Tennessee Tremors

About the Book

Troy Mattingly has a new job as the construction manager for a large industrial plant in Dyersburg, Tennessee. Dealing with the demands of the project itself is almost as challenging as navigating the confusing culture of his new employer, a Belgian firm called Perfect Spring. Things are finally beginning to make sense for Troy—when he suddenly disappears.

His young wife, Janice, enlists the help of Barbara Cummings of the Chamber of Commerce of Dyer County and police detective Jack Beasley. Together, they soon uncover dark truths behind the Perfect Spring project. Troy may have been involved in some shady deals with local contractors, landowners, Belgian operators, consulting companies, and the powerful and arrogant good-old-boy network of Dyer County. The trio try to interpret how seemingly disparate clues—extortion, bribery, falsification of soil tests, attempts to fix construction contracts, and romantic affairs that may or may not be interwoven with business interests—may fit into the big picture. They find themselves ensnared in a perplexing web of international intrigue, jealousy, greed, and abuse of power—complicated further by a budding romance.

The list of suspects is long and heavy, and theories abound. As they unravel the mystery of Troy’s involvement and disappearance, a new mystery emerges. Is Troy really dead? If so, who killed him—and if not, where is he, and why is he hiding? What they learn will shake their community to the core.

About the Author

Jan Smolders, of dual American and Belgian citizenship, has lived in Belgium, Japan, and Singapore; he currently lives in the United States. He has run industrial corporations worldwide and led Clinton Foundation activities in Latin America. His previous novels include Viral Games, The Bridge of Whispers, The Convenient Fund, and Ripping the Veil.