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WORK TITLE: The Freedom Broker
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.kjhowe.com/
CITY: Toronto
STATE: ON
COUNTRY: Canada
NATIONALITY:
http://www.kjhowe.com/bio.html * http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-freedom-broker-a-conversation-with-kj-howe_us_58a2f386e4b0cd37efcfed13
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
EDUCATION:Neuchâtel Junior College and Albert College, attended; University of Toronto, B.A., 1992; Seton Hill University, M.A.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Freelance writer as a medical, health, and fitness writer, 2001–; International Thriller Writers, New York, NY, ThrillerFest, executive director, 2010–.
AWARDS:Three-time Daphne du Maurier Award winner.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Canadian writer and world traveler K.J. Howe is executive director of the International Thriller Writer organization’s annual conference, ThrillerFest. She holds a master’s degree in writing popular fiction from Seton Hill University. Howe is interested in kidnapping and ransom scenarios, especially the case of Peter Moore, a British computer consultant who was the longest-held hostage in Iraq. Howe wrote about kidnapping in her 2017 debut novel, The Freedom Broker. She has also worked as a medical, health, and fitness freelance writer. A self-described adventurer, she has lived in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the Caribbean.
Howe’s novel, The Freedom Broker, follows the career of elite kidnap and ransom specialist, Thea Paris. While living in Africa when she was a small child, her twelve-year-old brother, Nikos, was abducted during the night by masked intruders who returned him nine months later, after forcing him to become a child soldier. Nikos hates his father for not doing enough to save him. Today, Thea leads Quantum Security International, an organization that prevents and negotiates kidnapping. But when diplomacy fails, she leads a black-ops team on dangerous rescue missions in politically sensitive parts of the world.
Things get personal for Thea when her own father, oil baron Christos Paris, is kidnapped from his yacht off Santorini just before his sixtieth birthday and before he was to negotiate a lucrative oil deal. The entire crew of the boat was slaughtered. Thea has only a few texts written in Latin from a burner phone to go by. With help from her boss’ son and her childhood friend, Thea travels from Greece to Zimbabwe to solve the case. Meanwhile, Thea doesn’t know that Nikos is the real person behind the mysterious warlord and weapons dealer known only as Ares.
In an interview with Scott Butki online at Mystery People, Howe explained why she wrote about kidnapping in her book: “Kidnapping fascinated me because it is such a painful and unusual experience, a purgatory of sorts. When you’re a hostage, you’re still alive, but you’re not really living. Instead, you try to endure the hardships, the boredom of captivity, the fear that you might not make it back home and the fervent hope that freedom will eventually come.”
Unfortunately, kidnapping is a common problem, which gives Howe inspiration for story plots. Fear of being kidnapped and feeling vulnerable is a powerful emotion, and Howe, who has an interest in psychology, says that writing is a form of catharsis. Speaking to Mark Rubinstein, Howe said in Huffington Post: “Kidnapping occurs everywhere. The Philippines has a rampant kidnapping problem. It’s also an enormous problem in Mexico, the Middle East and South America. There are political kidnappings and those done for money. So, there’s lots of opportunity for many stories.”
Many reviewers praised the book’s action and adventure. Writing in Publishers Weekly, a contributor said the book “provides nonstop action, believable characters, and a well-researched look at the world of international kidnapping.” Michele Leber commented in Booklist that Howe “generates nonstop suspense, commanding attention from the start and never letting go.” Noting that some of the dialogue is stilted and over-expositional, nevertheless, Bridget Keown online at RT Book Reviews, observed that Thea “is a well-rounded, fully fleshed-out heroine whose coming adventures will certainly be worth following.” Keown added that Howe provides a twisted plot “rife with tension and intrigue.” Calling the book a fast-moving thriller a spectacular start to a new series, a writer in Kirkus Reviews added “But the best scene—and who cares if it’s plausible—involves bungee jumping over the Zambezi River. It’s worth the price of the book.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, November 1, 2016, Michele Leber, review of The Freedom Broker, p. 31.
Kirkus Reviews, November 1, 2016, review of The Freedom Broker.
Publishers Weekly, October 31, 2016, review of The Freedom Broker, p. 52.
ONLINE
Huffington Post, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ (February 14, 2017), Mark Rubinstein, author interview.
Mystery People, https://mysterypeople.wordpress.com/ (February 13, 2017), Scott Butki, author interview.
RT Book Reviews, https://www.rtbookreviews.com/ (July 9, 2017), Bridget Keown, review of The Freedom Broker. *
‘The Freedom Broker,’ A Conversation with K.J. Howe
02/14/2017 07:15 am ET
PHOTO: QUERCUS
K. J. Howe is an avid traveler, has raced camels in Jordan, and dove with the great white sharks in South Africa. She’s the executive director of Thrillerfest, the annual conference of the International Thriller Writers Organization. The Freedom Broker is her debut published novel.
The Freedom Broker features Thea Paris, an elite kidnap and ransom specialist whose younger brother was abducted as a child while Thea watched, paralyzed with fear. He was returned after nine months in captivity, but was never the same. Thus, Thea was driven to become a freedom broker whose team engages in black-ops rescue missions when diplomacy fails.
Her childhood nightmare resurfaces when her oil magnate father is snatched from his yacht on his sixtieth birthday. The crew is slaughtered, but there are no ransom or political demands. Knowing the survival window for kidnap victims is narrow, Thea and her team plunge into a rescue mission before her family is destroyed forever.
