Philip L Moore's Books

Amelia's Daughter

AMELIA’S DAUGHTER

Synopsis

Sidney Black-Smyth, having lost his parents, both aviators, in his teens, is sent to live with his Aunt Polliandra in USA. However, his bad-tempered, drunken aunt does not want him, only agreeing to take him when she realises what his parents’ estate is worth. Sid has no knowledge of this; he hates his aunt, who treats him badly, and runs away, living rough and finding work here and there, calling him self Sid Smith. One night he shelters in the fuselage of an old aircraft at an airfield/farm in Florida and is discovered by one of the staff. Asked whether he wants work, he is taken on by the airfield owners, Chuck and Wilma. He works hard on the farm and learns to fly; they are kind to him and he sees them as his family, eventually becoming a partner in the business.

            They are offered a haulage contract by Guy Hudson of Hudson Foods and Sid has a brief fling with Rachel, Guy’s attractive, but spoilt brat of a daughter. He finds her grabbing and selfish and is not interested in a relationship with her.

            Aunt Polly does not report Sid missing and continues to claim money from the estate for his living expenses and education. However, shortly after Sid’s twenty-first birthday, the family solicitor turns up at her house to give Sid the news that he is now a millionaire. The aunt is so shocked at the news that she passes out, falling awkwardly onto a heavy oak coffee table and fatally breaking her neck.

            Then the hunt is on to trace Sid and appeals are launched in newspapers, displaying an old photograph of him as a boy. Rachel sees the photograph and recognises him, telling her father that she knows him and he is part of the firm recently contracted to haul goods for Hudson Foods.

            Shortly afterwards, Sid is found and told of his newly acquired wealth which has been held in a trust fund for years. A whole new world opens up for him, and he invests in Chuck’s business, becoming an equal partner, as well as buying shares in Hudson Foods. He returns to England to visit his parents’ graves and the three homes he now owns. With the help of James, his chauffeur/handyman he makes them habitable again and lays the ghosts of the past.

            Back in America, the business thrives and Sid is now able to try and realise his ambition – to find his heroine, Amelia Earhart, who set off on an epic journey around the world in 1937 but never came back and was never found. He purchases a DC3, having it especially adapted with floats for air or sea travel. Naming her Lady Lindy (Earhart’s nickname) he heads for the South Pacific to set up a base in the Cook Islands.

            Faced with many problems and almost losing Lady Lindy in a raging storm, he returns to the US until the weather improves, throwing himself into his partnership duties. His second attempt, three months later begins to look equally hopeless and after six weeks, he has found nothing of any significance. Once again a storm forces him to land and as he flies over a forest clearing, to land on a nearby lagoon, he notices something in the shape of a plane.

            When he is awoken next morning by a half naked girl throwing stones at the fuselage, and later becomes ensnared in a mantrap, he can have no inkling that he has come across Lindy Earhart-Noonan – none other than the illegitimate daughter of Amelia and her navigator, Fred Noonan. The girl has lived alone on the island since her father drowned in the lagoon, her mother having gone to seek refuge from the Japanese war planes, but was never heard of again. Her home is a life size model of her mother’s plane, built mostly from wood and plant material. This was what Sid had spotted as he flew over the forest.

            Lindy is very wary of Sid at first and he gradually gains her confidence by leaving food out for her. Then he is bitten by a venomous snake and she saves his life, nursing him back to health. Though sixteen, she still has the mind of a ten-year-old and Sid enlists Wilma’s help to teach her some social skills – such as wearing clothes in company! She has flying in her blood though, and Sid soon has her at the controls learning to fly. Eventually, Amelia’s mother, Amy, is traced and becomes her official guardian. Lindy is sent to school to complete her education and Sid returns to his business partnership which has now expanded and become a successful international airport.

