by Layton Green
“Driving off with—” Viktor gripped the chair. His tongue felt thick when he spoke. “Who did Elaine leave with?”
“Frank Towns,” Dr. Ballister said with some annoyance, as if Viktor hadn’t been listening. “The guard who quit.”
Acknowledgments
Cheers to all my English teachers and librarians over the years who worked so hard to hold the torch high. A special thanks to Kathy Webster for still reading my work, and for not flunking me. Rusty and Ryan, our awesome NOLA trip (the most recent one, that is) gave life to the novella. DJG and Tamisa and John and Ryan, thanks so much for the read-throughs and excellent comments. Kudos to Snake & Jake’s, The Columns, and Igor’s for never changing a damn thing. Rusty Dalferes and Jen Blood, a million thanks for the spot-on edits and for being such guiding presences. You both rock and I owe you endless drinks at the bar. Ayesha Pande, as always, I know I’m in the best of hands.
Special thanks to attorney extraordinaire Marcus Hill for guiding me through trial procedure. Another special thanks to Aaron Hervey, PhD in neuropsychology and adjunct professor at Duke University, for making sure my science was on point—or at least within the realm of believability. As always when I research a Dominic Grey novel, I’m fascinated by the array of mind-blowing facts that don’t make it in. By the way, any remaining errors in legal fiction and pseudo-science are on me.
And finally, thanks to the city of New Orleans for existing. It’s such a mysterious, magical, kaleidoscopic place. And if any city officials happen to be reading, please replace the Spanish moss on the oak trees on St. Charles. It’s an epiphyte; you can drop it down from above and it will regrow.
About the Author
LAYTON GREEN is a mystery/suspense/thriller writer and the author of the bestselling Dominic Grey series, as well as other works of fiction. His novels have been nominated for multiple awards (including a finalist for an International Thriller Writers award) and have reached #1 on numerous genre lists in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany. His latest novel, The Shadow Cartel, was a #2 overall bestseller on Amazon UK.
For updates on new releases, join Layton’s New Release Mailing List. Your email address will never be shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Please visit Layton on Author Central, Goodreads, Facebook, and at www.laytongreen.com for additional information on Layton, his works, and more. You might also find him at a dark and smoky café in Reykjavik, researching the next Dominic Grey novel.
Word of mouth is crucial to the success of any author. If you enjoyed the book, please consider leaving an honest review, even if it’s only a line or two. It would be much appreciated.
Finally, if you are new to the world of Dominic Grey and Viktor Radek and want to read more, below is a description of The Summoner, the first novel in the series.
THE SUMMONER
A United States diplomat disappears in front of hundreds of onlookers while attending a religious ceremony in the bushveld of Zimbabwe.
Dominic Grey, Diplomatic Security special agent, product of a violent childhood and a worn passport, is assigned to investigate. Aiding the investigation is Professor Viktor Radek, religious phenomenologist and expert on cults, and Nya Mashumba, the local government liaison.
What Grey uncovers is a terrifying cult older than Western civilization, the harsh underbelly of a country in despair, a priest seemingly able to perform impossibilities, and the identity of the newest target.
Himself . . .
Praise for the Dominic Grey Series
“Relentless.” —Publishers Weekly
“One of the top ten books of the year.” —BloodWrites Mystery Blog, on The Summoner
“Layton Green is a master of intellectual suspense.” —JT Ellison, New York Times bestselling author of EDGE OF BLACK
“The Summoner is one of those books that make you want to turn on all the lights in your house and lock the doors . . . [t]he settings are authentic and you can feel and smell the countryside . . . [t]his is a wonderful read for those who enjoy both suspense and action stories” —Seattle Post-Intelligencer
On The Egyptian: "Stirring and imaginative, with an engaging premise that is briskly paced. Both the characters in the story and the reader are in for a wild ride.” —Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of The King’s Deception
“I do believe Layton Green has moved into my top 5 author category - not an easy feat to attain!” —A Novel Source
“The confines of a page are not enough for Layton Green’s writing. His work begs to be translated into 100-foot high IMAX images, rendered in 3D, and given a score by Hanz Zimmer” —Biblioteca
On The Diabolist: “A well-crafted and exciting thriller with a pair of interesting protagonists . . . and a charismatic villain who makes our skin crawl.” —Booklist
“This is what you get when you combine Indiana Jones with Ludlum’s Jason Bourne . . . A must read for all you lovers of conspiracy theories, thrillers and mysteries alike!” —Baffled Books
“Layton Green is an absolutely brilliant writer.” —Everything to Do With Books
“Green’s debut The Summoner was such a great read, I was hoping that he’d duplicate his literary excellence. In his second book, The Egyptian, Green exceeded my expectations.” —BookPleasures.com
“Favorite book of the year so far.” —A Novel Source
“A blend of action, history, anthropology, thrills, and chills, all delivered with a mature, polished voice. I am eager for more from this author.” —Scott Nicholson, bestselling author
“Layton Green has written a tale with supernatural and political undertones that unravels with ever increasing suspense . . . The book is plain terrific.” —Richard Marek, former president and publisher of E.P. Dutton
“An awesome read . . . . The writing is polished and evocative, the subject matter fascinating, the characters intriguing, and the pace non-stop. Spooky and occasionally metaphysical, The Summoner harkens back to The Serpent and the Rainbow in its ability to convincingly portray seemingly paranormal events in a realistic (and therefore even creepier) manner.” —BloodWrites, Mystery Pick of the Week
“[T]his book is above and beyond in its narrative, its cohesiveness, the depth of its characters and the quality of the writing. This is one of the best books I’ve ever read for Odyssey Reviews.” —Odyssey Reviews
“Green writes like a dream.” —Melody Moezzi, award-winning author, Haldol and Hyacinths
“[C]alls to mind such series as Jason Bourne and Indiana Jones, with supernatural/religious overtones thrown in. I recommend The Summoner to anyone looking for a suspense-filled journey into a unique—and at times, terrifying—culture that’ll keep you guessing.” —Bookhound’s Den
“Yes, I did put TWO Five Stars up there . . . giving Green’s The Summoner Five stars and Five stars alone downplays how I felt about this book.” —1000+ Books to Read
“Dan Brown is pretty good at what he does and I don’t begrudge him his success, but when it comes to interesting characters embarking on a thrilling exploration into the dark world of cults, religions and magic Layton Green does it SO much better.” —Nylon Admiral Reviews
“Layton Green kicks things up a notch and delivers a novel that should, if there’s any justice to be found upon the shelves, make him a household name. The Diabolist is a dark, intelligent, spellbinding novel . . . I cannot recommend this one highly enough.” —Beauty in Ruins Reviews
“Green’s The Summoner proved his great talent. The Diabolist ensures his place at the top of crime fiction: his number 1 place. Unbelievably good, unbelievably intricate, unbelievably Green.” —The Review Broads
On The Diabolist: “[A] story that will move you to the edge of your seat.” —Seattle Post-Intelligencer
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