The Freedom Broker describes tactics employed in negotiating for and rescuing kidnapping victims. How did you learn so much about these matters?
I grew up in various countries and knew I wanted to write a book with an international setting. After reading about kidnapping, I realized a novel or series of novels about that subject would allow me to have such a setting. I went to a conference about kidnapping to learn more about the subject. I was very fortunate to meet people who opened up to me. I talked with kidnap negotiators; former hostages; Special Forces soldiers who deliver ransom money and occasionally execute rescues; insurance people; and reintegration experts—people who help hostages adjust to the world after release.
It’s a very foreboding world and I was fortunate these people gave me so much information.
The action scenes in The Freedom Broker are quite compelling. How did you learn so much about military weapons and tactics?
I believe in researching every aspect of a novel I’m going to write. After researching kidnapping and ransom issues, I researched combat and tactics. I went to Craft International—a private military/security firm. They train people in various combat techniques. I studied with Rigo Durazo, who taught me about hand-to-hand combat, guns, knives, and various other weapons. I also have friends who are Special Forces soldiers whom I interviewed and who reviewed my manuscript and helped improve what I’d written by adding authenticity.
Thea is a fascinating character. She’s been involved with racing cars, motorcycling, and scuba diving. She’s virtually an adrenaline junkie. What made you decide to burden her with Type 1 Diabetes?
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I’m a former medical writer, so it’s a familiar subject. My grandfather had diabetes. As a kid, his sticking himself with needles made a big impression on me. He showed us grandkids how he learned to do it by practicing on oranges.
I wanted to have a very strong female character, but I wanted her to be vulnerable, both emotionally and physically. All of us have our vulnerabilities and issues. Also, I wanted to show the reader that anyone with diabetes—or any other illness for that matter—shouldn’t be defined by the illness. I believe you can do almost anything if you work hard and balance your life. In fact, there are many Olympic athletes with diabetes.
What about kidnapping and hostage negotiation fascinated you so much?
When I was a child, my father worked in telecommunications. As a result, when I was growing up, I travelled throughout much of the world. We lived in Africa, Europe and the Caribbean. I was always part of a minority community in a foreign place. And fear of being kidnapped was part of that experience.
What I find fascinating is that when you’re kidnapped and held hostage, you live in a kind of purgatory. What I mean is you’re still alive, but you’re not really living. You’re in a cage, or a cabin, or in a jungle, being held against your will. You must ask the kidnappers for everything you need. The rest of the world goes on, but as a hostage, you’re stuck where you are. From a psychological perspective, I find that fascinating.
One of the most difficult tasks for hostages is readjusting to life after they come home. When they are returned, people expect them to be the same as they were before the abduction.
They aren’t the same, and never will be. It’s a profound experience that changes people forever.
I’ve become friends with Peter Moore, the longest-held hostage in Iraq; he was held for nearly a thousand days. He was working in IT in Iraq and was taken with four British military men. Peter is the only person who survived. He endured mock executions, poor hygiene and all the deprivations you would expect under these circumstances. Getting to know Peter and understanding how he coped with his ordeal was fascinating to me.
How much of K.J. Howe is embodied in Thea Paris?
Any author who says there’s nothing of herself in a protagonist is in denial. Thea represents part of me in the sense that I love travel and adventure. I’m really intrigued by hostage negotiations and want to bring awareness about kidnapping to the public, especially about the reality that there are many hostages still waiting to be released.
Like many people, I feel emotionally vulnerable at times, as does Thea; and for me, writing is a form of catharsis. Also, I have a passion for psychology and love exploring the characters’ feelings through the writing.
Tell us about your path to publication.
As executive director of Thrillerfest, I was chronicling various authors’ roads to publication. While at a writers’ retreat with Karin Slaughter, she thought her agent would like my work. That’s how I connected with Victoria Sanders, my agent. She sold the book in the UK in ten days and the UK publisher contacted the U.S. division and it eventuated in a two-book deal. I’m very fortunate to have such a fantastic agent.
Thea is a perfect protagonist for a book series. Is that what you have in mind?
Oh, yes. Kidnapping occurs everywhere. The Philippines has a rampant kidnapping problem. It’s also an enormous problem in Mexico, the Middle East and South America. There are political kidnappings and those done for money. So, there’s lots of opportunity for many stories.
What’s coming next for K.J. Howe?
My next book is called Skyjack. Thea is taking two former child soldiers from Africa to London to be adopted, and the plane is hijacked. The adventure starts from there.
Congratulations on penning The Freedom Broker, an adrenaline-pumping novel James Patterson called “fact and fiction at its best” and about which Lee Child said, “Razor sharp and full of you-are-there authenticity—a superb thriller.”
Mark Rubinstein’s latest book is Bedlam’s Door: True Tales of Madness and Hope, a medical/psychiatric memoir.
KJ HOWE'S BIO
K.J. Howe
Born in Toronto, Canada, KJ enjoyed a nomadic lifestyle during her early years, living in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the Caribbean, which gave her an insider’s view into many different cultures. While abroad, she read every book she could find, which triggered in her a desire to create her own stories.
She attended Salzburg International Preparatory School, Neuchâtel Junior College, and Albert College before earning a Specialists Degree in Business from the University of Toronto. KJ found success in the corporate world, but her passion for travel, adventure, and stories drew her back to school where she earned a Masters in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She also won several writing awards, including three Daphne du Maurier Awards for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense.
