This image is the cover for the book The Virulence

The Virulence

This action-packed thriller follows retired intelligence officer Jason Stouter in his mission for peace in the Middle East as he confronts his old nemesis, Kahlil Zufar. As the Middle East conflict reaches its climax, Jason finds himself in the midst of a secret group of genetic engineers who have developed a highly selective virus. Their goal is to blackmail Israel and Arab nations into agreeing to peace. However, Jason soon discovers that his nemesis has hijacked the virus for his own nefarious purposes, putting the entire mission at risk.

With the help of his friend in the FBI and two seductive but dangerous women, Jason embarks on a dangerous journey across the Florida Keys, Jackson Hole, Boston, Israel, and Jordan to stop the virus from spreading and to ensure that peace prevails. As he unravels the mystery behind Zufar’s ultimate vision, Jason must use all his skills to thwart the deadly plan and protect innocent lives.

James C. Hendee

James C. Hendee worked as a Marine Ecologist, Oceanographer, and Supervisory Physical Scientist for the U.S. Government (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA) for 30 years before retiring in September 2020, after starting the Coral Health and Monitoring Program (group of researchers), originating Coral-List (over 10,000 subscribers), the Coral Reef Early Warning System (artificial intelligence monitoring of coral reef ecosystems), and finally becoming the Director of the Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division (over 40 researchers) for his final seven years of U.S. government service. He has authored or co-authored 62 scientific publications (so far), written two novels, and before his life as a public servant was a halibut fisherman, kelp diver, and Dungeness crab diver in Alaska, an aquaculturist at the Oceanic Institute (Hawaii) and in Texas (Texas Parks & Wildlife Department), a snake-hunter and orchid collector in the Florida Everglades, worked on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, served in Belize in the Peace Corps, and worked for three universities (University of Hawaii, University of Alaska, and Harvard University). Jim also has SCUBA-dived in the Arctic (Prudhoe Bay), the Pacific (Hawaii, Saipan, Australia), the Indian (Sri Lanka, Bali), and Atlantic Oceans (too many Caribbean countries to list). Jim has read hundreds of books on the craft of writing and in researching his fiction and uses some of his true experiences and adventures in his fictional writings. He currently lives in Pompano Beach, Florida.

Austin Macauley Publishers