            Since the moment they met, there has been a magnetism between Sid and Lindy and they realise they are deeply in love. During Christmas celebrations in Sussex, they become engaged. Back in the States, impatient to be together, they marry on the spur of the moment. Months later, Lindy discovers she is pregnant and just afterwards a serious earthquake hits San Francisco. The couple want to help and Sid, on a mercy mission with medical supplies and provisions, goes down in the Nevada Desert and loses contact. Numerous search parties are out looking for him, but Lindy decides to fly her namesake, Lady Lindy over the area in an effort to find him… which, eventually, after much drama and suspense, she does.......or does she?

 Eternal Wish

Synopsis

Peter Porter, a successful writer in his mid-forties is a widower twice over and, not wanting to risk losing a third wife, he regularly avails himself of the services of a gorgeous blonde escort called Debbie. However, there is far more to their relationship than that of a business arrangement and, although they manage to keep their true feelings a secret from each other, they are in fact falling love and finding it much harder to say goodbye following their sex sessions.

            When Peter has a book-signing engagement in London involving a helicopter trip, he finds himself at Stapleford Flight Centre. Once a keen pilot – and still interested in all aspects of aviation, he spots a Beechcraft 18,  one of his ‘dream’ machines. Unable to resist a closer look, he is told vaguely that it belongs to ‘some lesbian who uses it for shopping trips’ and goes in search of the owner. The so-called lesbian is Miss Julie Johnson – who turns out to be none other than Debbie. Julie’s late father left her the aircraft together with a property and her double life as Debbie pays for the expense of keeping them going.

            After they recover from the shock, they both confess their love for each other and, with their mutual love of flying, and high sex drives they soon become inseparable. Although there are some tricky issues to be addressed, their love endures and they marry. Peter makes all the arrangements for a surprise wedding and they are married in style at a luxury hotel where their first night of married bliss is a night of love to remember.

            They fly themselves off to Paris and Prague, enjoying the romantic sights by day and exhausting their passion by night, finally returning home – where their honeymoon continues; the couple are blissfully happy and life is perfect.

            Then the bubble of perfection bursts and things begin to go wrong. First of all, Nigel, an instructor at Compton Abbas, tells Julie that he knows all about her past life and tries to attack her. Fortunately Peter arrives just in time to prevent him and punches him in the face, breaking his nose.

            Full of hatred and thirsty for revenge, Nigel cuts through the fuel pipes of the Beech 18 the night before Julie is due to fly in her the following morning. Her life is threatened when she has to crash land the plane which falls to the ground in flames. Miraculously, she escapes with only minor injuries, but considerable shock and also a deep sorrow at the thought that her beloved Beech is a write-off.

            Air Accident Investigators find evidence that the plane was tampered with and probe into the couple’s private lives, discovering that they have recently married and taken out large life assurance policies. The inference is that Peter has attempted to murder Julie, making it look like an accident so that he can pick up the insurance money. Peter has an idea that Nigel may be implicated, but Julie is very reluctant to tell the investigators of the incident, fearing that the truth about her past will come out and ruin their lives, but Peter in particular, as a successful author. Peter only wants to have the culprit caught and punished and tells the investigators all he knows.

            It transpires that Nigel has vanished. Peter takes extra precautions for their security in case Nigel should return and strike again, but eventually their lives settle down again and Debbie fades away into the past where she belongs… well, she does appear again, in disguise, on the nose of the rebuilt Beech 18. Julie has always called the plane ‘Alfie’, but as Peter points out, all planes are female – everyone knows that! So Julie is taken aback when she sees the nose art – an airbrushed picture of a shapely female attired in 1940’s lingerie with the name Debbie underneath.

            Mr and Mrs Porter put the past behind them and life is good again. Until tragedy strikes once more when Peter is unexpectedly diagnosed with a brain tumour after collapsing at his cottage. Julie is told by the surgeon that he has only about six weeks to live and her world is turned upside down. Peter is unconscious following surgery and she stays at his bedside, holding his hand and talking to him. After a few days he returns to consciousness and Julie has to break the devastating news. Peter’s reaction is to discharge himself immediately and after a battle with the doctors, his wishes are respected and Julie takes him home.