While honing her fiction skills, KJ worked as a medical, health, and fitness writer. She then became involved with the International Thriller Writers as the Executive Director of ThrillerFest, the organization’s annual conference held every July in New York City.
In preparation for writing THE FREEDOM BROKER series, which focuses on elite kidnap negotiator Thea Paris, KJ spent extensive time researching the dark world of kidnapping. She has interviewed former hostages, negotiators, hostage reintegration experts, special forces operatives, and K&R insurance executives.
KJ is an avid tennis player, cyclist, and swimmer. Travel and adventure still rank high on her priority list. She has had the pleasure of riding racing camels in Jordan, surfing in Hawaii, ziplining in the Costa Rican jungle, diving alongside Great White Sharks in South Africa, studying modern combat in the Arizona desert, and working with elephants in Botswana. Home is in Toronto, Canada, but she is often missing in action.
Kimberley Howe
Executive Director of ThrillerFest, International Thriller Author
ThrillerFest, International Thriller Writers University of Toronto
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ThrillerFest, International Thriller Writers
Executive Director
Company NameThrillerFest, International Thriller Writers
Dates Employed2010 – Present Employment Duration7 yrs
LocationNew York City, NY
Running the 1,000 person writing conference for thriller writers from all over the globe.
KJ Howe Writing
Freelance Writer and Editor
Company NameKJ Howe Writing
Dates Employed2001 – Present Employment Duration16 yrs
Education
University of Toronto
University of Toronto
Degree Name Honors Bachelor of Arts, Certificate in Human Resources Field Of Study Labor and Industrial Relations, Human Resources, Sociology, French
Dates attended or expected graduation 1987 – 1992
Seton Hill University
Seton Hill University
Degree Name Master's Degree Field Of Study Creative Writing
MysteryPeople Q&A: KJ Howe, Director of ThrillerFest, Makes Her Fiction Debut
FEBRUARY 13, 2017 MYSTERYPEOPLEBLOGLEAVE A COMMENT
Interview by MysteryPeople Contributor and Blogger Scott Butki
K.J. Howe has written a thriller full of multiple plot twists that will have you looking
over your proverbial shoulder. How appropriate that the author of the debut novel The Freedom Broker may be better known as the executive director of ThrillerFest, the organization’s annual conference held every July in New York City.
“Kidnapping fascinated me because it is such a painful and unusual experience, a purgatory of sorts. When you’re a hostage, you’re still alive, but you’re not really living.”
The book comes with quotes praising it from authors throughout the mystery and thriller community including James Patterson, Clive Cussler and Scott Turow. For her debut Howe has picked a fascinating yet disturbing topic: the practice of kidnapping for ransom. She has spent two years researching the topic, interviewing former hostages, negotiators, hostage reintegration experts, special forces operatives, and K&R insurance executives.
The premise is that there are 25 elite professionals who travel undercover to the deadliest spots in the world to bring hostages home safely by any means necessary. Only one of those 25 elite response consultants is a woman.
That woman, our protagonist, is Thea Paris. Her life was vastly affected by her 12-year-old brother’s kidnapping when she was 8. Howe makes an interesting writing choice in having Paris, an athlete,suffer from Type 1 Diabetes. Howe, like Thea, grew up all over the world.
I was lucky enough to do an email interview with K.J. Howe. K.J. Howe comes to BookPeople to speak and sign her debut this Wednesday, February 15th, at 7 PM. She’ll be appearing in conversation with bestselling thrillerist Jeff Abbott, whose latest work is The First Order.
9781681443102 kj-howe
MysteryPeople Q&A with K.J. Howe
Scott Butki: How did the story come about?
K.J.: Howe: I had the opportunity to meet former hostage Peter Moore, the longest held hostage in Iraq (in captivity for almost 1,000 days). Abducted along with four British military men, Peter was the only one of the five to survive the ordeal. Blindfolded and handcuffed for months, he spent days killing mosquitoes with his cuffed hands, keeping his mind focused by counting how many he could eliminate in a day. When Peter was finally freed of his blindfold, he was then chained to a radiator. He stared at the cracks on the wall and built an entire train system in his mind, which he was later able to replicate on paper. Peter suffered incredible hardships, illnesses, mock-executions, and beatings. But through his resilience and his ability to occupy his mind, he was able to survive. Peter’s story touched me deeply. I wanted to write about kidnapping, bring awareness to what hostages have to go through—and hopefully help more hostages come home. I feel honored to call Peter a friend, and I’m grateful he is free now, able to enjoy life again. He’s my personal hero.
SB: Why did you want to do a story about kidnapping and ransom?
KJH: Growing up, I was fortunate to live in many different places, including Africa, Saudi Arabia, Europe, and the Caribbean. Given my background, I really wanted to write a series about a character who had to travel internationally for her work. Kidnapping fascinated me because it is such a painful and unusual experience, a purgatory of sorts. When you’re a hostage, you’re still alive, but you’re not really living. Instead, you try to endure the hardships, the boredom of captivity, the fear that you might not make it back home and the fervent hope that freedom will eventually come. It’s a complicated and challenging crime. Even when the hostage returns home, the memory of captivity lingers. In fact, the day a hostage is set free often comes with mixed emotions: euphoria that the ordeal is over, and anxiety, because while you have been held captive, the rest of the world has moved on. People expect you to be the same person you were before captivity, but you’re forever transformed by your experience. It can be tough to adjust, and it’s very important to talk to a professional to receive assistance re-adjusting to your new reality.
