Death in Pakistan

An Alex Boyd Thriller

Fiction - Thriller - Espionage
Kindle Edition
Reviewed on 02/20/2024
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

After graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in Economics, Mel Harrison joined the US Department of State Foreign Service, spending the majority of his career in the Diplomatic Security Service.

Over the next 28 years, he served in American embassies as either a Special Agent/Regional Security officer or Economic Officer in Saigon, Quito, Rome, London (twice), Islamabad, and Seoul. While in Islamabad, as the Senior Regional Security Officer, he won both the State Department Award for Valor, and its worldwide Regional Security Officer of the Year Award.

Following government retirement, Mel spent ten years in corporate security and consulting work with assignments often taking him throughout Latin America and the Middle East.

Mel met his wife, Irene, while both served in Quito. Irene, a Foreign Service Management Specialist, and Mel married in Rome, beginning their lifelong love of travel and all things Italian.

They now reside in Florida.

    Book Review

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Death in Pakistan is a work of fiction in the action, thriller, and espionage subgenres. It is best suited to adult readers owing to some explicit content including graphic violence and scenes of a sexual nature. Penned by author Mel Harrison, the plot follows Alex Boyd, deputy regional security officer at the US Embassy in Islamabad, during the early 1990s. As the US shifts its support toward India, leaving Pakistan vulnerable, Alex must defend the embassy, employees, and a visiting US Senate delegation from heavily armed terrorists backed by a rogue element within Pakistan's military intelligence service. Facing ferocious attacks, Alex and his team fight for survival, challenged not only by the terrorists but also by traditionalists within the Foreign Service who advocate non-aggression. Amidst the chaos, Alex forms a strong bond with Rachel Smith, the new embassy press officer, who proves her mettle in a fierce hand-to-hand combat with the terrorist leader.

Mel Harrison has crafted a novel combining a wonderfully tense and intricate plot with vivid, atmospheric storytelling that results in a heart-pounding experience in the dangerous world of international espionage and terrorism. The depiction of Pakistan's political landscape and the tensions between the US and Pakistan were so well-researched and vividly realized through the clever combination of descriptive language and the dialogue of the characters themselves, keeping the pace of the novel running smoothly without huge breaks for exposition. I found myself deeply invested in the characters, particularly Alex and Rachel, with a close narrative style that allows you to see their psychological and emotional growth when they are put to the test. The action-packed sequences were expertly crafted with a vivid and cinematic feel to hit all the right notes when the stakes are high. Overall, Death in Pakistan is a thrilling read that offers both suspenseful entertainment and thought-provoking insights into the complexities of global diplomacy and security. I would certainly recommend it to action fans everywhere.