Venture - Review

Romance, intrigue, top-notch dialogue, and an Australian backdrop are only part of what makes Bill Newman's Venture a really good read.

Unknown to John Day, Ingrid, the exotic blonde who picks him up at the local pub in Portsmouth, England, is interested more in the sensitive nature of John's scientific work than she is in John. He is somewhat surprised to be confronted by his boss two weeks later that his new girlfriend is a possible intelligence threat. John's boss suggests he take some time off and attend a conference in Sydney, Australia.

Beautiful Lydia Newton works for a drug company in Sydney. She, too, will be attending the conference. With her PhD in genetics and her workaholic nature, she's had little luck in finding a man who can match her intelligence and drive to succeed.

When Lydia meets John, the attraction is immediate, but life does not run smoothly for our protagonist. She wonders if he is in love with her or his invention.

John is fired from his job in England, and Lydia persuades him to set up a business with her in Sydney. Danger follows him to Australia in the person of Ingrid and some shady characters who are paying her to find out what John is doing. It seems there's a lot of money to be made from his invention, and more than one foreign national is interested in acquiring it, no matter what.

Bill Newman handles the necessary scientific details in Venture with dexterity, accuracy, and brevity. Laced with humour (which at times is laughing-out-loud funny), Venture takes the reader through some harrowing moments across the high-tension wire of romance, suspense and danger.

Sherrill C. Wark
Crowe Creations
member of Canadian Authors Association