Magic Island Literary Works by Larry and Rosemary Mild
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Coauthors Larry and Rosemary Mild breach deep cover and high intrigue to bring you a novel drawn from Larry's former association with secret operatives and their spook agencies.. The year is 1992. The Soviet Union has collapsed, but danger persists. Young Kent Brukner, a freshly trained American spy, arrives in Moscow for a high-risk mission: to infiltrate and compromise a Russian Federation Army facility. Under an alias, in a military uniform, he plies his skills—unprepared for the brutal confrontations and irrational consequences. Kent meets the innocent and passionate Katcha, daughter of a British expatriate and a Russian dissident. Together the lovers embark on a nearly impossible journey, beginning in the foothills of the Ural Mountains. Stalked by the evil Major Dmitri Federov, they must escape from St. Petersburg to Helsinki, Finland, or face life in a Russian prison. |
 ISBN 979-8-9863864-0-9 Magic Island Literary Works (Winter 2024) |
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Chapter 1
Step into Peril
Moscow. Wednesday, May 20, 1992,Those who commit their lives to espionage are cut from a different bolt of cloth than the rest of us. Maybe only God knows why they pursue that kind of life. Is it a strong sense of duty to their country? The need to contribute on a grand scale? The potential for thrills and excitement? The urge to be wild and reckless? Or does it boil down to a feeling of personal accomplishment at any cost?
On the downside, the profession is inherently dangerous and lonely to the point of despair. Any chance of public appreciation or acknowledgment is shrouded in the depths of secrecy.
The tradecraft is vast, the training is grueling, complicated, and often difficult to master. The professional spy, or secret agent, is an actor's actor. He or she must be able to reside in a foreign country as an "inserted" person: like a native, fluent in the language and versed in the culture with neither flaw nor lapse. There can be no offstage moments to let a guard down. A rare blend of intelligence, ingenuity, athleticism, quick wit, resilience, and discipline may be required for unpredictable situations. Assigned to accomplish such improvised magic, perhaps these agents might more accurately be called soldiers of sleight-of-hand.Kent Peter Brukner had just finished his training as an operative- a spy, if you will, with an unnamed intelligence organization based somewhere in Virginia. An American citizen, he was on a special mission, his first, to compromise a Russian Federation Army facility.
May 20th, a few minutes before midnight, his plane, Aeroflot Flight 22303, landed at Moscow's Sheremetyevo SVO Airport. "George" picked up his bag and cleared customs in forty-five minutes. A taxi took him into the city, to the Ibis Budget Moscow Panfilovskaya, a midsized hotel where he would blend in among throngs of tourists and businesspeople. Once settled in room 303, he showered, then slept off the jet lag for the rest of the night. Early in the afternoon of the new day, he left the hotel and saw the structure's lower stories in daylight for the first time, noting that they were a pleasing pink brick and the upper half yellow brick. But he forced himself to focus on his mission and sought out a somewhat dilapidated public phone booth a five-minute walk away. He made two calls with a precise number of rings and a designated delay between the calls. George neither spoke nor heard anything during either call. Walking back to the hotel, he ate supper in the coffee shop, returned to his room, and waited-for a response from "Sergei," a deep-cover operative he'd never met. George's two phone calls had initiated a prearranged meeting with the operative for the next morning.Law-school dropout Kent Brukner, alias George Thermon, was about to embark on his new life. And deep down, he felt uneasy.
Sergei arrived the next morning at ten o'clock, a short fellow with a trim beard and thick-lensed glasses. He knocked at George's hotel room door as a delivery person for a florist, carrying a long white box, but much wider, as if designed for multiple floral arrangements.
At that meeting in his hotel room, George received key tradecraft materials, a detailed briefing, and most important, yet another identity. For this mission he would no longer be George Thermon, but Major Anatoli Todorev of the Russian Federation Army, and he was given the necessary credentials to prove it.
Sergei wasted no time with pleasantries. He drew up a straight-backed chair and spread the contents of his florist's box on the bed: a military uniform; a security access pass; a pair of neutral-lensed glasses; a lock-pick set; a bugging device; a roll of electrical tape; a glue stick; and a 9mm Makarov pistol. The neatly pressed wool uniform looked smart. Brown with an olive-green hue, it bore the rank of major in the Russian Federation Army. The access pass was, without question, the most critical item: an "of- ficial" identification card for Major Anatoli Todorev. George tried on the glasses. The likeness on the ID card wasn't perfect, but the photo was "close enough for government work," as the cliché goes. In a chilly voice, Sergei said, "Try on the uniform. If it doesn't fit, you won't look authentic." George followed directions and checked his six-foot-one frame in the full-length mirror attached to the closet door. Quite impressive, he decided, especially the stately officer's hat. Sergei permitted himself a brief smile of approval.
