The Lazarus File by Donn Taylor

This espionage novel is set in South American countries and takes place a few decades ago. The U.S. government has placed Mark Daniel deep into the drug running culture. Mark was supposedly killed in Viet Nam but has been “resurrected” for this task and given the code name Lazarus. We are taken into the powerful drug cartels as Mark pilots deliveries for powerful men. He becomes suspicious when his cargo is more than drugs. There is a move by a ruthless terrorist group to overthrow the Columbia government. Mark may be the only one who can prevent the planned coup.

The suspense increases as it becomes apparent there is a mole high in the ranks of the CIA. If word gets out of Mark's undercover work, he will truly be a dead man. But how can his handler find out who is sharing the secrets?

The situation gets even more complicated when the wife of a powerful businessman is kidnapped. How can Mark rescue her from the remote location?

This is a pretty good novel of espionage and suspense. I am not familiar with all the places at which action takes place so must trust that the author has done his homework. There is plenty of action and suspense and the tight writing kept me interested to the very end. This novel is a good choice for someone who likes international intrigue and wants the hero to be a fellow with high moral standards.

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, 304 pages. Publisher's product page.

Donn Taylor served in Viet Nam, Korea, and worked with air reconnaissance and intelligence collection in Europe and Asia. He then taught English literature in two liberal arts colleges in the U.S. He and his wife life near Houston, Texas.