            Responding to Julies love and care, Peter rallies and begins to feel better – even agreeing to a book-signing in Scotland, a place neither he nor Julie have yet visited. They admire the breathtaking scenery, are enchanted with the Northern Lights, and have a happy, restful time.

            When they return home, Peter’s condition deteriorates again; there are disturbing behaviour patterns and severe memory lapses, and everything is uncertain. He finds himself back in hospital but, as before, he fights his illness and again is able to return home, although this time he is weaker and more confused.

            Then one day Peter tells Julie that he thinks it would be a good idea to have some dog-tags made with his name on and Julie’s number in case he loses his memory at any time when they are apart. Julie sees no need for them – she is never far from his side now, but she humours him, agreeing to drive him in to town to order them. As she turns out of their drive, there is an almighty crash and everything goes black.

            Peter wakes up and looks around. The car windscreen is smashed and the door is hanging off; there is the wreckage of a large white van in front of him. Not knowing who or where he is, he sees that a light is on at the house nearby and staggers towards it to ask for help. When he hears a woman screaming he knows something is wrong and then he sees her – a half-naked woman with her hands tied to the table legs, kicking and screaming and a vicious man hitting her, and about to finnish her off., and suddenly he sees a crystal that they had made in Prague which has his and hers faces in it and just in the nick of time he saves her.

            Peter remembers nothing when he comes round again in a hospital bed, but slowly, with Julies help, they complete the picture. Nigel had been watching them, awaiting his chance, and had come tearing towards them in his transit van. Leaving Peter for dead, he dragged Julie back to the house and was attacking her when Peter came in, smashing a large vase over his head. The blow itself didn’t kill him, but he fell awkwardly and broke his neck, so it was an accident; Peter was in the clear.

            Against all the odds, Peter recovers enough to be able to leave hospital and he and Julie make the decision to make the most of the short time left to them. They go out walking, for picnics, and just to enjoy their own company – their own world of love. One day they decide to fly to Alderney for lunch. Julie knows that time is running out and thinks it best to end it all now while they are both happy, and shuts down the engines. Peter realises, just in time, and brings everything under control, avoiding a fatal crash in the Channel. Peter wants her to live on after his death, to find happiness again, but Julie is adamant that when he dies, she does too.

            After yet another spell in hospital, Peter’s behaviour becomes unpredictable and bizarre at times. The specialist makes it clear that time is rapidly running out now and asks Julie to make arrangements for him to be re-admitted. Instead, she calls the airfield to arrange a flight from there the next day. She has a plan, and tells Peter that she has heard of a clinic in Switzerland who may be able to help him. That night is very special – like no other.

            Next morning, they dress in their most attractive clothes – Julies choice – and prepare for their trip to Switzerland. She even lets Peter drive her to the airfield in his beloved Mk 2 Jag. Once airborne, she breaks down and confesses to Peter that there is no clinic in Switzerland; no miracle cure. He tells her he is quite aware of that – he knows from her body language what the plan is and asks her again to turn back; to make a new life for herself… but no way.

            But she has one final request; she has brought some handcuffs and asks Peter to secure their wrists and ankles together so that their bodies are not separated when they crash into the sea.

            Drowsy from the sleeping pills she has taken, Julie dozes off into her big sleep; Peter swallows the remaining pills, switches to autopilot and together they fly on to their final destination – their island of  Eternal Love.

KEZ

KEZ

Synopsis

Kez is a thrilling modern day adventure story set in the world of aviation and opens with Kez, the heroine, celebrating her eighteenth birthday with her twin brother Tom. Kez is devoted to her father, Chaz, who has been a widower for twelve years, and she is also very close to Tom and her adoring grandparents, Beryl and Doug. The family throw a surprise party for the twins, who are also celebrating the fact that they are about to get their Private Pilots’ Licences.  Lucy, their mother, died from cancer when they were only six, but she had planned this day with Chaz and there are some deeply emotional moments when the twins open their special presents chosen, prepared and wrapped by their mother, each with a personal letter.

