The Foreign Service Journal, October 2011

36 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / O C T O B E R 2 0 1 1 Messengers David L. Arnett, Unity Books, 2011, $24.95, paperback, 313 pages. By all accounts, Jake Daniels should have died when his vehicle collided head-on with a moving truck. Now his vision of a woman at the accident scene is consuming his every thought. Convinced that she was a guardian angel who saved his life, he becomes ob- sessed with angels, good and evil, and the meaning of human existence. His search for answers begins a thrilling international journey filled with intrigue, politics and dis- covery. Seeking out those with similar experiences, Jake’s quest leads to encounters with actual angels, who share with him their cosmic insights about mankind, spirituality and the fundamental nature of all things. These other-worldly ex- periences lead to confrontations with demons and the stunning revelation of Satan as a projection of human con- sciousness. As Jake discovers the truths that underlie all religious traditions, he is led to take a bold and public stand on a deeply controversial political issue. Challenging his audi- ence to live up to the ultimate values of love, mercy and compassion, he leaves it to them to determine whether hu- manity rises to a new and greater level of existence or suc- cumbs to its own destruction. David L. Arnett spent more than 30 years in the For- eign Service, most recently as principal officer in Istanbul. He has been an English teacher and an army officer and is fluent in Danish, German, Norwegian and Turkish. Mes- sengers is his first novel. Moondogs Alexander Yates, Doubleday, 2011, $25.95, paperback, 352 pages. This fantastically weird, pro- foundly affecting story follows a son’s quest to reconnect with his es- tranged father against the lush and complicated backdrop of the Philip- pines, where the author lived in his youth and again after college. Arriving in Manila to heal his relationship with his jet-setting, womanizing father, protagonist Benicio is shocked to discover that his father has been kidnapped by a meth-addicted cabdriver and his villainous rooster. Further populating the surreal narrative are a local po- liceman and his motley team of wizardry-infused soldiers, a novice officer from the American embassy, a troubled soldier who can shoot to kill from anywhere — but only if he knows his target’s name— and a slew of crooked politi- cians, harried diplomats and many more. Fast-paced and wonderfully bizarre, the novel offers glimpses into both Filipino and expatriate culture and challenges conventional ideas about family and identity. The son of an FSO, Alexander Yates grew up in Haiti, Mexico, Bolivia and the Philippines, where he later re- turned to work in the political section of Embassy Manila. His wife has recently joined USAID, making him a For- eign Service family member once again. He holds anMFA from Syracuse University and has traveled or lived in 43 countries to date. Moondogs is his first novel. Coffee Break Mysteries William S. Shepard, Uncle Seth Cutler Press, 2011, $2.99, Kindle Edition. A collection of 20 short stories, Coffee Break Mysteries gives the reader a wide variety of whodunits to solve. Some are rooted in his- tory, like “Who Poisoned George Washington?” The reader must figure out which of the four suspects poisoned the president on a trip to New York. In “The Pilgrim Thanksgiving,” a school holiday pageant challenges its audience to determine which of its scenes was not historically accurate. Others are themed for the holidays, like “What the Dickens —A Christmas Eve Mys- tery.” Shepard’s stories are engaging but quick reads, ideal for (as the title suggests) coffee breaks, but also great for the waiting room or the morning bus ride. He presents his readers with all the clues and suspects necessary to solve the mystery, and challenges them to solve it on their own before flipping the page to see the narrator’s explanation of events. Retired FSO William Shepard, who pioneered the “diplomatic mystery” genre, has written four novels in this series featuring career diplomat Robbie Cutler as the pro- tagonist. The first, VintageMurder (iUniverse, 2002), is now available in a Kindle edition. For more information go to www.diplomaticmysteries.com. C OVER S TORY