When you start a fictional series, you want to make sure there is enough breadth and depth in the subject matter for many tales. With my character Thea Paris, I have a myriad of stories to share. Kidnapping is quite international in nature, so that allows me to take Thea to different parts of the world. Given my love of travel, the research provides an opportunity to visit intriguing places. There are also many types of kidnapping, from political to ransom to virtual to phantom to tiger, so I will never run out of story ideas. In fact, I wish I had more time to tackle them all.
SB: In addition to writing an entertaining novel, were you also trying to educate readers on this topic? Is there anything in particular you want them to take away from this book?
KJH: I would very much like to bring kidnapping to the forefront of people’s minds, create awareness for this growing international crisis. There are over 40,000 reported kidnappings a year—in part due to displaced military and police in many third world countries—and this crime is definitely on the rise across the globe. There are many hostages still being held in captivity, and we need to help them. The US administration created a new government body called the HRFC—Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell, a multi-agency group spearheaded by the FBI, to deal with the abductions of Americans abroad, and I hope this effort will assist hostages and their families. We’re living in a challenging world, and we need to educate people on travel safety, so we can prevent kidnappings in the first place.
SB: Did you know anyone previous to your writing the book that had been kidnapped?
KJH: Yes, Peter Moore, as I mentioned above. And I’ve met other hostages during my research. There is an organization called Hostage US (and Hostage UK) that assists captives and their families during the reintegration process. Former hostages really need support, and I’m pleased that people are trying to help.
SB: How did you research this book?
KJH: I’ve spent many hours interviewing and just getting to know kidnap and ransom negotiators, former hostages, K&R insurance executives, reintegration experts, psychiatrists specializing in the hostage mindset, and the Special Forces soldiers who deliver ransoms and execute rescues. I’ve also been fortunate to have many of these experts read my book. It’s very important to me to get the facts right.
I also enjoy researching weapons, cultures, locales, and pretty much anything else that will bring verisimilitude to my novels. My kidnap negotiator character, Thea Paris, has type 1 diabetes. As a former medical writer, I wanted to portray her condition accurately. I spent time talking to two active, dynamic women in their 30s who have type 1 diabetes to make sure that I had the details and nuances correct. I’m very grateful for their help.
SB: What’s it like publishing your book and having so many great writers praising you?
KJH: I feel incredibly grateful to have writers I respect and admire share positive feedback about The Freedom Broker. Writers spend so much time alone working on their prose, it’s absolutely touching to hear that the book resonated with someone. I’m dedicated to working hard on my craft and storytelling ability, and I hope to improve as a writer as I pen more novels. It’s a long and winding road, and I want to enjoy every step of the way.
SB: How did you get involved with the International Thriller Writers and later become the Executive Director of ThrillerFest, the organization’s annual conference held every July in New York City?
KJH: I started volunteering with the International Thriller Writers, and when I was asked to become the Executive Director, I was honored to accept. The ITW is a not-for-profit organization, and its mandate is to support thriller authors. Anyone who is enthusiastic about suspense novels will really enjoy ThrillerFest. We have loads of great programming for fans, aspiring writers, and authors. We meet every year in July at the Grand Hyatt in NYC for ThrillerFest. Please come join us. This year, the dates are July 11-15th, 2017. If you have any questions, drop me a line at kimberleyhowe@thrillerwriters.org.
SB: What’s it like as a reader and writer to be able to meet so many great writers?
KJH: It’s like being a kid in a candy shop! I’m so passionate about books that it is a dream job to be talking about them 24/7. It’s fun to be able to ask some of my favorite authors questions about their books and receive a personal—and usually, entertaining—answer. I love that ITW’s bestselling authors are so accessible and helpful to our aspiring authors. Everyone pays kindness forward. We have a special group at ITW, and I’m honored to be part of the organization.
SB: How did growing up in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and the Caribbean affect you as a writer?
KJH: I’m grateful for the incredible experiences I’ve had growing up internationally. I’ve learned fascinating things about other cultures, and I hope that these experiences will add some richness and texture to my books. We’re all curious about each other, interested in learning what makes others tick—and the world is becoming a smaller, more diverse place with convenient airplane travel, so the understanding of other cultures is an important and useful asset.
I love traveling to different locales for research. For The Freedom Broker, I had the pleasure of visiting the beautiful island of Santorini, historically steeped Athens, and the stunning vistas of Zimbabwe.
SB: Why did you decide to have the protagonist have diabetes? I liked it. It reminded me of when I read my first Ian Rankin novel and the featured criminal was anemic.
KJH: Very pleased to hear you enjoyed the information about Thea Paris having type 1 diabetes. I wanted to demonstrate that no matter what illness you have, the condition does not define you. Although Thea constantly monitors her blood sugar levels and maintains her diabetes with great care, she doesn’t let it stop her from pursuing her passion of bringing hostages home. She lives an active and dynamic lifestyle, and diabetes does not hold her back. At the same time, having diabetes makes Thea vulnerable, which I feel is important. No one is invincible, and this brings humanity to her character.
As a former medical writer, I have researched diabetes extensively. My grandfather also had the condition, and I can remember him injecting himself with needles…that definitely made an indelible impression on me as a child, and I wanted to include the condition in my book. I hope Thea inspires people with diabetes to look after themselves and to pursue their dreams. There are many professional athletes, actors, musicians and other people with diabetes, and they are an inspiration for Thea.
