In the Shadow of the Hawk

The stirring sequel to The Bringing Down of the Hawk. A gripping story involving industrial espionage in New Zealand and the effect it has on the lives of Auckland business man Ted Starling and his bride to be Dawn Graham.  The opening chapter involves German fighter pilot ace Broer Altschul and describes the events that led to his relocation to New Zealand following his capture in North Africa.  Dawn Graham, the founder of her own design and fashion organization, working only in New Zealand wool products, unknowingly becomes the target of lightning sketch artist Altschul who has the ability and means to reproduce her exclusive designs and present them to the New Zealand market before her own marketing processes can be established. Ted Starling's failing heart induces him to make drastic decisions in his life and we are introduced to New Zealand bushman Ryan Elliott in the backwoods of Taupo who becomes the donor of the life saving organ.  Many of these characters overflow from the previous book and this story deals with the strength and love between a male and a female in more mature years of life. It also deals with the private lives of unscrupulous characters such as Altschul and his conniving colleague Slade who are the parasites of life who choose to grow fat from the pickings from people such as Ted and Dawn. Dawn Graham's  designs are under threat as copyright thieves threaten her industry when she is most vulnerable with Ted in a life-or-death situation. Ted becomes the recipient of a new heart and this story exposes the personal feelings of those involved as relatively the subversive attacks on the structure of their lives take second place. Ted recovers and he and Dawn marry bringing into the story characters from the past who have always stood by Ted in difficult times. Ted's character is tested when Dawn conceives a child she is destined not to carry for nature's full term and heartache and despair tear the story line apart.  In  personal grief Ted forsakes everything and everyone close to him, but eventually finds the strength to seek the comfort from long time family friends. With his replacement heart failing he understands he has been on borrowed time and undertakes to reveal a few personal secrets and straighten the record. What do we have here?  We have a story of love, of loyalty, of failure and extreme success and of course, recrimination.