I rather liked this book. It's pulp fiction, I'll never be able to award it more than 3*s. One reason I wish I could give s and -s is that it would be nice to be able to separate the good pulp fiction from the dreck. This one would garner a *** .

So, this book is about a sergeant in the Army, Robert E. Lee, who works as a reporter for the military paper, The Stars and Stripes. At a dive bar, he meets and instantly falls in love with a beautiful, red-headed news photographer, Satin Shea, who also happens to be engaged to a Major General. They get involved with a ship wreck at the sight of a volcanic eruption in the ocean, a murder investigation, drugs and prostitution, and all the regular good stuff of pulp fiction.

It's not great literature by any means, but is just fine for a spot of escapist literature, something for reading on a plane or train, or for getting away from the mindless hysteria that obsesses the alleged news services of our modern world. ( )

Another winner from McPartland, although it is very similar to some of his other works in a lot of ways. He has a formula and a typical McPartland book goes something like this:

1) The hero meets a ravishing woman in the first chapter, who for one reason or another should be off limits to him;
2) He pursues her and there is mutual interest;
3) Another man gets really angry;
4) There is a violent fight described in great detail;
5) Our hero survives that to find himself in some type of even bigger jam - wanted by the law, chased by criminals, or probably both;
6) With a combination of cunning and bumbling, he finds a way through the mess....

No use going on until the end; you get the idea. The important thing is how much McPartland can do with this formula. He fleshes out his characters pretty well, he describes fights and action scenes better than just about anyone, and his backgrounds are impressively atmospheric and authentic feeling.

In this case, as in Tokyo Doll, the scene is Japan. Shortly after the Korean War, an American Sergeant serving on the Stars and Stripes newspaper, falls madly in love with a woman who turns out to be engaged to a 2-star general. It's not the general who gives him the hardest time; however, its a newspaper bureau chief who is insanely jealous of our hero's attention to the general's fiance. McPartland's women are also very interesting - not frail helpless little things at all. The love interest here is an ace photographer who has been under fire in combat and the proceedings in this novel, no matter how violent or gruesome, don't seem to faze her that much. In the end, she has a key role to play in resolving matters.

Don't miss this one. You may have a hard time finding an old paperback copy, but it's a cheap download for the Kindle. ( )