“For novels of international intrigue with gut-wrenching action, twists, and unpredictable developments, no thriller author can beat the high-octane crime writing of Joseph Badal. Suspense is his middle name. Simply put, ‘The Motive’ is nail-bitingly un-put-downable.” —Mark Rubinstein, Award-Winning Author In “The Motive,” Joseph Badal presents the first book in his new series, The Curtis Chronicle s. This latest addition to Badal’s offering of acclaimed, best-selling thrillers delivers the same sort of action and suspense that readers have come to expect and enjoy from his previous nine novels. Confronted with suspicious information relating to his sister Susan’s supposed suicide in Honolulu, Albuquerque surgeon Matt Curtis questions whether his sister really killed herself. With the help of his sister’s best friend, Renee Drummond, and his former Special Forces comrade, Esteban Maldonado, Matt investigates Susan’s death. But Lonnie Jackson, the head of organized crime in Hawaii, afraid that Matt has gotten too close to the truth, sends killers after him. This is an artfully written book that will appeal to readers who like thrillers with fully-developed characters, a big plot, and plenty of action, seasoned with friendship and romance. “The Motive” puts the reader on a roller coaster ride of non-stop thrills and chills, propelled by realistic dialogue and a colorful cast of characters. It is another entertaining story from a master story-teller where good and evil struggle for supremacy and everyday heroes battle malevolent antagonists. “ ‘The Motive’ is a nail biter I couldn’t put down. Joseph Badal knows how to make his legion of readers sweat to the very last paragraph. He has mastered the art of writing—and suspense. Bravo!” —Parris Afton Bonds, Award-Winning Author of “Dream Time” Prior to a long finance career, including a 16-year stint as a senior executive and board member of an NYSE-listed company, Joseph Badal served for six years as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army in critical, highly classified positions in the U.S. and overseas, including tours of duty in Greece and Vietnam, and earned numerous military decorations. He holds undergraduate (Temple University) and graduate (University of New Mexico) degrees in business and graduated from the Defense Language Institute, West Coast and from Stanford University Law School's Director College. Joe now serves on the boards of several companies. He is the author of 15 published suspense novels, including 6 books in The Danforth Saga series, 3 books in the Lassiter/Martinez Case Files series, 3 books in the Curtis Chronicles series, and 3 stand-alones. His books have won multiple awards, including 2 Tony Hillerman Awards, 3 Gold Medals from Military Writers Society of America, the Eric Hoffer Award, and Finalist Honors in the International Book Awards contest. He also writes a blog titled Everyday Heroes, and has written short stories published in the "Uncommon Assassins," "Someone Wicked," and "Insidious Assassins" anthologies. Joe has written dozens of articles that have been published in various business and trade journals and is a frequent speaker at business, civic, and writers' events. To learn more, visit his website at JosephBadalBooks.com.