Title: Code Name: The Fox: Operation Tucson Cartel (A Harold Brandon Series)
Author: Dr. Hal Bradley DD
Publisher: eBookIt.com
ISBN: 978-1456639235
Pages: 208
Genre: Hoaxes & Deceptions / Organized Crime True Accounts / Biographies & Memoirs
Reviewed by: Jack Chambers
Pacific Book Review
Whether it be fictional or in real life, one of the experiences that causes people the most stress to even think about – let alone endure – is to go undercover. In a world with growing conflicts and never-ending amounts of crime, from sex trafficking and cults to terrorist organizations and drug cartels, the world is a dangerous place, and there are a few individuals who have taken it upon themselves to immerse themselves into that world to stop those threats from growing. Finding the right way to go undercover is crucial to one’s survival. As Joseph D. Pistone once said, “A good undercover agent stays as close to the truth as possible, as close to your own personality and your own values as possible. This is the way you stay in character – you try to be yourself.”
In author Dr. Hal Bradley DD’s Code Name: The FOX: Operation Tucson Cartel (A Harold Brandon Series), Harold Brandon is eight years into his work as an undercover agent with the DEA. Having turned himself in years earlier after years spent as a drug trafficker and distributor, the one-time criminal has turned into a vigilante, putting himself on the line to stop the criminals he once worked for. Sent back undercover, Harold discovers that sinister forces have gathered to teach him a lesson, putting him into a perilous fight for justice and his life.
The author did such an incredible job of crafting a memorable and action-packed narrative that played well with the fiction meets non-fiction storytelling structure. The fictional narrative of protagonist “Harold Brandon” is loosely based upon the true events and memories of the author himself, and so the weight of the character’s journey and the emotional connection readers have to him is felt more heavily and feels more authentic as a result. The imagery and gritty atmosphere the author creates brings in the tension and heart-pounding action one would expect from a crime drama surrounding a drug cartel, but the reality surrounding the narrative adds a depth and chilling twist to that imagery that will have readers floored by the author’s powerful story.
This is a gripping and well-written blend of fictional crime drama meets true crime and memoir-style writing. The author also incorporates a subtle hint of religion and faith into the background and story of the protagonist, as it reflects the author’s own experiences as well, giving readers a more in-depth look into the mindset and inner journey the author underwent.
Thought-provoking, intense, and engaging, author Dr. Hal Bradley DD’s Code Name: The FOX: Operation Tucson Cartel is a must-read memoir meets true crime and crime fiction, and the perfect first novel in the Harold Brandon series. The rich character arcs and compelling narrative kept me invested in the author’s work greatly, and the twists and turns the narrative took not only made the fictional aspects feel almost cinematic in their delivery, but made the reality behind that fiction feel much more impactful.