“…one fact that stood out to me is how different countries react to kidnappings. There have been many instances of people being abducted in groups, and often the hostages are people of different nationalities. Given that each country has a unique policy of how they deal with kidnappers, as a hostage, your fate can be greatly influenced by your home country’s policy. A fate of birth, if you will.”
SB: What question did you wish I would ask that I didn’t? Here’s your chance to ask it and answer it.
KJH: Okay, that’s fun. How about this: What is an interesting piece of information that you’ve learned from your research?
There are countless fascinating details in the world of kidnapping, and I could truly write an entire non-fiction book about the facts alone. But one fact that stood out to me is how different countries react to kidnappings. There have been many instances of people being abducted in groups, and often the hostages are people of different nationalities. Given that each country has a unique policy of how they deal with kidnappers, as a hostage, your fate can be greatly influenced by your home country’s policy. A fate of birth, if you will.
In the case of the US and U.K., both countries have strong policies of not negotiating with terrorists and not paying ransoms. In the US, things have softened slightly, in that if it can be proven that intelligence can result from a ransom payment that could lead to prosecution, the payment may be permissible. But it’s definitely a touchy subject, a hot bed of controversy about funding terrorism. That leaves rescue as an option, but only one in five missions are successful. Challenging odds. And the UK will not pay ransoms or negotiate with terrorists, but they will make payments to captors. For example, British yachting couple Rachel and Paul Chandler were captured by Somali pirates, and a ransom was paid for their freedom.
Contrast this with nations like Germany, France, Italy, and Spain who have directly paid ransoms to hostage takers. This creates world controversy, as there is a lot of finger pointing, accusing these countries of funding terrorism. Al-Qa’ida alone made 125 million dollars from global ransom transactions of this indirect funding since 2008.
Take the unique example of Israel. They will strike deals and offer concessions for the release of their citizens, even for the remains of their soldiers killed in battle, but Israel has a policy of killing anyone who abducts its citizens and has re-arrested prisoners it has released as part of an exchange.
If you’re taken hostage, your country of origin can profoundly affect your release, your treatment, your future.
Thanks so much for your excellent questions.
You can find copies of The Freedom Broker on our shelves and via bookpeople.com. K. J. Howe comes to BookPeople on Wednesday, February 15, at 7 PM. She’ll be appearing in conversation with local author and renowned thrillerist Jeff Abbott.
Scott Butki reads at least 35 books a year and has been interviewing at least 25 authors a year for more than 10 years.You can see an index of those interviews here.
The Freedom Broker
Michele Leber
Booklist.
113.5 (Nov. 1, 2016): p31.
COPYRIGHT 2016 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
* The Freedom Broker. By K. J. Howe. Feb. 2017. 400p. Quercus, $26.99 (9781681443102); e-book
(9781681443034).
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
The crime of kidnapping unites a family. Nikos Paris was kidnapped when he was 12 years old, as his shocked younger
sister, Thea, looked on; then the boy was held captive for nine months, an experience that irrevocably changed him.
Thea has become a fearless response consultant for Quantum International Security, specializing in kidnap prevention,
negotiation, and hostage extraction, and she hides her diabetes to avoid being judged weak. Then Thea and Nikos'
father, oil magnate Christos, is kidnapped from his yacht in Greece just before his sixtieth-birthday celebration and as
negotiations for a contract on an oil-rich area in Africa are about to begin. As Thea and her colleagues search for her
father, Nikos' experience in captivity and dual identity are revealed, leading to a potentially fatal showdown on an
elevated bridge between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Fortunately Thea has an ally from the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell
as well as Rif Asker--her boss' son, father's godson, and childhood friend, who always has her back. This debut novel
by Howe, executive director of the International Thriller Writers' annual ThrillerFest, generates nonstop suspense,
commanding attention from the start and never letting go. Intended as the start of a series, this is a must for thriller
fans.--Michele Leber
Source Citation (MLA 8
th Edition)
Leber, Michele. "The Freedom Broker." Booklist, 1 Nov. 2016, p. 31+. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA471142824&it=r&asid=7e57cdd5503e56b2c3e1edbbfad69095.
Accessed 9 July 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A471142824
7/9/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1499644389614 2/3
Howe, K.J.: THE FREEDOM BROKER
Kirkus Reviews.
(Nov. 1, 2016):
COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Howe, K.J. THE FREEDOM BROKER Quercus (Adult Fiction) $26.99 2, 7 ISBN: 978-1-68144-310-2
A fast-moving thriller featuring kidnapped oil tycoon Christos Paris and his kidnap-negotiator daughter, Thea. She's
tough. She's smart. She's diabetic.Greek mogul Christos is snatched from his yacht, The Aphrodite, on Christmas Day,
his name day, and his crew lies dead in pools of blood. Luckily, Thea's job at London-based Quantum International
Security (QSI) is hostage rescue. She's a woman of "pure steel" in an "action-oriented domain." American Special
Agent Gabrielle Farrah gets involved, because the Christos name is "synonymous with the oil that fueled America."
There are no ransom demands, only cryptic messages in Latin. QSI has no idea who's holding Christos, but maybe it's
the Islamic State group. Meanwhile, Nikos Paris hates his father, who he
feels didn't do enough to rescue him 20 years ago when at age 12 he'd been kidnapped by a warlord. The family had
been living in the (fictional) African nation of Kanzi, where for more than nine months Nikos' captors had forced him
to become a murderous child soldier. Now, in addition to being the well-known son of a rich man, Nikos is also Ares,
an arms dealer and "self-proclaimed God of War," though only a few know about his alter ego. He "could order
someone's death with a casual whisper," but don't expect him to help in the search for Dad. And Helena Paris has little
time to enjoy being Christos' fifth wife, because her limo explodes with her in it. "Bodies kept accumulating" around
Thea, oh yes they surely did. The action largely takes place in Africa and is relentless, leaving just enough time for one
vivid airborne sex scene. Thea tries to lead a prime minister through a ventilation system even as she fears she won't
get her insulin dose in time. But the best scene--and who cares if it's plausible--involves bungee jumping over the
Zambezi River. It's worth the price of the book. A spectacular start for what promises be a great Thea Paris series.
