Charles A. Salter has created another action packed undertaking in Borrowed Bones: Brad Stout Adventure #4. Major Brad Stout is playing bodyguard to a Congressman and his aide who is also his young mistress in beautiful Puerto Rico while he waits to find out what his real mission is. Stout is the army’s specialist at solving Unexplained Radiation Phenomena and is amazed to learn what the source of this new emergency actually is. He uses all his experience, people skills, and quick thinking to identify the problem, set a team of scientists on the path to solving it, and keep a group of rebels fighting for Puerto Rican independence from destroying the facility before the solution can be put in place. Along with the help of the congressional aide and others at the site, Stout comes face to face with a threat that could destroy the world, and terrorists intent simply on destruction.

Volume 4 in the Brad Stout Adventures, Borrowed Bones is another fast-paced, action packed story by Charles A. Salter. The excitement starts on the first page and keeps up throughout the entire book as Brad Stout once again is given the task of uncovering the source of a deadly threat. The writing is easy to read without being simple, and provides interesting glimpses of science and technology at work in every-day life with a little bit of sight-seeing thrown in. Brad Stout is a great action hero but also a man of deep emotion who understands the importance of loyalty, family, and determination. All these principles are what make him special and quite human as he leads his group against the forces that try to defeat them.

Major Brad Stout is back in his fourth adventure. Stout is a biologist who helps the United States military and the world contain radiation threats. He is also a loving husband and a father of toddler twins back home. Charles A. Salter continues this intelligent, action-adventure series with Borrowed Bones. Brad, Pernasus Bloward and Lindsey are adrift on air mattresses in the warm sea off Puerto Rico in 2004.

Congressman Pernasus Bloward and his mistress Lindsey will escort Major Stout to a radiation site. But first the group will play the tourist. Their catamaran overturns and they are threatened by the sharp teeth of a tiger shark. Brad saves Lindsey with the help of a knife. It is not the last time that Brad will find a knife useful. As the trio are driven to the radiation site, terrorists attack the limo and the battle is on. Guns will blaze, there will be casualties, and scientific phenomena will be analyzed. Somehow, old fossilized bones may just help the Major and his team solve the scientific mystery.

Charles A. Salter knows how to write a well-paced and compelling plot line. There are bursts of violence and then there are quieter moments when character traits are explored. The physically powerful character of Brad is highly capable but he is not superhuman. He is also vulnerable as he is briefly tempted by Lindsey's sexy curves. Brad Stout in Borrowed Bones by Charles A. Salter is an admirably brave but thoughtfully human character.

Puerto Rico: an unsettling and inexplicable radiation phenomenon is throwing scientists off. Everything they know and have tested is proving to be false with this new bout of radiation. A concerned and almost panicked White House sends in radiation expert Brad Stout to get things back in order. However, the terror and confusion is spreading, not to mention a local terrorist group who is taking advantage of the situation to try and eliminate Brad. With lots of twists, crazy adventure moments, and a whole lot of heart, this is one thriller that you will NOT want to put down.

The mark of a great book, in my opinion, is the feeling at the last page of "Wait...where did this whole book go?" There are many factors that go into making a reading experience like that: from realistic dialogue that feels like it could happen in real life, to the setting and imagery of the story really showing you lots of details, to the plot itself having a flowing and liquid feel to it. Borrowed Bones has all of those qualities and more, and Charles A. Salter has just won himself a new fan.

Having never read an earlier Brad Stout Adventure, I found myself a bit in the dark when it came understanding the nuances and descriptions behind each character. However, after a bit of a time, I really got into the story. I'm sure that if I were a dedicated Stout fan (which I may have just become...) I wouldn't have had any trouble slipping back into the story, because there were helpful "looking back" moments that enabled me to gain my footing as a new reader.

Borrowed Bones: Brad Stout Adventure #4 (Brad Stout Adventures) (Volume 4) by Charles A. Salter is a thriller with a political theme. An unexplained radiation phenomenon in Puerto Rico surprises even the best of scientists. The White House sends their top radiation expert, Major Brad Stout, in complete secrecy to help them out. The story takes a turn from there when Brad encounters a terrorist group that is out to stall his mission. The phenomenon - if not halted - could be a threat to the universe. The entry of Lindsay Cowell into Brad's life to keep him away from his bride, Mary Lou, is another angle to the story.

A baffling tale of mystery, suspense, and intrigue, this book grips the reader's attention from the moment they start reading. The theme is challenging and with the many twists and turns in the plot, it is indeed a story woven with expertise and craftsmanship. The political background and the scientific input are exciting. The romantic angle is provided by Lindsay Cowell and Mary Lou. This shifts the tension of the story a bit and lends a softer viewpoint.

The story is intense and it will keep you on the edge of your seat with its fast paced scenes. Will Brad be able to help in solving the radiation problem or will the terrorist group halt his progress? What is Lindsay Cowell's motive in entering Brad's life? Is it only to steal him from his bride or is there an ulterior motive hidden behind it? Find out for yourself by reading this spine-chilling adventure story. An excellent combination of science fiction and politics. The author has done a great job.