J. A. Adams

author of Pillars of Salt and Bomb Cyclone

Pillars of Salt

Harvey Doucet, a reasonably good Catholic, would never have committed suicide.

His son, Harvey Jr. – H – knows this, so after Doucet Drilling causes the collapse of a salt mine and thirteen deaths, H searches for clues to clear his estranged father’s name. H and his father’s bodyguard, Placide, encounter dangerous cliffhangers, as the pursuers become the pursued. On the way, H exposes greed, fraud, and corruption, leading all the way to the White House.

In Pillars of Salt by J.A. Adams, we experience H’s journey from his original bitterness, angst, and cynicism toward his life and his father, to a place of appreciation and understanding of his father’s integrity. Maybe H will also discover the inherent goodness in people, even when the world seems to be circling the drain.

Praise for Pillars of Salt

"Hearty backstories and a beguiling Louisiana setting enhance this compelling thriller."

"[A] strength would be the author's reverence for the regional quirks. H.'s adventures take him through all the recognizable haunts of Cajun country which involve eating etouffee and boudin, drinking Community Coffee, and the drive over the Henderson swamp bridge."

"A captivating mix of murder-mystery and corporate conspiracy, Pillars of Salt digs its claws into you from the start and refuses to let go until the end."

Adams injects the thriller plot with emotion, plausibly conveying the conflicted feelings H has for his father, who treated him badly in life. John Grisham fans should take a look.

Literary Titan’s December 2021 book awards: Pillars of Salt is a Silver Award Winner!

Bomb Cyclone

Goodreads ebook giveaway link

Oksana is a pawn in a chess game she doesn’t fully comprehend, one she can’t escape.

The young Ukrainian spy recruited by Russia’s SVR purposely fails in her assignment to obtain the coordinates of a lost nuclear bomb from Mykola, a Ukrainian American immigrant who had traveled to Crimea to locate the bomb. Instead, Oksana falls in love with her target and must defect to the U.S. or risk imprisonment or death as a traitor to Russia. While Mykola’s Ukrainian friend, Vladyslav, fights with the Ukrainian resistance against the pro-Russian separatists, Russian agents search for their elusive spy in the U.S.

In Bomb Cyclone by J.A. Adams, we experience Ukraine’s plight, from the dissolution of the USSR, through the Orange and Euromaidan Revolutions, to the election of the young President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, until the current Russian war against Ukraine. Meanwhile, Oksana and Mykola try to evade the long reach of Russia’s arms on the other side of the Atlantic.

BookView Review

Praise for Bomb Cyclone

“Adams’ narrative voice is stylish and quick-witted. . . The journey is marked with fine prose, plenty of tension, a balanced mix of action and romance, and well-rounded characters.”

"I truly enjoyed this book. The historical and current events it was based on were very accurately portrayed. Giving you a sense that this story could have really happened. The attention to detail in laying out the geography where things occurred kept with the feeling of this being real. Even the choices made by the main character gave the feeling of real people not your classic spy novel where the protagonist knows the right moves every time"

Adams story is rooted “firmly in the history of Ukraine, creating a powerful story of transformation within the greater story of shifting political and social alliances. This touch of realism gives the tale a powerful ‘you are here’ feel that sets the premise, scenarios, and characters on a higher level than most thriller reads rooted in espionage and Russian encounters.

“I had to read this book in one sitting as it was so thrilling and exciting. . . I loved the fact there was plenty of twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. . . So much praise goes out to the author and publishers for creating such a brilliant fascinating thriller than I just couldn't put down.

About the Author

Author J.A. Adams is retired in Northern Colorado after teaching English for sixteen years at Louisiana State University. This debut novel grew out of observing and becoming enamored with the Cajun culture during those years.