Harry Ryan's Mission

About the Book

HARRY RYAN'S MISSION is a novel which examines the question of when is it proper to take the law into one's own hands.

Harry Ryan is a plain old Joe Six Pack. He is happily married to his life long friend - Connie. He has congenial friends and work. A native of Madrid Nevada, he lives all of his adult life in Las Vegas. Harry and his wife are both successful in their jobs. Harry is so stable that in all of his working life he has only one job, one wife, one home, even only one car. But events transpire which cause this amiable citizen, this veteran of the Korean War to devote his retirement years to quietly, expertly, relentlessly killing 38 people.

HARRY RYAN'S MISSION is the story of Harry's life and the story of the web of circumstances and opinions that brought him to his remarkable end. It details some of Harry's killings, his arrest and his trial. It highlights his childhood in Madrid, Nevada and his adulthood in Las Vegas. It describes the people and events that so profoundly influenced Harry and convinced him that killing certain people was right and necessary. The book provides dialogues between those opposing Harry's actions and those supporting them. Is Harry a sympathetic character or is he an homicidal maniac? Is he a misguided do-gooder or a hero? Is he a saint or a sinner for ignoring the opinions of the Supreme Court? Just when is a person obligated to disobey a law? This book certainly asks questions. The reader will have to decide if it provides answers.

This is a novel for anybody capable of handling a large novel on a complex, stimulating and controversial issue. It's designed to entertain and to make you think!

About the Author

John T. McDonald is a retired accountant and auditor. He lives in Pahrump, Nevada where he enjoys gardening and restoring old cars.