Swan’s Diary: Black Water Crossing Book Review by Todd Rutherford
Read Martin’s Swan’s Diary: Black Water Crossing to discover whether Martin and Jodie overcome their lying relationship, if the terrorist ring is busted, and whether the Santino clan is shown its place. It’s nearly impossible to put this book down until the end. It’s a must read and I highly recommend it.
Martin Swan’s Diary: Black Water Crossing, by Kyle Keyes, is a page-turner full of adventure, comedy, and thrills mixed with a slew of audience-pleasing, action-packed scenes. The book has a distinctively cinematic feel and hits all the right notes when it comes to timing-the dramatic, funny, and exhilarating moments are interwoven beautifully.
The book begins with Martin Swan posing as “Sweeney,” an older, “silver-haired gentleman with bifocals” in order to rescue Jodie Santino from her power-hungry, mobster husband, Carlos Santino. Special Agent Martin Swan is on a mission that takes him to a playhouse in South Jersey, where he first encounters Jodie and her “blonde curls” and decisively falls in love with her-or so it seems.
Kyle Keyes has a special knack for timing and employing comedy relief during tense moments. For example, when Alfred Santino, the father of Carlos, finds out that his son is dead, he cries, “Carlos, our only son. Gone!” His children respond, “Why does Papa keep saying ‘only son?’ asked Brutus, ‘There are thirteen of us.’ ‘Papa was never very good at math,’ replied Franco.”
The Santinos set off to find their grandson, Timmy, who is with Jodie and Swan, targeting any connections linked to Jodie on the way (e.g. Jodie’s sister, Sally). In a series of comedic events-which is inevitable as all of Alfred Santino’s twelve remaining children are dimwitted-Franco and Brutus try to have Jodie to themselves instead of carrying out the mission to get Carlos’ son back to Alfred.
The crux of the book revolves around lies and deception, setting the stage for a thrilling climax. Martin Swan lies to Jodie about who he really is and vice versa. Jodie admits she is not a governor’s daughter and did not grow up in a mansion. However, Jodie and Timmy would be Martin Swan’s cover for his mission in Florida. Swan reveals that he is an undercover federal agent from the F.I.C.
Essentially, the first eight chapters of the book set up the underlying conflict: Martin Swan’s mission to lure the terrorists from Afghanistan. The terrorists’ mission, led by double agent Ahmud Ben Mahmud is to, “Kill Martin Swan!”
Read Martin’s Swan’s Diary: Black Water Crossing to discover whether Martin and Jodie overcome their lying relationship, if the terrorist ring is busted, and whether the Santino clan is shown its place. It’s nearly impossible to put this book down until the end. It’s a must read and I highly recommend it.
Find out more about Kyle Keyes by visiting www.kylekeyes.org
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