Real Stories told
STORY LINE: Sprint from Philadelphia to Monaco, Paris, Yucatan Peninsula, Costa Rica, and Panama in a history-mystery thriller told through the eyes of a woman and man who have no options.
Criminal lawyer Lee Gunther discovers the true-to-life Mafia connection to the murders of the Oscar winner who became Monaco's Princess Grace, her brother, and brother-in-law. Now he must join Jaime Calero.
Jaime immigrated to the U.S. when her uncle Hugo Spadafora, a true-to-life Central American freedom fighter, was taken down by Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega. Jaime has become an FBI special agent. And she is drawn into a back-channel FBI/CIA operation designed to shut down Noriega's partnership with Pablo Escobar's Medellin Cartel that ships mountains of cocaine into the U.S. through the Panama canal. The mission sends Jaime and Lee on A Run to Hell.
FACTS AMID FICTION: Where did Schofield find true accounts? His father grew up next door to Grace Kelly.
He knew what happened to the Hollywood star and what was behind the same-day murders of her brother and brother-in-law. And as a lawyer, the author represented clients associated with the Philadelphia Mafia family, which was vicious even by Mafia standards. Nervous lips whispered.
Schofield's mentor in the law, Raymond J. Takiff, was one of three lawyers defending Manuel Noriega on U.S drug trafficking charges. Takiff had relocated from Philly to South Florida and earned a reputation as a flamboyant criminal defender. He also played a hidden and mindbogglingly dangerous role as defense counsel to federal agents playacting as drug dealers. Takiff extended bribes to willing judges when Operation Court Broom swept the drug-money corrupted Florida judiciary clean.
This story came to Schofield many ways. Lee and Jaime don't care. All that matters is staying alive until tomorrow . . . when you take A Run to Hell.
Grab the 3rd edition: New Research Findings And phoTOS
Back Cover: Brutal dictator, drug kingpin, and Panama President Manuel Noriega. Front Cover: Grace drives Cary Grant on the road where she will be murdered.
Answers to Every Reader's Digest Question
An “Accident” Murders Royalty
READER'S DIGEST ASKS "11 Unanswered Questions" about the death of Hollywood's Academy Award winner for Best Actress, who became Monaco's Princess Grace Kelly Grimaldi. A Run to Hell answers those questions.
Media and Book Club Appearances
The Press of Atlantic City raves: "Schofield is fun. He's entertaining. A storyteller." Have the author bring that to your book club or group. Zoom puts him LIVE on big screen, desktop computer, laptop or other device.
Pleasant Dreams
In a Dream About the Author
Legal thriller king John Grisham (The Firm) mates with romance genre queen Nora Roberts (The Next Always). Because it’s only a dream, Nora also wraps with mob master Mario Puzo (The Godfather). The child they spawn creates terrific pleasure reading for any beach or comfort zone and is named Frederick Schofield.
And which of his titles should you read first? The author sometimes recommends reading The Boardwalkers before taking A Run to Hell. Either way, you will find some characters common to both stories.
Chapter One: "Operation Court Broom"
Grab the THIRD EDITION for recent research fiindings and more photos of real-life characters and locations.
Stroll with The Boardwalkers
But look over your shoulder in a critically praised 70-year adventure happening on the world's longest boardwalk.