Could it Happen Today?
A simple text message received by Matt Tremain begins this fast paced novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat. An intriguing way to begin a frightening story. Frightening because it is so possible–because it could be happening already.
Matt Tremain is a blogger. He writes about scams, always looking to expose the hidden. That includes CleanSweep since the rumors started.
When an employee of Charles Claussen learns what his boss is planning he begins to collect details. Evidence he knows will bring his death. Once Matt meets with him and sees the evidence, he begins to blog about CleanSweep, but what is it? The more he learns the scarier it becomes. People are going missing. Some are dying. Homeless, street people are gone.
Claussen’s plan entails far more than that.
Could We See Through The Plan?
The author paints an all to realistic picture of manipulation. Create mayhem, and you can get the populace demanding more protection, more oversight. They are thankful for intervention. Yet once started, where might it lead? Can it be stopped?
All too often, once something is started that is good and perhaps necessary, it can easily become something invasive and not good. It can depend so much on whose hands it is in. In the wrong hands, they could be coming after you.
The book gives you much to consider. A riot rocks the city of Toronto. As a result the government calls in “CleanSweep” to help contain and control the city. Many residents are thankful someone has stopped the rioting and the destruction.
So it begins. The plan includes rounding up the “undesirables,” removing them to contained areas. We all probably have our own opinion of who might be an undesirable, but would you include the sick? The handicapped? The mentally ill? What if it then stretched to include those opposed to CleanSweep? Or those opposed to the government? You see how far this particular slippery slope might lead.
A handful of others know something is wrong with CleanSweep. If they can connect, can they somehow stop it? Can they stay alive long enough? It’s an exciting hunt. Staying out of site from an invasive system. Out of sight of cameras, out of range of GPS. With hundreds there to search for them, their time is short.
Personal rights versus Government authority is already a divisive issue in our country today. Both sides have good points to make. They may like the idea, consider it important to their cause. That is, until someone new is in control of it, someone with an agenda of their own.
It was an exciting, suspenseful read. From destroyed buildings to dark isolated basements and danger filled streets, it keeps you riveted. You will find yourself fearing each turn Matt makes will lead to his capture, each person to his death.
Very entertaining and well written. It has a solid, satisfying conclusion, yet hints at a possible sequel. I’ll look forward to seeing what the author does next.
The Tour
Book Description for The CleanSweep Conspiracy:
Matt Tremain publishes Verité, a modest blog dedicated to writing about the truth and exposing scams. Currently, he’s following up on rumors concerning something called CleanSweep, a mysterious project in Toronto, Canada.
Matt gets his break when a whistleblower connects CleanSweep to billionaire Charles Claussen. Claussen plans to rid Toronto of undesirables, beginning with street people and extending to any citizens who don’t match Claussen’s restrictive screening matrix.
With the help of a high-ranking government official, Claussen plans to incite riots and violent unrest, conning Torontonians into sacrificing privacy and civil liberties for illusionary security and safety. Toronto will be reduced to a repressive city-state.
The information overwhelms Matt, who doubts he has the courage, skill, or readership to take on CleanSweep. But the murder of his source convinces the blogger to take a stand—although he’s too late to prevent chaos from gripping Toronto’s streets.
To get the word out, Matt’s going to need allies. He may have found some in a Toronto police detective and a local TV reporter pursuing the same story—presuming they aren’t allied with Claussen. If they are, Matt’s going to become yet another victim of CleanSweep, and the truth will be buried forever.
Buy the book: Amazon
Author’s Bio:
Born in Iowa, Chuck Waldron lived in Ontario, Canada, before relocating to Florida’s Treasure Coast. Over the years, he’s held many jobs. The ones he can mention in print include US Army soldier, truck driver, office manager, mailman, real estate salesman, social worker, hardware store clerk, and shuttle driver.
Fate played a crucial role when he walked into his first writing class, and he still honors the memory of the teacher, Henrietta. She gave him permission to write. That—along with countless writing groups, classes, seminars, and much sweat—has resulted in over fifty short stories and four novels.
Waldron often likes to pretend interest, lacks perseverance, and could generally use a good talking to—until it comes to his writing, that is. He and his wife Suzanne reside in Port St. Lucie, Florida. While keeping an eye out for hurricanes, alligators, and Burmese pythons, he’s busy writing his next novel
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June 7, 2016
Thank you for the review. I didn’t realize I would be writing a cautionary tale when I started out and it was eerie how hard it was to stay ahead of real news.