Sheik’s Rescue by Ryshia Kennie is the story of an international security agency Nassar headed by the Al Nassar brothers and its staff Jade van Everett, which has been selected to guard a Moroccon prince Sadiq el Eloua, related distantly to the royal family, who is visiting Wyoming for photography. The prince is not very wealthy, living off the life insurance which his parents left him. Though it was originally supposed to be a relatively simple assignment with code white indicating low risk levels , the Moroccon visitor is shot at by an unknown person soon after he reaches Wyoming, changing the status of the assignment to code red, danger requiring additional security levels from the security agency .

As the agent Jade tries to ensure that the area is secure, she finds that the prince has disappeared, in the van which she had hired to get him from the airport, Since the agency has no staff, and the assignment has changed to code red, one of the owners of the Nassar agency, Jafir Al Nassar joins her for the assignment. Using the positioning system of the vehicle and footsteps in snow, they manage to trace the moroccon prince who has gone out for photography, only to confined to room by a gun wielding ranch owner who accuses him of trespassing on his property. At around the same time, an explosion is reported at the house of the uncle of the moroccon prince.

Slowly the reason for the assasination attempt on the Moroccon prince who is nicknamed Stanley unfolds as Nassar agency runs a detailed search on Stanley and also gets some information on him. He tells them that he was given his nickname Stanley by his elder brother, who was very cruel, enjoyed bullying and causing great pain, and died at a fairly young age. This is something those with cruel elder siblings who cause great pain can relate to. He also says that his wealthy elderly uncle did not want to live in an old age home among strangers, so he was asked to live with the uncle who would make an annual allowance for him for the effort.

Nassar agency very systematically tries to trace the possible assassin, after getting some information that a foreigner was likely to be involved, tracking all the Moroccons who had come to Wyoming at around the same time, They also find out that the uncle has made Stanley the main beneficiary of his will and the likely suspect will be the person who would otherwise inherit the money. As Stanley disappears again, Jade and Jafir travel to Morocco in a private jet to solve the mystery of the death of the brother of Stanley and find out who exactly is responsible for the explosion and attempted assasination. The romance and attraction between Jade and Jafir is a side story.

The book is interesting as it provides an insight into the operation of security agencies, especially those which have international operations in Arabic countries, their relationship with law enforcement agencies, the firearms they handle and the kind of financial information they have access to which most people are not aware of. Like detective agencies, it appears that most security agencies are closely connected to government agencies and can get information about bank records and other financial data, quickly to find out the motive for a crime or any other action of a person who has hired them. Though they usually have a file on every person who they are guarding with background information, there is always something which is not listed in the file . As indian intelligence and security agencies enter the house of private citizens repeatedly, the trespassing laws are also relevant.

A book worth reading if a person wishes to find out how security agencies are operating, the kind of services they provide

Author review copy

Sheik’s Rescue
Author : Ryshia Kennie
Harlequin Intrigue
Published : 2017
Pages :251