            Much of the action takes place at Five Pits Farm, the home of Doug and Beryl, where huge barns have been converted into aircraft hangars and the farmland is one big airstrip, cattle and crops being replaced by every aircraft spare imaginable.  Doug is a wealthy businessman and what he doesn’t know about aircraft is not worth knowing; Chaz followed his father’s example, but made his fortune from property development, flying being his hobby. 

            Debbie and her brother Matt live at the farm nearby and often go for evenings out with Kez and.  Debs, as she is known, and Tom have always been close and though neither has admitted it, they are in love.  Debs is going through a very withdrawn, moody period and no-one seems to know what the trouble is.  Kez knows how they feel about each other and one evening plays cupid, practically throwing them together.  Tom asks her to marry him and Debs instantly accepts.  She is over the moon but worries that Tom’s family may think she is too young for marriage. However, Chaz points out that she is the same age that Lucy was when he married her and she is welcomed by all of them, especially Kez who is overjoyed to be gaining a ‘sister’.

The whole family, though wealthy, are down to earth, caring people, and when a twelve-year-old tearaway, David, trespasses onto Doug’s land and tries his hand at driving Betsy, the old military tank, causing a serious accident and a lot of damage to Chaz’s plane, they decide to give him another chance, realising that it is care and understanding that the boy needs, rather than punishment.  As the story evolves, it is discovered that the boy’s brother, Mark has been responsible for causing extreme distress to Debbie.  When Mark and his loutish mates try to bully Debs and Kez at a night club, they very quickly learn that Kez, with her black belt in martial arts, is a force to be reckoned with and they are soon brought under control with the assistance of Harry, a young man who comes to Kez’s aid and who is to play a vital role in her life in later chapters. 

Debs then tearfully reveals that, after getting drunk one night, she was gang raped by Mark and his mates and has even undergone a secret abortion.  The abuse is continuing because she is too frightened to tell the police or anyone else, as the thugs have videos of the incidents, which they are now using to blackmail her.  This is the reason for her unhappiness; she is at the end of her tether and contemplating suicide. When Tom hears her story he is overwhelmed with love and compassion for her.  Her brother Matt takes it badly and lashes out angrily, saying that he has failed his sister. 

Kez talks to him and helps him to understand the situation.  They have always been friends, but now, with love and marriage in the air, they begin thinking of romance. However, Kez is fond of him, but has no desire to settle down with Matt and ‘produce livestock’ as she puts it and although she enters into a relationship with him, she has no intention of letting things become serious.  Matt’s parents realise this and when they try to warn him, he becomes jealously aggressive.  Little does either of them know at this stage that Matt will become bitter and eventually turn against Kez, almost taking her life.

David, or ‘Dumper’ as he is affectionately known, is given another chance and Doug sets him to work on the farm, to pay for some of the damage he caused with the tank.  It soon becomes clear that David is intent on making up for all his past mistakes and he works hard, wanting to show the family and especially his mother that he really means it.  He sees Kez as his heroine and Doug, or ‘Grandoug’ as he calls him, becomes his best friend and mentor and greatly influences his reformed way of life.  Carol, his mum, also becomes like one of the family.  On his twelfth birthday, Gran bakes him a special birthday cake, and a surprise party is arranged.  His mum gives him a mobile phone, he has a savings account opened in his name and, because Tom accidentally drove into his bike, he gets a brand new mountain bike in place of the wrecked one.

Trouble arrives at the end of his party, in the shape of big brother Mark and his mates.  They soon disrupt the proceedings. Mark demands money from his mother and then violently attacks her and there is general chaos until Kez takes over.  With her quick thinking and martial arts expertise she soon has the whole gang of them whimpering, ready for the police to deal with.  This time the charges are serious enough to ensure that they are locked away for a long time.

Life then settles down happily for a while.  David continues to work on the farm and in his spare time is delighted to go flying with Doug, sometimes taking over the controls.  Tom and Debs seal their engagement by buying the ring and Kez lives her life to the full, teasing Matt whenever she can, and enjoying her freedom to fly now that her licence is finally through.