Source Citation (MLA 8
th Edition)
"Howe, K.J.: THE FREEDOM BROKER." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Nov. 2016. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA468388971&it=r&asid=f821e73f03c0c8912858d145de2b5977.
Accessed 9 July 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A468388971
7/9/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1499644389614 3/3
The Freedom Broker: A Thea Paris Novel
Publishers Weekly.
263.44 (Oct. 31, 2016): p52.
COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
The Freedom Broker: A Thea Paris Novel
K.J. Howe. Quercus, $26.99 (400p) ISBN 9781-68144-310-2
Kidnap and rescue expert Thea Paris, the heroine of Howe's promising debut, has suffered from survivor's guilt ever
since her brother, Nikos, was kidnapped 20 years earlier at age 12--despite Niko's safe return. In the present day, the
stakes get personal again when Thea's wealthy father, Christos, is kidnapped on his 60th birthday from his yacht, which
was moored at the Greek island of Santorini. A powerful oil baron about to make the deal of a lifetime, Christos has
certainly made his share of enemies. Thea expects a ransom demand, but instead a series of foreboding messages in
Latin come to her father's phone. With no way to know whether her father is still alive, or who's behind the kidnapping,
Thea must fight the clock, her own secrets, and those of her closest family members in order to find the truth. Howe,
the executive director of ITW's annual Thrillerfest, provides nonstop action, believable characters, and a wellresearched
look at the world of international kidnapping. Agent: Victoria Sanders, Victoria Sanders & Associates.
(Feb.)
Source Citation (MLA 8
th Edition)
"The Freedom Broker: A Thea Paris Novel." Publishers Weekly, 31 Oct. 2016, p. 52. General OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA470462502&it=r&asid=cf8f6509deeca684759211bbdcb2d5dd.
Accessed 9 July 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A470462502
Review: ‘The Freedom Broker’ has gripping action, thrills
This book cover image released by Quercus shows "The Freedom Broker," a thriller by K.J. Howe. (Quercus via AP)
This book cover image released by Quercus shows “The Freedom Broker,” a thriller by K.J. Howe. (Quercus via AP) more >
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By JEFF AYERS - Associated Press - Tuesday, February 14, 2017
“The Freedom Broker” (Quercus), by K.J. Howe
A woman who runs an organization that specializes in recovering victims from kidnappings finds herself in a case that hits too close to home in K.J. Howe’s novel “The Freedom Broker.”
Thea Paris runs Quantum International Security. She’s the only woman in the world who leads an organization that deals with abductions and recovery. When she was a young girl, she witnessed the kidnapping of her older brother. He was never the same. Her father is a well-respected oil tycoon who wants his daughter to run his company.
She visits her father for a birthday celebration. After giving him his present, she heads out for a quick run before the festivities begin. When she returns, she’s shocked to find one of her father’s most trusted friends is dead. Her father has been taken, and now she must use every source at her disposal to get him back.
Diplomacy mixed with a black-ops team of professionals usually gets results for Thea, but this time both might get her father killed.
Howe uses fascinating details regarding real-world teams that specialize in kidnapping with gripping action and thrills to make this an amazing page-turner. It’s hard to believe that this is her first novel because the story, characters and pacing feel like the work of a much more experienced storyteller. This is the first in a series, and further adventures featuring Thea Paris and her company will be eagerly anticipated.
Review: The Freedom Broker by K. J. Howe
THOMAS PLUCK
The Freedom Broker by K. J. Howe is the 1st book in a new series featuring the elite kidnap and ransom (K&R) specialist Thea Paris (available February 7, 2017).
I love a book where the author delves into a subject and learns everything about it, then crafts a story around it. David Morrell does this often; he’s learned to fly a plane to make scenes believable. Megan Abbott studied pro cheerleaders and gymnasts when writing her two latest. And now, K. J. Howe has dug into the terrifying world of Kidnap Rescue, where government and private agents work with families faced with the unimaginable: the loss of a loved one held for ransom by people who will not hesitate to kill or maim them for profit.
Roxane Gay’s An Untamed State depicted this from the point of view of a victim kidnapped in Haiti and explored how she dealt with both her captors and her family during and after the crisis, which left her changed for life. In The Freedom Broker we get into the heads of the kidnappers, the family of the victim, and the people who rescue them.
Thea Paris leads an elite team of operators who specialize in preparing people who might be kidnapped and rescuing those unlucky enough to be targeted. She has skin in the game, as her older brother Nikos was kidnapped when he was twelve years old by a warlord in the African country of Kanzi. Their father, Christos Paris, is the world’s most powerful oil magnate (quaint in a world where corporations and governments control most of the resources, but it gives the story a personal touch). And Christos is the next target.
Thea blames herself for her brother’s abduction, as she was too terrified to scream when it happened. It changed him forever, and their strong bond as brother and sister lets him get away with horribly rakish behavior. Her comrade Rif sees Nikos’s dark side, where she cannot.
