Steve Glossin's Watch List

WatchList is an unpublished Malta based mystery novel written by Steve Glossin featuring professional photographer Petra Wagner who discovers that she is related to German grandmaster Ferdinand von Hompesch and, together with her brother Peter, ends up a target of an international clandestine operation. Read an excerpt from Steve's blog:

..Peter and the Brits returned from Valetta. After promising to meet them for dinner he went to his suite. His heart skipped a beat when he entered the sitting room and saw the outline of someone in the chair before the balcony door. “Petra! You scared the hell out of me,” he said in German, in which they normally conversed.

His sister stood up and wrapped her arms around him. “That’s not the welcome I anticipated, but I guess it’s what I should have expected from my younger brother.” Peter stepped back after the hug. “How did you get here?” “I took a bus to Mestre and the next day caught a flight to Valetta. Then a taxi.”

“What I meant was, how did you get into my room?” “When I explained to the nice young man at the desk that I was your wife and you were expecting me, he escorted me to the room.” “It was that easy?” he said. “Almost. I had to show him my passport…We do have the same last name…I suppose the twenty lira I offered him helped…Now that the interrogation is over, aren’t you a little happy to see me? I did tell you that I would be visiting.”

“Yes, but your telling him you were my wife will be circulating around the hotel before the sun sets.” “If you’re worried about what the two Fräuleins will think, I’ll make things right.” Peter shook his head. “That was you I saw in Valletta! I called your name, but when you kept going I assumed I was mistaken.” “You looked like you were having a good time and I didn’t want to put you in an awkward position. Besides, I was surprised to see you and wasn’t prepared to be the long-lost sister showing up unexpectedly…I had a small problem myself.”

“What happened?” “Some jerk tried to run off with my backpack.” Peter saw it leaning against the chair. “I bet you kicked the crap out of him to get it back.” “I would have if I’d had the chance, but a constable found it in an alley.” “How long are you going to stay?” “Are you referring to your suite or to Malta?” Peter rolled his eyes and tilted his head back. “In Malta, sister!” “What’s happened to you here? The Peter Wagner I know has a sense of humor that only a major catastrophe could dent.”

Peter slumped back. “You might say that I’ve been through a few minor catastrophes. And a major one…I almost went to the airport this morning to catch an early flight back to Germany.” Petra leaned forward and placed a hand on Peter’s shoulder. “That sounds bad. I think it’s time for you to tell me about it.” “It started the day I arrived on Malta.”...

Read the first five chapters of Watch List here: