Not my usual read but I've been watching several TV shows about the Iran contra. Found it slow going but I finished it. 3 1/2 stars
Received an ARC from #Netgalley for honest review.

Didn't really enjoy this one too much. I don't usually grab political stories, even if they are mystery/thriller books. So, this one is on me. I thought the story blurb was enticing enough for me to try it out. And it was. So I did. And this one wasn't for me. I finished it, though. I just didn't like it very much. My apologies to the author.

"Based on true events" or "license for everything", still I liked this historical thriller/mystery. The lawyer Dolby take you on a line that turns into a circle and reinforces the idea that there is no such thing as "closure". With the 16 hour news of #what about Bill, this stuff or KIND OF stuff happened there and was never investigated. TC who stared in a similar movie took the goof when he could have gone the "Mena mystery mile" paved by bodies and intrigue. It was good for me

The main character was not very believable. He spent lots of time waxing philosophical, then doing very stupid things.

This novel is loosely based on the actual events that transpired in Mena, AR, involving Barry Seal, the military, the CIA, cocaine trafficking, and a government cover-up in the 1980s. This is a work of historical fiction, therefore the real story is not actually recounted. Rather the plotline of this mystery/thriller takes pieces of the actual events and builds a fictional story around them. It's also noteworthy that a movie based on actual events was recently released. The working title of the movie, in which Tom Cruise portrays Barry Seal, was "Mena". When the movie was released, the title had been changed to"American Made".

I live in Mena, but I take no offense with the liberties that the author has made. I'm sure some people will scoff at this attempt at historical fiction, but hopefully readers can take this book for what it is. This book is not about Barry Seal, the government, or the Mena Intermountain Municipal Airport. This book is about how those activities shaped and altered certain people's lives. It's also somewhat of a love story.

Bodies are piling up in the small town of Mena, and a local lawyer named Dolby takes it upon himself to investigate what is really going on. Dolby quickly becomes entrenched in a conspiracy much larger than he imagined. Fearing for his own life, and the lives of those he loves, Dolby knows the only thing he can do is make himself disappear. But the people he can trust are few and far between. He has to play his cards right in order to avoid detection and stay off the grid. Dolby methodically plans a new life and tries to forget his past, but the pull of his past life in Mena is too strong. Dolby comes full circle in the end as he tries to find closure and move on with his life.

I would recommend this book to fans of thrillers and suspense. I received this as a free ARC from Dog Ear Publishing on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.