She rested against the white stone fence beside the stairs, gasping for air, blood pulsing through her body. She stroked Aegis’ short coat, her dog already recovered and ready for more. Must be nice. Still, a painful euphoria filled her. Papa would be impressed. Maybe he was on deck, watching for her arrival.
She straightened and looked down. Her heart skipped a beat. The Aphrodite was no longer docked. Instead, its sleek lines cut through the water, headed out to sea. What the hell?
The pros who take Christos execute his yacht crew and flee on a helicopter while Thea is off on a run. She returns to find her father’s Blackberry and a cryptic message in Latin. The abductors aren’t behaving like any kidnappers she’s dueled with in her career. They don’t want money. They don’t demand political action. They can only want revenge.
But with a trail of enemies a lifetime long, Thea has nowhere to start. Government agent Gabrielle and her father’s pocket Greek police agent both want to be involved, but Thea can operate quickly. The problem is the kidnappers know far too much about her, her family, and the Paris conglomerate…
Men wearing desert fatigues exited the vehicles, brandishing AK-47s. One of the soldiers opened the rear door of the third truck. A huge man climbed out, dwarfing the others with his height and shoulders that could span the equator. She shivered, recognizing General Ita Jemwa’s large stature and scarred face from the newspaper articles about Nikos’ kidnapping. Standing between her and rescue was the man who’d collected the million-dollar reward for her brother’s return, the man who—according to Nikos’ journal—had been his original kidnapper. She wondered who put those notes in her bag in the first place? Who wanted her to know what really happened in Kanzi?
Now, the obvious bad guy is … pretty obvious, but Howe deftly deflects the blame from him by letting us in his head. He has his own agenda, and the kidnappers have foiled it.
The action is fast-paced and believable; I’m no operator, but I’ve read books by many and known a few, and the gunplay and squad tactics pump up the excitement without stretching believability. Thea is sharp and smart and knows her combat, but her skills don’t make her superhuman. No 135-pound woman clocking out 200 lb. thugs.
The multiple characters keep the story flowing, but I wish we had more time with Thea. Gabrielle, Nikos, and Rif get a lot of page time, and they are interesting characters. Like a teasing TV series, Rif and Thea have great chemistry but don’t get a lot of time together, even after it begins with them partnered. But as this is a series, we can look forward to more developments there.
The plot is twisty, but the players are all in place and nothing comes out of left field. Thea is up against an operator with equal cunning and resources who targets her team immediately and keeps them ducking and weaving. We get an inside look not only into kidnap and rescue teams, but the global oil market and the recruitment of child soldiers by warlords in Africa. The final confrontation pumps up the action to the max and kept me on the edge of my seat. I stayed up burning through the last hundred pages to find out the identity of the abductors and their motives.
A great, solid entry in the espionage thriller genre that will please military buffs and those interested in the twisted world of global politics and the battle over resources that affects us all.
Review: ‘The Freedom Broker’ by K.J. Howe
Author Blu GilliandPosted on June 14, 2017Categories ReviewsTags Dave Simms, K.J. Howe, Reviews, The Freedom Broker
The Freedom Broker by K.J. Howe
Quercus (February 2017)
400 pages; $17.79 hardback; $12.99 e-book
Reviewed by Dave Simms
Far too many times, a thriller fails to live up to its name. Formulaic, tired tropes, ripoffs of the same old “high concept” plots which circulate through the shelves as readers’ minds numb to the repetition. Thankfully, a few push beyond the herd with something new now and then. Newcomer K.J. Howe has definitely brought something special to the table.
Heroine Thea Paris works as a Kidnap and Rescue specialist for Quantum Security International, a “Freedom Broker.” Kidnapping of Americans is a billion dollar industry in today’s world as tourists routinely go missing from resorts and overseas business trips. Many never return. Thankfully, those who can afford the freedom brokers or those whose governments care enough to save them might be saved from a grisly death.
The only female K&R specialist finds that her father, Christos Paris, has disappeared from his boat off the coast of Santorini in a vicious kidnapping. Thea and her team know they have a small window to retrieve him before pieces of him are sent back as motivation to pay up. However, there are a few mind-boggling twists to this case, ones which help raise this tale above anything that’s typical.
Howe infuses the story with characters which bleed personality onto the pages, eschewing the tried and true for the most part. When Thea was a child, she witnessed her brother Nikos taken by a warlord. Years later, she still suffers from the ordeal, with some interesting flaws which keep her above the typical. But it’s her brother who winds up stealing the prize as the most fascinating character, but details would ruin the surprise.
Howe might be a first time novelist, but the razor sharp writing is without an ounce of fat. With loads of technical explanations of weaponry and procedures, this story could easily have been downed in detail, but it only pushes the action forward. This will wind up becoming a contender for best thriller of the year. Easily.
THE FREEDOM BROKER
Image of The Freedom Broker (A Thea Paris Novel)
Author(s): K.J. Howe
Howe wastes no time establishing Thea Paris as a force with which to be reckoned. Fortunately, she also doesn’t shy away from letting readers into Thea’s personal life and inner thoughts, as well as putting her formidable talents on display, ensuring that she is a well-rounded, fully fleshed-out heroine whose coming adventures will certainly be worth following. Though some of the dialogue is stilted and over-expositional, Howe gives readers a handily twisted plotline, rife with tension and intrigue, that is sure to keep the pages turning. Overall, this is a strong start to a series that will appeal to fans of Stephanie Pintoff’s Eve Rossi and Lee Child’s Jack Reacher.
