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WORK TITLE: At What Cost
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://jamesletoile.com/
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
https://www.amazon.com/James-LEtoile/e/B00CEPKEZ0
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: no2017001639
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/no2017001639
HEADING: L’Etoile, James
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040 __ |a IlMpPL |b eng |e rda |c IlMpPL
100 1_ |a L’Etoile, James
370 __ |e Cameron Park (Calif.) |2 naf
374 __ |a Police |a Novelists |2 lcsh
377 __ |a eng
670 __ |a L’Etoile, James. At what cost, 2016: |b title page (James L’Etoile) jacket flap (James L’Etoile has twenty-nine years of law enforcement experience in prisons and jails across the county; master’s degree in criminal justice; resides in Cameron Park, CA; This is his first novel)
PERSONAL
Married; wife’s name Ann-Marie.
EDUCATION:California State University-Sacramento, M.A. (criminal justice).
ADDRESS
CAREER
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Sacramento, assistant director, 1989-1995, facility captain, 1995-99, director of parole operations, 2003-05; Stanfield Systems, consultant, 2006-08; L’Etoile Consulting, owner, 2007—.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Crime fiction novelist James L’Etoile is an expert on prisons and the criminal justice system. In his nearly three-decade career, he has served as associate warden, chief of institution operations, hostage negotiator, and director of parole. He holds a master’s degree in criminal justice from California State University-Sacramento. L’Etoile decided to apply his knowledge of the criminal justice system to the art of writing fiction. His writings have addressed major social themes, such as human trafficking, black market organ transplants, homelessness, domestic terrorism, political corruption, and the pharmaceutical industry.
In 2013, L’Etoile published Little River, set in Jamaica. Two college co-eds travel to Jamaica for fun in the sun, only to end up missing. Local officials and police spend more time covering up the bad press and possible threat to the tourist trade than investigating the girls’ disappearance. The girls’ parents, single dad Grant Turner and single mom Andrea Carson, are thrust into the case with little help from local authorities. They are virtually on their own as they fight local corruption and the weather while trying to control their own fears for their daughters. Commenting on the character of Andrea Carson, L’Etoile told Wendy Schulz in a review at the Village Life Website, “I like strong women characters, especially women who didn’t think they were strong at first.”
Turner and Carson learn that sadistic crime boss Jon-Pierre Baptiste runs a human trafficking network on the island. His cohorts scour resorts and bars looking for young women to steal and sell. Those girls who do not accept their new lives and try to fight back are killed and dumped in the Little River area on the coast on the North side of the island. Online at Broadway World, a reviewer summed up the book as “a tale of suspense that pulls the reader into the dark, seedy world of human trafficking.”
In an interview at the Folsom Telegraph Web site, L’Etoile told Menka Belgal that human trafficking is common in the Caribbean, with Jamaica being one of the most dangerous locations because of the lack of action taken against criminal networks. L’Etoile has been to Jamaica to experience the culture and observe how kidnappers and murderers work, and he has read the many U.S. State Department and United Nations documents on human trafficking. “I want to increase awareness of the human trafficking issue and how pervasive the problem has become,” he related to Belgal, discussing why he wrote Little River. “We all tend to view the world around us through the filters we carry. . . . My filters are neither good, nor bad, it’s just my take on things and it tends to be a bit darker than others.”
In 2016, L’Etoile launched his “Detective Penley Mystery” series with At What Cost, which takes on the phenomenon of black market organ transplants. In Sacramento, Detective John Penley and his partner, Detective Paula Newberry, are investigating the brutal deaths of rival gang members by a new serial killer, dubbed the Outcast Killer, who is skilled at not leaving evidence and always seems to be two steps ahead of law enforcement. Headless, limbless, and missing their internal organs, the bodies are identified by their tattoos. At the scene of the body dumps are carefully laid-out human organs. One organ, a kidney, is a message to Penley, whose ill teenage son Tommy is awaiting a kidney transplant. Penley receives a ransom notice: pay $10,000, and his son will get a black-market kidney. Penley refuses, yet asks himself: how far will I go to save my child? Penley and Newberry must find the killer and hope that Tommy gets a kidney soon.
