NEEDHAM, Mass., Oct. 27, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Mandy Miller is an educated, spirited young woman with a promising future. However, Bryan Frye changes all that. He marries her, convinces her to join the military and eventually murders her. Her brother, Josh, is determined to avenge her tragic death. Author Lois Sockol tells this poignant story of deception, love and murder in The Promise (now available through 1stBooks).
Brian Frye is not what he seems. He tells Mandy that he is a part-time college student. In reality, he is a conniving drug dealer based in San Antonio, Texas. Following their marriage, Brian convinces Mandy to join the military. She is sent to the Middle East to serve in the Gulf War, and Brian moves his "barmaid" girlfriend in and continues to deal drugs. He also takes out a life insurance policy worth 100 thousand dollars on Mandy.
She returns to the States a war hero and wins a scholarship to Collier University in Vermont. She plans to attain her master's in biology, while her husband supposedly finishes up his degree back in Texas. Brian realizes he can't hide his scheming ways forever. He decides it's time to end the games. After all, getting rid of her has its advantages, not to mention a hefty bonus from her life insurance.
Brian hires Diego Sanchez to kill her, and they drive to Vermont to murder her in cold blood.
Police Chief Sam Larsen finds her battered body. He wonders why a woman without any apparent enemies would be murdered in such a cruel, impassioned way.
When Josh discovers his sister's murder, he vows to make Brian pay. Her murder drives him to the brink of despair and desperation. How far will his insatiable need for retribution take him?
With this fast-paced, pragmatic novel, Sockol takes a telling look at the mind of a sociopath and examines the grief, guilt and passion experienced by a murder victim's sibling.
Sockol is a former teacher and mother of four sons. The Promise, her first book, is loosely based on a family tragedy.
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