The Veteran

The Veteran presents five stories spanning different settings and crimes. One tale follows a miracle in war-torn sixteenth-century Siena involving the persecution of a young nun, connecting to the German retreat from Italy. Another depicts a drug-smuggling operation on an international flight with customs agents pursuing the smugglers. A third involves a ruthless urban murder where a QC defends the killers, leading to an unexpected act of justice. The fourth centers on an art scam at a London auction house and a revenge plot targeting the world of Old Masters. The collection's novella, "Whispering Wind," begins with the sole survivor of Custer's Last Stand at Little Big Horn. It follows the defense of a Cheyenne girl against rape and murder charges, a flight across western mountains and forests, and culminates in a present-day manhunt in Montana's wild lands. The stories share Forsyth's approach to compulsive storytelling, clinical attention to authentic detail, and suspenseful narrative. This collection marks his most significant work since his New York Times bestselling story collection No Comebacks.