{"product_id":"sand-and-shadows","title":"Sand and Shadows – Military Historical Fiction Ebook (Book 1)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHe survived the war. Coming home was supposed to be the easy part.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSix months after leaving Iraq, former U.S. Army infantryman \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMason Cole\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is back in Texas.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe shooting has stopped. The missions are over. Civilian life should feel like freedom.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eInstead, Mason feels like a ghost.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThen an old squad mate, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTyler Briggs\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, offers him a way back into the only world that still makes sense—a highly paid position with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVanguard Strategic Solutions\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, an American private military company operating in Iraq.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe job sounds straightforward.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eConvoy security. Facility protection. Escort work.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGood money. Professional operators. Government-adjacent contracts.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut from the moment Mason arrives, something feels wrong.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUnmarked crates move through supposedly legitimate convoys. Routes change without explanation. Armed men guard shipments nobody will discuss. Contractors who ask too many questions have a habit of disappearing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnd Mason quickly discovers that Vanguard isn't simply protecting cargo.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt's moving it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBehind the company's respectable name lies a clandestine network of smuggling, secret contracts, corruption and violence protected by men who believe themselves untouchable.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNow Mason knows too much.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLeaving isn't an option.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKeeping quiet could make him rich.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eExposing the truth could get him killed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs friends become enemies and every handshake hides another betrayal, Mason is drawn into a shadow war where loyalty is bought, evidence disappears and the men supposedly on his side may be more dangerous than anything he faced on the battlefield.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTo survive, Mason will have to uncover who really controls Vanguard, gather enough evidence to bring the organisation down and somehow stay alive long enough for the truth to escape with him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut Vanguard has its own solution for troublesome employees.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe cleanup protocol.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrom the deserts and dangerous streets of Iraq to covert operations, compromised safe houses, black sites and a desperate fight to expose an organisation built on secrecy, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSand and Shadows\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is a fast-paced military conspiracy thriller about loyalty, corruption, betrayal and one veteran's decision to stop running.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePerfect for readers who enjoy \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003emilitary thrillers, private military contractor fiction, conspiracy thrillers, Iraq War fiction, espionage, covert operations and action-packed military adventure.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn the shadows of war, the most dangerous enemy may be the man standing beside you.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Swan Military Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58591199723864,"sku":null,"price":1.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1016\/8693\/5896\/files\/ChatGPTImageJul14_2026_01_27_43PM.png?v=1790674990","url":"https:\/\/swanmilitarybooks.myshopify.com\/products\/sand-and-shadows","provider":"Swan Military Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}