The Pawn

The Lemaster Files, #2

by

John David

A complex, high-stakes tale of betrayal, lust, and money.

The Pawn is the second book in author John David's thrilling Lemaster Files series featuring Pete Lemaster, investigative journalist for Jacksonville, Florida's WJAX. When Jacksonville businessman Scott Wilkins is arrested at the Singapore airport for drug possession, drugs he claims aren't his and knows nothing about, his nephew contacts his old college friend, Pete Lemaster, to shine his investigative spotlight on the case. The penalties for drug convictions in Singapore are steep, with lengthy prison sentences and corporal punishment – caning – on the table, and the nephew is hoping the news coverage will get the US government to intervene. Scott, a frequent business traveler to Singapore, is well aware of the many public warnings about the prohibitions and is unlikely to have attempted to smuggle drugs anywhere, let alone there. Scott's story is compelling, and Pete and his girlfriend, Lt Rebecca Dawes, with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, go all in to try and figure out who put the drugs in Scott's carry-on bag and is trying to frame him in this particularly shocking way. 

What a great story! Pete Lemaster is an engaging and entertaining character who is doing his best to uncover and report the facts of Scott Wilkin's situation. He and Rebecca are getting closer as romantic partners and work extremely well as an investigative team, even though their processes are often quite different. The presumptively innocent Scott is an unstoppable ladies' man, but, while charming, is shallow and completely focused on his own desires; character traits that had me doubting his story from page one. 

The plot is well-paced, with Pete running a thorough investigation of Scott's movements up to his arrest as he tries to identify the people in Scott's life who would have such a grudge against him as to plan this kind of revenge. I enjoyed the newsroom's teamwork, the promise of coordination with the national network, and Pete's rivalry with the station's established anchor, Wes. While Pete and Rebecca didn't get to enjoy Singapore's sights and culture during their whirlwind trip, the details and descriptions of what they encountered and learned there were interesting. The deeper the pair dug into Scott's recent history, the faster the pages flew by, revealing a couple of plot twists I never could have imagined. Well done! 

I recommend THE PAWN to readers of mysteries and thrillers, especially those who enjoy journalist sleuths and international cases. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.