When it is time for David to return to school after the long holidays, he is determined to work hard and show that he is a reformed character.  Up until this term he has always treated school with contempt, taking no interest in lessons, never doing his homework and sometimes not bothering to turn up at all.  He invests some of his birthday money in private maths tuition and a proper school uniform, and even buys himself a proper school bag with pens and stationery.  At first, he is treated as the old David, the girls ignoring him and the boys as usual sneering, and bullying him.  It is not long before the teachers realise that he really is serious about working hard, and with Kez teaching him martial arts, he soon sees off the bullies and catches the eye of more than one girl.  He has come a long way in just a few weeks, and life is good.

Grandad has an important business trip coming up taking in Dijon, Munich and Poland and asks Kez if she wants to go with him as co-pilot.  Naturally, she jumps at the chance and there is great excitement as the two prepare for their journey. All goes according to plan until they touch down in Germany.  Doug is involved in a lucrative project with Johan, an old friend from way back.  However, the minute Kez sets eyes on Johan, she takes a dislike to him.  Her instincts prove to be correct as she discovers from the maid that her room is bugged and spy cameras are placed at strategic points so that he can watch Kez undressing and showering, etc.  She spends the night in her grandfather’s room and is relieved when it is time to leave, especially as she had overheard Doug and Johan having a heated argument after dinner.  They are waved off on their way to Poland by Johan who insists that they take a flask of soup to warm them when it becomes cold over the Alps.  When doing the pre-flight checks, Kez notices that an indicator mark on one of the wheels has moved and queries it, but Doug takes a look and thinks it is nothing to worry about.

Nearing the Alps, it does indeed become cold and Doug pours himself a mugful of the steaming soup.  Kez had a huge breakfast, so she just has a few sips from her grandad’s mug.  Then the trouble starts.  Doug feels drowsy and tells Kez to take over for half an hour while he has a nap.  Kez herself begins to feel drowsy and slightly disorientated and then notices that her grandad is not just sleeping, he is unconscious.  She quickly realises that the soup was drugged.  She has only had a few sips and makes herself vomit, then drinks water to try to dilute the substance.  She tries to put out a Mayday call but is unable to give her name or registration number before passing out alongside her grandad.

She then comes back to semi-consciousness and hears her mother’s voice urging her to stay awake and to fight. Her presence is real; she slaps Kez’s face and shouts at her to fight for her life.  Grandad regains consciousness and although sluggish and dazed, he is able to help Kez to control the plane.  The next thing they know is that they are flying over a war zone and being shot at. They aim for a clearing in the trees and try to land with only one engine.  The plane comes down and as they land, a wooden stake pierces the side of the cockpit and goes right through Grandad, pinning him to his seat in a pool of his own blood.  Kez is horrified and wants to stay and help him but Doug orders her to run for her life; his own is over, he is beyond help.

            Kez finds a derelict cottage and next morning she discovers that she has slept there with a decaying corpse in the next room.  A dog appears and not far away is Saskia, who turns out to be a member of the KLA.  The two pair up and Kez discovers that she and her grandfather have crash landed in Yugoslavia.  Kez saves Saskia from being raped and murdered by a Bosnian soldier and they become great friends.  Together they manage to find enough food to survive and Kez even manages to utilise an old bath tub so that they can have a bath and wash their clothes.  Even the dog has a bath!

            Back at home, Kez’s family are eventually traced and informed of the crash and they manage to get text messages to and from Kez.  Chaz hears that his father has been killed.  When he breaks the news to Gran, she reveals that he had terminal cancer and had not long to live anyway. This very important business trip was to have been his last.  Chaz sets out to rescue Kez and there are also orphaned children who have been found starving, sick and dying.

