Author: Howard Weiner
Narrators: Laura Copland
Length: 7 hours 51 minutes
Publisher: Howard D. Weiner
Released: Jun. 28, 2017
Genre: Technothriller
Two physicists are in a race with federal authorities and three former CIA agents to detonate a dirty bomb in Las Vegas. The physicists deploy several explosive devices, hidden in plain sight, that can be detonated at any time. Federal authorities realize too late that their best technologies, people, and staff cannot detect the existence and movement of small bombs. The safety of Las Vegas depends on three former CIA agents brought together by an employer with ill intent and strong ties to venture capitalists funding the latest crop of entrepreneurs. Who will win? Will Las Vegas be saved?
Howard Weiner was born in Washington, DC, in the distant past when Congress returned home during the summers, new best friends moved in every four years, and old ones never stayed. He attended local public schools and graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a BS in computer science and a spouse.
For the next forty years, he pursued an extensive graduate education, served as a member of the professoriate, an entrepreneur, and leadership positions in information technology in the private and public sectors. He lived during his working years in the Washington DC suburbs and exurbs, Richmond, Virginia, in three locations on Long Island, New York, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and finally, the upper west side of New York City.
Weiner’s first work of published fiction, It Is Las Vegas After All, introduces three unlikely partners who stumble upon two refugees from higher education who abandon their promising academic careers to build and detonate a dirty bomb in Las Vegas. The story takes place in the U.S., U.K., and the former communist east Germany, and ends following a high stakes winter pursuit along the Appalachian Trail.
His second work, Serendipity Opportunity, tells a tale of the dark web meets mayhem, murder, and an international incident involving Russian and U.S. intelligence agencies.
His latest work, Bad Money, takes place in 1993 and features two unlikely heroes trying to escape members of Manuel Noriega's former intelligence staff in a drugs for money story. The story begins, simply enough, with two suit cases accidently switched at the Miami Airport.
He is also working on two other manuscripts: One for the Price of Two and The Big Lowandowski.
For the next forty years, he pursued an extensive graduate education, served as a member of the professoriate, an entrepreneur, and leadership positions in information technology in the private and public sectors. He lived during his working years in the Washington DC suburbs and exurbs, Richmond, Virginia, in three locations on Long Island, New York, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and finally, the upper west side of New York City.
Weiner’s first work of published fiction, It Is Las Vegas After All, introduces three unlikely partners who stumble upon two refugees from higher education who abandon their promising academic careers to build and detonate a dirty bomb in Las Vegas. The story takes place in the U.S., U.K., and the former communist east Germany, and ends following a high stakes winter pursuit along the Appalachian Trail.
His second work, Serendipity Opportunity, tells a tale of the dark web meets mayhem, murder, and an international incident involving Russian and U.S. intelligence agencies.
His latest work, Bad Money, takes place in 1993 and features two unlikely heroes trying to escape members of Manuel Noriega's former intelligence staff in a drugs for money story. The story begins, simply enough, with two suit cases accidently switched at the Miami Airport.
He is also working on two other manuscripts: One for the Price of Two and The Big Lowandowski.
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Giving characters on the page a voice, an accent, and a manner of speaking is an exhilarating adventure. Through audio book narration, Laura Copland combines her classical training as an actor with her rigorous training as an attorney to approach each manuscript with intelligence, creativity, and honesty. She has appeared on Broadway and in regional theaters, and in many on-camera commercials. Her audio books include murder mysteries, time-travel, vampires, and thriller about a dirty bomb in Las Vegas. Her timing and sense of humor also enable her to give interesting reads in nonfiction, including coping with a cheating spouse, a primer for a “decent divorce,” mindfulness to combat obsessive behavior, and a Martha’s Vineyard memoir. She is the founder and director of the Women Playwrights’ Initiative at Connecticut’s Ivoryton Playhouse, which provides a workshop for women to realize their one-act plays in an environment both safe and nurturing.
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Todd Adams
Child prodigy raised by parents who sacrificed much to provide their son with the opportunities to develop his gifts. Holder of a recently conferred doctoral degree in physics from Stanford, appointed to a prestigious post-doc at UC-Berkeley. He falls in love with a Jordanian student at UC-Berkeley much to the dismay of both sets of parents.
The death of his pregnant girlfriend, the loss of his parents’ support, the enmity of his late girlfriend’s father, and the loss of focus in his own discipline’s research causes him to become unmoored producing profound changes in his character. He leaves Berkeley for a career with Apple and Google ultimately becoming an entrepreneur in a promising start-up. Meanwhile, he conspires with his former office mate to build and detonate a series of dirty bombs in the Las Vegas casino strip—his means of expressing the loss of much he once held dear.
The death of his pregnant girlfriend, the loss of his parents’ support, the enmity of his late girlfriend’s father, and the loss of focus in his own discipline’s research causes him to become unmoored producing profound changes in his character. He leaves Berkeley for a career with Apple and Google ultimately becoming an entrepreneur in a promising start-up. Meanwhile, he conspires with his former office mate to build and detonate a series of dirty bombs in the Las Vegas casino strip—his means of expressing the loss of much he once held dear.
Achmed Al Hami
Todd Adams’ office mate at UC-Berkeley where his interest in advising foreign students takes precedence over his post-doc research—the reason the University ends his appointment. He sets up one of his students, Leyla Hafnawi, on a date with Todd Adams, ultimately accepting responsibility for Adams’ downfall.
Joe McRory
Works in Las Vegas for a resource recovery firm. Conspires with Adams to build and detonate the dirty bombs.
One-time CIA operative, now retired, works for an international firm providing questionably obtained background materials to venture capitalists on promising entrepreneurs. Excellent researcher and investigator whose talents are often overlooked. Initially, a reluctant partner to Alice Linda whose methods he finds questionable.
One-time CIA operative, now retired, works for an international firm providing questionably obtained background materials to venture capitalists on promising entrepreneurs. Excellent researcher and investigator whose talents are often overlooked. Initially, a reluctant partner to Alice Linda whose methods he finds questionable.
Alice Linda
Also a former CIA operative working for the same firm As McRory. Unlike McRory, she works in quality assurance activities making it possible for the firm to guarantee the work of its researchers and investigators. She’s tasked by her firm to assess McRory’s performance but employs highly idiosyncratic methods and approaches to all of her assignments—charitably described as an out-of-the-box thinker and doer.
Evangeline (Eddy) O’Conner
Youngest daughter of a successful NY state family who comes of age during the Kennedy presidency. Responds to his assassination by joining the CIA as an undercover agent operating behind the Iron Curtain in East Germany. Her cover—she is a member of a religious order—continues after her return to the US.
Served as a mentor to women agents in the CIA, including Alice Linda. Leaves her vocation to help Linda (and Linda’s reluctant partner, McRory) determine why the firm that employes them is also trying to have them killed.
Served as a mentor to women agents in the CIA, including Alice Linda. Leaves her vocation to help Linda (and Linda’s reluctant partner, McRory) determine why the firm that employes them is also trying to have them killed.
Boots Tyendinaga
Nephew of Nelson, brother to Elisabeth, Boots is now a junior member of the family business—a murder for hire firm that once worked for the intelligence services but is currently employed by the firm trying to murder McRory and Linda.
Nelson Tyendinaga
Uncle to Boots and Elisabeth, a former high steel worker whose health ends that career in favor of his activities in the murder for hire business. Too fond, too eager, and too dedicated to his current line of work, he no longer receives commissions from foreign intelligence agencies. Attempts to avenge the death of his nephew.
Elisabeth Tyendinaga Ristovski
Unable to fit-in to society outside of the Indian Reservation, she returns to care for her mother and avoid the unending questions about her parentage during her brief time away. Avenges the death of her mother and brother by murdering the founder of the information gathering firm employing her brother and uncle.
Alec Winston
An entrepreneurial member of the British middle class responsible for envisioning and founding the information gathering firm providing background materials to venture capitalists contemplating investing in start-ups headed by (often) at-risk entrepreneurs. Murdered by Elisabeth for his responsibility in the deaths of her brother.
Detective Inspector Henry Wallard
A British police constable operating in the Bristol-Bath area of Southwest England. Assigned to investigate the death of Elisabeth Ristovski in her unsuccessful attempt to murder Joe McRory and Alice Linda for their role in the death of her brother.
Director, National Counterterrorism Center
One of those extraordinary leaders who motivates his staff to deliver by use of questionable techniques, methods, and the verbal abuse you’ll never find in a “how to” book.
Leyla Hafnawi
Jordanian undergrad at UC-Berkeley who falls in love with Todd Adams and becomes pregnant with his child. Like Adams, she has difficulty coming to grips with the strong adverse reactions from both sets of parents regarding their relationship and her pregnancy. Dies after being struck by a car in Berkeley.
Khaled Hafnawi
Wanted international arms seller who is captured by US authorities when he comes to Berkeley to bring his pregnant daughter back to Jordan. His reported death while in custody masks his rendition to a black site used by the CIA and his ultimate imprisonment in Guantanamo Bay.
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