A dream journey across India turns into a nightmare.Escaping a dangerous past that’s catching up with him, Dan Palmer hides in a tour group for a trip across India to see the massive fortresses of Rajasthan, the Taj Mahal, the holy city of Varanasi and the living goddess in Kathmandu.But the journey of a lifetime turns into death and danger, when Dan runs afoul of murderers, a cop chasing a drug … murderers, a cop chasing a drug trafficker, an Indian detective and the machinations of the future U.S. President.
When Dan falls in love with Charlie, a young and oddly behaved American woman, he has a life-changing decision to make.
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Recycled love by George Henry
This extremely well written story revolves around a diversely mismatched tour group who are all linked in some way or another through past events, family ties or new relationships which are forged during the trip. It seems as though every tour member has got something to hide and is fighting an inner battle of some sort, which makes for good reading. This book has got everything: murder, intrigue, love, lust, drugs, adolescent rivalry, attempted kidnapping and rape allegations to name but a few. Dotted in between are smatterings of humour which made me laugh out loud! The plot has got more twists and turns than a Bollywood dance routine. Read it, you won´t be disappointed! Highly recommended
Recycled Love is the second book I’ve read by George Henry. While undeniably the same witty and strong writing style, there is a huge difference in the ultimate genre of the story and the complexity of all the relationships between the characters. Since I am a larger fan of mystery than I am action adventure, I must say, I found this one even better. That said, both are jam-packed full of thrills and suspense, so you’ll enjoy either no matter which you choose.
One of my (if not the most) favorite books is ‘And Then There Were None’ by Agatha Christie. When you have ~10 possible suspects in a murder(s), and you knock them off one by one, it’s kinda exhilarating to see how it all turns out. While Recycled Love doesn’t kill off victims one by one, it does throw out a cast of ~10 suspects for a previous string of murders. Through (mostly) the eyes of Dan, we get to know all his traveling companions, eager to discover which one (or couple) is lying about their identity. Where this reminded me a bit of the Christie tale (not in style but in format and POV approach) is that the author carefully drops enough clues that we as readers should’ve realized much sooner what was going on. Henry gives us ~10 suspects but he also gives us ~10 very different backstories, motives, and versions of chaos to unravel.
The characters are well drawn. A few were absolutely horrible people, but they served their purpose. One in particular (a certain ruthless mother) was the most unrealistic person I could’ve ever met…but her over-the-top dramatics were truly fantastic to witness and experience. From there, the traveling companions all grow exorbitantly decisive and intense. Henry throws us back and forth in deciding which couples should get together. Sometimes it’s a shocker, others it makes sense. What popped the most for me in this story was the severity of the international antics that occurred. It mostly takes place in India and Nepal, and Henry takes great care to show the kinder and the more miserable aspects of living in these countries, dependent upon your wealth and connections. I couldn’t possibly tell if this happens in the real world but from a book’s perspective, it made for excellent drama.
If you like action/adventure, a bit of romance, tons of suspense and thrilling chases, as well as an intense psychological ride of the mind, drugs, and alcohol, you’ll come away with a wonderful new author to add to your top lists. Be prepared, you will never be comfortable because Henry likes to jolt you when you least expect it.
The story was set in modern India and succeed in creating an authentic backdrop for that story. Much as did Forster, Kipling and LLoyd-Jones. We joined the group of very different characters on a tour of India. Each of them had their own agenda, but each came alive and credible as individuals. The plot seemed intricate at times but the author was in control. The twists and turns kept the reader both intrigued and engaged. read it. I don’t believe you’ll be disappointed.