The bugging device measured two-by-two inches and a quarter-inch thick. Sergei explained, "It's sound-triggered to record any voices in a room and go active to burst-broadcast its contents- but only when an encoded radio trigger targets the device at pseudo- random times between one and five a.m. local time." Sergei fingered two wires protruding from the base. "These need to be connected to a 220-volt, 50-Hertz power source. The broadcast will be received at an undisclosed location that you have no need to know about."
"Sergei," said George, trying to keep his voice steady so as not to betray his annoyance. "At first glance, this device looks like its size and power requirements severely limit the locations where it can be hidden. A wall socket is out of the question. Why can't the device be smaller and operate from a battery?"
Sergei had a carefully rehearsed reply, as if he'd heard this objection before. "The size and power are both related to the need for long-distance transmission. Live power will ensure extended access by the end-user. Besides, a battery will go dead eventually. And by the way, George, nobody said anything about a wall socket. Use your imagination. You'll figure it out."
His clipped response signaled "End of discussion." Sergei moved on to provide the address and floor plan of the targeted Russian Federation Army building and the location of General Uri Molitkov's office. His final instruction: "Wait for the weekend, when there will be fewer employees around." Reaching out to shake George's hand, he said in a softened voice, "Good luck, my friend."
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AWARDS
2023 Pencraft award for Literary Excellence for Kent and Katcha Espionage, Spycraft, Romance.
2024 Reader Views Book Reviews: five star review for Kent and Katcha Espionage, Spycraft, Romance.
2024 Long and Short Reviews: Five star review for Kent and Katcha Espionage, Spycraft, Romance.
2025 Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite for Kent and Katcha Espionage, Spycraft, Romance.
Long and Short Reviews
“This novel is a marvelous throwback to the early nineteen nineties, shortly after the end of the Cold War. Kent is an engaging character, an American spy, whose background is fleshed out enough for us to understand who he is and what his motivations are. The Russians capture him and throw him in prison. The situation seems hopeless.
Then, in a surprising turn of events, he manages to escape. Every step of his hopeful journey towards freedom is filled with tension. One thing after another threatens him along the path, and readers will worry for his safety. He meets an interesting lady during this time, Katcha, whose mother proposes an intriguing possibility for the young couple. It is so dangerous, so filled with a likely tragic end, and Kent only agrees with hesitation. Now, his risk has doubled. Can he and Katcha possibly survive the scrutiny and perseverance of the Russians going after him?
This book is a page-turner. The pace moves quickly but not too quickly. There is time for emotional introspection. The setting is convincingly drawn, taking readers into the era and place with ease.
This is an entertaining vintage novel readers of espionage tales with a bit of romance thrown in are sure to enjoy.
Five Stars *****.”
Readers Views Book Reviews
“A thrilling mission gone awry, a perilous journey across a treacherous continent, and a budding romance—elements that any lover of espionage thrillers or romantic suspense would eagerly devour. The masterful storytelling by the duo of Larry and Rosemary Mild shines brightly in their standalone novel, “Kent and Katcha: Espionage, Spycraft, Romance.” After the first third of the tale—arguably the setup—the story gripped me, rendering the book impossible to put down. My alarm for the next morning faded into insignificance. The need to be part of the unfolding tale was all-consuming.
One of the hallmarks of this narrative is its striking realism, enriched by meticulous descriptions of spy procedures employed by the protagonist, Kent Peter Brukner. The vivid recounting of locales, directions, and events also lends a palpable sense of realism, giving it a layer of authenticity that sucks you right in. As events unfold in real-time, they command your attention, making your heart race with anticipation of what will happen next.
Kent Brukner’s journey begins with his first espionage mission, deeply embedded in Russia. We see everything through his eyes, feeling the moment-by-moment tension as he tries to stay hidden and calculates his moves, as we watch. When a simple, yet critical, mistake leads to his immediate capture, it seems like his spy career is over before it’s begun. Yet, he quickly starts plotting his escape, embracing his fate with the determination of a true spy.
His daring escape from a prison camp in the Ural Mountains marked the point where I felt inextricably linked to his fate. His journey is fraught with challenges, and the threat of discovery, capture, and a fate much worse than originally suffered, amping up the stakes. Along the way, he encounters a mother-daughter duo with hidden motives, leading to an unexpected partnership with the beautiful Katcha.