Growing up as the daughter of an international oil tycoon meant kidnapping was a very real threat for Thea Paris. Her worst fears came true when her brother was kidnapped, and after his return, she dedicated her life to rescuing others. Now one of a team of 25 elite professionals, Thea is a skilled and highly trained hostage negotiator and rescuer. But when her own father is kidnapped before her eyes, Thea finds herself pushed to the brink as she risks everything to bring him back alive. (QUERCUS, Feb., 400 pp., $26.99)
Reviewed by:
Bridget Keown
Review: 'The Freedom Broker' has gripping action, thrills
Associated Press
JEFF AYERS
Associated PressFebruary 14, 2017
This book cover image released by Quercus shows "The Freedom Broker," a thriller by K.J. Howe. (Quercus via AP)
More
"The Freedom Broker" (Quercus), by K.J. Howe
A woman who runs an organization that specializes in recovering victims from kidnappings finds herself in a case that hits too close to home in K.J. Howe's novel "The Freedom Broker."
Thea Paris runs Quantum International Security. She's the only woman in the world who leads an organization that deals with abductions and recovery. When she was a young girl, she witnessed the kidnapping of her older brother. He was never the same. Her father is a well-respected oil tycoon who wants his daughter to run his company.
She visits her father for a birthday celebration. After giving him his present, she heads out for a quick run before the festivities begin. When she returns, she's shocked to find one of her father's most trusted friends is dead. Her father has been taken, and now she must use every source at her disposal to get him back.
Diplomacy mixed with a black-ops team of professionals usually gets results for Thea, but this time both might get her father killed.
Howe uses fascinating details regarding real-world teams that specialize in kidnapping with gripping action and thrills to make this an amazing page-turner. It's hard to believe that this is her first novel because the story, characters and pacing feel like the work of a much more experienced storyteller. This is the first in a series, and further adventures featuring Thea Paris and her company will be eagerly anticipated.
The Freedom Broker
Written by K J Howe
Review written by Ali Karim
Ali Karim is a Board Member of Bouchercon [The World Crime & Mystery Convention] and co-chaired programming for Bouchercon Raleigh, North Carolina in 2015. He is Assistant Editor of Shots eZine, British correspondent for The Rap Sheet and writes and reviews for many US magazines & Ezines.
The Freedom Broker
Headline Publishing
RRP: £7.49
Released: 23 February 2017
eBook
Buy Now
A startling debut that is as intriguing as it is propulsive, telling the tale of a tough protagonist whose past defines the actions of her future, and that of others.
K J Howe sets herself up not only crafting a debut of considerable power; but what appears to be the commencement of a series of International Thriller Novels. A tall order indeed as readers know, when a series starts, there comes backstory which can become baggage that slows the narrative. Howe’s debut overcomes these hurdles for we start right in the epicentre of the storm; and the backstory is injected into the proceedings like the rings within a mighty tree trunk, striating the narrative and penetrating the enigma of Thea Paris, hostage negotiator and exfiltration expert.
Apart from an intriguing plot, it’s the characterisation of Thea Paris that should be remarked upon. Paris is plagued by events many years in the past, but in her eyes as fresh as headlines in a newspaper. As a child growing up in Africa; her older brother was kidnapped, resulting in a trauma that affected the family and lives on today. Despite the successful return of Nikos, it changed little Thea; altering the direction of her life. Often the events of the past, as well as their consequences lay the seeds of our futures. Two decades later, lightening strikes again, but this time it’s her industrialist father, Christos Paris the wealthy 60 year old Oil Magnate who is abducted; with his yacht and crew attacked in what appears like a military operation by professionals.
Unlike in her past, Thea is no longer the frightened eight year old kid, but an elite operative experienced in Kidnap, Ransom and Exfiltration, so she alerts her colleagues at Quantum Security International, as Conan Doyle’s Holmes once uttered, ‘the game’s afoot, Watson’. The most intriguing aspect to Christos’ abduction and the murder of his people on the yacht is that there are no demands, no ransom – just mysterious words in Latin.
Thea and her colleagues [including the resourceful US intelligence’s Gabrielle Farrah], after digging find little surprise that Mr Paris had many enemies, friends and adversaries. One does not become an industrialist of the stature of Christos Paris without ruffling many feathers, especially when allegiances shift like yellow dunes trapped in a Saharan sandstorm trapping families and whoever comes in the path of the storm. It also appears that the Industrialist was close to closing a significant business deal.
Filled with trade-craft, espionage techniques, as well as a vast array of characters and compassion, this action orientated thriller twisted and turned like an African river. It delves into many themes, which at times was revelatory and at times perplexing; though with Thea Paris; her confidence and that of her cohorts, one did feel a sense of reassurance that she would be able to manage despite what was thrown at her, and her team.
When I put the book down, I shook it hard and listened for any rattle. There was silence, for it has been judiciously edited for in these times of reduced attention spans there was not a superfluous turn of phrase, exposition, word, or dammit - not even a stray semi-colon. Though there was an odour of Cordite remaining in the room forcing the reader to open the window.
Highly recommended for those seeking the comfort and thrills that an international thriller can provide in a world where fact and fiction seem intertwined. I am sure we will be hearing again from Thea Paris before too long, and with the cinematic nature of Howe’s confident writing style, dare I say on a screen as well as a page.
Editor's note: The ebook is published on February 26 2017, the paperback will be released on 27 July 2017.