BOOK BLOG TOUR: HAND OF FATIMA by MYRNA SOKOLOFF
Today we're happy to host a tour stop for Myrna Sokoloff's new novel, Hand of Fatima. Follow the tour for chances to win Myrna's giveaway:
The audio version of Hand of Fatima is now available as well:
HAND OF FATIMA
Myrna Sokoloff
2013
SUMMARY
It
had been a year since the sealed casket of Holly's beloved husband Jake had
been flown from the war zone to Dover Air Force Base with an honor guard. The
American flag and the music didn't lesson the agony of his death for her.
Nobody
ever told Holly what had really happened on that classified mission in Helmand
Province, Afghanistan.
The
painful memory of his death came crashing in on her when Alex, a former
special-warfare operator, approached her on a clear autumn day. Alex and his
teammate TJ had been wounded on the same raid with Jake.
These
tough wounded warriors were determined to find out the facts, but they knew for
sure that the SEALS had been betrayed.
By
uncovering the treacherous truth about the Helmand mission, this group of
patriots and their friends discover an even more sinister plot that will put
the country in danger . . . and it leads straight to the White House.
EXCERPT
Alex paced in front of D.C.'s Union Station. He had worked
with Susanna and trusted her but she still worked for the President he did not
trust.
Susanna saw Alex, took a deep breath and walked towards him.
“Alex,” she whispered.
He turned and walked into the station and got lost in the
crowds surrounding the fast food restaurants and sat at on a bench.
Alex started, “Tariq betrayed us.”
Susanna gasped, “How do you know this?”
“We've tracked him since the attack in Helmand Province,”
Alex said breathlessly, waiting to see Susanna's reaction.
Susanna looked stunned.
“Tracked him—how could you track him? Do you have
mercenaries in the field or is TJ's dad at NSA going outside the wire?”
“Tariq was there on the day of the attack.” Susanna’s mouth
fell open.
Alex leaned close to her. “I'm not telling you the details
because then you don't know anything to testify to in case…”
“Testify,” she shouted. “What do you mean? How do you know
he was at the site of the attack?”
Alex looked glum. “I saw him!”
Susanna gasped. “Are
you sure it was Tariq?”
“Yes absolutely. You forget I was observing his
interrogation at Gitmo. You know what this means Susanna?” he carefully said.
Susanna sighed and leaned back on the bench, “The
President's poster boy for Gitmo releases reverts to his old ways…he's still a
terrorist.”
“And worse, he set us up. He just didn't escape into thin
air—he led us into a trap by giving us false info in order to kill us. He was
laughing at us!” Alex was intent on making her see the danger.
Susanna got up and started walking, pulling her coat around
her against the chill autumn wind. Alex followed but hung behind giving her
some space. Her pace slowed as she faced him.
Alex pleaded, “We need to tell Holly, wife of a dead SEAL
and a respected analyst.”
“Holly is not political and she was devastated by Jake's
death. To bring it up again is cruel, especially if she finds out it was
avoidable. I am speaking as her friend!” cried Susanna.
“Don't you think she would want to know? And if her best
friend knew something, don't you think she'd be mad if you kept it from her?”
asked Alex.
Susanna looked exasperated. But what he said made her feel
unsure of her position. Maybe Holly would want to know.
“I tried to talk to her at Temple, but she was with family
and besides, I lost my nerve,” he said, embarrassingly.
“I know how we can all meet away from prying eyes. It's
Sukkot Thursday night.” Alex looked stunned and smiled.
“I didn't know you were Jewish!” he laughed.
“Holly always invites this Catholic to her sister's Sukkah
in her backyard in Connecticut. There will be lots of people all unrelated to
our work. Holly said I could bring guests. Ask TJ. We'll take the train.” Alex
grinned and nodded his head.
Alex walked out of the station, happy he had met with
Susanna. And he was glad he was going to see Holly again but he didn't want to
think of her in personal terms.
His thoughts went to Tariq. He was sure he had seen him at
the edge of the staging area, which didn't surprise him. After all, he had
provided the intel. Then he thought he made a mistake and then everything was
explosions, pain and darkness.
Alex was wounded. In the hospital room and in therapy, he
felt like he had forgotten something important. But he was confused and the
doctors told him some memory loss was perfectly normal after an explosion.
But it came back to him one night when he was watching The
Godfather, and he called TJ.
“TJ, remember the scene in The Godfather when Michael was
hiding out in Sicily after killing Sollozo and McClusky. His beautiful Sicilian
wife—what was her name?”
“Appollonia…yeah I remember her,” said TJ.
Alex continued dramatically, “She was about to start the
car. Michael called to his bodyguard Fabrizio. He looked back at Michael and
then ran. In that instant Michael knew he had been betrayed and then his wife
turned on the ignition and blew up. It had been meant for him.”
“Yeah, yeah I get it, but…,” interjected TJ.
“When I was watching that scene it came back to me. I saw
Tariq that day and when I called to him he looked back with the same expression
and then ran just like Fabrizio and then the explosions started.”
“We can't use The Godfather as a reason you remembered
Tariq. They'll have you back in psych evaluation and think you are confusing
life with a movie.”
“You do it all the time,” laughed Alex
“Yeah, I know, but not at a debriefing.” TJ sighed.
Thanks for hosting!
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