International Incident

I always say that I learn something new from every Sasha McCandless novel - so far I’ve got myself an education on fracking (“Inadvertent Disclosure”), ‘preppers’ (“Indispensable Party”), and even on something called the HeLa cell line (google it - “Informed Consent”). That’s on top of practically deluding myself that, as a seasoned Sasha fan, I could breeze through law school by now.<br /><br />With “International Incident”, however, the author is not just feeding readers some trivia to show off at dinner parties: she is actually highlighting the issue of human trafficking at sea. I had always assumed that human trafficking was primarily connected with the sex industry; but what I didn’t know is that in this day and age, people are held in slavery in fishing boats so that you and I can buy cheap pet food for our cats and dogs. Frankly, it’s shocking. I would suggest reading the Author’s Note at the end of the book, in which Miller gives some background to the story and provides some very interesting links to articles on the subject.<br /><br />The serious theme that permeates “International Incident” doesn’t take away the fun of reading another Sasha novel, though, and as I expected, Book 9 is another page-turning read. I really enjoyed the different setting - the frankly bizarre microcosm of a cruise ship. That’s something David Foster Wallace once described in the most hilarious manner in his essay “Shipping Out” (google it: you’ll thank me for that). Miller stated in the Author’s Note that she had decided to set the book on an international cruise so that she didn’t have to write ‘umpteen scenes involving infant twins’. It was a clever move away from the domestic humdrum of “Informed Consent”, and a nice change of setting from the busy streets of Pittsburgh. But what makes this book so special is the dark underworld it exposes, and how this case is not just another case, but something that, in the end, ends up deeply affecting Sasha and Leo. Hopefully it will have the same effect on readers.<br />

An action packed mystery thriller as Sasha and Leo take off on a luxury cruise.<br /><br />The new parents are gifted tickets for an Asian cruise and leave their twins at home as they set off for some time alone. Seeing the sights and delighting in the cuisine and culture is not in the cards, however, when Sasha sees a murder from the ship out in international waters. The terrible atrocities of slave labor on fishing boats and heroin trafficking cause an awakened sense of social justice as they try to right some horrible consequences of desperation and poverty. <br /><br />Not much legal action in this one, but it was fast paced and interesting as always. The author tackles a huge issue and puts Sasha and Leo well into a complicated mess involving obscure maritime law. Fortunately, Sasha has the brains to figure it out and the Krav Maga skills to stay alive while preventing some hired mercenaries from killing her. Meanwhile, Leo is off doing a much needed rescue. So, they don’t spend much time having fun but there is more than enough romance between the pages to satisfy those who enjoy that.<br /><br />I’d really like to see some change and growth in the characters other than the development of a social conscience. Surely we already know enough about her coffee addiction and athletic prowess and how Leo has to be the world’s best supportive husband in a minor role. Anyway, still enjoying the series as I head to read the next installment in my Sasha binge.

<strong>Least favorite of her books</strong><br /><br />I have read all the previous books of Sasha and Leo and this one was just boring. The plot felt staged and written just to give characters another adventure, without a believable plot from the start .

Another excellent installment in this series. Book number nine has Sasha and Leo leaving the twins with her parents and taking off for a posh cruise to exotic southeast Asian ports. They are soon involved in dealing with connected human slavery and heroin trade traffic in international waters and in seedy club backrooms on land. I used to live in Singapore, and I spent some time in Baltimore, too, so I remembered exactly where they were when they visited cruise centers there.<br /><br />I really love this series. The writing is strong. One example: when Sasha had a reflective thought for a simile at one point, the author wisely used a reference to one of her pets, strengthening our connection to the cosmology created. Many lesser writers would have used the simile as an opportunity to try to show off their personal knowledge in authorial voice instead, actually diluting our connection to the main story.<br /><br />Also, bonus points for deftly integrating unobtrusive calls to greater social action and justice on an international level, then providing follow up specifics for those interested in an afterword.

I was starting to get frustrated with the seemingly unrealistic plot twists of danger ever in Sasha &amp; Leo's lives. But the chapters that came beyond the action scenes caught me in their net. <br /><br />So many people choose to ignore the challenges around them. Choose to limit the impact they have in the world. I do it myself. All of ones life can't be focused on troubles in the world around you in order to stay grounded and sane. But to see something and do nothing? To know what you saw and do nothing? <br /><br />Well, my 3☆ rating and setting these books aside for awhile is out the window. Back to making a difference in my part of the world.

I started this book in December 2019 but only finished it today, 28th October 2020. <br />I stopped at 36% and just couldn’t go on. I skipped a lot of it when I started again. The reason is Sasha hearing and/or seeing a girl murdered in the middle of the ocean.......UNBELIEVABLE and that fact alone totally pissed me off. <br />If the author had the murder on the cruise ship it would have been more believable. <br />I was really enjoying this series up to this book and I even bought the next book in the series when I bought this stupid book, International Incident. <br />I am now not wanting to read the next book....I probably will read it in time but not just yet.....maybe next year.

<strong>Another good book featuring Sasha McCandless-Connelly.</strong><br /><br />This was a little different from the others in this series in that it raises awareness about the drug problem, human trafficking and slavery. As always some of the scenarios are a little hard to believe but the precept of the book is hair-raising and disturbing because you know that it based on fact. Don’t miss this series!

<strong>Great adventure!</strong><br /><br />I just love Sasha and Leo! This book was quite different from all the others as it took human trafficking and international drug trade! Quite ambitious! As always, the book was quite interesting. Well written, great characters and well researched. I high!y recommend this book!!

<strong>A very good book by a very good person.</strong><br /><br />This is the second book I have read by this author. I expect to read more. The book is not just a thriller. It is also an advocate for a cause. I left the book hoping to find a way to help the people about whom she wrote. I expect many other readers will feel the same way.

<strong>Really enjoyed this series!</strong><br /><br />I have read all of Sasha Mccandless books in this series. The writing is clean, and the developing characters in the on-going plots make you feel part of the story.