Title: Concealed
Author: Dan W. Roberts
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 978-1504948517
Pages: 366
Genre: Suspense / Thriller / Adventure/ Fiction
Reviewed by: Ephantus M.
HBR: Can you share a snippet that isn’t in the blurb or excerpt?
“Throughout the plane, every passenger was jolted into heightened awareness that something was very wrong; oxygen masks didn’t deploy unless there was an emergency of some sort. Had a different pilot been in the cockpit, there would have been communication providing at least some idea of what occurred. The absence of any information only served to increase the palpable wave of concern that rapidly washed over the entire cabin. There was no way for anyone to know what was happening, or to comprehend what awaited them. It was no surprise that their collective fears soon escalated into widespread panic, and everyone with a cell phone was desperately trying to get a signal so they could alert the outside world. They also tried their laptops and tablets, hoping to send a message to their loved ones, but none of their efforts would be rewarded.”
HBR: Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?
Yes, the character of “Alex Hale” was somewhat based on my son, coincidentally by the same first name, of whom I’m exceedingly proud and who is the “hero” in my life. Had he gone into the military, I have no doubt he would have achieved notable success. So I melded some of his stronger traits into the fictional character, as I envisioned him in that role.
HBR: What was the inspiration for the story?
The story is loosely based on the missing Malaysian airliner from several years ago. As the events made their way into the public eye, I was almost immediately consumed by the idea that something much more sinister was going on behind the scenes. It didn’t take long to meld my story into some of those events, albeit significantly embellished.
HBR: What is the key theme and/or message in the book?
Technological advances have made immeasurably positive and dramatic impacts to our lives. But even with the best intentions in mind, there’s almost always a price to pay; a double-edged sword that eliminates one problem but creates another. There will always be bad actors looking for ways to create harm that no one could have predicted. Maybe this story will shed light on some of those negative outcomes that could be avoided one day.
HBR: What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
I hope readers enjoy the many thought-provoking, aviation-related elements of the book and wonder if they really could happen…spoiler alert – I’ve spoken with several pilots who’ve confirmed they could.
HBR: What is the significance of the title?
“Concealed” refers to the ability to not just hide an airplane’s identity, but even more significantly, to assume another aircraft’s identity.
HBR: Tell us about the process for coming up with the cover.
I wanted to create the image of an airplane disappearing from a radar screen; one second it’s there, and in an instant, it’s gone. I also wanted the letters in the title to gradually fade away, to reinforce the message.
HBR: Are you working on anything at the present you would like to share with your
readers about?
Yes, I’ve written a screenplay and hope to turn the story into a major motion picture. Whether or not that happens is anyone’s guess, but in the meantime I’m working on a sequel…stay tuned for more action!