Necessary Assets

by James Ring

This riveting work of fiction begins with an unusual alliance between a modernized Sicilian Mafia and retired FBI agent Mark Patrick. The Mafia, in an effort to prevent an al-Qaeda terrorist attack on US soil, offers to anonymously furnish information to the FBI, but only through Patrick. Desperate to convince their fundamentalist donors to return to the fold, al-Qaeda has authorized “The Engineer” to operate off the AQ grid leading two cells of radicalized US citizens to attack the nation’s economic hub, Manhattan, and its freedom hub, Boston. They are willing to unsheathe an evil not yet dared, transforming both cities into dead zones where no one can commute to work.

Reviews
“Jim Ring’s Necessary Assets is a wake-up call to the possibilities in the future … showcasing some very realistic vulnerabilities that remain unaddressed in the country.”
Alan Ringgold, Former Deputy Assistant Director, International Relations Branch, FBIHQ

“Jim Ring’s Necessary Assets is a novel that highlights — as in real life — the fight against terrorism and crime will always need the help of local citizens. It’s a book worth reading.”
Thomas M. Menino, Mayor of the City of Boston