. . . I tore it open. Inside was another handwritten letter:

Dear Tamara:

My life is in danger because of a package your cousin, Jamal Najib, entrusted me to give you. I know what is inside it, because he explained everything to me. What he told me was so shocking that I did not reveal it to anyone. Instead, I hid the package until I could contact you and verify all the facts. But if I am murdered, I want you to locate the package and use its contents as you see fit. You must study them carefully in order to discover the truth.

In case this letter falls into the wrong hands, I will not write down the package’s location, but will leave you with some clues. Jamal told me that he has given to you, as he did to me, all the relevant details of the family’s history. That knowledge will help you decipher the clues that will ultimately lead you to the package.

The trail starts in Laguna Beach. You must go there to the grave of the wretched soul of the greatest province. That soul’s tale will direct you to a kindred soul whose diseased mind will in turn direct you to the devil.

And as you near the end of your search, be sure to note the tree cross.

Warmest regards,
John Turnbull

I climbed down the tree. Mrs. Turnbull looked at me expectantly. I gave her the letter, and she read it aloud.

Her eyes gaping, she asked me, “More of John’s clue games and riddles. My goodness, what does it all mean?”

more excerpts

In Baghdad, masked gunmen massacre a prominent Iraqi family. U.S. Army Intelligence recruits Dr. Liam Casey, a trusted family friend, to find Tamara Najib. As the lone survivor of the mass murder, Tamara has disappeared.

Casey, a former military surgeon who had served in Iraq, is a victim of post-traumatic stress. Now a recovering alcoholic, he is desperate to put his life back together.

Before he embarks on the quest, an enigmatic and strong-willed woman, Lilly Jones, befriends him. Who is she, and why is she so intent on helping him? Attracted to her and needing companionship, Casey accepts her help.

Racing against the clock and shuttling between Iraq, the United States, and England, they find themselves plunged into a web of terror by those who will do anything to keep the truth hidden.

For me to write Hunting for Tamara was an emotional experience. Having lived in the Middle East, having witnessed much carnage as a former trauma surgeon, having worked with war veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress, I put all that knowledge together to form the basis of this novel.

I hope you enjoy the roller coaster ride.

I. J. Sarfeh