Chimera

Afghanistan veteran Jim Chapel has been enlisted in a new war.

This time it's in his own backyard . . . and even more deadly.

A small band of fugitives escapes from a secret upstate New York military facility, leaving a trail of bodies in its wake. Each fugitive has a target—an innocent civilian—and will not stop until that target has been eliminated.

Wounded Special Forces veteran Jim Chapel has been stuck behind a desk rather than out in the field, but medical technology has finally caught up with his ambitions. Coupled with his unstoppable determination, it will take him back to where he thrives: the thick of the action.

Drafted into a new war, this time in our homeland, Chapel is tasked with hunting a group of escapees from a top secret military compound—all extremely deadly, genetically modified killers—and unraveling the mystery behind their existence. Aided by an enigmatic woman named Angel and a courageous, beautiful veterinarian, Chapel begins a cross-country hunt to stop the murders. But are the killers really rogues, or are they part of a sinister conspiracy that reaches into the highest levels?

From Publishers WeeklyGenetically designed savages known as chimera, named after the hybrid monsters of Greek myth, make trouble in this inventive thriller from Wellington (Monster Island). Four of these big fellows—whose DNA is 99% human, with the remainder coming from chimpanzees, rattlesnakes, and water bears—have escaped from a military prison camp in upstate New York. Pentagon officials know the creatures intend to kill eight people across the country, including a judge recently nominated for the Supreme Court. The task of stopping the beasts falls to Capt. Jim Chapel, a one-armed Afghanistan war veteran who works for the army's Intelligence and Security Command. Chapel is tough, but his quarry is tougher, and he must also contend with the CIA and the folks who designed the experiment that created the chimera. While the overwritten romantic elements distract, the constant action and novel concept will satisfy fans of this subgenre. Agent: Russell Galen, Scovil Galen Ghosh Literary Agency. (Aug.)

Review“Sure to score with those who like a little touch of science fiction with their action thrillers.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“A good book, crisply written and exciting.” (Booklist)

“The constant action and novel concept will satisfy fans of the genre.” (Publishers Weekly)