The fourth in The Courier series.
Hidden behind the frenzied construction of his new mega resort in Macau, Big Jake Rynerson is secretly working with the President of the United States to frame a new international trade agreement – the Pacific Rim Alliance – between China, Taiwan, and America.
To forge this alliance, and seal the agreement, Simon is called upon to return a priceless artifact,
the Crest of Ch'in, to the People’s Republic of China. But there are many forces, in and out of government, who view any Sino-American alliance as a threat to their interest, and will do anything to sabotage the delicate negotiations and destroy the crest.
AWARDS
Finalist for a BARRY AWARD as the
Best Paperback Original in 2008
(1 of 6, for books published in 2007).
REVIEWS
"5 STARS"
On Macau, mega-billionaire and powerful businessman Big Jake Rynerson is building a casino and hotel, the Pacific Pearl that will rival all the other casinos on the island. Behind the scenes, Jake is also working as the conduit for a trade agreement between China, Taiwan, and the United States. The Pacific Rim Alliance is contingent on the two pieces of the Crest of Ch’in, a historical artifact being returned to China which Taiwan and the United States agree to do.
Jake calls special courier Simon Leonidovich to deliver one of the pieces to him. When Simon arrives he learns that the casino has been the victim of sabotage, delaying the completion date and if that happens, the trade agreement doesn’t happen. There are governments, other groups and business men that don’t want the alliance to happen and one of those groups hire a mercenary band to make sure a piece of the Crest of Ch’in is not delivered. Simon and the beautiful daughter of Jake work together to see that everything goes as planned even when they are stranded on a deserted island with an unexpected traitor. Somehow they must stay one step ahead of the enemy if they are to make it off the island alive.
There is plenty of action, excitement and suspense in CHOKE POINT, a thriller that not only grabs reader interest but propels the audience into turning the pages to see how Simon gets out of his predicaments. The touch of romance between Simon and Kyra adds a believable feel to the thrilling storyline. Jay MacLarty has a great future ahead of him as a thriller writer.
by HARRIET KLAUSNER, reviewer for “The Best Reviews”
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CHOKE POINT is another impressive installment in the Simon Leonidovich series. This novel is filled with adventure, mystery and intrigue. I can't wait for the next one.
by JORY REEDY, for Fresh Fiction
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Globe trotting courier Simon Leonidovich returns for another adventure . . .
This is the fourth in the series with Simon, the trusted courier and man with surprising talents. I could not put this book down, especially when it looked like the thugs would catch Simon. Tense moments and an ingenious ending make this thriller fantastic. Although CHOKE POINT is intended to be the last in the Simon series, I hope enough readers will nudge MacLarty into continuing the series. EXCELLENT.
From MARION E. CASON, I Love a Mystery
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"Choke Point is a lot of fun." In this fourth novel featuring international courier Simon Leonidovich (pronounced Leon-o-vich), casino owner Big Jake Rynerson is building a huge resort casino in Macau (China) called The Pacific Pearl. The build isn't going well--a series of unsettling accidents has slowed the project, and there is an immutable deadline set by a Feng Shui expert. There is also significantly more going on--Rynerson, on behalf of the President of the United States, is helping to broker an international trade agreement called the Pacific Rim Alliance, between China, Taiwan, and the United States.
Rynerson takes a phone call from Mei-li Chiang, a Chinese power broker and perhaps gangster, who claims to have a solution to his problems. Rynerson's pretty sure the woman just wants to shake him down in exchange for ending the "accidents." Normally this is something he would never agree to, but with an Asian-U.S. alliance at stake, he agrees to meet the woman. And is shot and ends up in a coma.
Shortly afterward, Simon Leonidovich is called by Jake's daughter, the lovely and beautiful Kyra Rynerson. Simon and Kyra have an interesting history (from BAGMAN) and their relationship is both heated and humorous. Simon is asked to do two things by Kyra's mother, Billie. While Jake is in the hospital battling for his life, Simon and Kyra are to oversee the completion of the resort-casino. And Simon is also hired to deliver the priceless Crest of Ch'in from the Smithsonian to the Chinese government as a goodwill gesture for the Pacific Rim Alliance.
Eventually, through a series of mishaps and adventures, Kyra, Simon and James Atherton, a consultant in all things Asian, find themselves stranded on a deserted island in the China Sea, being hunted by a band of mercenaries working for the mysterious "Trader," who wants the alliance to fall apart and also wants to take possession of the Crest. The bulk of the novel takes place on the island, a game of cat-and-mouse in which the mouse or mice--predominantly Simon and Kyra--seem to have an IQ point or two advantage over their better armed adversaries, who have a number of conflicting agendas, although killing Simon and Kyra is at the top of their lists.
CHOKEPOINT is a lot of fun. It doesn't quite have the focus of the three previous Simon Leonidovich novels (THE COURIER, BAGMAN, and LIVE WIRE), but if anything it's more amusing than the first three. Simon is a wonderful hero--not terribly physical, but very, very clever, and his intelligence and magician's sense of misdirection are what makes him so engaging. As in the three previous novels, MacLarty has a surprise awaiting the readers in the end, but it's the ride with Simon and Kyra that make the trip worthwhile. Very enjoyable
by MARK TERRY, The Writing Life
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