Their ensuing romance is portrayed with a grounded realism. Brukner’s honesty with Katcha, amidst their growing closeness, paints a realistic picture of a spy’s life and the complexities of love under such extraordinary circumstances. The narrative probes whether a life of espionage, despite its draw, can be forsaken for love.
Short chapters, cleverly named, punch up the narrative. At times I found the description a bit heavy for my taste. Yet I quickly relaxed into it, as I found it was part of a package that worked very well.
This tale, true to the essence of spy narratives, not only thrills but also touches the heart, especially as new and unexpected adversaries vow to thwart Brukner and Katcha’s quest for freedom.
My one lament is the book’s standalone status. It was a memorable read that for me, was over too fast, despite the book’s many pages. It’s left me strongly hoping that the Milds have a series and more adventures planned for these two, along with the richly drawn peripheral characters that add so much.
One can hope! In the meantime, if you love spy thrillers and want to be whisked away into a vividly detailed yet plausible world of high stakes and critical decisions, don’t hesitate to pick up “Kent and Katcha” by Larry and Rosemary Mild, and dive in.
Rate this book: Five Stars *****.”
Authors Reading says
“Authors Larry and Rosemary Mild's new novel is everything a reader of thrillers could wish for. The narrative is rich with historical context and vividly portrays the complexities of a nation in transition.”Feathered Quill Book Reviews
“IThe book is well-written, and the characters are extremely well-developed, which makes it perfect. Kent and especially Katcha are excellent protagonists who are strong and intelligent and a perfect foil for each other. The secondary characters in the story such as Dimitri and Sasha, a cruel and very intelligent agent working with Dimitri, add a lot to an already excellent story. The writing and the dialogue are both well done and keep the story moving from page to page without ever seeming unbelievable or boring. Kent and Katcha packs a whole lot of excitement and fun into its pages. Quill says: Kent and Katcha is a lot of fun to read, and one cannot say that about a lot of books. It is interesting, exciting, and well-researched in terms of the spy aspect. I could see this one on the big screen, and it would be well worth it.”
Midwest Book Reviews
“Larry and Rosemary Mild once again have a great fiction work in "Kent and Katcha" that takes place in the early 1990's. Kent Brukner, is sent on undercover mission to Russia. He is to pose as a Soviet military person to cripple something at an enemy Army base. During the operation, he meets a British woman, who is also a Russian dissident. The conflicts could not be any more difficult for Kent, as he attempts to complete the task. "Kent and Katcha:" shows this team re comfortable writing fiction or nonfiction equally with books that easily draw in any readers.”
Storeybook Reviews
Guest Reviewed by Nora
“He started to rise from his chair, but she put a hand on his shoulder and said in perfect English, “You are okay in here. My mother is English and my father is Ukrainian. And I am Katcha.”
“And I am Kent,” he said, unsure why he’d used his real name.”
This was one hell of a story that left me wanting more even after it was finished!
Kent Bruckner is an American spy that gets sent to Moscow in 1992 to plant a bug in the office of a very high up Russian General. Although he is well trained and manages to make it in and out of the general’s office just fine, he gets caught before he is able to get completely out of the building. Kent keeps his cool and does not confess anything, even as he is sent to a Russian prison with no trial.
Thankfully, using his skills and training, he escapes a short while later and travels on foot through the foothills of the Ural mountains. Eventually, Kent stumbles across a cafe that is run by a local family.
Katcha, the waitress, surprises Kent by informing him that she knows he has escaped from the prison, but she and her mother have no plans to turn him in. After Kent and Katcha get to know each other a bit better over the course of a few weeks, Katcha’s mother then surprises them both by announcing that she wishes for Katcha to return to America with Kent to seek a better life.
Of course, with the Russian police looking for him, the journey back to America is not an easy one and Kent and Katcha must rely on each other if they are to make it to his home country.
This was a dazzling novel that I had a great time reading! I have read one other book by Larry and Rosemary Mild and, since I loved that one so much, I was not surprised to find that I loved this one, too! I recommend this to any lovers of spy novels!”
Goodreads Reviews
Reviewed by Linda
“Kent and Katcha' is a one-of-a-kind novel that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading! Larry and Rosemary Mild are a married couple and a writing team with a great deal of talent and flair.
I knew from the very first page of this novel that I was not only going to enjoy it, but that I was going to learn a lot about Russia, a country that interests me greatly.”
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