In an interview online at Village Life, L’Etoile told Wendy Schultz that the idea for the book came from two real incidents: an inmate was murdered and his organs were being donated, and the son of L’Etoile’s colleague needed an organ transplant. This real-life situation led L’Etoile to wonder if a parent might actually be willing to save his or her child by accepting an organ from a drug-using inmate. “An unsophisticated drug dealer and the stone-cold serial killer share one thing in common—the next big score,” he explained to Schultz. “The way they get there is where I come in, with stories told through my unique filters.”
Calling this debut of the series a nail-biter, a Publishers Weekly reviewer wrote, “L’Etoile, who has served as an associate prison warden, keeps the suspense high throughout.” Somewhat less impressed, a Kirkus Reviews contributor thought the book most suitable for those “in search of something to read in a single breathless sitting, though presumably not in a doctor’s waiting room.” Writing at her crime-review blog, Auntie M Writes, Marni Graff gave At What Cost a solid thumbs-up, stating: “L’Etoile gets gang culture just right, along with the deranged personality of the demon his detectives seek.” Graff also viewed L’Etoile’s characters as complex and well rounded and found the frenetic pace to find the killer and save Tommy urgently effective.
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, October 1, 2016, review of At What Cost.
Publishers Weekly, October 3, 2016, review of At What Cost, p. 98.
ONLINE
Auntie M Writes, https://auntiemwrites.com/ (December 7, 2016), Marni Graff, review of At What Cost.
Broadway World, http://www.broadwayworld.com/ (August 7, 2013), review of Little River.
Folsom Telegraph, http://www.folsomtelegraph.com/ (November 20, 2013), Menka Belgal, review of Little River.
James L’Etoile Website, https://jamesletoile.com (July 1, 2017), author profile.
Village Life, https://www.villagelife.com/ (December 18, 2013), Wendy Schultz, review of Little River; (April 4, 2017), Wendy Schultz, review of At What Cost.
WHAT I WRITE
We all tend to view the world around us through the filters we carry. One person may see glitter, while I see shards of broken glass. We create our perception of the world based on experiences, interactions, successes and failures in life. My writing is influenced by the set of filters I have honed over my lifetime; neither good, nor bad, it’s just my take on things and it tends to be a bit darker than others.
I write primarily crime fiction and through my lens, bad people do bad things to good people. It’s been that way since the beginning of time and that’s reality. Predator and prey. Those who live in the dark edges of society view it in those simple terms, you do the taking or get taken. The stories I develop are influenced by two decades working inside the prison system, with murderers, gang members and thousands of men doing life on the installment plan.
Life loses a little meaning behind bars. Don’t make good on a gambling debt, or refuse to have your wife mule drugs for the prison gang and you’re dead. Trust no one, keep your business off the tier, or settle it up with a knife on the yard. It can be a brutal world and in spite of the increase of tough on crime laws, most criminals end up back on the streets unprepared for life on the outside.
An unsophisticated drug dealer and the stone cold serial killer share one thing in common, the next big score. The way they get there is where I come in, with stories told through my unique filters.
— James L’Etoile
James L'Etoile
James L'Etoile
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Author Bio for James L'Etoile:
Author James L'Etoile's crime fiction work has been recognized by the Creative World Awards, Acclaim Film and the Scriptapalooza Television Script Competition. Specializing in gritty crime fiction, his complex, edgy stories are fueled by two decades of experience in prisons and jails across the country. Realistic crime fiction requires an eye for detail while immersed deep within the darkest criminal elements. James brings these stories to life with his background in probation, parole, investigation and prison operation. An experienced Associate Warden, Chief of Institution Operations, Hostage Negotiator and Director of Parole, James is unique among crime fiction authors.
Major social themes weave through his work, including the world of human trafficking and future releases include stories set around black market organ transplants, homelessness, domestic terrorism, political corruption and the pharmaceutical industry.
James is represented by Elizabeth K. Kracht, of the Kimberley Cameron & Associates Literary Agency.
James L’Etoile has twenty-nine years of experience in prisons and jails across the country. An experienced Associate Warden, Chief of Institution Operations, Hostage Negotiator and Director of Parole with a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice, L’Etoile draws upon his background to bring his crime fiction to life. He resides in Cameron Park, CA with his wife, Ann-Marie. This is his first novel.
