An Ian Caine Novel
by Paul Evans
Early praise for The Sword of Moloch from the Pat Conroy Literary Centre Readers Dozen book club;
"Paul, we just finished your book; it is excellent. So many unexpected twists and turns and amazingly complex characters. Bravo!"
THE SWORD OF MOLOCH, the first in the Ian Caine novel series, is an 80,000-word spy thriller. The recipe for this book is one-third the rogue professionalism of Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels, one-third the high-stakes intelligence conspiracy of John le Carré's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and one-third the deadly precision of Killing Eve's Villanelle.
Ian Caine is a Welsh, former MI6 operative, now a contract mercenary. A deadly spy and assassin whose only rule is lethal precision with absolute justification. When his handler, Colonel Garfield Jaffe of the CIA, tasks him with eliminating a female operative and retrieving a crucial briefcase, Caine carries out the hit flawlessly in a New York parking garage.
But when he discovers a hidden USB drive labeled "The Sword of Moloch" inside the case, Caine is blindsided by the truth: the woman was an innocent civilian—a junior law partner—and Jaffe deliberately used him to commit the senseless murder of a "mule" to cover a trail.
Step into a world that few will ever experience, yet one that happens around us every day.
Centered in the sleepy little sea island community of Beaufort, SC. This town is steeped in history and culture. But this story is packed with fast-paced global ramifications and excursions into mayhem and madness. Violence and diplomacy, hatred, revenge, a torrid love affair, and a sadness that are all part of the vocation and life of Ian Caine.
Paul Evans is Welsh-born. A former law enforcement officer with weapons and tactical training. Storyteller, poet, musician and novelist, his home, like that of his protagonist, is among the sea islands in Beaufort, South Carolina, with his wife, Sara and their three Aussie Doodles, Beau, Duke and Maisie.
Evans brings an authentic, insider's perspective to the world of espionage and tactical operations. Like his protagonist, Ian Caine, Evans is Welsh-born and possesses a rich background, including a distinguished career as a former police detective with extensive weapons, forensic, and tactical training. This real-world experience adds a layer of palpable authenticity to the high-stakes narrative. Paul has made his home in Beaufort, South Carolina, living with his wife, Sara Evans, who also lent her artistic talent to the project by designing the striking cover illustration for The Sword of Moloch. Their Beaufort home is also shared with their three beloved Aussiedoodles: Beau, Duke, and Maisie. Fans of the genre will be delighted to know that The Sword of Moloch is just the beginning. Evans is already deeply involved in writing the second installment of what is planned to be a thrilling five-book series centered on the adventures of Ian Caine.