A Murder of Crows

by Terrence McCauley

Overview

THE CROWS ARE GATHERING. WAR IS COMING.

For years, every intelligence agency in the world has been chasing the elusive terrorist known only as The Moroccan. But when James Hicks and his clandestine group known as the Universitythwart a bio-terror attack against New York City and capture The Moroccan, they find themselves in the crosshairs of their own intelligence community.

The CIA, NSA, DIA and the Mossad are still hunting for for The Moroccan and will stop at nothing to get him. Hicks must find a way to keep the other agencies at bay while he tries to break The terrorist and uncover what else he is planning.

When he ultimately surrenders information that leads to the most wanted terrorist in the world, Hicks and his team find themselves in a strange new world where allies become enemies, enemies become allies and the fate of the University- perhaps even the Western world - may hang in the balance.

Can Hicks and the Universitysurvive an onslaught from A MURDER OF CROWS?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781943818013
Publisher:	Polis Books
Publication date:	07/12/2016
Series:	James Hicks , #2
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Terrence McCauley is an award-winning writer of crime fiction. His first techno-thriller, SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL, was published by Polis Books in July 2015. Polis also reissued Terrence's first two novels set in 1930 New York City – PROHIBITION and SLOW BURN.

In 2016, Down and Out Books also published Terrence's World War I novella - THE DEVIL DOGS OF BELLEAU WOOD. Proceeds from sales go directly to benefit the Semper Fi Fund.

Terrence has had short stories featured in Thuglit, Spintetingler Magazine, Shotgun Honey, Big Pulp and other publications. He is a member of the New York City chapter of the Mystery Writers of America, the International Thriller Writers and the International Crime Writers Association.

A proud native of The Bronx, NY, he is currently writing his next work of fiction. Please visit his website at terrencemccauley.com.

Editorial Reviews

“This exuberant thriller is, as they say, torn from today’s headlines…McCauley is also a wonderful dialogue writer…this one really sparks." —Booklist (starred review)

"Terrence McCauley has written an exciting, fast-paced thriller. Readers of conventional spy novels will discover that today’s intelligence community and work bear little resemblance to what in retrospect are the tamer Cold War politics."
—Bookreporter

"A fast-moving spy-vs-spy thriller."
—Kirkus Reviews

Outstanding praise for SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL - the first James Hicks novel by Terrence McCauley:

"A fascinating, fast-paced spy thriller for the modern age, equal parts techno-wizardry and old-school tradecraft, and featuring a terrorist plot that reads like its been ripped from the headlines, SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL is an exciting first entry in what's already a gripping intelligence saga."
—Owen Laukkanen, New York Times bestselling author of THE PROFESSIONALS

“Hard to put down…the story line succeeds in large part because of the gritty and stylish narrative, the virtually nonstop action…those looking for some top-shelf adrenaline-fueled escapism will be rewarded.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Merges the brilliant old school spycraft of Charles Cumming and John le Carré with the technology and contemporary feel of Alex Berenson. The action is fast and furious in this hard-as-nails thriller but what sets it apart is McCauley’s grasp of how modern spy technology finds and tracks its targets. ”
—Library Journal

“(A) fast-paced spy thriller…tautly written, tightly plotted...delivers action and suspense aplenty.”
—Booklist

"A fast-moving noir spy thriller...a fun read for fans of classic espionage." —Kirkus Reviews

"I love a spy novel to be steeped in intrigue, where the shades of grey are myriad. I love a thriller to be action-packed and suspenseful. When a book comes along that delivers both, I'm stoked. Sympathy For The Devil delivers both in spades. A terrific book from a writer on the up and up."
—Matt Hilton, bestselling author of the Joe Hunter thrillers

"Fans of Jack Bauer rejoice, your new hero just rode into town. Sympathy for the Devil by Terrence McCauley has enough gadgets to satisfy tech junkies and enough character to bring humanity to a story that is all too terrifying in its plausibility." —Criminal Element

"Intense to the very end, Sympathy for the Devil is a 'must-read' for connoisseur of the genre."
—The Midwest Book Review

"Terrence McCauley takes the grand old style of the classic masters of the genre, spits in its eye, then artfully polishes a sharp sheen onto his words with a modern sensibility. But the key to what he does so blisteringly well, is that he never loses respect what makes the classic style great—all the while doing so in a way that makes it wholly his own."
—Todd Robinson, Anthony Award-nominated author of THE HARD BOUNCE

"I’ve always been a big fan of Terrence McCauley’s writing and with SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL he’s hit a home run. It’s thriller I read from cover to cover in one sitting. I look forward more adventures of James Hicks and his supporting cast of unforgettable characters.”
—Jeffrey Siger, internationally bestselling Author of the Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis Series

"Make damn sure you read Terrence McCauley's SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL! James Hicks is a true hero for our puzzling and confusing times. He's a sinner who's a saint—and the nature of his game is Losers Get Laid to Waste."
—Tim O'Mara, author of the Raymond Donne novels

"An adrenaline-charged spy thriller...will appeal to readers fond of technology-enriched escapist fiction." —The Rap Sheet

From the Publisher

2016-05-03
A fast-moving spy-versus-spy thriller featuring the return of James Hicks (Sympathy for the Devil, 2015).In New York City, Hicks senses that he's being followed and confirms it through The University, the secret and unofficial organization he works for. He'd just captured a terrorist named Bajjah, or "The Moroccan," who had recently carried out the first biological attack against the United States. Bajjah had hoped to kill thousands with a "genetically engineered plague [that] would grow exponentially," but it worked too quickly and only killed the hosts. Now he's undergoing brutal interrogation by The University to identify his cohorts. The University's dean orders Hicks to "break the Moroccan and break him quickly." So Hicks promises the prisoner "a quick and painless death" if he cooperates, and the beaten-down Bajjah agrees. Hicks feels obligated to follow through, despite his later statement that "I tell lies for a living." While Bajjah bows during his sunrise prayers, Hicks shoots him in the back of the head. "I promised him the sunrise," Hicks says with nary a qualm. What a hero. Meanwhile, the Mossad wants Bajjah for their own interrogation and will be furious when they find out he's dead. The Barnyard, the dean's nickname for the CIA, is hunting Hicks even though they can't legally operate in the U.S. Someone there wants him dead, but his enemies' efforts to kill him work out poorly, thanks to help from a powerful University communications tool called OMNI. In the midst of all this action, the dean makes a dramatic revelation affecting Hicks in a big way. Incidentally, the title makes scant sense, because it bears no relation to the story other than conveying a sense of darkness—and murder. Not a bad read, especially for those who believe that anything goes when fighting terrorists. But it's interesting what some perceive as heroism.

Kirkus Reviews