At What Cost: A Detective Penley Mystery
Publishers Weekly.
263.40 (Oct. 3, 2016): p98.
COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
At What Cost: A Detective Penley Mystery
James L'Etoile. Crooked Lane, $25.99 (304p) ISBN 978-1-62953-995-9
At the start of L'Etoile's nail-biting debut starring Det. John Penley of the Sacramento, Calif., PD, a unique gang tattoo identifies a headless and
limbless torso as belonging to gang member Daniel Cardozo. Two members of different gangs were previously similarly murdered, leading
Penley to conclude that a serial killer, dubbed the Outcast Killer, is at large. Later, at an abandoned warehouse where a chicken has been
sacrificed, the police find a circle of melted candles and chalk drawings clearly replicating Daniel's tattoo. Locked metal cabinets at the scene,
when opened, contain a kidney on ice, which serves as a direct message from the killer to Penley, whose teenage son, Tommy, is awaiting a
kidney from the transplant list. After the killer contacts Penley via the Internet asking for $ 10,000 to procure a kidney for Tommy, the detective,
unwilling to pay the ransom, races to outwit the fiend before Tommy becomes another one of his victims. L'Etoile, who has served as an associate
prison warden, keeps the suspense high throughout. Agent: Elizabeth K. Kracht, Kimberley Cameron and Associates. (Dec.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"At What Cost: A Detective Penley Mystery." Publishers Weekly, 3 Oct. 2016, p. 98+. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA466166573&it=r&asid=5160a9f4d75b0881eb3bd12cfd476671. Accessed 1 June
2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A466166573
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6/1/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1496369233286 2/2
James L'Etoile: AT WHAT COST
Kirkus Reviews.
(Oct. 1, 2016):
COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
James L'Etoile AT WHAT COST Crooked Lane (Adult Fiction) 25.99 ISBN: 978-1-62953-995-9
LEtoiles first novel pits a Sacramento police detective against a killer whos mutilated corpses for the worst possible reason.High-ranking
gangbanger Daniel Cardozo is the third victim of the Outcast Killer, but he carries one final distinction to the grave: hes the first one whose arms
and legs, among other parts, were removed while he was still alive. What makes someone act like the Outcast Killer, wonders Detective John
Penley, and how can the homicide squad possibly catch a criminal whos so obsessively successful in leaving no trace evidence at any of his crime
scenes? These are weighty questions, but Penley is grappling with another even weightier: will doctors find a donor kidney for his son, 9-year-old
Tommy, whose renal failure is making him sicker and sicker, in time to save his life? As Penley contemplates paying a wraithlike online
correspondent $10,000 for a black-market kidney, his quarry, who sees human bodies as boxes of saleable goodies, toys with him in the cruelest
possible way, by sending him a recently harvested kidney as a gift. The sequence surrounding the attempted transplant is brutal and harrowing,
but it does give Penley important new leads and eventually helps him connect the recent rash of murders to a forgotten past injustice. Just as
Penley seems to be closing in on the killer, whos routinely been two steps ahead of his every maneuver, Tommy is kidnapped, and Penley forgets
everything else in his frantic attempt to rescue his ailing son. The milieu, suspects, and supporting characters are all forgettable, and the killer
scarcely puts in an appearance before hes unmasked as a bogeyman. The results are best suited to nail-biters in search of something to read in a
single breathless sitting, though presumably not in a doctors waiting room.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"James L'Etoile: AT WHAT COST." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Oct. 2016. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA465181968&it=r&asid=29e43f204e04847990e54f176ac72e1f. Accessed 1 June
2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A465181968
James L’Etoile: At What Cost Wednesday, Dec 7 2016
Uncategorized detective partners, gang murders, Sacramento police procedural, serial killer, transplant murders auntiemwrites 12:28 am
at-what-cost-cover
James L’toile calls on his vast experience in the criminal justice system to debut what Auntie M hopes is the start of a new series, At What Cost.
Set in Sacramento, he introduces Detective John Penley and his new partner, late of Internal Affairs and therefore proving her worth, Detective Paula Newberry. Facing a puzzling case will either cement or destroy their budding relationship, when trunks of headless and limbless bodies of gang members start appearing.
