The PuppetMaster On a blistering East Indian afternoon two unlikely companions enter a cave on the outskirts of Varanasi, one of the oldest cities on earth. What the revered Sanskrit pundit and the novice American linguist discover inside could alter the lives of millions. But will they be able to present their finding to the world before Sutradharak, The PuppetMaster, terrorizes the region again? Martin Scott has fled to India, leaving behind an agonizing past, and for three years has led a life of scholastic monasticism. His simple existence is radically changed when he enters the narrow crevice and two days later meets the beautiful and intriguing, Uliana Hadersen, of Denmark, a woman with her own mysterious past. The two tentatively rediscover love as they are ensnared in a web of religious riots, black-marketeering, murder, and terrorist plots in the maze of the ancient city. With each step they unravel more of the long-held secrets of the cave and subsequently, the ominous motives of the brutal Sutradharak. And with each step they also move closer to either their own atonement or their own encounter with death. The Dance of the PuppetMaster is a timely story of suspense, intrigue, and profound romance set on the banks of the Ganges during the historic bombings of 2006. Its characters and setting, as rich and flavorful as the spices of the bazaar, will linger in the mind's eye for years to come.
About the Author: Andrew L. MacNair was born in Richmond, Virginia in the early 1950's. That unheralded event would have taken place in Williamsburg--his family's home town at the time--but there were no local hospitals during that enlightened period, so his parents trundled the sixty plus miles in a poorly tuned Packard as labor intensified. His parents--from all accounts--weren't overly concerned, Andrew being their third son. He survived not only that first daunting journey, but five grammar schools, two middle school in Los Angeles, and a high school in San Diego, this last one by the skin of his teeth. From there he went to University of the Pacific in Stockton (stolen car capital of the country) and on to India. Some true education began in Bangalore and Varanasi. After graduating from UC Santa Cruz, surfing a lot, and a Masters degree in Sanskrit from UC Berkeley, Mr. MacNair created Spice of Life Catering with his wife. Together they had two beautiful, brilliant daughters who are making positive changes in this world. He is the author of three acclaimed novels, Lantern's Passage, Mirador, and The PuppetMaster--currently a quarterfinalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. His fourth endeavor, Dark and Shiny Pearl, is due out in the winter of 2013.