This is the seventh book in the Michael Mickey Ross series. It is another, stand alone, adventure book involving the mafia, murder, baseball, and terrorists along the east coast of the United States. Mickey develops a friendship with the boss of one of the 5 New York crime families and never meets the man. He again travels between the three homes he owns spending the majority of the winter months in Vero Beach. This year Yankee Investigations opens its second office on Royal Palm Boulevard in Vero Beach. It's an action packed suspense novel that you should not miss. As with all my other books I try to present the truth wherever possible in this book of fiction. Let us never forget 911, and the killing of three thousand innocent people. Let us never forget where those terrorists and murderers learned to fly. The place is in the middle of Florida's Treasure Coast. It's called Vero Beach. This book is about terrorists on the east coast of the United States. I started writing books when I was 68 years old and my stories were no doubt enhanced by the fact that I was a cop, installed wiretaps, conducted surveillances, testified in superior courts and used confidential informants to make cases. One of my best informants was convicted of attempted murder, spent 12 years in prison and then released to NYS Parole and me. Back then I worked undercover on major narcotics cases and the mafia while attached to 2 NYC Federal organized crime task (strike) forces. Instead of taking classes on how to write I spent days, months, and years on the streets of the city, sweating in the back of a surveillance van or pretending to be someone that I wasn't. Those days were often long and grueling but are part of my life's experiences and because of that there is little doubt in my mind that my credentials as a writer are a little different than most. I like to write believable, hypothetical fiction that is based on my experiences. I realize intently that there have been many situations I have been part of where the end result could have gone in a different direction. Many times I think of that different direction as believable fiction. Now that I'm old and on medications, I compare writing a story to taking a whiz after swallowing a prescribed water pill. Writing starts with an inner thought and next it becomes a mind boggling vision. Then at some point there is no relief until that vision is put on paper. Just like taking a whiz after the water pill, writing after the thought rewards me with a feeling of great relief. Trust me again. You'll like it especially if you know Vero Beach. Rich
About the Author: This is the only autobiography I have written and I have used the same one for each book. I do feel a bit self-serving writing it but here goes. I was luckier than most kids because I grew up poor. Starting at the bottom gave me the advantage of appreciating those small experiences that are taken for granted by so many. I survived the New York City school system and by the time I graduated high school Elvis was singing "Heartbreak Hotel." After two years at Colorado A & M I dropped out. It was probably the best two years of my life. Over the next five years I drove a truck and completed at tour in the US Army. In 1962 I was appointed to the position of Trooper on the New York State Police. At thirty I married the girl of my dreams and we have three wonderful daughters. In 1968 I received a promotion to Detective/ Investigator and was assigned to work specifically on Organized Crime investigations and undercover narcotics cases. I was given a Federal clearance by the US Attorney's Office while assigned to various Federal & State Strike Forces in the NYC area. I was at Woodstock (1969) and made drug buys. I continued working narcotics cases in NYC, drove an undercover taxi, installed wiretaps, and had a partner that was shot and killed during a drug buy and bust deal gone bad. It was during this time that I was promoted to Detective Supervisor/ Senior Investigator and earned a bachelor's degree from S.U.N.Y. and a master's degree from Long Island University. I retired in the early eighties, did some private investigations work, tried commercial fishing and obtained a Coast Guard charter captain license. I ended up in business where I experienced the American Dream. I started writing in my late sixties aftr I had lost most of my hearing. By not being able to hear it allowed me to enter into a special world of fantasy. I wrote five books before I had any thoughts of publishing. I presently reside, with my wife of 47 years, in New York spending my time between Westchester County and the Hamptons on Long Island. During the winter months I will be on the Treasure Coast, usually in Vero Beach, Florida. L That's my 39,400 word autobiography in 394 words. Thanks for listening Rich ________________________________________