            After an emotional reunion with Kez, Chaz is instantly attracted to Saskia.  Like Lucy, his late wife, she calls him Charlie, and confesses to being a chocaholic. He feels strangely drawn to her.  They take as many sick children onto the plane as possible but Saskia refuses to go back with them, saying that she cannot abandon the remaining children who need her.  When Kez realises that Saskia is not travelling with them there are more hysterics – the two of them have been through so much together in the past few days and parting is hard for them both.

            Safely home again Kez, in her state of shock, goes through a highly emotional phase as she tries to come to terms with the reality of what has taken place. Her father is shaken when she tells him that she has killed four times. But life begins to settle down until one evening, in the shower, Chaz has a strange experience.  He hears Lucy talking to him and even sees her in the mirror.  “Come and get me,” she says; “I am waiting.”  Then he notices a bullet wound on her shoulder and her face slowly becomes Saskia’s.  He knows then that he must go back for her and almost immediately begins to organise two Dakotas – spacious enough to bring Saskia and the children and his father’s body home.

            With Chaz and Matt in one Dak and Kez and Tom in the second, the rescue operation gets under way. As they approach the area, the Daks are shot at and on the ground, Saskia again narrowly escapes death, but eventually their mission is completed and they make the journey home.  Then there is more drama on the airfield when Kez has to crash land on one wheel but they all scramble to safety and are then faced with a barrage of flash photography and sound equipment from the media circus which has been steadily growing since the story first broke.

            Chaz knows instinctively that Saskia is very special and wastes no time in asking her to marry him.  Doug’s funeral takes place and David has the honour of sprinkling his ashes over the airfield from the Yak 52.  Then comes the reading of the will and more surprises for everyone. Doug was worth £26m and Kez and Tom find that they are now worth £2m each. Young David inherits £150,000. Chaz gets another £5m to add to his own fortune, and Beryl has the farm and the residue.  There are also several properties to take into account.

            They all begin to settle down and plan their futures and all seems fairly calm on the surface but inside, Kez is still boiling with anger and wants revenge on Johan. Then one morning she decides to take the Yak and give them all a wake-up call.  What she doesn’t know is that the tube to a vital part of the aircraft’s controls has been deliberately cut through. According to trained investigators, only an expert would have the knowledge to do it and the chief suspect is Johan, but he would need assistance from someone closely associated with Kez to be able to carry out the sabotage.  Security is then stepped up and a surveillance team is sent to protect them.

            One evening when the family are out relaxing socially, Kez spots a man behaving suspiciously near their car.  Like a flash of lightning she is soon on the spot, overpowering the man and another who rushes to his aid.  When another approaches and touches her shoulder, she floors him with a single blow.  However, they are not Johan’s thugs, but soldiers deployed to guard the family. What’s more, the one laid out on the ground is their Sergeant, Harry Reeves – the young man who had offered his assistance at the night club fracas a few months ago!

            Apologies over and embarrassment fading, Harry explains that he and his men and working with CID to apprehend Johan.  Kez is attracted to Harry; there is a definite chemistry between them and they begin to have fun together.  It is not long before she is leaving her bedroom window open for him!  One day when they are out riding, the sound of nearby gunshot frightens the horses and Kez is thrown.  Harry’s men immediately search the wood and soon reappear with Matt, who explains that he was rabbiting.  It is thought odd that he has no rabbits and he is on Chaz’s land rather than his own, but Kez tells the men to let their neighbour go.

            Chaz decides it is time to check out Doug’s properties, beginning with a large Victorian house in London.  The place is like a workshop, full of aero parts and spares, diagrams, etc. When Kez looks in the wardrobe mirror, she sees her grandfather, smiling and holding up a teacup.  Screaming at first with shock, she then realises that Doug is trying to tell them something.  In the kitchen, they inspect the kettle, the coffee jar and the sugar.  Nothing.  Then Kez finds a packet of Earl Gray tea – a family favourite – and tips the contents onto the table.  Sure enough, a large key falls out.  The label says ATTIC.  The key does not open the door, which they have to break down, but inside is a metal chest secured with a heavy padlock.  The key fits the lock and Chaz discovers a personal note from his father, at the end of which is a name, Daighton, and a phone number.

