19 Jan Book Launch is Not Blind Chance for Local Author
Local author, Pat O’Keeffe, launches his latest novel, Blind Chance, at Waterstones Southend on Saturday 27thJanuary. The free event takes place from 6pm and will include readings from the book and a Q and A with the author.There will also be free refreshments.
Pat, an ex-firefighter with the London Fire Brigade is also a 6th Dan black belt kick boxer and 6th Dan at Karate-Jutsu, took to writing after a thirty-year career. He describes his novels as Urban noir.
“Characters move through landscapes of light and shadow attempting to grasp control of their lives and impose an order that remains elusive and only glimpsed through a dark philosophical glass.” Pat said. “My novels explore the fragility and sense of control we have over our lives and amplify it in extreme circumstances.”
Blind Chance, is a thriller set in Amsterdam and London’s East End. Ex-croupier Kate Redmond is barely out of prison when the past catches up with her. Sean Malone, head of an East End crime dynasty, has gone missing in Amsterdam and his son, Michael, has been found dead in the Amstel River.
Kate has history with the Malones; she took them for some serious money before she went down and now it’s payback time. Tom Malone, the eldest son, wants Kate to go to Amsterdam and find Sean or her crippled partner, Kenny, will go through seven levels of hell.
By nature, Kate is an intelligent and complex risk-taker whose choice of men hasn’t always been the best, but Kenny was different; she cannot abandon him.
Amsterdam proves a nightmare world of assassination, cross and double-cross and Kate learns fast that there are no rules or limits. With events spiralling out of control, she is forced into an alliance with the most dangerous man in Amsterdam, Jan De Klerk and now it will take every ounce of her wit and nerve if both Kenny and she are to survive.
Violence, latent eroticism, drugs and sleight-of-hand are the key markers in this fast-moving thriller.
Pat is a member of the Crime Writers Association and the Society of Authors, having written four crime novels – Thermal Image, BurnOut, Blowtorch and Blind Chance. Pat has also had three sports-based books published.
Pat was born in London, joined the army straight from school and after leaving the army joined the London Fire Brigade. In 2003, Pat completed thirty years of service; twenty-three of them as an operational Station Officer. In 1981 he became a Member of the Institute of Fire Engineers.
Throughout his life his passions have always been Martial Arts, Literature, Film and Walking. He has competed in the ring as a kick boxer at international level and fought 28 times.His opponents included three World Champions.
