Otello’s Oil: A Saga of Blood and Oil (Book 1) is a near-future espionage thriller, and as suggested by the title, has a lot to do with the competition for oil in a world that is running short of it. The choice of Otello in the title comes from the agony of love that is embedded in this story. This really is a fast-paced debut novel by D. W. Layton. The worldwide scope of this plot is entirely believable, and the stakes of the competition for oil reserves are incredible high, geopolitical futures are at risk. As the prices of oil climb due to demand outstripping supply, the world’s economic stability is in trouble.
The plot is well-served by the authentic characters including protagonist Special Agent Elliott Jones, Secretary of State of the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, Secretary of State Lynne Farnsworth, her friend Mohammad Al-Mutairi from Kuwait, her lover Fhani, and more. The book opens with Jones foiling a terrorist attempt on a ferry in Seattle and it quickly moves to the assassination of Al-Mutairi at a Kennedy Center performance where he is seated next to Secretary Farnsworth.
Elliott Jones is a strong hero figure, honest and uncompromised, and I’d certainly like to read more about him in the future. This book gets my strong recommendation.
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