            Mr Daighton turns out to be a solicitor who holds business deeds, bonds and contracts belonging to Doug worth millions. However, there is one particular contract with a Japanese company which could revolutionise air travel. Doug had designed and built a small aero engine which was electro-powered.  The Japanese had developed it and were actually going into production with it – the world’s first ‘green’ aero engine. Johan was a partner in the project but, desperate for cash, he sold his share back to Doug.  When he later realised his mistake, he tried to deal himself back in. Doug, however, had realised that he was no longer to be trusted and refused. There was a huge row about it the night Grandad and Kez had stayed with him.  Johan therefore decided to get rid of Doug, expecting to claim the project as his own and reap all the benefits.  So he gave them some drugged soup for their journey, believing they would crash in the Alps, which they almost did.  

            Later, on a cold, foggy night, Kez and Harry are in the barn checking more of the crates for parts. The rest of the family are relaxing in the farmhouse.  Johan, taking advantage of the fog, is able to drive unnoticed up to the barn and with an accomplice, is able to overpower both Kez and Harry and tie them up.  His accomplice is Matt, who takes great pleasure in beating Harry up. 

            Inside the farm house, David is on his way to the loo when he sees two strangers creeping upstairs.  He raises the alarm and Chaz and Saskia, rifles always at the ready, shoot both intruders. Realising that Kez and Harry are in danger, they all rush to the barn to rescue them.  David is given the job of disabling Johan’s vehicle by driving Betsy into it; Debs attacks her brother with a pitchfork and Chaz shoots Matt’s father, who is also involved.  It is only then that they realise millions of pounds worth of heroin has been hidden in the engine parts.

            Johan breaks loose and starts up the Range Rover, but Kez is determined to stop him. She jumps bareback onto her horse and pursues Johan across the airfield.  As she begins to gain ground, he runs out of field and smashes into the embankment.  Dismounting, rifle at the ready, Kez notices that a fencing stake has entered the driver’s door and run straight through his stomach, nailing him to the seat – just like Grandad in the plane.  She sits there, mocking him, relishing his torture, as he raises his pistol to kill her.  The bullet grazes her shoulder, but the explosion from the gun ignites the escaping fuel vapour and he and the car go up in flames.  She laughs hysterically at what she believes is a just end to it all when the last of Johan’s men appears at close range, pointing his pistol straight at her.  Fortunately for Kez, Harry has reached the scene and shoots him before he can squeeze the trigger.

            Tears, hugs, cheers and laughter follow as the rest of them board Betsy and David proudly conveys them back to the farmhouse. As Kez looks back at the flaming wreck for the very last time she sees Grandad, in his flying gear, waving goodbye.  It was over.  Now he could rest in peace.

Amelia's Daughter 

Review: Book Shelf FaceBook May 2011

Amelia Mary Earhart; (born July 24, 1897; missing July 2, 1937; declared legally dead January 5, 1939) was a noted American aviation pioneer and author.[1][2] Earhart was the first woman to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross,[3] awarded for becoming the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.[4] She set many other records,[2] wrote best-selling books about her flying experiences and was instrumental in the formation of The Ninety-Nines, an organization for female pilots.[5] Earhart joined the faculty of the world-famous Purdue University aviation department in 1935 as a visiting faculty member to counsel women on careers and help inspire others with her love for aviation. She was also a member of the National Woman’s Party, and an early supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment.

During an attempt to make a circumnavigational flight of the globe in 1937 in a Purdue-funded Lockheed Model 10 Electra, Earhart disappeared over the central Pacific Ocean near Howland Island. Fascination with her life, career and disappearance continues to this day.

Philip L Moore has taken the story of Amelia and given his acount of trying to find her, a possiblity of finding her.  The story takes us on a journey of Sid who had endured years of living hell after his parents died. His family were wealthy but as Sid was sent to live with an aunt in New York he did not benifit from his wealth as he was told he had nothing. He ran from home and the boarding school and worked as a general Labourer, soon meeting Chuck and Wilma. They soon became his family. Sid enventually learns of his fortunes and this opens the possibility of searching for Amelia.

