The Narragansett Files by Robert Shemeld is a fast-paced spy and action thriller with a nautical twist. Shemeld wastes no time launching us into his intriguing narrative. Within the first few pages of the novel, there is a desperate disposal of a body.
What could have gone so terribly wrong on a sailing vacation with a couple, and their close friend? Well, piracy kidnapping and murder just might be at the top of the list. As the story unfolds they discover some disturbing information about the previous owner of their boat and what path fate might have in store for them.
I love how Shemeld has the main character, Steele, take charge and kick butt. He is not going to sit by idly and wait for help from the local authorities; he is going to do whatever is necessary to survive. As an ex-Marine and veteran of the Vietnam War, with an intimate knowledge of the sea, Steele uses his military training and combat experience to protect him and Elizabeth, his wife of 15 years and the love of his life. Elizabeth who is known by most as Liz is not a shrinking violet by any means; she knows how to take care of herself also. Together they are a formidable team.
The couple are joined on their newly purchased sailboat, the Pinafore, by Ed Colombo, their friend who, unknown to them, works directly for the President. The thriller has all the usual characters in it, FBI, CIA, DEA, local police, military teams and bad guys from a Venezuela drug cartel. The OPEC looms large in the story with the president of a member country visiting the POTUS. Shemeld's story has more twists, turns, and intrigue than a James Bond storyline.
While reading the story you have to ask yourself is this pure fiction from Robert Shemeld's mind or could The Narragansett Files be an introspective critique on today's current geopolitical environment; with OPEC, the President of the United States, and drug cartel kingpins, and the dangers that they are associated with. There are actually no limits to the real-life analogies Shemeld presents.
So, to the real questions at hand, what happens to Liz, Steele, and Ed along with their boat the Pinafore? Wrested from the D.C. symphony glitz and glamor and thrust into the jungles of South America, how do their lives change? Last but not least just who exactly is the dead body being disposed off the coast of Fort Lauderdale. Well, you will just have to read this novel and find out for yourself.