Russian government must eliminate the two before they are able to escape with their secret. The result: an Arctic chase of almost unbearable suspense across the frozen wasteland of Svalbard. This action-packed romantic thriller, now a classic of historical fiction, was praised upon its initial release for shining light on little-known military and political realities. The novel was not devoid of the usual elements a reader expects in a thriller: intelligence services such as the KGB and CIA and their spies; political conspiracy, murder, crime and mystery. But the informative content of this page turner was what distinguished it from the pack. The book's co-author is a Norwegian professor at the world's northernmost university and a tireless researcher of the geopolitical significance of the European Arctic. In the past era of nuclear brinksmanship practiced by both the USSR and the United States, the powerful Russian Northern Fleet was headquartered in Murmansk. Its only access to the Atlantic was the Svalbard Passage, a sea corridor touched by the Gulfstream that remains navigable the year round. The Arctic island of Svalbard, a no-man's land since 1920, is home to various operations of many countries, Russia included. It is also near the North Pole, a mere eleven minutes by nuclear ballistic missile from America's industrial heartland. The Svalbard Passage played a role in raising awareness of this danger in the West. After the collapse of the USSR, the Northern Fleet ceased to be maintained. The novel, while retaining its status as a nail-biting thriller, lost much of its informative value. Now, however, the factual side of the book has been granted a second life. Russia under Putin has included in its military buildup the Northern Fleet and its port city of Murmansk. Access to the sea and proximity to the US are again of enormous military significance. The West again remains blind to a critical aspect of Russian military and nuclear strategy. For those hungry for thrillers with real-world import rather than mind-numbing series heroes, The Svalbard Passage is a must-read.EDITORIAL REVIEWS"Wryly drawn characters...absorbing."-Kirkus Reviews "Tense drama...spectacular."-St. Louis Post Dispatch "Riveting and fascinating."-Lerner Newspapers "An absorbing tale...the stuff of which movies are made."-Rocky Mountain News "Crackles ... a rousing good job." -Akron Beacon-Journal

La dolce vita. Some love it, some hate it. Here, in Catch-22 fashion, the stage is set for an epic battle for the survival of Italy. You will be on the edge of your seat throughout - at times from laughter, at times from horror and nail-biting suspense. Dante Passoni, the long awaited Italian counterpart to James Bond, is at the center of this unique thriller and intriguing mystery. He, Dante, is a genuine superhero, capable of engaging in vigilante justice that is celebrated by the common man but also by government authorities unable to do their jobs: the hapless police and bungling military, the hopelessly corrupt senate and impotent intelligence services. An example: Dante takes on a serial killer who counts his murder victims in the thousands and now threatens Venice when government agents are paralyzed by fear. He's that kind of guy. He is a master of the high-tech revolution, founder of Italy's most innovative company. It is as if he stars in a technothriller his own life creates.A Casanova even by Italian standards, Dante is not merely the seducer of beautiful women; he is open to heartfelt romance. A problem? Perhaps. Bottom line: Dante is as dashing as James in his prime, as charming as Italy herself, as bold and fearless as any hero of a men's adventure or psychological thriller. It's a good thing. He and his country are faced with a danger greater than any since the fall of Rome. If you love Italy, its food, drink, cars and fashion; if you love adventure and romance and are also a sucker for humor, satire and an occasional whiff of the outrageous; if you are intrigued by the idea of a novel that is both a parody of itself and a wildly unpredictable page-turner, you've landed on the right page. Lastly, should you crave something that will quicken your pulse and reignite your senses, SAVE ITALY is the espresso you need. Dive in and have some fun EDITORIAL REVIEWS (The Critics on Kirkwood's Writing)"Solid tension, sudden danger, fierce action . . . catches fire." - Kirkus Reviews"A moving love story as well as a novel filled with action and suspense ... strong sympathetic characters ... Thomas Kirkwood is a writer to get excited about." - Rocky Mountain News"Nail-biting . . . Perfect " - Norfolk Virginian Pilot"Powerful ... Truly riveting " - Chattanooga News-Free Press"A bubbling thriller . . . The tension builds." - Cleveland Plain Dealer"Suspense and intrigue ... A classic adventure." - Mobile Press Register"Wryly drawn characters...absorbing."- Kirkus Reviews"Tense drama...spectacular."- St. Louis Post Dispatch"Riveting and fascinating."- Lerner Newspapers"An absorbing tale...the stuff of which movies are made."- Rocky Mountain News"Crackles ... a rousing good job." - Akron Beacon-Journal

A beautiful French actress, a violent Mafia kidnapping and a lover's courageous attempt to rescue her . . .From the pink cliffs of Brittany to the painted wagons of Sicily, from the slums of Paris to the medieval estates of Europe, this action-packed romantic thriller moves at breakneck speed through a land of international crime, assassination, murder, deception, conspiracy and heroism. The kidnapping of French actress, Chantal Armand, forms the hub of a wheel around which art and science, sacrifice and arrogance, love and hate spin at a dizzying pace. The result is a page-turner of rare intensity.The Poppy Broker leads us into the world of Tommaso Scalzone, a man as brilliant as he is glacial. Scalzone is a government agent, specifically the interior minister of Italy. He is also a criminal of epic proportion, using the Mafia for protection while he forces kidnapped scientists to create what he wants: a genetically engineered opium poppy that will give him control of the world's heroin trade. Chief among his academics is Professor Armand, Chantal's father. Custody of both father and daughter offer Scalzone every conceivable means of cruelty and psychological manipulation. But Chantal is not helpless. She is not only a gifted actress on stage but also in captivity. Scalzone's obsession with his criminal enterprise is diluted by his growing desire for a women who seems to share his feelings. The complex interplay of goals and emotions spawns an unforgettable cast of characters ─ Nadja, a sexy teenage runaway; Don Greco, a Mafia boss with a neck like a stack of tires; Gianni, a thin-hipped Ferrari-driving Italian hotshot who fancies himself Don Greco's successor and Scalzone's equal; and Louis Pagnol, a hero in waiting.The French police, having put its best investigators on Chantal's case, come away empty-handed. She is declared dead by the authorities. But Jean-Fran ois, an aristocrat and art collector, refuses to abandon his continent-wide search for the love of his life. He comes across a clue that may or may not be significant. What was to this point a nail-biting psychological thriller now becomes a mystery. Can Jean-Fran ois solve it? Will his love for Chantal lead him on a relentless but futile quest, or can he prevail against the odds? The Poppy Broker will allow you no rest until you learn the answer.EDITORIAL REVIEWS (The Critics on Kirkwood's Writing)"Solid tension, sudden danger, fierce action . . . catches fire." -- Kirkus Reviews"A moving love story as well as a novel filled with action and suspense ... strong sympathetic characters ... Thomas Kirkwood is a writer to get excited about." -- Rocky Mountain News"Nail-biting . . . Perfect " -- Norfolk Virginian Pilot"Powerful ... Truly riveting " -- Chattanooga News-Free Press"A bubbling thriller . . . The tension builds." -- Cleveland Plain Dealer"Suspense and intrigue ... A classic adventure." -- Mobile Press Register"Wryly drawn characters...absorbing."-- Kirkus Reviews "Tense drama...spectacular."-- St. Louis Post Dispatch "Riveting and fascinating."-- Lerner Newspapers "An absorbing tale...the stuff of which movies are made."-- Rocky Mountain News "Crackles ... a rousing good job." -- Akron Beacon-Journal