The story is believable and gives good description of the Air-planes and area. However it is hard to follow the dialogue as normal rules have not applied in this book, as with the following of who the author is talking about. Where most books would pin point a character, Philip leaves it to the reader. After a short while this encourages the reader to get more involved with the story. The story as a whole is a delightful account of possibilities and fortune. Set after the war it gives a insight to how life may have been. It also takes you on a global journey while Sid is on his search.  Set in a time when men where still gentlemen and Ladies acted accordingly it is refreshing to find a story which shows innocent of life and love in the 50's.

UTTERLY RIDICULOUS

This book is a comedy based around real events at Compton Abbas Airfield, here's what people have had to say : 

"Re-Utterly Ridiculous:
I read your book with great excitement recognising the day to day occurrences at the airport where I did most of my instructing, although written with a tongue in cheek embellishment of the truth, it gives a great amusing slant behind the scenes at a general aviation airfield."

Warwick Bayman

"This book made me laugh from the beginning to the last page. The first chapter had me in fits of laughter with the man/woman pilot. Couldn’t put it down, read it in two days, I had to know what happened next to Dave and Biggles. This book would be great as a film. Please do follow it up."

Review by S Balloo

"Thanks for a great read, it’s almost Tom Sharp. I can see so much that happens at our own Airfield, Netherthorpe. A cracking good read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Let me know when you finish the next…"

John Kelsall

"Hi Phil, or should I say Dave! The Book! Wicked, I can’t believe you have been busy writing a book….am half way through it already and it’s really funny, and of course I was there to witness a lot of it first hand, so know exactly what you are talking about."

Bekah Symonds (ex Compton Abbas)

"This book is so funny I needed oxygen at sea level."

Michael Whitley

"I love this book it was so funny, i could not put it down. This book will be loved by all who read it. I highly recommend a great, funny read.

Phil can't wait to read more of your books."

Julie (Portslade, Brighton)

"Picture our hero Dave and his trusty dog Biggles moving into their new home - a dilapidated caravan on the airfield at Spread Eagles. A self-employed cleaner of aircraft, Dave travels around the local airfields plying his trade, with the next outrageous incident only just around the corner. On the people front, there's his ex-wife Suzy, as well as the aptly named 'Wheels-up Willy' and Megan, a former Concorde-flying transvestite - Dave meets them all.

On the flying display side there is the Magnificent Four display team consisting of three Yak-50s and a Yak-52, along with their arch-rivals, the Russian Stars and the fourteen-ship Red Aeros team - all trying to cut each other's throats.

While the people, locations and incidents may be fictional; many of the airfields are not. Much of the book appears to be based on real events - especially the two brothers flying a jet when the ejector seat falls out - this time with hilarious consequences.

See how many people, places and incidents you recognise when you read this self published, completely over-the-top humorous tale."

Pilot Magazine

THERAPY (A BOOK OF POEMS)

This is a book of poetry, some of it is quite dark, hope you enjoy it.

Here's a teaser;

I was there when you cut your knee,
Put on a plaster yes that was me,
Watching and loving being there for you,
Giving you a hug when you were blue,
Being there when you were sad,
For that's our job I am your mum and dad!

I am currently working on Tony Recovers (A Romance Novel), Amelia's Daughter (Adventure/Romance) and The Duncton Flyer (A Children's Adventure Story) If you would like to read a chapter please e-mail me.

Watch this space and follow the front cover links below to see Philip L Moore's books.

BUYING BOOKS FROM ME DIRECT: YOU CAN ORDER SIGNED COPIES AND PAY BUY SENDING ME A CHEQUE/PAYPAL SIMPLY SEND ME AN E-MAIL REQUESTING THE BOOK YOU REQUIRE AND WHO YOU WANT IT MADE OUT TO, AND REMEMBER TO ADD THE ADDRESS TO WHERE YOU WANT THE BOOK SENT.