Thrillers, Christian Fiction & Literature, Historical Fiction

Cursed Blessing

Name: Cursed Blessing
Author: J.M. LeDuc
ISBN: 9781480171558

by J.M. LeDuc

Write a review

Overview

Brent Venturi, leader of Delta Force’s Phantom Squad has moved back to Palm Cove where he was raised by his grandfather. There, he is content to live a peaceful existence as the town’s head librarian. Although he loves the peace and tranquility that have become his life, he is haunted by nightmares. Nightmares that always pertain to some skill that he had learned as a covert operative and they always contain an image of his lost love; Chloe.
Brent’s life turns upside down when he receives a gift from Lucile Conklin. Her late husband has bequeathed a rare book collection to him upon his death. Among the books Brent finds a letter written by his grandfather twenty years earlier. What he doesn’t know is that he has also been passed a secret, now known as The Endowment.
This secret is so old that it dates back to the dawn of creation. A secret which began as a gift from God, but because of man’s wickedness and immorality has become so evil that if it were to fall into the wrong hands, Armageddon would occur. This secret has been passed to one man of each generation since the time of Noah. It was because of this secret that Joseph Conklin was murdered.
Brent’s life is threatened by Maddie Smith, an old friend and colleague of Joseph’s. That same night he finds Lucile beaten and left for dead. At the hospital she tells him of a safe deposit box in his name. She says that the contents of the box along with the information in his grandfather’s letter will lead him to the secret. Lucile tells him that he must get her out of the hospital by the next evening or she will be dead.
Brent confronts Maddie who swears that she had nothing to do with the beating but knows who did. She in turn confronts Donavan Ferric, a sadistic murderer who is blackmailing her to work for him. She is given an ultimatum of finishing what his men started with Lucile or she will be dead in forty eight hours.
Brent reunites with Chloe and together they discover the hidden underground world of The Endowment. In the days to follow Brent must trust Maddie in order to save Lucile’s life. Together, Brent, Chloe and Maddie discover that the secret has been converted to a chemical formula which, through the centuries has been called many things, including The Fountain of Youth.
Brent’s reunion with Chloe is cut short when she is kidnapped by Ferric’s henchmen. He must call upon his past and reunite with The Phantom Squad if he has any chance of saving her. During the rescue attempt his worst nightmare comes to fruition and only by relying on God is Brent, with the help of the squad, able to save Chloe.
Ultimately, the true nature of the secret is revealed and Brent discovers that the man he was, the man he is and the man God wants him to be are one in the same. Welcome to the world of “Cursed Blessing.” The book ends with an epilogue that ushers in its sequel, “Cursed Presence.”

Synopsis

Brent Venturi, ex-leader of Delta Force's Phantom Squad is haunted by nightmares of his past. His life is turned upside down when he is bequeathed a rare book collection from Joseph Conklin. Among the books he finds a note from his late grandfather. He has also been passed clues to a lost secret, known as The Endowment. A secret so old, it dates back to the dawn of creation. A secret that began as a gift from God, but has become so evil that if it were to fall into the wrong hands, Armageddon would occur. A secret passed to one man of each generation since the time of Noah. A secret that is a Cursed Blessing. The secret was the reason for Joseph Conklin's murder. Brent is contacted by Maddie Smith, an old colleague of Joseph's. That night he finds Lucille Conklin beaten and left for dead. She tells him of a safe deposit box. Its contents and the information in his grandfather's note will lead him to the secret. Brent confronts Maddie. She swears she is innocent of Lucille's beating but knows who ordered it. In turn, she confronts Donavan Ferric, a sadistic murderer who is blackmailing her to work for him. She is given an ultimatum of killing Lucille or she will suffer the same fate. He and Chloe, along with Maddie discover the hidden underground world of The Endowment and save Lucille. Chloe is kidnapped by Ferric. Brent must call upon his past and reunites with The Phantom Squad. During the rescue, his worst nightmare comes to fruition. Ultimately, the true nature of the secret is revealed. Brent discovers that the man he was, the man he is and the man God wants him to be are one in the same.

About the Author, J.M. LeDuc

J.M. LeDuc is a writer of inspirational fiction; in the thriller genre. He is a native Bostonian, who transplanted to south Florida in 1985. What started out as a reprieve from the cold weather became a permanent move due to meeting and falling in love with his wife of twenty-three years, a native Floridian; Sherri. They are the proud parents of a twenty year-old daughter; Chelsea.
When asked, why he writes, J.M. responds, “The answer is actually quite simple: It’s just part of who I am. I was blessed to have had a mother (under whose maiden name I write) who loved the written word, and passed that passion on to me. When I was eight years old I was diagnosed with a rare congenital joint disease which prohibited me from playing sports, so all my adventure was pursued through writing and reading. By the time I reached high-school the doctors gave me permission to actively participate in sports and I threw myself into the fray headfirst.
“I started out with snow skiing and quickly added the adrenaline rush of skydiving, scuba diving, and triathlon racing. My adrenaline pumping adventures culminated by competing as a bull and bareback rider on the rodeo circuit out in Colorado and Wyoming. I later got into survival/adventure racing, in which the races would last from 4-5 hours to 4-5 days.
“My competitive days quickly came to an end with bilateral hip replacements in both 2000 and 2003. From that moment on I once again turned my adventurous spirit inward and quenched my thirst for adventure through my writing. You’ll find that many of the activities that I have been personally involved in become part of the protagonist’s personality.”
J.M. is an active member of the Mystery Writers of America, Florida Writers Association, and the Christian Writers Guild.

Reviews

There are no reviews yet. Log in to write one.

Editorials

Caryn DeVincenti

“...Contains all the ingredients for instant success: memorable characters, a gripping storyline, spirituality, and romance. First in a trilogy, “Cursed Blessing” introduces us to Captain Brent Venturi, a mild-mannered librarian who, through faith and incredible acts of courage, manages to save his friends, save the world from a gang of criminal masterminds. J.M. LeDuc, is a master storyteller and from the first page to the last, readers will be instantly hooked."

Leslie Borghini

“J.M. LeDuc’s, “Cursed Blessing,” the first in the Trilogy of the Chosen, will keep you reading well into the night. For a good part of that time, you’ll live on the edge of your chair. All the while, you’ll be unable to put the book down.
Suspense novels have a new sheriff in town.”

Tanya Wright

“...An intriguing and suspenseful read. It will have you eager to turn the page, then mad at yourself for rushing through it. J.M. LeDuc shows an unmatched talent in this debut novel.”