Doctors Tanya Melnik and Gwen Stillwater are on a mission in São Tomé. The two women, both with connections to the intelligence community, are surveying local coral reefs. But before they can complete their study, both researchers are kidnapped. Their captors want to cover up the environmental damage resulting from a recent oil spill near the coral reefs. But what the captors don’t know is their victims have a secret weapon: Jim. Now married to Gwen, Jim was Tanya’s undercover partner when she was an intelligence officer. When the two women disappear, Jim at first fears they have died in an accident. But when he realizes foul play is involved, he calls on his old friends to help him find and retrieve Gwen and Tanya. Jim soon receives a ransom demand, but the attempted exchange fails—although Gwen and Tanya are rescued, the captors take Jim instead. During his time in captivity, Jim realizes the scope of the plot is much bigger than he had first thought. His captors are no small-time criminals but international terrorists. And what they are plotting could destabilize the world economy if Jim dies before he can tell anyone what he has discovered. "Jim's tenacity and resourcefulness make him a likable protagonist, and his well-developed back story adds dimension. Fans of action-adventure will enjoy. A layered, action-packed mystery with a cautionary message about the need to protect our environment." -- Kirkus Reviews "The fast-paced Vodka Caliphate is fun from beginning to end, and will appeal to anyone interested in geopolitics." - Foreword Clarion Reviews On a trip to São Tomé to survey coral reefs, two marine biologists are kidnapped. The captors are interested in concealing the damage from a recent oil spill--and covering up the bleaching of the coral reefs the scientists were studying. But unbeknownst to the kidnappers, these two women have connections. Dr. Tanya Melnik used to be an intelligence officer, and Dr. Gwen Stillwater's husband, Jim, was Tanya's undercover partner. It doesn't take long for Jim to suspect the women did not succumb to adiving accident, and he rounds up a few friends to help find them. When Jim receives a ransom note, he is prepared to get his wife and his former partnerback. But things go wrong in the handoff, and Jim finds himself in the shadowy world of the kidnappers--and he's about to make a discovery that will change the nature of his mission. Lee A. Sweetapple hails from Miami Springs, Florida. He received a bachelor's degree in politics and public affairs from the University of Miami. He continued on to graduate studies in geographic and cartographic science, international law, and international diplomacy. Sweetapple proudly worked in US Army military intelligence and retired in 2003 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.   Sweetapple is enjoying his retirement in the foothills of the Shenandoah Mountains with his wife and German Shepherd.   WASP Sting was inspired by Sweetapple's enthusiasm for World War II aviation; he flew a P-51C Mustang for his fiftieth birthday. He also serves as a colonel in the Commemorative Air Force and supports the organization's Red Tail Squadron education outreach program.   Sweetapple has written thrillers Vette Head's Not Dead , Key West Revenge ,  Templar Codes , WASP Sting and Vodka Caliphate , all available through Amazon.com. He enjoys sword collecting, hunting, skiing, and SCUBA diving.