Precious Cargo

Washington State has such a wealth of marine and land settings to explore, along with complex political and social environments, and Clyde W. Ford successfully interweaves them all to make them come alive. Whether the scene is tranquil or terrifying, I always feel as though I'm right there when I read one of the Charlie Noble novels. Precious Cargo realistically reveals the human ugliness that often lurks behind the natural beauty of our coastal waters and mountainous countryside. Pam Beason Author of Wild and SAVE Your Money, Your Sanity, and Our Planet; 5 Lessons and 125 Tips for a Thrifty Lifestyle

Precious Cargo, by Clyde Ford (Vanguard Press 2008) Imagine being on a fishing expedition with your sweetheart on a peaceful stretch of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. When you are done with the joys of the evening and lift the anchor, the dead body of a woman is impaled on the flukes of the anchor. What would you do? Clyde Ford called Charlie Noble, a former Coast Guard officer who has become a marine PI. Charlie has other thoughts in mind for his time, specifically with his own new ladyfriend, Kate Sullivan. But he wants to assist the couple who actually discovered the body. Our hero engages a Native American diver, Raven, who has relationships with nautical and nature people all around the waterways. In the course of the adventure, it is discovered that the young lady who became a submerged corpse was ensnared in the sex trade beginning in Mexico and ending in Pacific Northwest. The bad guys, from Texas, come into the peaceful waterways in a huge yacht that looks like it should have been in the harbors on Monte Carlo for its parties not the inlets of these straits. Clyde Ford writes an excellent, engaging, and easily readable story. Against the background of murder in the human trafficking business, and beauty of the natural settings, the romance of Charlie and Kate is an endearing story all in its own. Two people with their own lives lived before meeting have their own needs, which they struggle to comes to grips with, as Charlie engages in the life-and-death struggle to solve the crime. At least one of the struggles has a clever and charming twist, so silence is best on this. I read the book straight through, fascinated with what would happen to the lovers and the unfolding of the central mystery. A hearty recommendation for a fine story written by a world class author.

If you are into mysteries and have not read Clyde Ford books, you have missed out on a super writer. His books have realistic characters and great plots are interwoven with his knowledge of boating in the Northwest. Don't miss his books!

I couldn't wait to read Precious Cargo after reading the first Charlie Noble book, Red Herring. I was not surprised that I also couldn't put this book down. Clyde Ford takes you, with his characters, through a spellbinding story and has you experience beautiful destinations. His characters become real as you are able to share their journey. A great mystery fan, I so admire Charlie's theories and deductions. Raven entering into the scheme of things adds depth. Great action, great scenes, heartfelt characters, great author. What more could you ask for, but more books. Thanks, Clyde.

This is, like all of Mr. Ford's work, excellently written. His only shortcoming, as far as I can see, is that he doesn't write fast enough! There are too few of his works available. What truly puzzles me about this one is the listed publication date - 2008. I read this book more than a year ago and one of the local libraries has it listed with a 2006 publication date. Somehow, it's being treated as "brand new", but I've no idea why.