Works
Desperate Action
Like other Kevin Johnson books, this crime thriller is best enjoyed by reading a chapter or two at a time, then pondering the plot to the reader’s preference, and then returning to do the same again. This can provide added reading enjoyment and mental stimulation.
Our hero, Dr Dan Thompson, ex-RAAF pilot, having recently lost his wife of 20 years to bowel cancer, takes a break from his Sydney medical practice and tours Europe and England only to be caught up with the Covid 19 virus epidemic and the resultant travel restrictions intercountry.
To return home, he is lucky to be offered a passage on a cargo vessel En-route to Fremantle/Perth, Western Australia. Indonesian pirates hijack the ship, steal cargo, and the vessel is released, sailing onto its destination Fremantle.
Enforced into a 14-day hibernation period, he endures the confinement and meets his daughter. Together, they plan a driving trip to Darwin that should, if correctly timed, allow him to cross borders to return to his Sydney home eventually.
After encountering a nasty road accident, Dan meets the crew of a Royal Flying Doctor aircraft who, as an urgent fill-in, seek his expertise at least over the next few weeks.
He meets the Senior Sister Jenny Cousins, and together they save lives and begin to enjoy each other’s company.
Then Dan’s old enemy finds him and attempts to complete his life’s desire; to injure Dan as Dan did to him. Shot him in the knee all those tears ago.
This is Liu Wei Cong, ex-Indonesian Army drug distributor and money launderer. He has, amongst his client’s list, General Peng Fu of the Chinese Republican Army, Councilor and one of ten sitting on China’s highest court.
The business these two do is in significant numbers, with the General believed to be responsible for the original spreading of Covirus 19 via international travellers and various airport terminals.
Their evil entraps them, and after several encounters, the pair is killed, and our hero, with the assistance of the Australian Police Force, brings peace and well-being to neighbouring countries.
The plot is fast-moving but believable, and if not rushed by skim reading, an enjoyable read should be experienced.
Dangerous Times
Foreword.
Kevin Johnson was born in Perth, Western Australia, during the Second World War. He experienced food rationing, after-war celebrations, primary and secondary schools, technical and financial studies, and a significant partnership business occupation. I always enjoyed sports and excelled in several.
His parents were transferred from Sydney to Perth shortly after marriage and enjoyed a middle-class employment status, quality residence, good suburb, and social interaction.
Kevin had a music-talented elder sister, but he had dyslexia and suffered asthma up to 14 years of age.
Kevin’s school years were full of sport and outdoor living; excelling in most but preferred encouraging others to do well, more so than to star himself.
He became President of his Institute and experienced senior commercial business experience in Australia wide, over many years. His recreational time included Captaincy, President of his golf club, and Power Captain of the yacht club.
At 30 years of age, he was City Valuer of the City of Perth Council, later moving to a private business partnership and ultimately directing his firm.
He attended many Tribunal hearings and court cases and helped write several Acts of Parliament. As a private consultant was engaged in the full range of high-value real estate activity, later specialising in major complexes, insurance valuation and property resumption, all to a high level of participation.
Kevin is grateful for the companionship of his wife Judy, his daughters Michelle and her sons Matt and Ben, Vanessa, her husband Reed, children Finn, Ashy and Caelan, his son David with his wife Kate, and their daughters Neve and Taya. A couple of horses and a dog were added to that list.
On retiring, he needed to release from his head some of the accumulated stories swirling in his mind. So one day, while in front of his computer, he opened a page in the Microsoft program Word and started tapping away.
The first books were a trilogy, Aussie Pilot, Aussie Knowhow, and Aussie Impulse. All fantasy adventures of David Granger, his friends, family, and a computer named Orack. The stories begin from the time of Vietnam through the Falklands war era, through Afghanistan disruptions/peace negotiations, culminating with a bit of magic, plus “space wars save the world style action” coupled with believable human emotion.
Book 4 was Aussie Mythology, still on the space adventure theme, with many “Star Wars” dramatic action, mythical Gods fantasy, and a surprising conclusion.
The recent book 5, Desperate Action, changes the theme to a modern-day crime thriller with exciting conflicts wandering through drug lords and their money-laundering, scary emotion, and resultant court action, to conclude with a “badies go down” ending.
Kevin’s descriptive style of story writing requires the reader to get involved in fantasising beyond the written words. To only read a chapter or two at a time, ponder mentally, and adjust the written detail to the reader’s preference. Then later, picking the book up again, re-using the reader’s imagination to evolve the story to whatever extent desired.
The book’s pleasure is in the reader inwardly feeling the entire journey. The books do not suit a “quick skip page” style reader, as skimming does not use in-depth imagination, nor does it reveal the book’s many treasures.
“I write these books for readers to make their pleasures, rather than me describe every step of the plot – I give them a start”, he has been heard to say.
Kevin’s wish is that every reader on turning the last page, simply smiles with satisfaction, saying, “mmm, well, that was a most enjoyable journey”.
So, this story begins.
About the story.
Daniel Martin was leaning on the railing of a not-so-modern ship freighter that had departed Singapore with a destination of Fremantle, Western Australia.
The day was typical zero latitudes or Equator heat, with a light breeze disturbing the dark, sparkling, ever-rolling sea.
