Collision of Lies    by John J. LeBeau Order:  USA  Can Oceanview, 2012 (2012) Hardcover, e-Book Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth John J. LeBeau's Collision of Lies begins with the promise of a good read, a great plot and a cast of characters that all mesh together into a novel that 'has been reviewed by the CIA to prevent the disclosure of classified information.' Pretty heady stuff. Unfortunately, long and seldom-used words pepper the pages of the first portion of the book, diverting the reader from the meat of the story. Fortunately, LeBeau gets into high gear after this and produces a tale that will keep readers breathless. We start our journey with a murder at sea. The story unfolds to introduce a fistful of characters – some of whom are on the wrong side of the fence and others who work night and day to keep the world safe from the bad guys. Shipments of illicit goods are being delivered to undisclosed destinations – goods that could start a new war. Bavarian Kommissar Franz Waldbaer is investigating the death of a prominent figure when he is joined in his work by a police official from Austria. They meet with agents from the American CIA to bring terrorists to heel. The plot skips back and forth between various parts of the world – Bavaria, Austria, Virginia, Somalia, Jordan, Azerbaijan to name a few. This is not a problem; it's done well. Money laundering is being used to fund retirements for those who don't care what happens to whom as long as they get their share of the profits. Collision of Lies has a wham-bam of an ending, that kept me gasping for breath. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews