PAYNE & JONES

Jonathon Payne and David Jones are two former members of the MANIACs.

The acronym stands for Marine, Army, Navy, Intelligence, Air Force, and Coast Guard and is used to denote a highly secret unit in the military consisting of the best Special Forces personnel from each branch of the Armed Services.

During their numerous years with that unit, they were involved in an impressive number of black-ops missions. They went places they weren't wanted, brought out people who couldn't leave, eliminated people who were proving troublesome, and accomplished assignments the government needed done but couldn't admit doing.

Payne and Jones are best of friends, closer than brothers. They came from different worlds growing up, Payne having had money and Jones not enjoying the same. Payne was white while Jones was black. Their different backgrounds and races did not matter a bit to these two adventure-loving soldiers.

They would probably still be in the service still doing the impossible missions that were thrown at them except that Payne's grandfather, who raised him, died and left him controlling interest in Payne Industries as well as a considerable fortune. Not wanting to dishonor his legacy, Payne resigned from the military to take the CEO position, though he was smart enough to realize that owning did not equal knowing so he usually let those who knew the business run the day-to-day.

Jones had often talked of one day getting a private investigator's license and running his own one-man agency. Payne, wanting to stay close to his best friend, offered to finance its start and to let him run it out of the large office building Payne owns.

Both now have day jobs but neither is as fulfilling as the work they did in the service so both are more than willing to go into action when called for extracurricular activity. Since

The first book listed in the series, The Plantation, is the first one written about Payne and Jones though it was the third one published. There are considerable differences in plot and tone between the first and the other two but the irreverent nature of the two main characters is wonderfully intact. They do not make light of the seriousness of a situation but they do use dark humor to help them get through it.

I could see why The Plantation had some trouble getting a publisher as it is uneven and illogical in parts. It is also darned good and, once you get over the unlikely events that get Payne and Jones to where the action is, you can't put it down until you find out how bad these two whup the ones needin' whuppin'. A third of the way through the book, I commented to my wife that I couldn't believe the author wanted me to believe what was going on. By two thirds, I didn't want to put it down, belief or not.

The other books are considerably more believable, even when dealing with such strange topics. The friendship of the two characters remains a constant that makes the books even more enjoyable.

I look forward to more Payne and Jones adventures.