Dan was pleasantly at peace with his station and grateful he was finally on his way back home, be it likely to take a while due to the Covid 19 worldwide epidemic.
Twelve months earlier, Dan’s wife Jennifer had died due to bowel cancer, leaving him devastated and bewildered.
For months he had drifted along, pretending to be looking after his son and daughter, but they were now mature and had their own very committed lives. All he had was his medical practice, which nowadays held little interest other than lectures and staff management.
In his early years, Dan joined the Australian Air Force, became a skilled pilot and was recognised for bravery during a short war in Afghanistan and its neighbouring countries.
On returning, he had felt the need to become a medical doctor and, after qualifying, was given a senior post in a New South Wales hospital known as Royal Northshore.
Shortly after, he set up a city medical practice, married a highly competent nurse, started a family and for twenty years enjoyed a loving and happy relationship.
They were proud of their children who excelled at school, with the elder daughter Susan being scouted by a Perth chemical manufacturing laboratory and the younger son Steve recently invited as a partner into a significant Sydney share broking business.
Dan was now 48 years of age, financially independent and at a loss as to what he should do next.
Recently he had retired from his medical practice and several commercial boards on which he had sat, culminating by planning a three-month holiday to “get away from it all”.
Daniel had commenced from England, Scotland (where he played golf on courses he had often dreamed of), then toured France and its wine regions. A Danube River Cruise, Berlin Germany, onto Switzerland and last month entered Italy where he was to meander through to board in cruise liner circumnavigating the Mediterranean sea.
However, It was February 2020, and the Covirus ex-China struck the world and overnight, virtually every country was shut down to travel. Most plane flights were cancelled, tourist shipping ceased, and vehicle travel reached a standstill. He was offered a business flight to Rome, Singapore, and Perth for $10,000, which shocked him.
He was stuck in Rome when he came across a ship’s Captain who agreed to take him on as a crew. The cargo ship was bound for Fremantle, then back to England, so Dan had decided Fremantle was Australia, his daughter lived in Perth, and that was a good enough destination to take stock and eventually make it back to Sydney.
He had no job or occupation to rush home to, and being aboard an old but clean ship was a pleasant pastime. Good cabin, good food and miles and miles of ocean. Besides, he enjoyed the Captain’s company as they reminisced old military experiences.
Dan was as happy as he had been since Jen had passed away, leading to daydreaming and planning a future.
On arriving in Fremantle, he had to voluntarily isolate in a government-stated hotel for 14 days, which he hated with a vengeance. People did not understand how awful it is to be locked up in a hotel room every day. 14 days is a long time, irrespective of good food with DVDs and good books to read.
Even worse was that the borders between the States were locked down, with zero people able to transverse States.
Daniel had continued communication with his kids and friends by mobile phone and laptop computer, but it was awful not being able to exercise or move freely.
Finally, he was free to mix amongst the population, and his daughter came to pick him up and take him to her apartment. The sight of her was very emotional, and by the time they both stopped sobbing, a calmness settled on him, and he was back to his usual happy disposition again.
They talked for hours as they tried to work out whether he should stay longer in Perth – her father could travel within the State if he wished, or maybe he could find some way to get back to Sydney.
Susan eventually convinced him to buy a five-door 4WD and travel the State. He would enjoy the driving, and nothing was calling him home, at least for a little while.
The next day Dan borrowed Susan’s car and did the second-hand car sales yard tour. He inspected four suitable vehicles at the large dealer John Hughes in Victoria Park. He chose the black one with the least mileage. The previous owner had made the driver’s seat more comfortable with a lamb’s wool cover.
Dan arranged the finance by phone and was to pick up the “truck” at midday tomorrow. Walking away from the dealership to Susan’s car, he was like floating on air. Dan sat in her car and couldn’t get over how wonderful he felt. He drove to the nearby IGA store, bought groceries and took them to Susan’s apartment.
He made their dinner and watched the channel seven news until he heard the front door click open. Greeting her from where he was seated, he stood up and hugged her. He thanked her for making him buy the vehicle and encouraged his travels. Susan looked at her dad and was so proud. He was such a good man; she understood him and loved him – always would.
They phoned brother Steve and told him the news. Steve was delighted and said he looked forward to receiving regular texts and calls about his travels. He, too, was delighted for his dad.
Dan and Susan went for an early morning jog, gossiping and goading. Susan was fit and beat her father to the front door by fifty metres. Both puffing, they entered the apartment and sprawled on the kitchen chairs, laughing like they had years before.
Susan’s breakfast was orange juice and two Weetbix, while Dan made himself scrambled eggs and chopped up bacon on plain wholemeal toast concluding with a regular flat white coffee.
The cargo ships captain David had taken on some pre-arranged cargo and cleared Fremantle with little bureaucratic interference. Travelling west, his vessel was turning around the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, then north up the coast stopping at two ports in Brazil and then resting around the Mediterranean. They would return to the ship’s homeport, London, in about three months.
It was London where he was to attend a court hearing to settle the insurance covering the pirate’s raid. At this stage, the solicitors considered it unnecessary for Daniel Martin to appear; there were ample other witnesses (crew) to call upon.
Perhaps, the immediate past needs to be related in more detail.
