Last Gasp

Last Gasp
281 Pages
ISBN 978-1-62694-983-6

Billy Patterson, born again but still unstable, has come to a decision: Shove It Up, a blasphemous heavy metal rock band, must be eliminated. If some of its fans die along with the band members, so much the better. With the unexpected approval of the fundamentalist preacher for whom he works, Patterson introduces poison gas into the ventilation system at a sold-out Shove It Up concert. Thousands are killed. A right-wing U.S. government, with its own goals in mind, blames Islamic extremists.

Frank Tedeschi, a Vietnam veteran who swore he would never pick up a gun again, is forced to break that vow. His niece Laureen has died in the gassing. Patterson, who worked part time at Frank’s hardware store, had let slip his plans for mass murder. Frank didn’t take him seriously—until it was too late, and Patterson had disappeared. Rob Tedeschi, Frank’s estranged brother, is a detective with the NYPD. Laureen was his daughter. The brothers set out to find Patterson, and to prove the truth about the government-sponsored “terrorist attack.” Proving to themselves that they can work together is another matter. But failing at this is not really an option. Patterson is armed and dangerous, and the Tedeschi’s are being tailed by government agents who are bent on silencing Patterson—and killing the brothers along with him.

Howard Levine

About Howard Levine (Bowie, Maryland Author)

Howard Levine

Howard Levine is the author of one previously published novel, Leaving This Life Behind. He is a retired teacher of special education and English as a second language. Before his first public school teaching position—at a high school in the Bronx, NY—he taught Transcendental Meditation, which he still practices regularly. Howard now lives in suburban Washington DC, where he hikes, bikes, and writes. He and his wife volunteer at a soup kitchen and a senior citizens center.