Here’s the set-up for Ken Pence’s At First Thought, just $2.99 on Kindle:
Robert Thales, an otherwise unremarkable cop in a mid-sized city, is developing an ability to read minds. This ability gets him promoted from a report writing car to a solo car in a high crime area.
His work in the high crime area gets him noticed – not in a good way. The economy of the city teeters except where illicit drug sales and adult businesses are concerned. Criminals can’t launder their illicit monies fast enough and the business leaders can’t get the loans they need.
Financing the new convention center requires billions in municipal bonds and this need is the root of a political takeover. The formerly unremarkable cop is thrown into the middle of the scheme. Everyone is trying to get Thales out of the picture.
How can he get the Feds to prosecute a case that nobody wants — and do something in only one month?
Injured, out-of-work, and hounded by hired guns; he may not live long enough to perfect his talent.
The reader plunges into the mind of a young street cop who is faced with current and developing criminal conspiracies. The criminal leader becomes obsessed with removing this threat. Business leaders are drawn into a criminal web of murder and extortion through their quest for good investments. Reading minds may help in sexual encounters but its not living up to its potential anywhere else.
This 70,000 word novel must be fiction because the D.A. and federal authorities would do anything to stop this type of crime if these crimes were happening today. Wouldn’t they?
From the reviewers:
The idea of mind reading can be tough to pull off, but in At First Thought it is done very well. The protagonist suddenly discovers he can read minds and then goes on a journey to pull down a corrupt crime lord who is running the politics of the city. Set in a future Nashville that is somewhat reminiscent of today. Overall, a great read, but do be warned this book has some explicit sex scenes so it may not be for your 8 year old. — Drew Scoggins
On a given day, any time I started to read this book, I simply could not put it down!!! To me, Thales’ character is kind of an everyman with mental powers…. His reactions made sense for the average Joe who was suddenly given the power to read minds. That includes the ways in which Thales, like any other human being, takes advantage of his new abilities for his own personal Gaines;I don’t know which is funnier: Thales’ reactions to what he reads from people’s minds, or other people’s reactions to Thales’ behavior after he reads their minds…Again, a compelling read and a must-get!!! – Birddog
He is a retired captain from the Metro Nashville Police Department where he served 31 years (16 on SWAT) and has taught police and military in the US, and Europe (England, Germany, France, and Northern Ireland) in confrontation management skills.
He specializes in weapon recovery and retention and fighting multiple subjects.
And here, in the comfort of your own browser, is your free sample of AT FIRST THOUGHT by Ken Pence: