Big things come in small packages.
Nick Lawrence returned to Austin, Texas and rejoined his old unit, the FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children task force. It’s not long before he finds himself in the middle of a well-organized human trafficking ring. Teaming with local law enforcement, he sets out to dismantle the group. Nick soon realizes that he’s in over his head and if he’s not careful…he might lose his.
A girl, alone and on the run, hunted by a relentless adversary tasked with bringing her back. Thrust into a country that she doesn’t know and armed only with a set of skills bestowed by her father, she embarks on a perilous journey to keep a promise.
With his second installment in the Nick Lawrence Series, Shea delivers a fast-paced, thrill-filled sequel to its well-received predecessor, The Camel’s Back.
Mr. Shea’s second installment was just as good if not better than his first. In addition to some great characters returning from his first book, His introduction of Anaya Patel brought me even closer to the story. As a child protective services supervisor, I was immediately drawn to her character. Anaya’s role in the book is integral to the storyline and having seen many of these types of cases in my own career, she is the epitomy of a great social worker. I am looking forward to what happens in the next book and hope to see more of Anaya and Nick. I highly recommend this book. Bring on part 3!!
A gripping novel on the life of a young girl taken by users. The professionals involved in trying to protect her and save her are dedicated and very involved in ending this horrific group of predators. Another great write by Brian Christopher Shea! Can’t wait for his 3rd novel!
Second book for this author, second in the series & I’m hooked! I was curious how he’d be able to continue the story and still make the next case as interesting as the first. One of the things I loved about his first book was the relevance to today’s world climate. And by that, I mean social and economic. This second case, though completely different, again could easily have come straight from a modern headline. I will point out that the subject matter is intense, especially The Lion’s Mouth, but he is careful to present the subject line in a way to emphasize its severity without just shooting for shock and awe. I love the way he incorporates real word situations into his stories and allows the reader to see another perspective. His mix of real life experiences and his creativity as a writer have you buying into the characters 100%, leaving you wanting to know more about their futures AND backstories.
“The Lion’s Mouth” is a masterful piece of popular fiction; perfectly constructed to draw you in and keep you there. Shea expertly puts you in the action with deeply thoughtful description and measured grit. The very first page will bind you to an unassuming hero; a bond that will persist through the very end. I’d challenge anyone to read the first chapter of this novel and try to put it down.
I found “The Camel’s Back” to be a truly enjoyable read and was not entirely confident that the second installment could or would reach the high bar Shea had set with the first. Within minutes of cracking “The Lion’s Mouth” I knew that he had surpassed it. The characters we already know become deeper. The characters we meet are incredibly intriguing. As I’ve now come to expect, the plot keeps you hyper-engaged and never stalls.
If you are reading this and haven’t picked up both of these books, do yourself a favor and get caught up before the final installment hits.
This was an outstanding follow up story to The Camel's Back. As I read the book, I got to know the characters from the first book even better. To top that off, I met some interesting new characters. I wanted to finish the book but I didn't want the story to end. I was very pleased to know that the third book in the series will arrive in November 2018. These characters and their adventures are not done yet.
Could not put the book down! Great story, enjoy Nick Lawrence and the other characters. Looking forward to the 3rd book.
NEW BRITAIN -- New Britain Detective Brian Christopher Shea, who set a goal to write a book, published part two of his three book series.
The fiction book tackles sex trafficking in a fast paced thriller setting.
(Video in Link)
"OMG!” Gino Hidri exclaimed when he saw a copy of Brian Christopher Shea’s second self-published book, “The Lion’s Mouth.”
“Sweet,” added the server at Village Pizza on Main Street in historic Old Wethersfield, as Shea, a local resident, pointed out the important scene in the book that takes place at the restaurant.
“The Lion’s Mouth” is the second installment of this trilogy, published on July 4. The title is such because the idiom means going into a known danger but having a hopeful outcome. The story picks up a few months after his first book, “The Camel’s Back,” left off.
Two of the surviving characters from book one meet up because their friend is in trouble. They order the OMG at Village Pizza – an offthe-menu item (in the book and in real life) of a raw vegetable pizza – as they talk about what to do next.
“Ever since I’ve been coming here, he’s always been our server,” Shea said. “This is a little plug for our favorite pizza joint.”
That’s not the only local plug Shea makes. If you check out the back cover, there’s a picture of a Wethersfield K-9 who is the inspiration for a police dog in the story.
Shea is a former Wethersfield officer who is currently a detective on the New Britain Police Department. He is assigned to that city’s Youth Bureau that primarily handles sexual assault cases of minors.
He draws upon this experience, his time serving with the Shooting Task Force and the Narcotics Unit, as well as his time in the military, to bring his books to life.
They may be stories, but the topics are also timely, including issues of human trafficking, the sex trade, and people fleeing their homes in search of a better life. The second book begins inside a box truck.
Shea said that his writing exposes the violence but does not go into graphic detail that would turn people off.
“It allows people’s imagination to work and not paint an unnecessary picture for them,” he said.
That is something that is consistent throughout the numerous story lines.
What’s also consistent in real life is Shea’s work ethic. When Wethersfield LIFE first introduced its readers to Shea in March, he talked about what he calls his ridiculous work ethic, writing from 4:30 to 7:30 in the morning.
The only difference now is that instead of writing some more again late at night after his family goes to bed, that time is reserved for editing and marketing. But he’s still busy, no matter how you slice it.
“The pace is definitely a challenge,” the husband and father of three daughters said. “I try to balance [everything] so it doesn’t impact family life. But to say it doesn’t would be foolish.”
Adding to the break-neck speed of writing the second book was marketing the first one and he still has to perform his day job. He has added book signings, joined a writers’ networking group, gotten strong reviews according to Amazon and Good Reads, and has received positive feedback from readers.
“It’s a unique experience to hear from people you don’t know,” Shea said. “I have a pretty big following in Canada right now.”
He also has an audio book contract with Silverton Audio and Blackstone Audio that he hopes will attract a whole new audience. While he jokes that he still hasn’t made millions of dollars yet (he has basically broken even between sales and marketing on book one), Shea feels successful so far.
“I’ve received positive feedback, I’ve made connections to people I haven’t had contact with for years, and I’ve made international connections,” he said.
There are lessons learned, like streamlining the writing process. “I learned how to cut the fluff out,” he said with a laugh. He did not share as much about the plot of the second book with family and friends as he did with the first.
“I wanted to let them experience it first hand. The first time you do it [write a book] it is such a journey. You are pitching ideas to everyone. I did that so much for the first book, some people felt it was exciting, but they kind of knew where it was going because I talked about it so much,” he said.
Now Shea is building momentum for the third installment, due out Nov. 23. He is keeping his word and staying true to his hectic deadlines.
“My whole thought process is, as a new author, you start building a following. I’m not going to let time lapse so that I have to reinvigorate the market,” Shea said. “That’s why I keep the tough deadlines, so I don’t disappoint the readers.”
Making those tough deadlines could attract a traditional publisher, according to Shea, who is a self-described procrastinator by nature. He admits he’s been bitten by the writing bug, so he will finish this series and then move on to a free-standing novel as well as another series.
“The ideas are now flowing. I have four books in my head right now that I’ll be writing in the next year,” he said.
But he admits he might have to reassess that break-neck writing and marketing speed and hopes perhaps, someday, he can quit that day job. WL
