The Foreign Service Journal, November 2013

40 NOVEMBER 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL In a spy-studded Annapolis, the young and witty Smythe hopes to find the connection between her missing roommate and two other deaths. At the center of this page turner are conspira- cies, expensive jewelry and many characters who constantly find themselves at risk of becoming potential suspects. The novel’s fast pace and strong female lead elevate it above the average spy story. The characters are smart and the develop- ment flows smoothly. As the reader gets deeper into the story, more complex issues are uncovered, yet P.J. keeps her keen wit and sense of humor. Caroline Taylor was a member of the Foreign Service from 1969 to 1972, serving in Tel Aviv and Quito. Shortly after leav- ing the Service, she launched a career as a writer and editor, but only recently found her calling in fiction. This is the second book in the P.J. Smythe series, after What Are Friends For? Ms. Taylor resides in Pittsboro, N.C. The Soul Murderer Bill Lenderking, Books First, 2013, $18, paperback, 452 pages. Set in the 1970s, The Soul Murderer is a riveting psychological mystery that takes the reader to a geographically isolated embassy in fictional Tanako, a country that harbors unfriendly attitudes toward Americans. Based on a 1971 incident in Equatorial Guinea, in which an FSO killed his subordinate in the tiny embassy, this novel explores the complexities of human motivation and decision- making. The author establishes the eerie setting immediately. Embassy staff members feel frustration and conflict among each other that is rooted in the precariousness of their security under the grip of a controlling, abusive government. The characters are well-developed, and the tensions between them, both internal and external, are extremely realistic. This book is a chilling and thought-provoking read. Bill Lenderking, an FSO from 1959 to 1994, served overseas in Cuba, Bolivia, Japan, Vietnam, Italy, Thailand, Peru and Pakistan. After retirement, he worked for the Federal Emergency Manage- ment Agency. He is currently a freelance writer and book dealer in Washington, D.C. Diplomatic Tales: Stories of the Foreign Service (2 vols.) William S. Shepard, Seth B. Cutler Press, 2013, $3.49, Kindle Edition. Diplomatic Tales combines two e-books, each originally published separately: a memoir and a short story collection. Sunsets in Singapore: A Foreign Service Memoir offers an insider’s view of how an American embassy operates. The story reflects William Shepard’s actual diplomatic career, which spanned a quarter-century, ranging from adminis- trative duties as a General Services Officer in tropical Singapore to political analysis behind the Iron Curtain in Budapest. The book is a helpful, practical guide to the challenges facing career officers, from personal security to representation and the profes- sional skills needed to meet them—not to mention the challenges diplomatic families face as they move around the globe. Embassy Tales: Stories of the Foreign Service is the perfect companion to that volume. Through 20 short stories, the author explores every section of an American embassy, from the glamor- ous ambassadorial suite to the visa line. While learning how a diplomatic mission functions, readers will also encounter jeal- ousy, love lost and gained, ghosts and even murder (it happens in the best of families, after all). Shepard writes not only to entertain and edify, but to inspire a new generation of young Americans to join the Foreign Service. If any anthology can achieve that goal, it would be this one. Career FSOWilliam S. Shepard, who retired as consul general in Bordeaux, also served in Singapore, Saigon, Budapest, Athens and Washington, D.C. He has written more than a dozen other books on a variety of topics, including several collections of mysteries, a history of “unknown” conflicts and a guide to French wines (see page 44). Havana Queen James Bruno, Bittersweet House Press, 2013, $13.99/paperback; $4.99/Kindle, 393 pages. While Fidel and Raul Castro sink deeper into dementia and their health fails, sultry Cuban spymaster Larisa Montilla takes on the CIA in a desperate ploy to save the communist regime. As the bodies pile up in a tit-for-tat shadow war of assassination, FBI Agent Nick Castillo defies orders and travels clandestinely to Havana. There he gets more than he bargained for, falling into a trap set by