This is not your usual serial killer at work, and there soon becomes a personal component for Penley relating to his ill son that ties the investigation together and points squarely at the detective, for his son is on a kidney transplant waiting list, an organ he desperately needs.
Far from a simple manipulation of the supposedly-secure integrated donor system, there’s more at stake here as the two detectives dig deeper and the taunting of the killer rises. Can Penley use his son’s illness to flush out this maniac before he kills again? Or should he do a deal with the devil that might save his son’s life?
L’Etoile gets gang culture just right, along with the deranged personality of the demon his detectives seek. He knows the lie of the land in a police station, too. His work includes associate warden in a maximum security prison, director of adult parole, a primary hostage negotiator, and a national consultant on prison-based rehabilitation programs. This extensive experience runs the gamut of what humans are capable of doing to one another, and L’Etoile puts that knowledge to very good use in making this one of the most realistic and heartfelt crime thrillers she’s read in a good while.
The characters are complex and the pacing frenetic as the urgency to find the killer ramps up the action as a young boy’s life hangs in the balance. A powerful debut with a thriller of a police procedural at its heart. Readers will be waiting for Penley and Newberry’s next case.
Entertainment
‘At What Cost’ explores the risks taken to save a life
By Wendy Schultz From page B3 | April 04, 2017
“At What Cost” by Jim L’Etoile, published December 2016 by Crooked Lane Books – hardback, paperback and ebook versions, 304 pages.
Serial killers, organ transplants, gangs and revenge set the stage for “At What Cost,” the action-packed mystery thriller by Cameron Park resident James L’Etoile. Lay in a stockpile of snacks and beverages and pray for a rainy day because you will not want to put this book down once you’ve started reading.
When West Sacramento Det. John Penley begins investigating a series of grisly murders targeting gang members, he has no idea how personal the case will become. With his new partner, Paula Newberry, Penley begins connecting the dots between the case and suspicious anomalies within the organ transplant system. As he struggles to meet the demands of the increasingly twisted case and the needs of his 9-year-old son, who is awaiting a kidney transplant, the action becomes personal when Penley realizes that his son appears to be the target of a killer who is always a step or three ahead.
“At What Cost” is the first in L’Etoile’s new mystery-thriller series featuring Det. John Penley.
“I have already completed the second book and it’s out for editing,” he said. “It will bring out more about Penley’s partner, Paula Newberry, as an old Internal Affairs case comes back to haunt her.”
L’Etoile is currently working on the third book.
Set in the Sacramento area, “At What Cost” weaves skillfully between Raley Field and the Sacramento River and is given veracity by L’Etoile’s knowledge of both the area and his own 30-year career in criminal justice — as an associate warden in a maximum security prison, director of adult parole, hostage negotiator, probation officer and as a national consultant on prison-based rehabilitation programs.
“An unsophisticated drug dealer and the stone-cold serial killer share one thing in common — the next big score. The way they get there is where I come in, with stories told through my unique filters,” said L’Etoile.
“The idea for ‘At What Cost’ came from an Aryan Brotherhood gang member being shot during a fight with another inmate at the prison where I worked. He died in the hospital and then we found out his organs were being donated. He was a drug user and a horrible person and we wondered why anybody would want his organs,” said L’Etoile.
About the same time as this experience, a son of one of L’Etoile’s colleagues needed a bone marrow transplant and L’Etoile found himself wondering what lengths a parent would go to save the life of their child.
Although L’Etoile has another book, “Little River,” published in 2013, it’s still a thrill for him to see his books in print. “I snuck down to the new Barnes & Noble in Folsom just to see if it was on the shelves … and it was!”
“At What Cost” is available in hardback, paperback and ebook on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, BooksaMillion and at Face in a Book, 4359 Town Center Boulevard in El Dorado Hills. James L’Etoile can be found on Facebook, Twitter and his website, jamesletoile.com.
Vacation dreams become a nightmare in ‘Little River’
By Wendy SchultzFrom page B3 | December 18, 2013
46
Imagine being on the white sand beaches of Jamaica with the gentle ocean surf in front of you and warm sea breezes surrounding you. It’s one of my favorite day dreams but if you add a ruthless, hard-core criminal who kidnapped your college-age daughter and he is planning to sell her to the highest bidder to the scene, the dream becomes a nightmare.
That’s the nightmare that single parents Grant Turner and Andrea Carson are living in “Little River,” Cameron Park author James L’Etoile’s debut novel.
Grant and Andrea’s two daughters are college friends who went on a vacation to Jamaica together and they didn’t return. Fighting police indifference, the elements, corruption and their own worries about the fate of their daughters, the two parents unite to save their girls from a life of horror that will end in gruesome death.
“I like strong women characters,” said L’Etoile of his character, Andrea Carson, “especially women who didn’t think they were strong at first.”
L’Etoile, 56, has 20 years experience in the criminal justice system, as a probation officer and in maximum security prisons. He knows how criminals think and act and how the system can be corrupted.
During vacations to Jamaica, he began talking to local people about their concerns, one of which is the Haitian criminal network that has moved into Jamaica and is affecting the lives of Jamaicans and the tourists who visit.
“On the resorts and beaches, booze flows and inhibitions melt, creating a feeding ground for these predators,” said L’Etoile.
The story came together for him on a visit to Jamaica when he imagined what could happen to unsuspecting tourists. While doing research for the book, L’Etoile was appalled to discover that there 27 million people in modern-day slavery throughout the world; that 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year and 83 percent of confirmed sex trafficking victims are U.S. citizens.
“All people deserve to be free,” said L’Etoile. “I enjoyed the process of researching human trafficking. It’s something most people ignore because it’s really uncomfortable to look at.”
Ten percent of the profits from the sale of “Little River” goes to Not For Sale, an organization fighting human trafficking.
L’Etoile completed “Little River” a couple of years ago but it took a few tries to find the right publisher.
“Salt Media Productions is a new publisher and I was new to being published, so we learned together,” said L’Etoile
In the meantime, L’Etoile finished a few other books and is now completing his seventh novel, another crime fiction, about black market organ transplant networks that entice medically fragile people into visiting other countries in order to receive transplants.
“It’s about a serial killer who harvests organs from his victims,” said L’Etoile.”Transplant tourism is really spooky.”
EL DORADO HILLS, CA - After retiring from the Department of Corrections, James L’Etoile decided to pursue his interest in writing. With six novels completed and another on the way, “Little River” is his first one in print.
“Many people still enjoy turning paper pages and the feel of a real book. That’s why I decided to release the book as a printed version in addition to the e-book,” said L’Etoile.
What inspired you to write “Little River”?
The book focuses on darkness of human trafficking in the Caribbean. On one of my trips to Jamaica I saw people having fun on the beach oblivious to the dangers and saw how easy it was for people to become victims. Jamaica is on the U.S. State Department watch list for human trafficking because of the lack of action against the criminal networks. They hadn’t had a conviction for human trafficking until this year.
What is the plot of the book?
Two single parents come together to search for their daughters who are missing and discover the girls have been caught up in a human trafficking ring. The story is a human trafficking thriller. We learn how far parents will go to get their child back.
What research went into writing “Little River”?
I’ve visited Jamaica three times and in particular, the Little River area which is a coastal river on the North side of the island. Human trafficking occurs in and around that area. While I was there, I met with locals and traveled around with them to experience the culture. My tour guide was the bartender at the hotel where I stayed and he took me places well off the tourist track. Additionally, I reviewed countless documents from the State Department and United Nations regarding human trafficking. Survivor stories are few, but powerful. Through my work at the Department of Corrections, I observed kidnappers and murders and drew from that experience to create some of the characters in “Little River.”
What personal experiences have influenced your book?
We all tend to view the world around us through the filters we carry. One person may see glitter, while I see shards of broken glass. We create our perception of the world based on experiences, interactions, successes and failures in life. My writing is influenced by the set of filters I have honed over my lifetime through working for the Department of Corrections for around 30 years where I’ve seen the darker side of life. As a parent, too I’ve had issues where I’ve felt helpless, like all parents have felt at some point in their child’s life. My filters are neither good, nor bad, it’s just my take on things and it tends to be a bit darker than others.
What do you hope to accomplish with this book?
