Josh Hagarty made a mistake as a young man that makes him not very marketable, even though he graduated in engineering with a great GPA and a master's degree. When he's courted by a charity, NewAfrica, and sees the potential for putting his younger sister through college, Josh succumbs to the inevitable. Although he's never been west of Missouri, Josh is going to grab this opportunity.

Within days of his arrival at the site of NewAfrica's philanthropic center, Josh figures out that the non-profit he's working for doesn't seem to be on the side of the good guys. In a country torn with tribal warfare and disparate loyalties, Josh quickly ascertains that he'd rather be flipping burgers back in the U.S.

Unfortunately, he's already delved into matters best left alone and is soon running for his life with a beautiful, admirable Scandinavian woman who had been an aid worker. She knows the language and Josh accidentally puts her life in danger when he has her translate a document that reveals what's really happening in NewAfrica.

This foray into African politics will leave you both thankful for your life and also horrified at how things happen politically in this unstable country. As someone who doesn't know any more than what makes the headline news, I was engrossed by the people portrayed here, and their suffering.

Mr. Mills offers a plot as old as time -- greed and corruption at the expense of the innocent -- but puts it into a new landscape and uses a fresh style. I read this one straight through. Josh is a character fraught with bad choices and an undying need and desire to do what's right. You'll want him to win.