Welcome to Maurice Miller
It is with great pleasure that I am able to host Maurice Miller on his Blog Tour
Welcome to the “Hungary Eyes” Blog Tour with Maurice G. Miller
First, I would like to thank my gracious host for giving me the privilege to guest blog here on the sixth, and next to last, stop of my weeklong tour. Also, a debt of gratitude to 4 Wills Publishing for organizing all this. The tour ends tomorrow, Wednesday, October 14th. You can click here for tour stop dates and locations, both past and future - Thanks!
Today I’d like to provide you with a final glimpse into my debut novel ‘The Budapest Experiment’ before ending the tour tomorrow with a post of what’s coming up in the future. Below is the synopsis and an excerpt from the first chapter. If you have been following the tour, this serves as kind of a summary for much that I have talked about. Please be sure to leave comments/questions/feedback at the end of the post, they are much appreciated.
Synopsis
At what price would you sell your soul...? This captivating thriller weaves business, politics, seduction, power, and religion all into a compelling tale of international intrigue. Set in 1991, during the dawn of the Post-Communist era in Hungary, this novel chronicles the exploits of Michael, an adventurous but struggling American entrepreneur. During this period of tumultuous political, economic, and social change, the Russian Mob is taking advantage of the ensuing turmoil to entrench itself deeper into the business landscape of the former Soviet Bloc countries. Navigating through the streets of Budapest, Michael immediately senses an air of mysticism and lurking danger. After a few successes and trials, a series of business dealings leads him to a consulting position with the 'Organization'. Seduced by their women, money, and power, Michael becomes entangled in the web of Mob culture. Digging into his conscience, he encounters a spirit ravaged with feelings of guilt and betrayal, but a rapidly growing bank account serves as the means to justify his actions. Pondering his future, Michael wonders if he can balance this extreme Budapest lifestyle with his ‘ordinary’ family life back home. After padding his wallet for the past several months, would the Organization let him just walk away, or would there be consequences?
This book is intended for mature audiences. Looking for something different? Don’t miss this debut thriller novel! Immerse yourself into the 'experiment' with its volatile mix of ingredients. A great read with a unique story line and an international flair. 4.67 of 5 stars Goodreads reviews and ratings!
Excerpt
Chapter One - The Invasion
In the backseat of the black Mercedes the steel of the gun’s silencer glowed off and on like a blinking neon sign, reflecting each passing streetlight on their way out of Budapest. The occasional glance down the barrel caused Michael’s heart to race. Strangely enough, the thing that was foremost in his mind was not so much the fear of dying but his overwhelming guilt thinking how his wife, Katy, would react if he were in fact to die this way. Never having told her the whole story behind his newly found success here in Hungary, she would make blind assumptions not really knowing all the facts. Sadly, she would be a widow with three children. He would be perceived by his family and friends as the bad guy without the chance to show his innocence.
The man with his finger on the trigger sitting next to him had killed many times before and would like nothing more than to pull that trigger again. Gregorio was staring, gun hand resting on his lap, with a coy grin as if to say “please give me a reason to do this.” Not very fond of Americans to begin with, he lived most of his life in Cold War Russia, where America was the enemy. Michael suspected the gun was drawn mostly to fuck with his mind and didn’t expect that Gregorio would actually shoot him, though the fear factor was certainly working. Not knowing much about guns, he could not tell if the safety was on or off. Gregorio was a former member of the Russian Army Special Forces and certainly did not need to hold a gun to keep Michael in check. It would probably take him less than ten seconds to snap his neck, if he chose to.
But Michael had a few things going for him here. First, dead American businessmen were not a good thing for this burgeoning democratic country—or the Russian mob, for that matter. Second, he knew he did not pilfer the $15,000 his captors mentioned was missing when taking him from his apartment in the middle of the night for this joyride. There was no question in Michael’s mind that Laszlo Toth, a member of the Organization, had to be the one who embezzled the money. Crumbling under the financial pressure from his drug habit, Laszlo set him up to take the fall. Right now he was probably looking to get out of town or was already long gone. Perhaps he thought he could get away with it. Michael worked closely with Laszlo, who never came across as a very smart man.
In his mind he was almost certain they were taking him to plead his case to the man they called “The Boss.” There were many men in the Organization who were referred to as “boss,” but The Boss was the brains and leader behind a vast operation centered in Budapest that was known by many names, including the Russian mob, The Brotherhood (Bratva), and the “Organization.” Through a series of unlikely circumstances, Michael and The Boss had become acquainted. They had made a strange connection with a similar interest in American sports—in particular, basketball and the Chicago Bulls. The Boss had taken a liking to him in their limited encounters over the past three months. The two men in the car, Gregorio and Ivan, were the top men in The Boss’s personal security team. Michael wondered if this was a favor, sending these two guys for him, knowing they may not be as trigger happy as some of the others. Michael’s body tensed against the leather seat as the driver, Ivan, sped through the streets of Budapest, hoping that the occasional hard bumps they hit would not cause the trigger finger to move too much.
It had been a quiet ride so far with not much being said. It made no sense to plead his case or even discuss the issue with these guys, who would have no problem working him over if they misinterpreted and thought he said something out of line. “Silence is golden” was the policy here, as far as Michael was concerned.
As the Mercedes took the on ramp to the M6 Highway heading south out of Budapest, it confirmed they were headed to The Boss’s country home in Pécs near the Yugoslavian border. This was a spot where someone could easily disappear. A place he had visited before.
Not another car in sight at 2:30 in the morning, the headlights pierced the pitch-black highway. Even at the ninety miles an hour they were traveling, it would be over an hour to Pécs. Michael, trying to calm himself down, began to reflect and ponder on the series of events that led him to this situation. The ups and downs of a project he fondly referred to as “The Budapest Experiment” were beginning to flash before him. . . .
*******
On the next and final tour stop we will be taking a look into what’s coming up in the future and the announcement of my upcoming series sequel “Hungary Eyes” and the first book in that series, ‘Justice in the Devil’s Shadow.’ Don’t miss it!!!
In celebration of the blog tour, the Kindle version of The Budapest Experiment is available for download for just $.99 thru October 14th. Just click on the Amazon page link below.
Author Bio
Maurice has been involved in the creative arts since his teenage years. Having worked and played in rock/blues bands for most of his adult life, the artistic role models that he came to admire were those authors, musicians, and philosophers that wrote the books, poetry, lyrics, and music that touched and moved the souls of generations. Counted among his favorites authors are J.D. Salinger, Earnest Hemingway, Dante Alighieri, and Kahlil Gibran. Deciding to take a break from the music career, he has rededicated his creative energies toward writing. Then there is the "business geek" side of him. With an MBA degree, and having started several ventures, he has an obsession for creating new business ideas, digging into data analytics, and dissecting statistics. This passion for entrepreneurship is reflected prominently in his writing style. Maurice's debut fictional novel, "The Budapest Experiment", an international thriller, was released on May 25, 2015 and is available now on Amazon. Lots more can be found, including book info, social media contacts, and blog posts, at:
Links
Web Site: http://www.mauricegmiller.com
Email: mauricegmiller@yahoo.com
Amazon Page: http://smarturl.it/budapestexp
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mauricegmiller @mauricegmiller
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1DO6y6k Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1ESXMYv
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MauriceGMiller/
Google +: http://bit.ly/1N1Jmdv
This Blog Tour Has been Sponsored by 4 Wills Publishing
