Last Jump & Other Stories of Adventure and Mystery

About the Book

Hair-raising adventure and mystery are featured in this short story collection, Last Jump & Other Stories of Adventure & Mystery, whose heroes and villains pit themselves against hostile warriors, vicious killers, the mentally deranged and a corps of lethal cobras, sharks and tigers. Conflict and tension, danger and terror are ever present in each story as they unfold over a period of two centuries and across three continents.

In the initial story, Last Jump, a veteran Korean War paratrooper, his discharge just days away, finds himself facing death when his parachute opens prematurely and is snagged on the tail of a C-46 at 900 feet. He has to use every ounce of his military experience, courage and cunning to try to free himself before the aircraft, fuel nearly depleted, has to land.

Then there is a officious British officer who is convinced that there is a deadly Indian cobra loose in his bungalow and that he knows exactly where it is and how to kill it. Surprise! In a seaside story, a young man and his two pre-school nephews become trapped on an island by a huge fin-tailed predator with the tide rising. How can he save them?

For the fans who love mysteries, there are several stories dealing with murderers who think they have outwitted the police only to be confronted by innocent parties who know the truth of their actions. Whatever your taste for suspense and the macabre, it will be overwhelmingly satisfied by this collection of artfully crafted stories--each with an entirely unexpected twist at the end. Hair-raising, indeed!

About the Author

Boston native James W. Ryan is a veteran journalist who was employed by two daily newspapers and United Press International for many years. He is the author of 10 published books, mainly military history, and 15 ghostwritten books. Three of his books have been optioned to film companies and his work has been published in 12 countries. Author Tom Clancy praised his Shinano! Sinking Japan's Secret Supership as: "A brilliant snapshot of the war at sea and the men who fought it."