Letter: Read a top author in your midst

To the Editor:

You have a first-rate author in your midst. John L. Betcher, a lawyer in your fair town, has written two books, “The Missing Element” and “The 19th Element,” which are entertaining, thought-provoking novels that provide warning about our complacency against industrial espionage and international terrorism. The first novel is a mystery; the second a suspenseful thriller.

Although I am also a writer in these genres as well as sci-fi, I reviewed both of his books. All my reviews are objective; I am under no obligation to give a positive review.

My conclusion is that Betcher is like many authors throughout our amazingly creative country that deserve to be read. In spite of the incredible number of new authors, it is sometimes difficult to find a good, fast-paced and entertaining read. Here you have two.

So, going beyond the reviews, I’ll sacrifice my objectivity a wee bit since I thought your reading public deserved to know that they have a local talent right there in Red Wing (lovely name for a town, by the way). Moreover, I’m a retired physicist, and, as far as I can tell, the details about the nuclear power plant in “The 19th Element” and the backdoor into the chip in “The Missing Element” are frighteningly real.

He is one scary dude but this is a warning role I believe writers of suspense fiction are duty bound to perform.

Steven Moore

Upper Montclair, N.J.

Tags: john betcher, opinion, letters