Missing Symphony

Inspired by real events, Missing Symphony begins during the famed running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. When members of ETA, a paramilitary organization, kidnap the young heir to a Spanish-Basque fortune and his American fiancée –headstrong Symphony Messina, the daughter of a powerful Brooklyn Mafia captain– it triggers an unprecedented conflict between two underworld cultures where aggressors and victims become interchangeable and the Law is powerless to interfere. With an international ensemble of character, this novel switches from cities of northern Spain to Madrid, Miami, New York, to the South of France. Readers who appreciate Robert Ludlum’s fast-paced action and the absorbing prose of Don Delillo’s political thrillers will enjoy the blend of multiple plot twists and intense storytelling in Missing Symphony. More than a clash between Euro-terrorists and American gangsters, this novel shows the volatile mixture of emotions that pulls average men and women to shocking choices in the name of nationalism, the murderous follies of greedy hit men, the actions and inaction of the victims’ families and law enforcers alike. Most of all, it is the story of the devotion that sustains the two young protagonists through their brutal 30-day abduction and, in the end, the courage and ingenuity of their unexpected saviors. (This novel, originally written as an HBO mini-series, titled The Good Terrorist, is an Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award finalist) Editorial Reviews: Manuscript review by Publishers Weekly. A cell of Basque terrorists kidnaps and ransoms a young man from a rich family at the Pamplona bull running festival, but find themselves also in custody of his spirited fiancée, the daughter of a Mafia capo, but unable to admit that they have her in this novel of terrorist-against-terrorist. The result is a world-spanning race for information and revenge, populated by a witty, well-drawn collection of underworld characters, driven by politics but even more driven by their own human quirks. From the doting father who pulls in too many Family favors at once in his zeal to retrieve his daughter, to the hit man who directs the film of his life story in his mind while he records the deaths of his victims as a bonus service for his clients, to lawyers who play both sides of the game, and the ETA terrorists who bicker about who has to make dinner for the prisoners, the players may be devoted to their causes, but what happens has much more to do with their personal needs than those of their organizations. Despite the large number of characters and locations involved, the narrative is linear, and not a thread gets lost . . . Ambitious story, intriguing characters, terrific settings … reader can feel the heat and dust and tension... Ellen Kanner, author and columnist for the Miami Herald. A really good story and a great read ... Leila Dewji, book reviewer at Time Out London A lot of spice and intrigue in this story – very good...Virgil Suarez, novelist, poet, editor. Amazon Top Reviewer: The title grabbed me and the story didn't let go. Both characters and their dire situation (plot) are compelling . . . ...Buy this book, it's addictive like an HBO series ... for a change, you get both the magic of powerful prose and action storytelling... Joe Garci, film and TV producer

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