Michael Douglas Bosc has produced another page turning novel that is now available in bothprint format and on Kindle. Those of you who have read his first historic naval novel filled with adventures of Jason and laced with his romantic encounters when on shore leave, A Soldiers Wind, and enjoyed his very own unique dialogue style, will equally drink in his words in this new one. This is not a sequal to A Soldiers Wind (though he is beavouring away on that). No oh no, this is a far cry from the historic Caribbean waters and this story unfolds in a totally different vein.
The thriller is placed in the East end of London shortly after World War 2. A Loving Son echoes back to his earlier life being raised up in East London after the war. In thoses days that part of London went hand in hand with the murky world of criminals of the era and all that it engulfed. Michael now writes from his small olive finca set in the middle of the forest in the mountains of Catalonia, between Mora d’Ebro and Flix.
Diane, a single parent, a lady of the night, but a doting and loving mother to Stanley. Her career choice is more by circumstances than by design. It is her only short-coming, but she has a son to raise against economics and post-war food shortages. But she never falters in her devotion to her Stanley, and he in turn is very close to his mother. I mean who else has he got? “They had lived through the London blitz looking out for each other, sharing a bed not only for warmth but comfort.”
Yet Diane had her head screwed on (pardon the pun) the right way. Once all the household bills and food had been paid for, she saved hard and squirreled away all their spare cash. This forward thinking enabled her to buy a house, but rented out the upstairs and frugally they lived on the lower floor.
Yet Stanley survived in this seamy world of gangsters, thieves and down right villans. Stanley takes up with an old classmate Gillian and they soon become inseparable. Diane’s business is blooming and she sets up a sideline as a new escort agency with services. Things go pear shaped when Gillian is raped.
Things suddenly change when he comes home to find his mother being beaten by a punter. Not any old punter, one of East ends most dreaded and feard powerful gangster. Stanley tries to intervene but he is punching way above his league and is knocked out cold. This is the turning point in Stanley’s life when he decides he needs a gun for their protection. Whatever Stanley decides to do, he does it to his fullest capability. He does not falter once his mind is made up. A slippery slope ensues. He first becomes a killer. Then Stanley who thinks an awful lot and plans his moves carefully, becomes a very successful assassin.
Stanley’s education is helped along by Reg an Inspector in the Met, an old flame of Diane, who has recently hooked up with her again.
The story telling is excellent in this psychological thriller. You are never quite sure where the tale is leading and just when you think you’ve figured it all out there is a subtle twist.
This is a thriller that will be enjoyed by men and women alike and would make an awsome television series.
Michael Douglas Bosc 