I want to increase awareness of the human trafficking issue and how pervasive the problem has become. My publisher and I are donating part of the proceeds from the book to NotForSale.org, a non-profit group established to fight human trafficking.
How big of a problem is human trafficking and why does it exist?
Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery where people profit from the control and exploitation of others. Besides sex trafficking, there’s also forced labor, organ donation, and child soldiers. In Indonesia traffickers buy girls from the parents so that they will produce more children for additional labor.
Worldwide, around 27 million people are caught in human trafficking. It’s a $32 billion underground business. The government in Jamaica is underfunded and overwhelmed. However, they are taking the right steps toward dealing with the problem.
Do you have another job besides writing?
I’m retired from the Department of Corrections. I’ve wanted to write for many years but didn’t have time to devote to it. It took about eight months to write “Little River” and another two years to revise and edit it.
What positive experiences have you had while working for the Department of Corrections?
As Assistant Director for the Office of Substance Abuse Programs, I saw that, in some cases, rehabilitation is possible. Well-managed drug programs change lives and enhance public safety
What hobbies do you have?
I spend much of my free time dog training. I’m involved in the American Kennel Club and do a lot of volunteer dog training with the club. My dog, Emma a 14-month old Corgi, won first place and my wife’s dog won second in a recent Sacramento Valley Rally Trial. It’s a lot of fun and something I never thought I’d do. I also build Shaker furniture for friends and family.
What causes are you passionate about?
All my books have a major social theme all of which I’m passionate about. I’m currently on my seventh novel. The themes center around the black market organ transplants, political corruption, illegal immigration, domestic terrorism, prison gangs and the counterfeit pharmaceutical industry.
Tell us about your family.
My wife of 36 years, Ann-Marie, has been my partner in all things. She’s also my dog training partner. We met in Georgetown, years ago when we were high school sweethearts. We have two kids, Jessica, who’s 31, is a probation officer and my son Mike, who’s 28, is a managing stock broker in Phoenix.
What is the most interesting thing that has happened to you?
I was locked in the gas chamber at San Quentin. The warden was showing me around the prison and then we came to the gas chamber. The warden shut and locked the door behind me to show me what one would hear and feel in the gas chamber before the gas was released. My ears popped when the fan was turned on which vented the air from the chamber. It was a creepy experience.
What are you most proud of?
My kids. I’m so proud of everything they’ve accomplished.
What is one thing about you people might be surprised to learn?
I grew up on prison camp grounds as my dad was a camp lieutenant. I remember being pushed around in a cart when I was very young by the prison gardener who was in there for murder. My earliest childhood memories are different than most.
Who is this story about? The neighbor next door? That girl on the street? The man sipping his coffee at the local cafe? The crimes portrayed in Little River happen everywhere and there is no victim safe from those who prey upon the innocent.
Little River is a riveting fictional account of two young girls drawn into a criminal network, operated by a man who treats human life as a commodity, something to be bought and sold. A tale of suspense that pulls the reader into the dark, seedy world of human trafficking. "The suspense in each chapter had me wanting more; I couldn't put the book down"; "The author has really captured the Island of Jamaica. This story kept me on the edge. The danger was so real and the emotions raw," say Amazon reader reviews.
Bad people do bad things to good people. It's been that way since the beginning of time and that's reality. Predator and prey. This story was influenced by two decades working inside the prison system, with murderers, gang members and thousands of men doing life on the installment plan. "We all tend to view the world around us through the filters we carry. One person may see glitter, while I see shards of broken glass," L'Etoile says.
Human trafficking facts:
"Gripping crime fiction blended with true crime."
• 27 million - Number of people in modern-day slavery across the world.
• 4,166 - Number of successful trafficking prosecutions in 2009.
• 800,000 - Number of people trafficked across international borders every year, as of 2007.
• Two million - Number of children exploited by the global commercial sex trade.
Before you stop to think that none of this involves you- four-fifths of victims (83%) in confirmed sex trafficking incidents were identified as U.S. citizens, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
Government organizations are underfunded to fight human trafficking and in many locations, the numbers of reported abductions is on the rise.
Human trafficking is an industry led by the darker side of crime. That's why SALT ebooks donates 10% of Little River ebook publisher profits to Not For Sale, an organization fighting human trafficking. All people deserve to be free.