In Pursuit Of The Enemy
A.C. Ellis
ISBN: 0741439468
Infinity Publishing
Reviewed By Sylvia Griffin
Official Apex Reviews Rating: 
Brad
Carpenter has finally managed to turn his life around: after a
difficult readjustment to the "real world" following his stint in the
Army, he has settled into a productive life with his wife, Susan, their
kids, and his job as a San Diego Police Detective. Kicking his drinking
habit for once and for all, Brad's days are spent in the quiet
appreciation of life that only sobriety can bring.
Then, one
morning he just happens to read an obituary listing that knocks him
right back off the wagon: the murdered man mentioned in the listing,
Toang Kim Nguyen, actually killed Brad's best friend during a gruesome
battle in the South Vietnamese jungle years ago, at the height of the
Vietnam War. Soon, the only thing Brad can focus on is learning more
about Toang's untimely death, not to mention the need to find Toang's
killer in order to finally put his own lingering personal demons to
rest.
Leaving everything behind – including his loving wife
& kids and the security of his job – Brad rushes to Denver, the
place where Toang's body was found, in a quest for both truth and
redemption. As he gets more deeply involved in the case, though, he is
completely unprepared for the chaos that soon follows, and ultimately
his own life is at risk as he finds himself hunted by both a mysterious
killer and the Denver Police Department. The more truth Brad digs up,
the greater the danger he places himself in, and he's left to wonder if
his mission is worth the cost of his own life.
In Pursuit Of The Enemy
is an engaging combination of suspense thriller and morality tale.
Dogged by the repressed memories of a past he can't escape, Brad serves
as the veritable Man Of La Mancha, literally obsessed with an incessant
search for lasting justice. Ellis's powerful portrayal of Brad as the
relentless vigilante wins over the reader for both his flawed nature
and his determination to right past wrongs, garnering sympathy for the
noble quest of his pursuit, despite the illegal means he employs in the
process.
In keeping with this theme, Brad serves as a metaphor
for the average, everyday individual beset with his own personal
demons, as well as the concomitant compulsion to set matters right. It
is this quality that allows the reader to make such a palpable
connection with Ellis's story, lending his tale the added weight of
genuineness that makes it such an enjoyable read.
The first in what promises to be an exciting series of Brad Carpenter adventures, In Pursuit Of The Enemy
is a suspense thriller that satisfies. Readers are sure to enjoy
whatever perilous puzzle Ellis concocts next for his unflappable hero.
Official Apex Reviews Interview: A.C. Ellis (In Pursuit Of The Enemy)
Apex Reviews: Thanks for joining us for this interview, A.C. We're looking forward to learning more about your book.
Even though he touts his devotion to his wife, Susan, Brad doesn't hesitate to abandon San Diego to pursue the truth about Toang's murder in Denver. How can he make that transition so seamlessly?
A.C. Ellis: This has been bothering Brad all his adult life, since before he met Susan and became a cop. Toang has been with him in his nightmares for decades, and has actually become a part of his psyche. This man, after all, killed his best friend. And that friendship had been formed, quite literally, under fire.
AR: Does Internal Affairs really get as involved in the activities of the police as portrayed in the book?
ACE: They do, and they should. They are the ones who are charged with keeping the cops honest, and if they are not diligent in their job, law suits follow. And city governance does not like law suits, for a number of reasons, not the least of which is financial.
AR: Without revealing too much of the story, how does "The Colonel" manage to get away with all his various dealings without arousing the suspicions of law enforcement?
ACE: Let's face it, under normal circumstances he might not, but he had to in order to make a story. Still, he is a CIA agent--rogue or not--and as such he has certain tools at his disposal. And unless law enforcement is actually looking for something like this, they probably won't find it.
AR: You make a number of controversial claims regarding the motives of the CIA and the U.S. military vis-à-vis their involvement in the Vietnam War. Are these only conspiracy theories, or is there a certain amount of truth to them?
ACE: There is some truth to them. The Phoenix Program was an actual CIA operation in Vietnam, and it did eventually degenerate into an assassination program. The CIA has had an extremely shady past, doing things in the name of national security that you certainly wouldn't think a country of our stature should be involved in. But there it is; their record stands.
As far as inflating kill counts in 'Nam, this was actually done. It is all well documented.
AR: As a veteran of the military yourself, can you personally attest to the difficulty that soldiers have in shaking the demons of their pasts?
ACE: I, personally, can not. I was stationed onboard an aircraft carrier during the Vietnam War. We stationed in the Gulf of Mexico, and were tasked with preparing Navy and Marine pilots for carrier landings before they were sent to 'Nam.
But I do have a brother-in-law who had his best friend die in his arms in the bush in 'Nam. It tore him up inside, and he was never the same again. To this day he is haunted by that past.
AR: What lasting measures (e.g. therapy, medical treatment, etc.) do you think they can take to help them finally resolve their inner turmoil?
ACE: Group therapy seems to do some good. Talking to someone who has gone through a similar experience is always therapeutic, to some extent. But I'm not sure there is anything that can completely erase the psychological damage such experiences produce. Things like that simply become a part of us.
AR: A number of authors that we've interviewed have been nothing but impressed with Infinity Publishing. Has your experience with them been just as pleasant?
ACE: It has, indeed. I can't say enough good about them. They made the entire publishing process so easy and actually fun. And the cover they did for the book…! When I opened the box of author's books, I nearly passed out. It was exactly as I had imagined it would be.
AR: In Pursuit Of The Enemy is the first in the Brad Carpenter Mystery Series. What can readers look forward to in the volumes to come?
ACE: In future books in the series, besides the major mystery of each book, I hope to further Brad's search into his father's past. In that past will be perhaps the strangest mystery of all.
AR: How can people learn more about your writings and other efforts?
ACE: They can visit my Web site at http://www.acellis.net, or they can send me e-mail at a.ellis@att.net. If they send e-mail, I will send them two never-before-published short stories by return e-mail, and they will be placed on my "Friends of A.C. Ellis" e-mail list.
AR: Any final thoughts you'd like to share with our readers?
ACE: I have perhaps the best job in the world. Writing brings such joy, and it is only made better by contact with my readers.
AR: Thanks again, A.C., and best of continued success to you in all your endeavors!