Tom Lowe

You know the current book you're reading has to be "great" when you get home from work, postpone chores and pick up your Kindle to continue reading where you left off the night before. That's the way it happened for me. I downloaded "The Black Bullet" during a free promotion and was immediately hooked after only a few pages. I thought, "What a storyline...could this have actually happened?"

Sean O'Brian has an eye for detail and sees the clues others overlook, leaving readers anxious to find show more out what his next plan of action is going to be. He is currently in his next life, long gone from his former days as a Miami detective, and trying to enjoy a peaceful life of boating and fishing. However, when their anchor gets stuck in 90 feet of water, sixty miles from shore, the lives of everyone on that fishing boat will be impacted.

A widow of a WWII vet has waited 65 years for the truth. In 1945, Germany had just surrendered, her husband is home on convalescent leave, recuperating from a war injury and fishing from the shore near St. Augustine. In the darkness, he witnesses a German U-boat landing on the deserted Florida shoreline. Several German soldiers and two Japanese soldiers ferry several canisters to land and bury them in the sand. Another man exits the shrubbery adjacent to the highway and escorts the Japanese soldiers back to his vehicle. The witness drives to the nearest phone booth and calls his wife, explaining what he'd seen and for her to notify the authorities. Before he is able to continue, a car pulls up and three fired shots are heard over the phone line. The witness dies on the spot. Authorities cover it up and tell the wife that her husband died of a single shot during a robbery.

Sean and his friends discover that their anchor is snagged in the ruins of a sunken German U-boat. Can it be the same one from 1945? The press takes off with this, announcing the find all over the internet. Suddenly, their lives are in danger, and it becomes difficult to know who's an ally and who's the real enemy? Can Sean and his friends unravel this puzzle? Can he save the lives of people he cherishes? Will the widow finally learn the truth?

The Black Bullet is intense, mesmerizing and filled with twists and turns. Once you start it will be difficult to put down. Highly recommended. Looking forward to reading more from this author. Great job Tom Lowe!

John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel show less

I honestly didn't know what I was getting when I downloaded the free kindle version of this book, but my inner nature nut was taken in by the butterfly on the cover. I read a lot of genres, but crime thriller is not among them. However, this book held my interest. The Butterfly Forest has a great main character in retired cop Sean O'Brien, and plenty of action and mystery to keep the plot moving along. The author clearly knows his home state of Florida, and weaves a lovely side story of show more endangered butterflies into the murder mystery set in the Ocala Forest. I enjoyed this story very much, as I was both educated and entertained, and feel a bit guilty for the free read. show less

This is a very entertaining book with interesting characters, well written. The heroes have skills setting them above the rest of us, but they are perfectly believable and wholly satisfying to read about. I did feel sorry for all the aquarium fish who died at the end, but the final atala butterfly was a perfect touch. Read this story and you will see what I mean.
I gave it three stars because only the likes of Charles Dickens deserves five, and books that almost add to the western cannon show more deserve four, IMHO. show less

I felt the emotions of the characters. I was saddened and wept as I felt their loss. I was uplifted by their hopes and dreams. I was disgusted by the evil and despised the wicked.

There is something especially moving about this book. Tom Lowe evokes many emotions in this mystery. I will re-read this at some future date because it touched my heart.